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KTM 790 Adventure owners reporting numerous problems


Cruizin

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Iv'e been reading the KTM forums and the 790 Adventure owners are reporting numerous issues. 

 

ABS issues, Rear brake issues, Premature Oil leaks, lots of clutches burning up prematurely, Traction control issues and failures, engine cases cracking open.  All this shet for a bike that costs 3-4 thousand more than the T7?  🤪

 

Meanwhile, no such T7 issues from our European and Australian owners on here. And no issues from the MT07 forum, same engine been in that bikes since 2014. 

 

I'm sick of hearing all about how great the KTM 790 Adventure is. With all the above considered, the T7 is the better bike and the much better deal. 

 

Maybe Yamaha did their bike "World Raid" marketing campaign a couple years ago just to dare KTM to release that bike before it was truly ready?  If so, KTM took the bait. 

 

KTM 790 ? 

 

honey boo boo no GIF

 

 

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I didn't even bother to test ride the 790 from my dealer who have both Yamaha and  KTM. They might be "ready to race" (a short one I suggest), but they're supermodel  high maintenance! My salesman was getting a T7 and  agreed with my views on the 790. Fix the  reliably issues and  expect a stampede towards KTM.

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It is very easy to get caught in the ADV hype. It creates an impression that you have to own a "ready to race" bike or something which has pistons sticking out of it in order to be part of the ADV club.

 

Endless conversations about price, features, electronics, specifications of a motorcycle which in the end is just a means of transport allowing us to go and experience the adventure.

 

Once, in the middle of nowhere I met an old guy at the cross roads. He stopped looked at my bike (Honda CB500x) at the time with the flags and signatures on it. We shook hands and chat for a while. Turns out he was a test driver for Renault cars and saw more of the world than I did. As we part our ways he says:

Quote

Don't let the motorcycle travel for you, you have to travel yourself.

Don't be ready to race, be ready to get lost...

 

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RTW Ténéré 700, UK to India & back on Honda CB500X

farandfurther.org | YouTube | Instagram

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The first few minutes of this nicely demonstrates the cracking engine case issue :

 

 

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Location: Central Ontario, Canada

Riding footage: www.instagram.com/beefmoto

Message me if you are close - let's go riding!

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5 minutes ago, FAR&FURTHER said:

It is very easy to get caught in the ADV hype. It creates an impression that you have to own a "ready to race" bike or something which has pistons sticking out of it in order to be part of the ADV club.

 

Endless conversations about price, features, electronics, specifications of a motorcycle which in the end is just a means of transport allowing us to go and experience the adventure.

 

Once, in the middle of nowhere I met an old guy at the cross roads. He stopped looked at my bike (Honda CB500x) at the time with imageproxy.php?img=&key=6a3749c85cdc35aethe flags and signatures on it. We shook hands and chat for a while. Turns out he was a test driver for Renault cars and saw more of the world than I did. As we part our ways he says:

Don't be ready to race, be ready to get lost...

 

You are lost only when you are; "low on fuel and you don't know when you're likely to get more " 😁 

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10 hours ago, Cruizin said:

I'm sick of hearing all about how great the KTM 790 Adventure is.

KTM owners are the most suffering capable people I’ve ever seen🤪

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First issue with that bike for me is that it's ugly. 🤨

Edited by qInvention
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8 hours ago, Louis said:

I didn't even bother to test ride the 790 from my dealer who have both Yamaha and  KTM. They might be "ready to race" (a short one I suggest), but they're supermodel  high maintenance! My salesman was getting a T7 and  agreed with my views on the 790. Fix the  reliably issues and  expect a stampede towards KTM.

I didn't consider it either... Ugly looking thing 🤔🤣

Much prefer my T7... I did like the husky 701SM and was close to getting one but fears of it not being reliable have pushed me to get a yamaha and make it Supermoto. 

Aleks 

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Let me tell you, T7 is bike of my dreams, because I'm a Dr650 owner for many years I like to watch this video.

