I currently own a Honda CB500F. I love it, but I’m kinda tall (188 cm, i.e. 6’2") and I’m looking for a bike (naked, preferably) that fits me better.
Today I went to a dealership and sat on a 2023 KTM 790 Duke. The ergos seem p e r f e c t for me. The price is also a pretty nice plus.
Having said that, I’m hesitant to pull the trigger. The 2023 model is built by CF Moto in China, and KTM never had a good reputation to begin with, when it comes to reliability.
I’m looking for some real-world experience. Do you own a KTM? Maybe even a 790 Duke? What’s your experience with it? I can’t seem to find a definitive answer about it. Lots of anecdotes, but I can’t understand if reliability problems are an actual trend.
So what I’m extrapolating from your comment is that there are problems, but they arise after a significant mileage, I guess. I’m tempted…
They are performance bikes, so there’s a trade off between performance and longevity of parts. But, most of the problems I’ve had have been because of aftermarket parts or changes that previous owners made.