THIS IS A FOLLOW UP TO AN ON GOING PROBLEM WITH THIS MACHINE. IT IS CURRENTLY BACK IN THE DEALERSHIP FOR EXCESSIVE HEAT TO THE RIDER'S SEAT. THIS IS NOW THE THIRD TIME IT HAS BEEN IN, IN LESS THAN 3000 MILES OF RIDING AND 6 MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP. THE LAST TIME IT WAS SUPPOSEDLY "REPAIRED", THE SEAT GOT SO HOT WITHIN 10 MILES OF TH…
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THIS IS A FOLLOW UP TO AN ON GOING PROBLEM WITH THIS MACHINE. IT IS CURRENTLY BACK IN THE DEALERSHIP FOR EXCESSIVE HEAT TO THE RIDER'S SEAT. THIS IS NOW THE THIRD TIME IT HAS BEEN IN, IN LESS THAN 3000 MILES OF RIDING AND 6 MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP. THE LAST TIME IT WAS SUPPOSEDLY "REPAIRED", THE SEAT GOT SO HOT WITHIN 10 MILES OF THE DEALERSHIP, THAT I HAD TO STAND ON THE PEGS OF THE MOTORCYCLE TO GET THE BIKE HOME. UPON SPEAKING TO THE DEALER, HE HAD FEW ANSWERS, JUST THAT KTM WAS TO CALL ME. WHICH THEY HAVEN'T. AS A MATTER OF FACT I TRIED TO REACH THE DEALERSHIP BY PHONE YESTERDAY, AS A FOLLOW UP, WITH NO RETURN CALL FROM THEM AS OF YET. PERHAPS THEY ARE TOO BUSY. ONE WOULD ASSUME KTM KNOWS OF THE ISSUE WITH THIS MACHINE. NUMEROUS MESSAGE BOARDS HAVE RIDERS OF THIS TYPE OF KTM CONCOCTING VARIOUS MECHANICAL REMEDIES OF THEIR OWN TO THE SEAT PROBLEM. ALSO RIDERS ARE INDICATING ADJUSTING THEIR RIDING TECHNIQUES TO ACCOMODATE THE SEAT HEAT, SUCH AS STANDING WHILE RIDING DOWN THE ROAD OR SPREADING THEIR LEGS TO GET SOME RELIEF. ALSO THE AFTERMARKET INDUSTRY HAS INTRODUCED AT LEAST TWO "SEAT COOLERS" FOR THIS PARTICULAR MACHINE, OF WHICH I ASKED MY DEALER IF HE WOULD INSTALL ONE IF I BOUGHT IT, ONLY TO GET THE REPLY THAT KTM WOULD CALL ME. THIS IS A VERY HIGH PERFORMANCE MACHINE, CAPABLE OF 10 SECOND QUARTER MILES AND 150 MPH. THE SEAT HEATING UP WITHOUT ANY WARNING, AND RANDOMLY, IS A DANGEROUS DISTRACTION WHEN ON A 500LB., 150 HORSEPOWER BIKE LIKE THIS IN TRAFFIC, OR ANYWHERE FOR THAT MATTER. IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE HARD TO REACH AND VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE SWITCH FOR THE SEAT HEAT, IS AN ADDED DISTRACTION WHEN THE SEATS MALFUNCTION. IN ADDITION TO MY DEALER I HAVE SPOKEN TO A DISTRICT SALES MANAGER OF KTM'S AS WELL, JEREMY KETCHUM. AS OF NOW, THE BIKE I OWN IS AT THE DEALERS YET, AND I HAVE NO ANSWERS. OTHER THAN KTM WILL CALL ME.
NHTSA ODI #10776585
850 miles · Sep 19, 2015
Seats
ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS SINCE PURCHASING MY KTM THE HEATED SEATS WOULD TURN ON AUTOMATICALLY WHILE RIDING. THIS CAUSES A MAJOR DISTRACTION AND MAJOR DISCOMFORT. EVEN WORSE THE SWITCH TO TURN THEM OFF AND ON IS QUITE DIFFICULT TO READ, AND IS LOCATED IN FRONT OF THE HANDLEBAR ON THE FAIRING OF THE BIKE, REQUIRING THE OPERATOR TO RE…
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ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS SINCE PURCHASING MY KTM THE HEATED SEATS WOULD TURN ON AUTOMATICALLY WHILE RIDING. THIS CAUSES A MAJOR DISTRACTION AND MAJOR DISCOMFORT. EVEN WORSE THE SWITCH TO TURN THEM OFF AND ON IS QUITE DIFFICULT TO READ, AND IS LOCATED IN FRONT OF THE HANDLEBAR ON THE FAIRING OF THE BIKE, REQUIRING THE OPERATOR TO REACH OVER THE HANDLEBAR TO ACCESS THE SWITCH. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS MANEUVER UNLESS YOU PULL OVER. WHICH IF YOU ARE ON AN INTERSTATE, RIDING FOR WHICH THIS BIKE WAS INTENDED, IS DANGEROUS AS WELL. THE BIKE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERS TWICE FOR THE EXCESSIVE SEAT HEAT, THE LAST TIME FOR A WEEK. HE HAS BEEN TOLD BY KTM THIS IS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. THIS LAST TIME MY DEALER HAS TOLD ME HE DOESN'T KNOW. MY DEALER HAS ADVISED ME TO PULL OVER AND SHUT THE MACHINE OFF AND ON TO CONTROL THE HEATED SEATS, WHICH AGAIN, IS DANGEROUS IN A LOT OF RIDING SITUATIONS SUCH AS INTERSTATES. IN MY OPINION THIS SITUATION MAKES THIS MOTORCYCLE DANGEROUS AS THE INTERMITTENT HIGH SEAT HEAT AND POOR LOCATION AND VISIBILITY OF THE SWITCH TO TURN THE SEAT OFF IS A UNNECESSARY DISTRACTION ON SUCH A HIGH POWER MACHINE.
KTM North America, Inc. (KTM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 1290 Super Adventure motorcycles manufactured December 1, 2014, to March 10, 2016, and 2013-2016 1190 Adventure and Adventure R motorcycles manufactured November 20, 2012, to April 25, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the wiring harness can fray and contact the ABS modulator. If the brake line is electrically conductive, the brake line may overheat and melt.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the brake line melts, brake failure may result, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: KTM will notify owners, and dealers will re-position the wiring harness for the electronic control unit, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact KTM customer service at 1-888-985-6090.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0
No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
2015 Ktm 1190 Adventure Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year