They say funny things about Ktm, minute 1.12 of the video.🙂

https://youtu.be/VJMYMC4jxKM

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1 hour ago, qInvention said:

First issue with that bike for me is that it's ugly. 🤨

yep it looks like a rhino with a praying mantis head. butt ugly

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The only reason I bought the 790R was because of the T700 being unbelievable in Canada. I’ve been lucky with no problems at 8,000 km and most of that has been off the asphalt. Did the Utah Backcountry discovery route last fall and the bike was amazing on road and off. Definitely a fun factor riding the 790 but I wouldn’t take it to the far north. I actually took my S10 with 193,000 km to Tukoyaktuk for the second time last year because I didn’t trust the 790.

3709905D-AB5E-408D-9A2E-785DA7AAF2E5.jpeg

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The internet is a funny thing. Whatever you want to find, or want to believe you can find it to confirm your hopes and fears. The Earth is flat? Yep. We didn't land on the Moon? Never happened. 

 

All that said, issues get more overblown than praise. I'm very excited about getting the Tenere, but I've read just glowing reviews of the 790 and know people with the bike with ZERO problems and they punish the hell out of it. It's not a garage princess like most of the Tenere's I see online, all shiny and pure with 10K on them. The 790's are ridden hard and put away wet ("that's what she said") 

I'll try to find the link and update but there's a blog of some cat who has 68K trouble free and counting on his 790 and touring the world. Not to Starbucks and an occasional adventure rally to look the part, but across continents rain and shine. 

 

I beat the piss out of my 690 Enduro and it never complained, zero problems and would have trusted riding it to AK and back and then back up to AK again if it wasn't such a paint shaker. The bike could do it, I couldn't. 

 

Agreed that the praying mantis headlight on the 790 is fugly, but that's vanity and ride quality wins any day of the week. Id be happy with either bike. 

Edited by johnnygolucky
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The only thing I find odd in the 790 reviews are how everyone says its premium, just because of 'price', if Yamaha charged 16k for the T7, people wouldn't say it's premium, just throw a fit. For me, premium is reliable and well thought of details.

 

I went to see the 790 in person, and it was far from premium, just plasticky and ill thought of, ugly looks and weird ergos. Its made in china I believe, and felt like it from the finishes/tolerances. 

 

I was going to buy a KTM 990, I think, just imo thats a legendary and classic machine. Has it's quirks, a lot too, yet when I rode one, just felt fun, doesn't look dated either. 

Edited by ScorpionT16
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The Yamaha is cheap because it has nothing on it, just ABS. Which to some is the allure. The KTM is premium because it has incredible suspension and the instrument display alone is a work of art. The Tenere looks like a gameboy. The KTM is priced higher for a lot of reasons. Dont get me wrong, I bought the Tenere because you cant beat the price, if I didnt get in on this pre-order, I was going to go down and buy a new 790 without hesitation. Both are great bikes, even if I like the loo of the Tenere more than the 790. But gain, for me vanity is the least of what Im after. Suspension and ride quality and engine make up the difference. 

 

I've ridden the 990. GREAT bike. But you ever just change out the air filter on that bike? LOL. Write me when you're finally done. I'll be a long way from home riding. 

 

The 790 and Tenere addressed that issue. 

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2 hours ago, johnnygolucky said:

The internet is a funny thing. Whatever you want to find, or want to believe you can find it to confirm your hopes and fears. The Earth is flat? Yep. We didn't land on the Moon? Never happened. 

 

All that said, issues get more overblown than praise. I'm very excited about getting the Tenere, but I've read just glowing reviews of the 790 and know people with the bike with ZERO problems and they punish the hell out of it. It's not a garage princess like most of the Tenere's I see online, all shiny and pure with 10K on them. The 790's are ridden hard and put away wet ("that's what she said") 

I'll try to find the link and update but there's a blog of some cat who has 68K trouble free and counting on his 790 and touring the world. Not to Starbucks and an occasional adventure rally to look the part, but across continents rain and shine. 

 

I beat the piss out of my 690 Enduro and it never complained, zero problems and would have trusted riding it to AK and back and then back up to AK again if it wasn't such a paint shaker. The bike could do it, I couldn't. 

