No matter what we ride, we love our bikes. So it sucks when things go wrong, especially when we’re sure that they did so through no fault of our own. Believe me, this is something I just went through with my Yamaha MT-07, a bike that I bought specifically because of how bulletproof it supposedly was.
And one brand that’s had its fair share of issues in recent years is none other than KTM. Specifically, issues revolving around failed camshafts. Something the brand has finally admitted to being an issue from the factory.
But after years of passing the buck and warranty denials, is it too little, too late?
We've seen a lot about KTM's cam issues, some have even popped up right here on RideApart, too. Check out the comments section on this article about WP's suspension upgrades for the Husky Norden. And I’ve personally known a little bit about this issue, as two of my friends have experienced the problem, and I was there to witness the failure of one of them.
Both bikes were LC8C-powered models, with both of them being KTM 790 Adventure S models. The issue was undeniable, too, with the motor sounding like a can of bolts as it idled, and the bike having a noticeable lack of power.
Take note, the issue occurred back in 2022—a full two years before KTM admitted to any issues surrounding its camshafts. Back then, my friend, whose identity I’ll keep anonymous, promptly took it to his nearest authorized KTM dealer in the hopes that they would cover the issue under warranty. As is usually the case, there was a ton of back-and-forth before KTM ultimately denied a warranty claim. The reason? Because he had been doing his own oil changes outside of the authorized KTM dealer network. Does that sound right to you?
To that end, my friend had to shoulder the repair completely. And even worse still, KTM Philippines didn’t have the parts in stock, so he had to source the parts online and have them shipped to the Philippines.
Since then, the bike was fixed and subsequently sold, with the buyer being made aware of the bike’s service and repair history. But despite my friend’s problem being well in the past, a much bigger issue remains. As it would turn out, tons of other KTM owners all over the world have had problems with LC8C camshafts, so much so that a Facebook group named “KTM Failed Camshafts - 790/890 & 901” has managed to amass 8,500 members as of this writing.
Granted, it’s certain that not all members of the group have camshaft issues per se, but it’s a big enough number to catch KTM’s attention. In fact, on July 18, 2024, KTM’s official Facebook account posted on the group what is essentially a recall program surrounding affected units.
KTM started with an apology stating, “Firstly, we would like to extend our apologies to the people who feel affected by the camshaft topic. We see and hear all the feedback we can, whether it’s online, via authorized KTM dealers, or simply through community chatter.” So yes, KTM’s watching and listening, and it appears that it has its customers’ well-being in mind.
The post continued to explain the brand’s course of action regarding the matter: “Please visit your authorized KTM dealer in case you have experienced the following symptoms: poor starting behavior, clearly audible, unusual running noises from the engine and noticeable reduced engine power. If the camshafts are found to be damaged during an inspection by an authorized KTM dealer, they will be replaced.”
And here’s the kicker. KTM will shoulder the repairs: “The cost of replacing damaged camshafts will be borne by KTM under the goodwill scheme.”
Even better still, KTM specifically highlights compensating past cases that have already been resolved. “If customers have already ordered camshaft replacements for affected models from authorized KTM dealers in the past, KTM will re-examine new goodwill applications through the authorized KTM dealer network.”
So it seems that there’s a ray of hope for what seems to be the thousands of KTM owners affected by the issue. But whatever the case may be, it appears that KTM's response isn't sufficient to appease its customers.
Over in the Facebook group, several comments highlight that the problem continues to affect newer models—890s and even the Husky Norden 901—which have supposedly been revised specifically to avoid the issue. And it seems that there are too many comments for it to be an isolated case, too.
More importantly, it's clear that KTM’s a bit late to the game when it comes to addressing not just its past cam issue, but also the present issue with the current models. Suffice it to say, the clock's ticking for KTM to come up with a solid solution.
And fast.
I speak for myself when I say that there have been multiple times wherein I considered a KTM 790 or 890 model for myself. Ultimately, I shied away from the opportunity specifically because of online chatter surrounding reliability issues.
Don’t get me wrong, I have no beef with KTM. In fact, I’ve owned two KTMs in the past—one of which I wrote about in great detail four years ago. But given how much I ride (I cover north of 30,000 miles on two wheels every year), I need a bike that's as dependable as it gets.
The point of all this is that, yes, it’s a good thing that KTM is rolling out a repair program for the camshaft issue. And I sure hope it extends this to newer models which are being plagued by similar problems. But I think all this should’ve been done a long time ago. It would have made things much easier, not just for KTM's loyal customers, but for the company as a whole.
And as a brand that doesn’t exactly have a flawless track record when it comes to reliability, this is certainly not doing KTM any favors.
