[dj790duke]

Curious to see the number and frequency of failures on the 790. I've compiled a list of the most common problems that I've noticed (including ones that I've experienced myself). Feel free to add any other issues in a reply. If you own or owned a 790 and have had ZERO problems, please comment and post your mileage.

 

[DaveNZ]

10,000kms and just the oil weep from the engine valve cover gasket. 4 track-days so far.

 

[L. S.]

10,000kms and just the oil weep from the engine valve cover gasket. 4 track-days so far.

Same here but 7,500 kms.

 

[Pgm]

No problems as of yet first one 2500 miles second one 2500 miles and rising

 

[barbagris]

So far - only the dash clock not working. Dash replaced under warranty.

Bought with 2500kms so don't know what happened before me. It was sat in a used bike trader's for at least 25% of it's life.
It was traded in for a Maxi-Scooter.

From the ECU programming dates etc (early April 2018) - I suspect mine was one of the VERY first in Spain.

Mine is 100% a road machine. Would be interesting to qualify Road vs Track and failures!.

 

[Jarrett]

Wow, so many issues. Have the 2020 models solved any of this?

 

[dma]

I had a small brake fluid leak from the ABS unit under the tank - fixed under warranty. The hose was not seated properly apparently.

 

[magoo]

5000 km on mine. Only problem is it makes me ride too fast !

 

[YoungLion]

5500kms

- Immobilizer issue riding home from the dealership. They stole the entire assembly from another 790 they had on the floor.
- Countershaft sprocket seal leaked pretty much from new as well and they replaced it at roughly 3000kms.

Mine also has the issue of irregular front tire wear due to it being up in the air so much - seems to happen to every bike I have had actually so maybe it's a rider input error - regardless, I think they should replace these wonky front tires under warranty.

 

[magnets]

issue with myktm, not resolved but worked around ("it's not on this compatibility list from 3 years ago that has only 6 phones on it so not my problem")
Oil leak from either the sump pan Or the sproket sealing rings (still in the workshop)
Total failure of engine resulting in new cam, new piston heads , new valves plus others (still in workshop)

happily it's all under warranty.
unhappily i'm not getting the bike back until middle of Jan. ("Can't get the parts can i guv'nor!")

 

[barbagris]

5000 km on mine. Only problem is it makes me ride too fast !

Then I advise you NOT to fit a COOBER box. It makes that particular problem worse.

 

[adamwwa]

My one leaks oil from top water pump housing. Currently engine is dismantled(as they suspect micro crack in engine block) and KTM-CEE don't know what to do with that and I already wait second month to fix it. Considering that it is fresh bike I am totally disappointed not even that it happened but how it is solved. Similar case in Sweden was resolved by giving new engine but it seems KTM Central Eastern Europe don't care much about customers.

 

[magnets]

I wonder if this is 'normal' for a new machine.
Like they are expecting these problems with initial parts and have to redesign something, like a seal.
it's worrying that they are so slow as it means the warranty is likely to run out before we get the iterated part that doesn't fail.

 

[adamwwa]

Considering that they test it(bike/engine) internally for 2-3 years and it is available for customers since 2018 in my opinion it is not normal. I can understand leaking seals(as this depend from seal supplier) but not cracks in block(if they were professional they should replaced engine and took this one for deep analysis).

 

[rft]

In addition to the sump and counter shaft sprocket oil leaks mine has had a leaking piston seal from the J.Juan (aka José Cuervo) front brakes and a stripped thread on the sprocket cover screws.


The sump leak has pretty much disappeared (11,800 kms) but the counter shaft seal leak still persists - just a quick wipe about every 500 kms.


The leaking brake piston seal was a pretty easy fix (myself), the stripped thread was a bit disappointing, undid the top sprocket cover screw for the 1st time and out came the thread, must have been over tightened at assembly, drilled and tapped to oversize 6mm (fixed myself).


Never had these sort of problems from the 30 or 40 Japanese bikes (lost count) I have owned

 

[Fred71530]

To be representative you should add the box : no problem

 

[Jeremy Cox]

Curious to see the number and frequency of failures on the 790. I've compiled a list of the most common problems that I've noticed (including ones that I've experienced myself). Feel free to add any other issues in a reply. If you own or owned a 790 and have had ZERO problems, please comment and post your mileage.

I have come back from the dealership in 35c temps and smoke from local bushfires. Australia is on fire in case your elsewhere and don’t know.

Anyway I feel now entitled to a gripe given what has been a very ordinary ownership experience.

I have had the bike off the road for 7 weeks in 11 months and 17,000 kms. The bike came from the dealership with the indicators incorrectly connected. Then there were the oil leaks x 4. Then the chromed fork sliders were replaced, then injectors, followed by a front disk service which hasn’t fixed the pulsing disk and lever. So the disks are probably next.

I suspect I need a new clutch cable also as it has now run out of adjustment, frustrating.

Overall the finish on the machine is only just okay. The plastics scuff and mark far too easily and my dash has permanent white marks on it that resist every attempt to remove. OMG the list keeps going as I write this.

Apart from a tense relationship with the workshop manager and a consistently unreliable supply chain from KTM the work has been mostly done under warranty and it was the down time waiting for parts that caused the delays

However how much can a Koala bear? If you haven’t noticed I can tell you the second hand market has tanked on these things and to make matters worse dealerships are flooding the market with cheap run out stock so selling the bike isn’t my first best option.

I feel KTM should be upfront with these issues and provide some financial compensation to the owners who have put down good money only to face a frustrating experience. In spite of the fact that I have been inconvenienced on multiple occasions I do believe in the machines. I have ridden a dozen or more test bikes out of sheer curiosity and the duke is still the best I’ve tried as a cheaper all rounder.

But what is most telling is I am always looking for an alternative bike. It’s true the machine does everything well but is a jack of all trades and a master of none. I feel my desire to change the bike is down in no small part to the ownership experience. I now cringe at the very idea that I have to call the dealership and book my bike in for another warrant matter, arrange the necessary transport, lifts and time off work.

Anyway gripe over now.

 

[QCS]

I may be the lucky one, or maybe just not enough miles on the odo, but had/have no issue with the bike.

Chain is a bit more noisy that I would like it to be, but nothing that I can classify as a problem.

I an with @magoo.

 

[owl]

Had the countershaft oil leak by the first service which was sorted out quick under warranty. Coolant leak developed some time after that and took longer than I would have liked for them to sort it but is all sorted now.

Only had the Immmobilizer failure pop up a few times in the year and a half I've had it, none of them caused any issue and simply turning it off an on again seemed to make it go away.

 

[cster]

I feel your pain buddy.
Don't they have a Lemon law in Aus.
This sounds like a case of the fuckers!