KTM 4-stroke reliability.

Crush
Posts
21154
Joined
4/26/2009
Location
Sydney, AU
10/10/2013 9:31pm
Its so funny, alotta guys bag on the ktms , I ride with a bunch of die hard honda guys, they all bagged on me getting...
Its so funny, alotta guys bag on the ktms , I ride with a bunch of die hard honda guys, they all bagged on me getting a 13 450sxf we ll 3 of them are now riding dungey replicas! They are unbelievable bikes, best brakes, best motor, best handeling, highest quality parts, electric start, , suspension needs alittle work, but thats a personal thing anyway and most people get their stuff valved to their weight n ability anyway. Me, I went full ohlins!
Ya... I've seen that loads too, so many orange bikes down here.

When they do get their suspension to say, 2006-13 Yamaha SSS level, it might be lights out for the other brands.
malachi177
Posts
2281
Joined
12/18/2010
Location
B.C., BC, CA
10/10/2013 9:44pm
Its so funny, alotta guys bag on the ktms , I ride with a bunch of die hard honda guys, they all bagged on me getting...
Its so funny, alotta guys bag on the ktms , I ride with a bunch of die hard honda guys, they all bagged on me getting a 13 450sxf we ll 3 of them are now riding dungey replicas! They are unbelievable bikes, best brakes, best motor, best handeling, highest quality parts, electric start, , suspension needs alittle work, but thats a personal thing anyway and most people get their stuff valved to their weight n ability anyway. Me, I went full ohlins!
Best handling?Blink Laughing ....ok then, I'll bite. NO way in hell. I've ridden a Dungey replica, yes it handles better then a YZF or KXF, but not even close to a CRF and not even close to the same ball park as an RMZ. The brakes are friggin wicked though!!!!!Woohoo
jock
Posts
1669
Joined
9/25/2006
Location
Postmans Ridge, QLD, AU
Fantasy
10/11/2013 2:22am
Its so funny, alotta guys bag on the ktms , I ride with a bunch of die hard honda guys, they all bagged on me getting...
Its so funny, alotta guys bag on the ktms , I ride with a bunch of die hard honda guys, they all bagged on me getting a 13 450sxf we ll 3 of them are now riding dungey replicas! They are unbelievable bikes, best brakes, best motor, best handeling, highest quality parts, electric start, , suspension needs alittle work, but thats a personal thing anyway and most people get their stuff valved to their weight n ability anyway. Me, I went full ohlins!
malachi177 wrote:
Best handling?:blink: :laugh: ....ok then, I'll bite. NO way in hell. I've ridden a Dungey replica, yes it handles better then a YZF or KXF, but...
Best handling?Blink Laughing ....ok then, I'll bite. NO way in hell. I've ridden a Dungey replica, yes it handles better then a YZF or KXF, but not even close to a CRF and not even close to the same ball park as an RMZ. The brakes are friggin wicked though!!!!!Woohoo
So what you are saying, is it turns pretty good, and has little to no headshake. Sounds pretty good to me.
68
Posts
710
Joined
8/25/2012
Location
Sydney, AU
10/11/2013 2:44am
4 stroke and reliability should never be put in the same sentence