 

Agreed that the praying mantis headlight on the 790 is fugly, but that's vanity and ride quality wins any day of the week. Id be happy with either bike. 

Well, I own a few other Yamaha forums in addition to this one. And the Tracer 900 and MT07 do not have all these issues , failures, cracking engine cases. People still complain about things like weak suspension , seat, stuff like that. But none of the failure issues that the KTM forums are full of. 

 

I love KTM dirtbikes, they are the lightest most powerful out of the crate. But I don't trust their streetbikes enough to buy one. And even if I did, I would still have to spend money on suspension to get it revalved and resprung for my weight and size. Exactly what I will be doing to the T7. Even if I buy a new rear shock, I'll be thousands cheaper than a 790. 

 

I'm admittedly a Yamaha fan boy. But it comes from buying, wrenching on and riding Yamahas and many other bikes since the 70's.

I've never been burned by Yamaha. I've never been stuck on the side of the road with oil dumping out of a Yamaha. I've never cussed and thrown a wrench across the room over a Yamaha.  I've beat the piss out of every Yamaha I've owned and they just keep running. 

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Generally japonise bikes are reliable ktm not because they dont think reliability they think lightnesss and more hp so it is normal just ı dont like ktm they are some production in india...ı dont like with yamaha everytime they are making enduro like a cross bike they are tall and gravity center is high ı have also wr250r, tenere chase is very similar...ı want yamaha we dont need such a high big cc enduro bike we need lower gravity center...honda make this good with africa twin but their chase is completly different two bike more touring not enduro tenere 700 is very suitable for long and big people

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4 hours ago, ScorpionT16 said:

The only thing I find odd in the 790 reviews are how everyone says its premium, just because of 'price', if Yamaha charged 16k for the T7, people wouldn't say it's premium, just throw a fit. For me, premium is reliable and well thought of details.

 

I went to see the 790 in person, and it was far from premium, just plasticky and ill thought of, ugly looks and weird ergos. Its made in china I believe, and felt like it from the finishes/tolerances. 

 

I was going to buy a KTM 990, I think, just imo thats a legendary and classic machine. Has it's quirks, a lot too, yet when I rode one, just felt fun, doesn't look dated either. 

It’s not made in China by the way. Premium  has nothing to do with reliability. I paid $2,700 more for the 790R than the T7 and I really don’t think if you spent $3,000 on the T7s suspension it will ever match the 790R.

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6 minutes ago, Limey said:

Premium  has nothing to do with reliability.

Well that is where our opinions differ. Premium has everything to do with reliability. Toyota for example go to huge lengths to make their vehicles reliable and long lasting, and they are now the top worldwide car maker because of it. Yamaha have been following in their footsteps.

If you were buying a race bike for the track, you could relate to the motto "Ready to race". But 200 kms from the nearest town on some dirt track that rarely gets used and riding on your own? Not so much. 

Then there is the subject of resale value...

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16 minutes ago, TimeMachine said:

Well that is where our opinions differ. Premium has everything to do with reliability. Toyota for example go to huge lengths to make their vehicles reliable and long lasting, and they are now the top worldwide car maker because of it. Yamaha have been following in their footsteps.

If you were buying a race bike for the track, you could relate to the motto "Ready to race". But 200 kms from the nearest town on some dirt track that rarely gets used and riding on your own? Not so much. 

Then there is the subject of resale value...

I wouldn’t class my Toyota Camary as a premium car but I did see this today and would class it as  premium. But I would take my Toyota across country before I took a Mclaren.

F55E5F05-6A5B-49D0-A25A-66C81AAA6BAD.jpeg

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2 hours ago, Limey said:

It’s not made in China by the way. Premium  has nothing to do with reliability. I paid $2,700 more for the 790R than the T7 and I really don’t think if you spent $3,000 on the T7s suspension it will ever match the 790R.

