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KTM 640 Adv problems list
Suggestion: lets try to put our heads together to come up with a list of problamatic parts on the 640 Adventure. If everyone with this bike would list everything that broke on their bikes, I could try to compile this list. I don't want you to include common wear items such as clutch, brake pads, etc... unless they occured at an unreasonable mileage.
My bike: 2000 KTM 640 Adventure-R current KM: 34,000 problems: - CDI unit (low/hi octane version) at 15,000 KM after I bought it - front wheel bearings - clutch cable at 25,000 km - one of the fork seals at 20,000 km - front(engine) sproket came loose, which caused the seal to leak, then tear along with the o-ring behind it 24,000 km - Intermediate starter gear (52T) broke at 33,000 km ------------------ Improvement makes strait roads, but the crooked roads without Improvement, are roads of Genius - William Blake |
'02 640 Adventure, Fork seal at 13,000 km
otherwise fine Neil |
good idea by model year:
- Sommer´s neoprene gaiters protect the fork seals. my list excludes bits that fall off from the vibrations http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/smile.gif 2000 - New - 100 miles rocker cover had hairline crack so oil leaked out - warranty. - 2,000 it vibrated so much i couldn't hold my teeth together so sold it. 2000 - secondhand - 5,000 miles - front wheel bearings changed 2003 - new 30,000 km - front wheel bearings changed 28,000 km - top triple clamp cracked (probably overtightened bolts) 26,000 km - gearbox output seal changed 18,000 km steering head bearings changed (too fast over millions of speed bumps) 10,500 km - gearbox output seal changed ------------------ Jerome http://www.fowb.co.uk [This message has been edited by Jerome (edited 20 July 2004).] |
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Within 4,000 miles:
Oil sight glass leaking - warranty 3 spokes broke on front wheel - new front wheel on warranty Electrics wiped out speedo, indicators, brake light, horn Within 6,000 miles: Clutch slave cylinder replaced - warranty One fork seal blown |
Got a '03 (new from Feb '04), no worries so far (6500km) but then again got fork gaiters!
and errh, the battery got replaced at 1000km under warranty.. Thats it, not very exciting.... |
I think my bike was build on Friday afternoon. Here is why:
@ 1,200 miles: leaking fork seals @ 2,000 miles: oil leak, bad valve cover gasket @ 6,200 miles: the top ring on the piston broke, shattered and killed the engine. The head might be saved (refinished) but the rest of the engine needs to be replaced, I am still waiting for an answer from KTM-USA, what are they gonna do about that??? P.S. Believe or not, I still love my KTM |
Nearly forgot - 02 640, broken front spoke at about 9,000km. Why do they use crap chrome plated spokes when the rest of the build quiality seems good???
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2002mod Adventure 22554 on the clock and only one blown forkseal. Changed both seals and fitted neoprene sleavs on the fork.
Compared to my previus XT600, and the Africa Twin this is the perfect bike for me. |
Just some thoughts. It is really important to bleed the USD forks, otherwise you asking for leaks and/or blown fork seals, with the KTM Hard Parts bleeders it just takes a push of a button to bleed them.
If you have a 2002, I would upgrade the front spokes, or at a minimum carry spares, and loosely zip tie the spokes, so a broken spoke will not cause a get off. Checking spoke tension, and not going to tight really seems to help as well. Always add grease inside the lip of the wheel bearing seals anytime the axle is removed, a small tin comes in handy for holding grease in the tool kit. The pre 2003 L/H main bearing should be replaced with a 2003up upgraded bearing ASAP, if it fails you will most likely be looking at a major engine overhaul. IMHO, it is best to use the kickstarter as much as possible, at least avoid multiple starting cycles by holding the button until you have a good start, as the electric starter geartrain is somewhat prone to failure. With a properly jetted carb, and consistant technique, kickstarting is fairly easy. |
Very good idea!
By model year: MY 2000 (buyed new) 33.000 Km: - both wheels spokes (a lot!) - clutch cables (if one had last more than 2000 Km I used call it: "a miracle!") - 3 connecting rods - 2 pistons - 1 cylinder - 3 gears (2nd,3rd and 5th) - several bearings under the clutch, with black stripes of tyre on the road, one at 130 Km/h in the highway (was not funny :-S ) - problems with fuel pump when close to reserve - several minor and mayor electrical problems - Trip master (once) MY 2001 (buyed new and still on my possession) 70.000 Km: - both wheels spokes (a lot, but less than the other, then I changed them with the reinforced ones) - a couple of bearings under the clutch, with black stripes of tyre on the road (when bike went out of warranty I substituted the item with cylindric SKF bearings instead of the turkish-low-cost bearings mounted by KTM... no more problems) - problems with fuel pump when close to reserve - clutch cables (a lot, but less than the other) - Trip master (twice) - magnet giving signal to the trip master on the front brake (ordered 1 year ago and not received yet from KTM, what a shame!) - some minor electrical problems Sure I forgot something :-/ Bye! Badwolf (aka Pietro) |
Here is another one on my 2000 640 Adv:
40000km - Generator loses a magnet causing all kinds of lovely modern art carving in the casing not to mention that my batery discharged and my headlights and computer wouldn't work at anything less than 6000RPM because it was making less than 12v under that. Fixed by a Russian with a file. $13 and a pack of Parliaments. I met a Russian with a 1998 640 Adventure in Omsk who also had his CDI die and the Generator do the same thing on him. Thanks for all the imput and please keep it coming. I'll try to come up with a list this winter. ------------------ Improvement makes strait roads, but the crooked roads without Improvement, are roads of Genius - William Blake |
2003 Update:
40,000 km - Seized cam follower bearing on the inlet rocker arm. I've since met four other 640 owners all of whom have had the same problem at 40-45,000 km. the inlet bearing is quite a bit smaller than the exhaust one. ------------------ Jerome http://www.fowb.co.uk |
Good idea, although I would not want this to look like a whinge list. And the caveat to some extent depends on the person looking after the bike!
I have a 2001 Adventure: 25K's+ - UK to India then to Sydney. - Side stand joint (my fault - too much weight). - Fuel pump started leaking after 3K - membrane fixed. - Oil weep from rocker gasket - lasted 13K miles - no problems until recently fixed by mechanic. I should add that I unsuccessfully attempted twice to fix myself. Then gave up. - Oil weep from engine window - still ongoing, no probs though. - Clutch cable - Ha! Still intact (well lubed). - Couple of spokes. - Overheating problem (spark plug bad from too much shite fuel in India). - Loose electrical connection on battery relay causing intermittent breakdown (took ages to locate!). - Forks? Ha! - no problems - bled air often! - Squeaky brakes - took ages to find pads which would not squeak - insignificant but very annoying. Regards James ------------------ KTM LC4 640 Adventure-R 2001 Previous bikes... KTM Duke II 2000 Kawazaki ZX-6R 1998 BMW F650 1996 + others... ------------------ |
One more to add to my 2000 KTM 640 Adventure-R
55,300 km - Voltage Regulator I love Japanese stuff, but so far my only REAL problems have been electrics that are made by Kokusan in Japan. First the CDI, then the stator (alternator), and now the Voltage Regulator. ------------------ Improvement makes strait roads, but the crooked roads without Improvement, are roads of Genius - William Blake |
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