NHTSA Complaint #10223674 — 2007 KTM 990 ADVENTURE

MY NEW 2007 KTM 990 ADVENTURE MOTORCYCLE CONTINUES TO HAVE A SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT. WHILE RIDING THE MOTORCYCLE THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF WHILE CHANGING GEARS. I AM UNAWARE OF THE ENGINE BEING OFF UNTIL I FEEL THE REAR WHEEL SLIPPING OR SEE THE RED OIL PRESSURE LIGHT. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AND HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO KTM BOTH AT THE DEALER AND THROUGH THE KTM NA REP. I HAVE NO ISSUES WITH THE PEOPLE HANDLING MY BIKE - THEY HAVE BEEN TRYING. I'M SIMPLY NOT WILLING TO DIE OVER IT. THIS ENGINE SHUT DOWN OCCURS AT RANDOM TIMES, BOTH HIGH (FREEWAY) AND LOW SPEEDS. THE ONLY CORRELATION APPEARS TO BE WHEN THE CLUTCH HANDLE IS PULLED IN, AND ENGINE RPM DROPS WHILE CHANGING GEARS. RELEASING THE CLUTCH ON A SHUT DOWN ENGINE RESULTS IN THE REAR WHEEL LOCKING UP AND SLIDING OUT FROM UNDER THE BIKE - UNACCEPTABLE. THIS ISSUE HAPPENED IN THE FIRST HUNDRED MILES OF MY OWNERSHIP AND RANDOMLY UP UNTIL THE 600 MILE SERVICE. KTM DEALER WAS TOLD ABOUT THE SHUTDOWN AND CHECKED THE BIKE OVER. THEY REMAPPED - UPDATED THE FUEL INJECTION AND WERE CONFIDENT THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED. IT IS NOT FIXED! SOME HAVE ATTRIBUTED THE PROBLEM TO BEING A "NEW" BIKE - HOWEVER I HAVE 1454 MILES ON IT AND IT SHUT DOWN ON ME TWICE TODAY AT HIGH SPEED. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT AND MUST BE AGGRESSIVELY HANDLED BY KTM. PLEASE HELP ME ACCOMPLISH THAT. I AM AN ADVANCED RIDER AND IT TAKES ALL MY SKILL TO MANAGE A BIKE AT FREEWAY SPEED WITH THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN. I DO NOT WANT SOMEONE TO GET HURT OR KILLED BY THIS DEFECT. *TR