 

It will be made in China now - 

KTM-790-Adventure-IBW-2019.jpg

KTM Made In China Plans Include 790 Adventure, Duke 790. The New Plant Is Said To Have A Capacity Of 50,000 Units That Can Be Increased To 1 Lakh Units

 

I do agree somewhat on the premium vs reliability, however it's one thing if a bike is for track, competition etc... and will be raced, vs one for the ADV world, which will will be far away from a garage, most importantly in places where parts may not be available. That said, that hanging headlight, the proportions, design, and finishes (again, just me, not saying everyone will feel this) just scream cheap. Keep in some pros switch the suspension to the WP Pro ones anyway, so they are using WP as a name on the bike. The way the seat meets the tank alone, just looks so weird. The fact that things are failing on the bike prematurely, is also an indication of cheap, not performance. Traction control going, electronic issues, ABS issues, headlights coming off, etc... This doesn't scream premium to me, just me. 

 

 

Edited by ScorpionT16
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7 hours ago, ScorpionT16 said:

 

It will be made in China now - 

What a shame. It's interesting that they're keeping their huge adventure bikes still made in house, 1290 etc....and moving the mid size to China. Are their 350EXC's and such also going to be made in China? I've been on KTM's for a long time, and this honestly would make me look to Honda and Yamaha more. Not necessarily because of quality, which I believe would suffer, but from the labor practices over there. I try my best to buy things made in North America or Europe, but it's impossible these days to go 100% as China dominates. 

 

Still, if I'd have a choice to buy a KTM or not, after reading this I'd lean orange no more unless it be a 2019 EXC. 

Edited by johnnygolucky
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Storytelling about how KTMs will reach high miles with zero problems is best told around a warming campfire at night with a torch lit face 😑 along with other urban mythology.

There's no shame in cleaning a vehicle, race pit crews do this in the  shed as a means of a safety inspection to ward off failures. 

Reliably is reassuring! And a highly sort after. I personally wish reliably is a direction that ALL manufacturers take seriously.

Sadly the reports of premature failures are coming from the real world consumer. And in this case, forwarding negative experiences to  the consumer of a different brand. I am reassured by the lack of problems being reported here that the T7 is indeed reliable. Price and equipment is always a  consideration. But reliably is something that a bucket of money will probably never fix!

For the record,  I  like the looks of the 790, and I hope Yamaha makes a T7 R model with high end suspension! 

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7 hours ago, Louis said:

 

Storytelling about how KTMs will reach high miles with zero problems is best told around a warming campfire at night with a torch lit face 😑 along with other urban mythology.

There's no shame in cleaning a vehicle, race pit crews do this in the  shed as a means of a safety inspection to ward off failures. 

Reliably is reassuring! And a highly sort after. I personally wish reliably is a direction that ALL manufacturers take seriously.

Sadly the reports of premature failures are coming from the real world consumer. And in this case, forwarding negative experiences to  the consumer of a different brand. I am reassured by the lack of problems being reported here that the T7 is indeed reliable. Price and equipment is always a  consideration. But reliably is something that a bucket of money will probably never fix!

For the record,  I  like the looks of the 790, and I hope Yamaha makes a T7 R model with high end suspension! 

I’ve had so many KTM guys get pissed at me for asking them to show a KTM with 100,000 miles. 193,000 km (120,000 miles) on my S10 and wouldn’t hesitate to take it back to Tuktoyaktuk.

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I think both bikes are good but they have their drawbacks like every bike does. If I'm honest I wish that my T7 cost a little more if it meant that they would have built it out of slightly better stuff. The small nuts and bolts around it are not stainless and it certainly is not built to anywhere near the standard of my 2000 R1. That said it will never stop or leave me stuck on the side of the road...

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  • 3 weeks later...

I have a lot of love for KTM and still own my SE.  The T7 is a good bike for the price but you do have to spend money on the suspension.  For me it was the simplicity of the bike along with reliability that got the sale.

im sure the 790 is a great bike but far to complicated and loaded with tech that I don’t want or need.

All the modern bikes are going the same way.  What’s the point in owning a bike that can’t be fixed without the main dealers computer!

 

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