The Shop

Shawn142
Posts
2602
Joined
10/27/2008
Location
Burleson, TX, USA
10/11/2013 4:27am
68 wrote:
4 stroke and reliability should never be put in the same sentence
Why the hell not? Every CRF450 I've owned since going with 4-strokes back in '04 has been bulletproof. I've never had an engine failure and my '09 is now over 200 hours. I'd call that pretty damn reliable. My experience is not out of the ordinary either.
RCF
Posts
548
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
USA
10/11/2013 5:54am
HenryA wrote:
Really? 100hours on the stock piston? I don't know if you are brave or just stupid but that's impressive! It's been a few years since i...
Really? 100hours on the stock piston? I don't know if you are brave or just stupid but that's impressive!
It's been a few years since i had a pumpkin in the garage but I've never had any problems with mine, well I had some electrical problems on the 400exc but that was mostly my fault. As far as the engine goes, they have always worked like a charm. But on the other hand, I've never had any mechanical problems with my thumpers. *knock on wood*
My son is a AA rider so his bike's get abused and I never taken a piston out of one of his bike's with anything less then 100 hr on it. his last 250f had over 400 hours on it with the original crank in it . the guy who bought it 3 years ago still riding it without doing anything to it.. most of the problems I see with these bikes is caused by not putting the air cleaner back in right these motors don't like having dirt ran through them.once you destroyed the Rings the engine will start pushing out the oil causing all kinds of problems
malachi177
Posts
2281
Joined
12/18/2010
Location
B.C., BC, CA
10/11/2013 4:08pm
Its so funny, alotta guys bag on the ktms , I ride with a bunch of die hard honda guys, they all bagged on me getting...
Its so funny, alotta guys bag on the ktms , I ride with a bunch of die hard honda guys, they all bagged on me getting a 13 450sxf we ll 3 of them are now riding dungey replicas! They are unbelievable bikes, best brakes, best motor, best handeling, highest quality parts, electric start, , suspension needs alittle work, but thats a personal thing anyway and most people get their stuff valved to their weight n ability anyway. Me, I went full ohlins!
malachi177 wrote:
Best handling?:blink: :laugh: ....ok then, I'll bite. NO way in hell. I've ridden a Dungey replica, yes it handles better then a YZF or KXF, but...
Best handling?Blink Laughing ....ok then, I'll bite. NO way in hell. I've ridden a Dungey replica, yes it handles better then a YZF or KXF, but not even close to a CRF and not even close to the same ball park as an RMZ. The brakes are friggin wicked though!!!!!Woohoo
jock wrote:
So what you are saying, is it turns pretty good, and has little to no headshake. Sounds pretty good to me.
Not really, the ass end dances around horriblyTongue . As for the headshake comment. Learn to set up your suspension, and how to use a steering damperWoohoo Did I mention the brakes....holy crap are they good!!!
malachi177
Posts
2281
Joined
12/18/2010
Location
B.C., BC, CA
10/11/2013 4:11pm
68 wrote:
4 stroke and reliability should never be put in the same sentence
Shawn142 wrote:
Why the hell not? Every CRF450 I've owned since going with 4-strokes back in '04 has been bulletproof. I've never had an engine failure and my...
Why the hell not? Every CRF450 I've owned since going with 4-strokes back in '04 has been bulletproof. I've never had an engine failure and my '09 is now over 200 hours. I'd call that pretty damn reliable. My experience is not out of the ordinary either.
It is a bit. Uni-cams are notorious for being cam eaters. Talk to any bike mechanic, they love the Uni-cam engines. Keeps them employed. You're doing something right, don't change a thing!!
10/11/2013 4:40pm Edited Date/Time 10/11/2013 4:42pm
i have seen all kind of brands shit the bed. Does that make all brands bad? All the strokers are quite reliable these days, but sometimes your out of luck and the thing grenades. They are still ticking time bombs, always will be. But the failure rate has gone down allot.
10/14/2013 5:07pm
malachi177 wrote:
Not really, the ass end dances around horribly:P . As for the headshake comment. Learn to set up your suspension, and how to use a steering...
Not really, the ass end dances around horriblyTongue . As for the headshake comment. Learn to set up your suspension, and how to use a steering damperWoohoo Did I mention the brakes....holy crap are they good!!!
Rear end "dances" eh? that can easily be fixed. Sounds like YOU need to follow some of your own advice...
10/14/2013 6:21pm
No it doesn't turn as we all as an rmz 450 but its not far off. Ktms r really sag sensitive. But anyone who has ridden a 13 Honda and a 13 KTM , they must admit the KTM shits all over the Hondas motor. Other than the Yamaha the ktms reliability is second to none. I'm not on the KTM band wagon, I am fortunate to have ridden all the 13 450 , and feel the KTM is the best.
Mitch_Berger
Posts
127
Joined
1/17/2012
Location
Boise, ID, USA
10/29/2013 7:17pm


Even locomotives blow up
This piston flew out of an engine and got imbedded in someone's house.
Denriz
Posts
2
Joined
12/13/2015
Location
Longwood, FL, USA
12/13/2015 3:46am
I personally have not had good expierence with ktm. I had an 11 350sxf purchased new and the throttle position sensor failed early on, then the the fuel injector failed multiple times. I chalked it up to it beng the first year the bike was in production. I gave Ktm another try buying a new 2014 450sxf and had crankshaft bushing failure at 50 hours.
I sucked it up and replaced everything with oem parts($$$$$) and now the bike is at 63 hours and the crankshaft failed again!! I'm guessing that there is a deficiency in the oil pump or delivery system. I have honda crf450 and Yamaha yzf250 in the garage and they both run great.
CarlinoJoeVideo
Posts
7516
Joined
11/30/2013
Location
Portland/Los Angeles, CA, USA
12/13/2015 7:25am
I went over 100 hours on my 2012 250sx-f. Just checked the valves, new filter every ride and oil change every 3-4.

Depends how you ride the motor and care for the bike.
markit
Posts
2641
Joined
1/10/2013
Location
Bogalusa, LA, USA
12/13/2015 11:16am
7I3N wrote:
I think KTM's quality has surpassed the Japanese in the last few years. My next bike will be orange.

My 03 450 rfs was bulletproof so you can add about 10+ years to that.

Post a reply to: KTM 4-stroke reliability.

The Latest