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2018 KTM 690 Duke

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
6
Latest Feb 7, 2026
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
1
Latest Oct 12, 2021
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

Overview

Our database contains 6 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2018 KTM 690 Duke, most frequently naming the fuel system and transmission categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 2 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Fuel system583.3%
  • Transmission116.7%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

1 campaign cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
21V792000

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY:SLAVE CYLINDER

Oct 12, 2021
8,398 units potentially affected
The defect: KTM North America, Inc. (KTM) is recalling certain 2018-2020 690 Enduro R, Vitpilen 701, 701 Enduro, 701 Supermoto, 2019-2020 690 SMC R, Svartpilen, 2018-2019 690 Duke, and 2020 701 Enduro LR motorcycles. The bellow-style gasket on the clutch slave cylinder may have been damaged during manufacturing, which could cause the clutch to become inoperable and not disengage when the clutch lever is pulled in.
The risk: An inoperable clutch increases the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Dealers will inspect the clutch slave cylinder and replace it if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed December 3, 2021. Owners may contact KTM customer service at 1-888-985-6090. KTM's numbers for this recall are KTB2112 and HTB2110.
KTM North America, Inc.Manufacturer number KTB2112/HTB2110View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Fuel system
Filed Feb 7, 2026

2018 KTM 690 Duke fuel tank shape has warped and the fuel filler neck gasket no longer seals the filler neck to the tank so that fuel spills out the top of the fuel tank. This same issue was addressed for the 2016-2017 model year KTM 690 Duke under NHTSA Campaign Number 17V388000. The result of this fuel leak is a potential fire hazard that could result in injury or death. This problem has not been confirmed by a dealer or independent service center and has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representative or others. There were no warning lamps or messages associated with this problem. The main symptom of the problem is a strong fuel smell when near the motorcycle.

NHTSA ID
11716411
Incident
Feb 1, 2026
Fuel system
Filed Sep 2, 2023

The plastic fuel tank has warped at the bottom interface where the fuel pump assembly sits. As a result, fuel leaks between the fuel tank and gasket (which is no longer sealed against a flat surface). The fuel pump assembly sits immediately above the engine. Fuel that leaks will drip onto the engine and may ignite. Fuel ignition presents a significant hazard to the rider. This issue appears to be related to recall campaign number 17V388000, which affects the 2016 and 2017 models. This recall addressed a warping plastic tank that resulted in the fuel filler neck not sealing. My understanding is that there are very little to no material differences between the 2016-2017 and 2018 models, and therefore the problem of a warping plastic tank would be shared among the model years.

NHTSA ID
11542302
Incident
Jul 1, 2023
Fuel system
Filed Aug 26, 2022

Fuel is leaking a steady drop from bottom of fuel tank.

NHTSA ID
11481461
Incident
Aug 24, 2022
Fuel system
Filed Jul 20, 2022

The contact owns a 2018 KTM 690 Duke motorcycle. The contact stated after having ridden the motorcycle approximately 30 MPH and then returning to his residence; after parking the motorcycle, there was an abnormal gasoline odor detected. The contact noticed that gasoline was leaking between the fuel pump and fuel tank at the rear center underside. The gasoline started to form a puddle in the driveway. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 900.

NHTSA ID
11474900
Incident
Jul 18, 2022
Mileage
900 mi
Fuel system
Filed Nov 21, 2021

Gasoline had visibly leaked from the fuel filler cap on the plastic fuel tank. Liquid fuel and fuel vapors are freely exiting the tank. This presents an extreme fire risk. There is an active recall (NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V388000) for 2016-2017 production of the same model. This recall should be expanded to include the 2018 model year. I removed a few parts and inspected the filler neck to tank connection and found visible warpage. A photo is included with this report. I will be contacting a KTM dealer to report this when they are open.

NHTSA ID
11441170
Incident
Nov 20, 2021
Transmission
Filed Mar 10, 2021

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 KTM 690 DUKE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE HE WAS WALKING BACKWARDS TO TURN THE MOTORCYCLE AROUND WITH THE GEARBOX IN NEUTRAL AND THE CLUTCH LEVER ENGAGED, THE MOTORCYCLE WAS STARTED AND THE CLUTCH FAILED CAUSING THE MOTORCYCLE TO ACCELERATE INADVERTENTLY. THE CONTACT SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND TURNED OFF THE MOTORCYCLE. LAS CRUCES MOTORSPORTS LOCATED AT 2125 S VALLEY DR, LAS CRUCES, NM 88005, (575) 216-5312) WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE CLUTCH FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MOTORCYCLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,051.*DT *JS*JB

NHTSA ID
11400137
Incident
Feb 27, 2021
Mileage
1,051 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

KTB2112

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY:SLAVE CYLINDER; STRUCTURE

On affected motorcycles there is a possibility that the bellow style gasket can be damaged caused by deviations during assembly. Damage to the bellow gasket may affect the function of the clutch slave cylinder. This could result in the rider noticing a change in shifting behavior and the clutch becoming inoperable to the point where the clutch will not disengage when the clutch lever is pulled in. To ensure the highest level of safety, performance, reliability and customer satisfaction, it is necessary to replace the clutch slave cylinder on all affected motorcycles that have a bellow style gasket clutch slave cylinder mounted (Fig. 1).

TB1814

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:HARD PARTS INTERNAL/MECHANICAL

During the course of quality controls, KTM North America, Inc. has found that the tolerances between the decompression weight and decompression screw (marked in blue) are not in specification on select 2018 690 Duke model motorcycles. These auto-decompression system components must be replaced to prevent premature wear.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

KTM 690 Duke by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2019010—
2018Viewing610—
2017710—
2016111035.8
2015200—
2014500—
2013400—
2009010—

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.