2015 KTM 1290 Super Duke R

Fatalities reported

Owners filed 6 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the engine. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Engine2
000
Wheels1
000
Vehicle Speed Control1
000
Service Brakes1
000
Fuel/Propulsion System1
111

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Master Cylinder18V033000
Filed Jan 10, 20182,361 vehiclesKtm North America, Inc.

Defect. KTM North America, Inc. (KTM) is recalling certain 2015-2016 1290 Super Duke R ABS, 2016 1290 Super Duke R SE ABS and 1290 Super Duke GT ABS and 2017-2018 Super Duke R and1290 Super Duke GT motorcycles. The piston within the Brembo front brake master cylinder may fail.

Risk. If the front brake master cylinder piston fails, the loss of front braking ability can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy. KTM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the piston with an aluminum one, free of charge. The recall began on February 21, 2018. Owner's may contact KTM customer service at 1-888-985-6090.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Fuel/Propulsion SystemCrashFire1 injured1 killed
Filed Jan 7, 20217,500 milesNM

THE MOTORCYCLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH AND BURST INTO FLAMES. THE DRIVER CAUGHT ON FIRE AND WAS IN A BURN UNIT FOR TWO MONTHS. HE DIED AS A RESULT OF HIS BURNS. OTHER THAN THE BURNS, THE DRIVER WALKED AWAY FROM THE CRASH.

Service Brakes
Filed Jul 24, 20199,500 milesIL

I AM EXPERIENCING PULSING BREAKS AT LOW SPEEDS AS WELL AS A WHINE WHEN PUSHING THE MOTORCYCLE AT LOW SPEEDS. I HAVE REPLACED THE PADS AND ROTORS MORE THAN ONCE AND THE ISSUE RETURNS

Wheels
Filed Mar 3, 20191,000 milesDC

AS MENTIONED ON MANY MANY WEBSITE FORUMS FROM EXISTING OWNERS I AM EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUES MANY OTHER OWNERS ARE. PULSING AND GRABBING OF THE FRONT BRAKES, DEALERS DIAGNOSE AS 'WARPED ROTORS' MOST OF THE BIKES ARE STREET RIDDEN AND THE BRAKES NEVER GET HOT ENOUGH TO SIMPLY WARP. HERE IS THE PROBLEM THE MOUNTING SURFACE FOR THE BRAKE ROTORS ISNT TRUE, THE WHEELS ARE DEFECTIVE, BY REMOVING THE ROTOR AND FILING DOWN THE ROTOR SURFACE(WHEEL) POINTS, MAKES THE ROTOR RUN TRUE, THUS PREVENTING UNEAVEN PRESSURE DURING HARD BREAKING AND FIXING THE CAUSE. KTM NEEDS TO RECOGNIZE THIS AND RECALL ALL FRONT RIMS THAT EXPERIENCE THIS ISSUE.

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed May 18, 20186,700 milesCA

I JUST PURCHASED THIS BIKE AND THE SPEEDOMETER IS HORRIBLY INACCURATE. THIS IMPACTS SPEEDOMETER READING, ODOMETER, ESTIMATED RANGE, AND MAY IMPACT TRACTION CONTROL AND ABS.

Engine
Filed Jul 24, 2015193 milesUT

DURING NORMAL RIDING CONDITIONS THE OIL SYSTEM OF THE ENGINE WILL NOT CYCLE THE OIL THROUGHOUT THE MOTOR PROPERLY. A "LOW OIL" WARNING WAS DISPLAYED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES AND ON THE LAST INCIDENT, WHICH OCCURRED AT APPROXIMATELY 700 MILES ON THE ODOMETER, THE SEALS ON THE BOTTOM OF THE ENGINE CASE STARTED TO FAIL FROM THE OVERPRESSURE IN THE MOTOR. THIS ALLOWED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF OIL TO BE SPILLED IN FRONT OF THE REAR TIRE CREATING AN EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS RIDING SITUATION. THIS EVENT HAS OCCURRED THREE TIMES IN TOTAL WITH THE FIRST AT 193 MILES, THE SECOND AT 498 MILES AND THE THIRD TIME AT APPROXIMATELY 700 MILES. THE MOTORCYCLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR BOTH THE SECOND AND THIRD INCIDENTS. AFTER THE SECOND EVENT THE DEALERSHIP SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE MOTOR AND THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. LESS THAN 200 MILES LATER IT HAPPENED AGAIN WITH ME ALMOST CRASHING THE MOTORCYCLE DUE TO THE OIL SPILLAGE. THE MOTORCYCLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR FURTHER INSPECTION AND DIAGNOSTICS.

Engine
Filed Apr 27, 2015659 milesMI

UPON INSPECTION OF THE OEM ENGINE OIL FILTER DURING THE INITIAL BREAK-IN OIL CHANGE (659 MILES ON ODO). THE FILTER ELEMENT AND CORE WAS COMPLETELY COLLAPSED. STARVING THE ENGINE OF "FILTERED" OIL AT THE MOST CRITICAL TIME, DURING NEW ENGINE BREAK-IN. *TR

6 of 6 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2015
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20220100Routine
20211100Routine
20203200Routine
20192000Routine
20182100Routine
20170100Routine
20162100Routine
2015 — this page6111Fatalities reported
20142100Routine

Compare every 1290 Super Duke R year →

Reading this record

1 death reported in complaints filed with NHTSA.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Jan 10, 2018. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.