Worst reliability brand

Sorry, 2004-2006 CRF 250's. Too many head injuries I guess. I loved my 94 CR250, got my wires crossed. 

Very ironic statement considering it appears Kawi seems to be the least reliable bike yet you’re in here defending their honor at every turn and denying every post that mentions problems with them

It’s ok. You can like Kawasaki and still realize they have quality issues

Careful or @MxAddic might bust out his C class trophy pictures where he made the podium in a race with 2 other riders... 

Interesting - that effed up cylinder BS started with the 1990 bikes, I guess they never figured it out .. 

Had the ‘90. Came totally incorrectly jetted, called Kaw and they said the jetting was correct. Uh OK. The chrome lining was never applied correctly to the cylinders, we got brand new ones and out the box the chrome was flaking off . Can’t think of how many cylinders we went through before finally got one nicksil ( or whatever) lined and ran it on AvGas . 

I raced pro Brit nationals at the time and we had to put brand new top ends on every other week, frames cracked, hubs cracked, brakes were shit, forks were garbage, subframe’s broke, seats collapsed after about 6 rides, in cold weather the plastics would break for fun …. 
 

That said it was a peach compared to my ‘85 KTM 250 . Managed to get my pro license on that pile of  shit but by season ends it was basically a rolling pile of scrap metal . 

Gee, I must have missed all that. So much drama every turn.

Vet area qualifiers are C class? You really are the dumbest fuker on this board.

You same 5 or so who run around chasing each others tails have really killed this board IMO. 

Any 4 stroke Honda from 2004-2013.... just from bystander experience.

Kawi’s suck more than your ex girlfriend did 

Sorry Kawi people. In the group of people I've ridden with and been around who all take care of their bikes, the 2 stroke and 4 stroke kawis have had more weird problems than all the others combined. Going to say I've never owned one and can't say anything? Go ahead but that's the reason why I haven't and probably never will.

I'll defend the 09-12 Hondas to the death. It had flaws, but they all had easy fixes. Turned the idle up, never had flame outs, added extra oil to the trans side and the clutch fade went away.

Kawasaki, hands down. Dirt, street, doesn’t matter. I’ve had a Ninja eat crank bearings, a KLX blow a hole in a case, siezed a couple of KX’s. No more Kawasaki for me.

That's why I got rid of her. No suction.

Finally someone that has a little humor!!! 🍻

I know it’s not on the list but I’ve owned a Sherco for about a year now. It’s a good looking bike and it’s fun to ride…. But the fit and finish is not good at all. The side panels are supposed to fit up against the shroud like a new Honda. One side has a big gap. The shop I bought it from had about 10 bikes so I went around and checked the fit on all of them. One fit nicely on both sides. The shouldered bolts that go through the plastic don’t tighten down nicely like most bikes. I think something is up with the front spokes. Some have a lot of threads showing so I think they are loose but they aren’t. 

I've broken numerous sub frames, pipe mounts, even cracked a frame or two but still go back to Kawasaki's because I like how they feel and perform. Yamaha's have the best fit and finish in my opinion but they just don't suit my riding style. Honda being a close 2nd. 

How are things Adam?

The people in my area who have the most issues are the ones who take it to the only dealer around for service. The guys who know how to work on them themselves have much more reliable bikes. 

2019 KTM 350 SXF and 2022 GasGas MC 350F with crank/rod failures at 30 hrs and 12 hrs. I hear all the time KTM's have the best cranks, Pankl rods, etc... I am a Vet rider and meticulously maintain my bikes. KTM warrantied both bikes and made everything right. Only explanation I ever got was "quality control issues." I had other 350's, a Husky 450, and currently a '23 MC 350F with no issues. I have owned dozens of other bikes from Suzuki, Kawasaki, Honda, and Yamaha other the past 30 years and never had an engine issue. Not an apples to apples comparison, just for reference. I wouldn't say my bad experiences would steer me away from KTM's or 350's. In fact, KTM's stance on standing behind their product is a major factor now in my next purchase.  

Sometimes you just get a lemon and/or have bad luck...

