2020 KTM 790 Adventure R

Rear brakes: the line that leads from the fluid reservoir to the master cylinder has popped out twice (the 90degree fitting at the master cylinder) resulting in a loss of rear brake use.

NHTSA ID

11432623

Incident

Aug 29, 2021

FRONT BRAKE LOCKED UP ON ITS OWN WHILE TRAVELLING AT 50MPH ON PAVEMENT. HAD BEEN RIDING 10 MINUTES, HAD USED THE FRONT BRAKE VERY LITTLE PRIOR TO IT LOCKING UP. TO GET THE BRAKE TO RELEASE, I HELD PRESSURE ON THE FRONT BRAKE LEVER AND OPENED THE BRAKE CALIPER BLEED NIPPLE TO RELEASE BRAKE FLUID.

NHTSA ID

11391015

Incident

Jan 30, 2021

Mileage

1,650 mi

FRONT BRAKES SHUDDER AT LOW SPEEDS MAKING THE MOTORCYCLE DIFFICULT TO CONTROL AT LOW SPEEDS UNDER BRAKING

NHTSA ID

11378141

Incident

Jun 1, 2020

Mileage

2,000 mi

THE TFT DASHBOARD HAS A HISTORY OF GOING BLANK WHILE RIDING. I.E. THE SPEEDOMETER, TACHOMETER, WARNING LIGHTS, GEAR INDICATOR, TRACTION CONTROL INDICATOR, RIDER MODE ETC HAVE DISAPPEARED WHILE RIDING. IF YOU CYCLE THE BIKE DOWN BY TURNING THE IGNITION KEY TO THE OFF SETTING AND THEN RESTARTING THE BIKE IT RESETS THE TFT DISPLAY, BUT CAN AND HAS HAPPENED REPEATEDLY. THIS OBVIOUSLY IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND IS DOCUMENTED ON YOUTUBE FOR VARIOUS KTM MODELS AND YEAR. THIS FIRST OCCURRED ON MY BIKE AUGUST 5TH OF 2020. IT OCCURRED TWICE THAT DAY AND AGAIN AT A LATER DATE. POSSIBLY A CAUSATION OF THE ABOVE OR A SECOND INDEPENDENT FAILURE IS THAT THE TFT DISPLAY FORMS CONDENSATE ON THE INSIDE OF THE GLASS WHEN CONDITIONS ARE RIGHT. THIS SUBSEQUENTLY INTRODUCES MOISTURE INTO A HIGHLY SENSITIVE ELECTRICAL DEVICE, WHICH COULD CAUSE FAILURES. THE CONDENSATE HAS BEEN BAD ENOUGH TO OBSCURE IMPORTANT DASH DATA WHILE RIDING. I BELIEVE THE CONDENSATE FIRST FORMED IN MARCH OF 2020 AND HAS REPEATEDLY DONE SO EVEN AFTER NEW DASHES WERE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. I INCLUDED PICTURES OF BOTH ISSUES AND CIRCLED THE AREAS OF CONDENSATION AS WELL AS THE BLANK DISPLAY WHILE DRIVING. THE TFT GOING BLANK HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING AT SPEED (55-75MPH) ON PAVED ROADS, NICE WEATHER BUT SUNNY. THE TFT CONDENSING HAPPENS AFTER THE BIKE HAS SAT, LIKE FIRST THING IN THE MORNING. IT SEEMINGLY OCCURS IN THE SPRING AND FALL WHEN TFT DISPLAY CAN GET HOT ENOUGH COMPARED TO THE AMBIENT OUTSIDE TEMP. IT DOESN'T SEEM TO HAPPED IN THE SUMMER WHEN THE TEMPS OF THE TFT DISPLAY AND THE OUTSIDE ARE SIMILAR. IT ALSO DOESN'T SEEM TO HAPPEN IN THE WINTER AS OF YET, PERHAPS BECAUSE THE COLD AMBIENT TEMPS KEEP THE TFT COOL ENOUGH. THIS ISSUE OCCURS BECAUSE OF AIR TEMP CONDITIONS RATHER THAN ROAD CONDITIONS. THE TFT DISPLAY HAS BEEN REPLACED WITH OEM 2 TIMES ALREADY.

