Ktm frame repair (welding)

That is not a crack, but rather a break. I would not suggest attempting to fix it, but rather replace the frame.

Paw Paw

Agreed with Paw, That’s Big man. My engine hanger cracked so it was rewelded. I wouldn’t mess around with a head tube crack like that.

WOW ! As mentioned by Paw. I would also highly recommend against repairing it since the break is at a crucial structural point.

Donot touch frame, if warrantied , KTM will want the old frame...

Dont bother trying to fix it

I'm a steel fabricator and welder by trade..all different alloys, 27 years experience. I concur with PawPaw and the other posters. Do not attempt to fix it. The big concern is creating a brittle zone where the weld is. It'll be in a place the design doesn't account for.

You can't just weld the crack and fix it because it's probably cracked under the gusset. We have a guy here that builds stock car frames that could repair it, but it would require grinding off the gusset welding up the head tube and making a new gusset that wraps around the front more like the 19s. Unless you have someone like that could basically build you a frame if needed, I would replace it with a new one.

Buy some Lottery Tickets - your good luck might just be still around.

You are a lucky man in your bad luck - in that the front end hasn't come clean off. That's a break, with considerable separation, that will almost certainly be through to the tubing underneath the gusset.

It could be repaired, and safely, by the right fabricator, but if you've a chance at Warranty, leave it alone and wait for your new frame.

Rather ironic that I mentioned making the material brittle in a place where it isn't accounted for...since that crack appears to have started right in the heat affected zone at the toeline of the weld. Further, seeing that separation leads me to think that the steering head is no longer correctly aligned with the rest of the frame.

How many hours on your bike?

Also, would not repair either.

Beginning to think KTM frames are becoming wear items... Glad you caught it before disaster. 53 hours is nothing.

Agreed. This problem is all too common with KTM.