Good buddy of mine had an intake valve failure on his 23 YZ250F that Yamaha covered as well. Almost $3000 CAD bill. 

My son just got a call, bad injector.  KTM paid for the part and labor.

Depends on year really.  Yamaha imo use to be great reliability, built proof.  The last gen I can definitely not say the same.  Loads of issues, and very expensive ones like gearboxes 

The only bike that I’ve ever had issues with is a KTM. That bike was a total lemon. My last KTM was pretty nice once I adjusted to the EFI 2-stroke.

I had Suzukis is the 90s that were…umm….not that well built, but man if I didn’t love riding them!

The only bike that I’ve had lock up on me was a Yamaha YZ125, but I do consider myself a Yamaha loyalist. It is my bike of choice.

I had a 2023 Kawasaki KX250. I thought it was very well put together. The fit and finished seemed as good as anything else I’ve owned. 
 

My Honda’s were always well made in the 90s and through the 2000’s. I haven’t ridden one in years though.

Any KX500 2 stroke!

I have owned Kawasaki KX's Since 1978 & i have had some not so good & had some really good ones. I also have owned my own Motorcycle Parts & Repair Business Since 1987 & I have seen problems with Every Brand & It Seems that The Austrian 4-stroke Brands are the most finicky & the Yamaha's engine seems to hold up better with the poorer maintenance! 

some of the better Kx's 1979 kx250,1982 kx250,1989 kx250,1994 kx250, 1997 kx250,2003 kx250,2005 kx250 & most all the 4-strokes when properly maintained & using Leaded race fuel for intake valve life 

Not a single KTM color I’ve owned (and I’ve owned them all) has given me any real issues. I had a rear shock bolt that liked to back out on a 20 husky that finally caught me slacking in bolt upkeep. A wire harness was fidgety on my 22 Gasgas but easy fix. Idk man. People talk crap on orange but those bikes last forever. 50+ hr on a clutch. 60hrs on a 250f top end. I had a “vet” retired pro friend put 110hrs on his ktm 450 and didn’t touch clutch or motor. They’re easy to work on too which you don’t realize until you switch brands.

I swapped to kawis in 2021 for a year and I had more bolts rip out, strip and just weird stuff happen on those bikes. Plus there were little things when working on it that were a nuisance. (Air filter box was dumb tight) Motor gave me no issues. Clutch 10-15 hrs. I had 2 recalls on the 250f which props to them for recalling a faulty product unlike a certain blue bike we all know about.

I will say it is frustrating that virtually every guy I know that buys a ktm brand off the floor says the manufacturer forgot to put the springs in the forks…

I don't see how it could be said that KTM is less reliable.  We rode lots of Japanese junk before switching to KTM in 2002 and won't ever go back.  They are head and shoulders above the Japanese in quality.

If you’re lucky the vitards will be along shortly to rip your balls off.

Never had a Kawi Mx bike but my dad had his brand new Versys 1000 seize solid and leave him stranded at less than 800km.

Kawasaki did cover the engine rebuild

Without any real numbers this is all perception but I am in! …. Long time Honda guy in the mid/late 90”s….. bikes were brick shit houses compared to the other manufacturers… that’s why those bikes still kick ass at Vintage events…then a good run of Yamahas from 99-2008…all great accept my last few Yz250 2 strokes could not go a season without full transmission rebuilds, and clutches like butter,  maybe because I rode alot of deep whooped out sand tracks, putting strain on gearbox. Then back to Honda for 5-6 years on 450”s no major failures but they needed full Hinson clutch setups 1k upgrade. Been on KtM”s since the 16.5 Fe450…. That bike development cracks in the frame around the steer neck, KTM warrantied the frame & let me do the swap…had an XC300 that had 40-50hrs on it, crank bearing let go, ruined entire engine, KtM warrantied it again…. Probably 7-8 new KTm”s since, bulletproof… 100”s of hard Mx/ GNCC hrs, never split cases, just basic maintenance… My main practice tracks are deep heavy, whooped out sand tracks that hammer bikes….