2020 KTM 1290 SUPER DUKE R — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

The shifting mechanism components became loose, and it hindered me from shifting up - it would upshift with difficulty, then it would go from 1st gear to neutral, making for a very dangerous experience. It quickly degraded and I could not shift out of 1st gear at all.

The shifting mechanism components became loose, and it hindered me from shifting up - it would upshift with difficulty, then it would go from 1st gear to neutral, making for a very dangerous experience. It quickly degraded and I could not shift out of 1st gear at all.

GEAR SHIFTER HITS THE KICK STAND IF USER MAKES THE WRONG ADJUSTMENTS. USER CAN HAVE ACCIDENT IF THEY DON'T NOTICE THEY MOVED THE SHIFTER WHEN BIKE HAS KICK STAND DOWN.

THIS FAULT HAS OCCURRED TWICE WITHIN 220 MILES (2 WEEKS). WHILE RIDING THE MOTORCYCLE AND ENTERING A CORNER (IN MOTION), THE DASH SHOWED THE ALERT OF "MTC FAILURE". THIS FAILURE NOT ONLY CAUSED THE BIKE TO BECOME UNSETTLED/UNSTABLE, BUT UPON TURNING THE THROTTLE TO ACCELERATE OUT OF THE CORNER, I DISCOVERED THAT IT COMPLETELY STOPPED ALL PROPULSION TO THE REAR WHEEL. THE MTC FAILURE STOPS THE POWER DELIVERY TO THE BACK WHEEL ALTOGETHER, MAKING THE BIKE UNSTABLE AND UNABLE TO BE CONTROLLED THROUGH ACCELERATION (THE VERY THING THAT NEEDED FOR STABILITY ON A TWO WHEEL VEHICLE). I WAS ABLE TO PULL IN THE CLUTCH AND COAST THROUGH THE TURN, PULLING OFF THE ROAD ONCE THROUGH THE CORNER, BUT THE PROBLEM WAS BEYOND DANGEROUS NONETHELESS. HAVING SPOKEN WITH KTM AND HAD MY BIKE TO THE DEALERSHIP, I WAS INFORMED THAT THE MTC FAILURE AND BEHAVIOR OF THE MOTORCYCLE FROM THAT FAILURE WAS NOT THE RESULT OF AN ENGINE MALFUNCTION, BUT EXHAUST SERVO CABLES BEING OUT OF ADJUSTMENT. WHILE THE DANGER OF THE BIKES BEHAVIOR AND LOSS OF PROPULSION IS PROBLEMATIC IN ITSELF, THE GREATER ISSUE IS THE CAUSE OF THAT FAILURE COMING FROM COMPLETELY UNRELATED ISSUES. THE EXHAUST SERVO CAUSED THIS FAILURE ON MY MOTORCYCLE TWO TIMES NOW IN LESS THAN TWO WEEKS (220 MILES), BUT I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT THIS SAME FAILURE HAS BEEN CAUSED BY AS LITTLE AS A LOW BATTERY. HAVING SPOKEN WITH KTM A NUMBER OF TIMES AND CONTINUING TO SPEAK WITH THEM REGARDING THIS ISSUE, THEY HAVE NO PERMANENT SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM. NOT ONLY THAT, THEY HAVE NO PLANS OR IDEA HOW TO PREVENT THIS PROBLEM FROM HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE. THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND RECTIFIED IMMEDIATELY, AS IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED.

THIS FAULT HAS OCCURRED TWICE WITHIN 220 MILES (2 WEEKS). WHILE RIDING THE MOTORCYCLE AND ENTERING A CORNER (IN MOTION), THE DASH SHOWED THE ALERT OF "MTC FAILURE". THIS FAILURE NOT ONLY CAUSED THE BIKE TO BECOME UNSETTLED/UNSTABLE, BUT UPON TURNING THE THROTTLE TO ACCELERATE OUT OF THE CORNER, I DISCOVERED THAT IT COMPLETELY STOPPED ALL PROPULSION TO THE REAR WHEEL. THE MTC FAILURE STOPS THE POWER DELIVERY TO THE BACK WHEEL ALTOGETHER, MAKING THE BIKE UNSTABLE AND UNABLE TO BE CONTROLLED THROUGH ACCELERATION (THE VERY THING THAT NEEDED FOR STABILITY ON A TWO WHEEL VEHICLE). I WAS ABLE TO PULL IN THE CLUTCH AND COAST THROUGH THE TURN, PULLING OFF THE ROAD ONCE THROUGH THE CORNER, BUT THE PROBLEM WAS BEYOND DANGEROUS NONETHELESS. HAVING SPOKEN WITH KTM AND HAD MY BIKE TO THE DEALERSHIP, I WAS INFORMED THAT THE MTC FAILURE AND BEHAVIOR OF THE MOTORCYCLE FROM THAT FAILURE WAS NOT THE RESULT OF AN ENGINE MALFUNCTION, BUT EXHAUST SERVO CABLES BEING OUT OF ADJUSTMENT. WHILE THE DANGER OF THE BIKES BEHAVIOR AND LOSS OF PROPULSION IS PROBLEMATIC IN ITSELF, THE GREATER ISSUE IS THE CAUSE OF THAT FAILURE COMING FROM COMPLETELY UNRELATED ISSUES. THE EXHAUST SERVO CAUSED THIS FAILURE ON MY MOTORCYCLE TWO TIMES NOW IN LESS THAN TWO WEEKS (220 MILES), BUT I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT THIS SAME FAILURE HAS BEEN CAUSED BY AS LITTLE AS A LOW BATTERY. HAVING SPOKEN WITH KTM A NUMBER OF TIMES AND CONTINUING TO SPEAK WITH THEM REGARDING THIS ISSUE, THEY HAVE NO PERMANENT SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM. NOT ONLY THAT, THEY HAVE NO PLANS OR IDEA HOW TO PREVENT THIS PROBLEM FROM HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE. THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND RECTIFIED IMMEDIATELY, AS IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED.