Adventure Bike Rider Forum

I'll make this post as short as possible.
Bought a KTM 690 Enduro a month ago 16 plate, very low miles from a KTM dealer.
Picked it up in a van and got it home, checked oil before going out on it and it looked low, had to lean bike over to see any oil. took 250 ml to get it half way up sight glass.
Took it for a spin, bit of 'A' roads, bit of motorway, gave it a decent run to check it all worked. 180 miles total.
Rechecked the oil and its nowhere to be seen even leant over, poured the remaining 750 ml of new oil I'd just had to buy into the engine and it still wasn;t showing on the sight glass.
Got bike recovered to a different KTM dealer for warranty fix.
So they have had the bike three weeks in that time they have put 60 miles of riding on the bike and confirmed its using lots of oil but no loss in power or smoking.
They have stripped the top end and found a broken oil control piston ring.
They replaced said ring and rebuilt the top end.
I'm thinking great thats that sorted but oh no! After the top end rebuild it now appears as if the engine is starting to seize and its not even left the dealers.
Obviously Its been in the dealers over 3 weeks and I've tossed my teddy out of the cot.
I have now had the bike recovered back to the original dealer I bought it from for a full engine strip with KTM UK blessing.
So anyone fancy a guess what they are going to find?
KTM said if the 690 engine drops below 300ml of oil in the engine it will stop picking up oil, It cant have been far off this as the engine only holds 1.7 litres. I never witnesses the oil pressure light coming on, but im guessing pickup on the cranckshaft due to overheating or lack of oil.
Take a guess I'll keep you updated over the following few days

My stab in the dark is that the oil is getting sucked into the airbox via the crankcase breather and burnt off that way. :unsure:

Due to the low initial oil and the usage it seems to be going through Id suggest the engine may turn out to be worn throught out due to lack of lubricant whilst running.Where is all this oil going if its not being burnt?
Id suggest a complete engine repalcement may be the end outcome

so if the ring was broken it would smoke, is the air filter box covered in oil ? was it a false oil level. valves set correct and running well no compression ?

I'd be happy with a new engine as the current one only has 1000 miles on it. I've made my feelings clear to the dealers and KTM about the issue. I'm willing to give them the chance to come good on the bike though!
I think it probably has seriously got hot inside there and induced some wear, there was oil in the airbox when I checked prior to it going back to the dealers.
Time will tell.

halfpint wrote:so if the ring was broken it would smoke, is the air filter box covered in oil ? was it a false oil level. valves set correct and running well no compression ?

No not a false oil level, I did check engine warm and on level surface, dealer confirmed using oil.
No smoke at all, even dealer was surprised at this, must be very efficient combustion.

Valves checked 300 miles previously on first service.

Bike was running a dream, I couldn't fault it. Only Engine mods on bike are the full AKRO System and K&N air filter.

Reject the bike and get your money back - (thumbs)

PDiddy wrote:Reject the bike and get your money back - (thumbs)

Thats still an option!

I'm going to assess the bike when I get it back and make the call then. Dealer is happy to take it back but problem I have is I can't get the same bike for the same money, but No deal is better than a bad deal eh!

PDiddy wrote:Reject the bike and get your money back - (thumbs)

exactly what I was going to suggest. and he could easily under consumer law after the attempted fix didnt work.

Then buy a model of bike which doesn't have the worst reliability on record.

Sounds like it's been thrashed from new, not looked after on oil level and cooked...
I would move on, get another bike.