NHTSA ID

11376978

Incident

Mar 20, 2020

Mileage

600 mi

THE FRONT BRAKE SYSTEM BRAKES UNEVENLY AT SLOW SPEEDS. IT IS MOST NOTICEABLE WHEN COMING TO A STOP DOWNHILL. IT FEELS AS IF THERE IS A STICKY OR UNEVEN AREA ON THE ROTORS. IT IS NOT FELT IN THE BRAKE LEVER. YOU FEEL IT IN THE WHOLE BIKE. THERE IS ALSO BRAKE FLUID LEAKING FROM UNDER THE RESERVOIR CAP. THIS ALL STARTED HAPPENING AROUND THE FIRST 1000 MILES OF RIDING. I HAVE TAKEN IT IN TO TWO DIFFERENT KTM DEALERS FOR REPAIR. THE PROBLEMS ARE STILL THERE. IT IS NOW BACK IN THE SHOP FOR A THIRD TIME WITH THESE PROBLEMS. I CONTACTED KTM NORTH AMERICA AND THEY SAID THAT THE UNEVEN BRAKING IS A NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC OF FLOATING ROTORS. I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS. I HAVE BEEN RIDING FOR 35 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS. I CONTACTED GALFER AND RACE TECHNOLOGIES, THE MAKERS OF THE BRAKES FOR THIS MOTORCYCLE. THEY BOTH SAID THAT THIS IS NOT A NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC OF FLOATING ROTORS AND THAT SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE BRAKES. GALFER ALSO SAID THAT THEY HAVE HAD OTHER RIDERS CONTACTING THEM WITH THE SAME ISSUE. THERE ARE ALSO OTHERS ONLINE (AROUND THE WORLD) EXPERIENCING THESE ISSUES SO KTM KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM. SOME RIDERS HAVE RECEIVED NEW ROTORS AND PADS, SOME ENTIRE NEW WHEELS UNDER WARRANTY. SOME OF US HAVE RECEIVED NOTHING AND HAD TO PAY FOR SERVICE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. SOME OF THE RIDERS THAT HAVE HAD THEIR ROTORS REPLACED HAD THE PROBLEM COME BACK. IS IT BAD ROTORS, PADS, WHEELS? SOME ARE SPECULATING THAT IT IS HUBS OUT OF TRUE CAUSING THE PROBLEM. WE ARE LOOKING FOR KTM TO ACTUALLY SOLVE THE ROOT CAUSE AND COME UP WITH A PERMANENT FIX. WE DON'T WANT NEW PARTS PUT ON THAT ARE JUST GOING TO FAIL AGAIN AFTER OUR WARRANTIES HAVE EXPIRED. THESE BRAKING ISSUES HAVE MANY OF US CONCERNED. MOTORCYCLING IS ALREADY A RISKY ENDEAVOR. WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT OUR BRAKES FUNCTIONING PROPERLY.

NHTSA ID

11374643

Incident

Sep 2, 2020

Mileage

1,000 mi

THE FUEL TANK IS NOT VENTING PROPERLY AND GAS SPRAYED INTO MY EYES AND UPPER BODY WHEN I CHECKED TO SEE WHAT CAUSED A VERY HIGH PITCH WHINE WHILE STOPPED AFTER RIDING FOR ONE HOUR. *TR

NHTSA ID

11325481

Incident

May 17, 2020

Mileage

100 mi

KTM will also retroactively examine warranty or goodwill applications if customers of affected models have already had repairs carried out at their own expense by an authorized KTM dealer in the past due to damaged camshafts or finger followers. If the conditions explained in the communication with the authorized KTM dealer network are met, subsequent goodwill may be considered. Note: All relevant invoices and a credit signed by the customer must be attached to the application. The invoice date must be specified as the repair and fault date, and the affected camshaft must be specified as the component causing the fault.

Even though complaints have been reported about the camshafts on the 790 Duke/Adventure MY 2018- 2020 models, examinations of the allegedly defective camshafts have shown that a large proportion of these camshafts are in order. In these cases, it is not a question of wear, but usually only of discoloration or running marks that have formed on the running surface of the cams or on the bearing points of the shafts. To avoid further unnecessary repairs and to counteract any inquiries, the following procedure has been defined:

On affected motorcycles there is a possibility that the preload force of the return spring is too low and does not meet the specified tolerance. This could result in the brake piston not being returned to its original position which in rare cases can impair the function of the front brake. To ensure the highest level of safety, performance, reliability and customer satisfaction, it is necessary to replace the front brake master cylinder piston return spring on all affected motorcycles.

For the 2019 and 2020 790 ADVENTURE and 790 ADVENTURE R models, KTM has enabled the ability to purchase and install the Quickshifter+ technical accessory software extension again using only the XC_2 diagnostic tool. On certain 2020 790 ADVENTURE R RALLY models, it is possible that the Cruise Control and the Quickshifter+ features are not activated as delivered from production. Please do not purchase the Cruise Control and do not purchase the Quickshifter+ for this model as the software purchases are not refundable. It is necessary to activate these two features during PDI and before customer delivery. This can be done by using the XC_2 diagnostic tool in the Technical Accessories menu, select the software icon, click Update, click Activate.

This bulletin supersedes KTB2012 dated April 15, 2020 because the 2020 890 DUKE R software installation errors have been resolved. KTM North America, Inc. has identified a technical problem using the XC_2 tool when attempting to purchase and install some of the Technical Accessories Software Extensions for the above-mentioned model motorcycles.

KTM North America, Inc. has identified a technical problem using the XC_2 tool when attempting to purchase and install some of the Technical Accessories Software Extensions for the above-mentioned model motorcycles.