SD IS DEFINATELY going !

I am seriously thinking about selling the SD after 18 months of, well, mixed feelings about riding the bike.

When its running well and the roads are dry its a great bike, however since I bought in in Sept 2007 I have had a lot of problems.

It was well docmented at the time but the first 6 months I had the bike in the dealers (Drysdales in Perth) more times than I was riding it. Eventually they had to replace the complete wiring loom.

Not long afterwards I had a slight slow speed 'off' when the rear end stepped out on a wet road coming out of a car park, the snatchy throttle was the main culprit.

During last summer it ran fine but then at the start of the winter is was a real pain to keep the bike safe, i.e. the salt attacking all sorts of things.

As I want to use my bike all year this has proved to be a big problem and even the dealer says they don't like salt !

This culminated in the front brake seizing on a bend and I ended up down the road again, this time there was £3500 worth of damage plus the loss of my helmet, broken bone in my hand and lots of damage to my riding gear.

Eventually got the bike back last week all repaired and nice and clean again. However I got to work yesterday and I now had an oil leak that looks likes its from the base of the front cylinder. I will confirm this over the weekend but again it needs sorting. When I phoned the wife to tell her I'd be late home, her first comment was, 'that bikes shite isn't it!'

I need a bike I can rely on and use all year, I had hoped the SD would fit the bill but its really a summer bike (in Scotland anyway!).

I don't believe in this crap that KTM's have 'character', in this day and age bikes can be engineered to work properly and I feel KTM are taking the piss, the days of oil leaks, etc, should be well over.

I have lost all confidence in it and knowing that the front brakes is an ongoing maintenence problem I don't want to end up sliding down the road again.

I have ridden bikes continuously for over 40 years and up until I got the SD I had never come off, I have had the SD 18 months and in that time I've come off twice and I am now worried that the next time could be worse.

If anyone wants to buy an 07 bike with 6k miles on the clock, Akras, heated grips, handguards and touring screen (also all original cans and sceen) drop me a PM. I think it snow running as well as it is possible to run.

I am looking for something more reliable and that can be ridden all year round without worrying that the brakes are about to seize.

Bit sad really cos when its sunny and dry its a great bike, but then again that about sums it up which after spending £9k on buying the bike is just not good enough.

From what you say, I'd be pissed off with the SD if mine had given me the sort of grief yours has - although I've had the salt/binding brakes issue and had to strip the buggers - but that also happened on my last bike a ZX12R.
Anyway, if you've lost confidence in the thing there's no use sticking with it. Get shot of it and buy something you enjoy riding. After all that's what motorcycling is all about at the end of the day - enjoying! Let us know what you get.

Sorry to hear about your problems.

To be honest KTM dosent have the best reputation regarding reliability. I knew that before i bought my first brand new KTM in 2000.

Most people buy the Superduke because it has personality, myself included. But to experience so much trouble would kill everybody, exept the most entusiastic KTM freaks. I can live with small problems all the time. It is part of having MC as a hobby. But if i had to chance cylinder gaskets, change bearings, trouble shoot on electrical system all the time, i would get rid og the bike as well.

basicly this is a hobby, it has to bring us 'good times' and massive fun.

Well thats it !

Had a good look at the leak today and its coming from the base of the front cylinder !

As far as I'm concerned I've had enough.

Personality, character, I've seen that bandied about KTM and others but to me its incompetent if the manufacturer puts out bikes that are like this. Imagine the press coverage if a car manufacturer did the same.

Anyway as far as I'm concerned the SD is finished for me after all the other problems, now this, sod it !


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Holy shit. What is all over your bike? Is that salt, or have you covered it with lye for burial?

Oil leaks suck, brake failures suck, electrical problems suck. Your posts about bike troubles have been like reading Homer. You've had more than your share. I hope you find a reliable bike that is a blast to ride!

I'm sure this is a stupid question but, won't it still be covered by the warranty?

Russ, sorry to hear it but dont blame you fella! As it happens last week I noticed a leak from the base of my front cylinder too....wanna get it looked at asap...but not sure when I'll get the chance.

One of my front brake pots is a little stiff after winter too but I didnt ride it much in bad weather cos the salting round here was vicious!! I have a brake rebuild/clean planned next weekend.

Lemme know how you get on with that leak dude, be good to compare to save one or both of us getting ripped off eh mate.

You take care and have fun planning your next ride!

Really feel for you guys havin a bad time - I hope things get sorted & you are not turned off KTM for good.

Re the front brake/pads - has anyone got some useful info on how to check/clean the brake pads to prevent this siezing - and post it in "how to do it"

Many thanks

Paul

After I picked up the bike last Thursday following the oil leak from the base of the front cylinder, as soon as I got down the road it developed yet another one !
Just heard this time it is also from the Oil Switch so it looks like yet another weak item on the SD !

I have now agreed a deal with a garage to take it in part ex for a new CB1000R, I know from over 30 years of owning Hondas I won't have all this crap again and I am honestly glad to get rid of this pile of shite !!

This is what I'm replacing it with.

damn near the best Honda out there atm I think, nice choice, but get it in black mate!

What was the cause and the outcome (financial and physical) of the leak to the front cylinder mate....I have the same problem.

I wrote to KTM last week following the Dealers advice and if I don't hear back by the end of the week, watch for the fireworks !

dead right i have had 3 brand new jap bikes before this SDR a new blade,fz1,R1 and all have had to go back for problems in the 1st 1000 miles and quess what the SDR hasnt been back with 1200 miles. if you go on any other forum yamaha.net etc there is people slagging off there bikes.

Took me a while to read all the thread 'til this point. Blimey have you gotten a lemon. Mine's done 2 solid hauls through winter, ridden every day, covered in anti-salt spray at every opportunity and looks pretty good for it. All the usual comments have been covered, about how 5hit servicing is for KTM etc....but that aside I'd go out and buy another one tomorrow because that fun-factor is hard to get (at legal speeds anyway).
I've got a ZX6R P7F race bike and a ZX10R road bike also, and the only one I take out in the rain (and for 75% of my journeys) is the KTM. I've learnt to wheelie proper on it, have crashed it, sworn at it (when it ran out of fuel coz of the fcuking silly tank range) but can't help loving it. What would I swap it for???

In your case, another one.