Although KTM continues to deny that there are any technical issues with the LC8c parallel twin, the number of complaints about excessive wear of the camshafts continues to increase. KTM has now officially responded to the British colleagues of MCN for the first time.
Ever since the launch of the first 790 Duke and 790 Adventure, KTM has been receiving complaints about excessive camshaft wear – a problem that the Austrians initially denied in all possible ways, only to then claim that the problem only occurs on 790 models from before 2021.
The issue – excessive camshaft profile wear – is believed to be caused by poor oil supply on pre-2020 models and overly narrow rocker arms on pre-2021 engines, issues that KTM says have been fixed. “The camshafts used on the LC8c platform do not have a structural defect,” a KTM spokesperson told MCN.
KTM says it has introduced wider rocker arms for MY 2021 and an additional oil film for MY 2020, in a bid to improve the parallel twin’s overall performance and quality. The two innovations are said to solve the aforementioned issues – which officially aren’t a problem.
KTM’s official response comes after mounting pressure from owners online. A Facebook page called “KTM Failed Camshafts – 790/890 & 901” now has 7,800 members. According to KTM, there have been 29 failed camshafts in the UK, which have been fixed under warranty. KTM points out that around 55,000 790 Dukes and 790 Adventures have been built worldwide.
KTM told MCN that it did not consider a recall, because the small number of cases can be handled on a case-by-case basis. The situation does not pose a safety risk to customers, the symptoms (loss of power, unusual engine noise) occur over a longer period of time. “If a customer experiences such symptoms, he or she can go to the local KTM dealer for an inspection.”
KTM says it has fixed the issues, but Austrian engineering and analysis firm Coober GmbH has now shared images online of a 2023 890 engine showing what it claims is excessive camshaft wear. One of the firm’s main areas of work is engine development laboratory services.
MCN also spoke to University of Queensland Senior Technical Officer Blaire Knight, who experienced camshaft problems on his 790. After analysing his own camshaft, the engineer found that the part itself lacked sufficient surface hardness.
“We did an arc analysis on my camshaft and the carbon content was lower than I expected,” Knight said. “The Rockwell test (a test for the hardness of metal) came out at 51, when it should be 58 to 60 to be really wear resistant.”
KTM responded that: “KTM does not have the personal research results of Mr. Blaire Knight and cannot comment on them. All KTM products are extensively tested during development and carefully checked after sale on the market. Of course, the subject of camshaft has also been carefully investigated by KTM.”
Oxfordshire-based Charlie Cottle said he had camshaft issues on his 2020 KTM 790 Adventure with 15,870 miles on the clock. “When we opened the engine up there was four to five millimetres of wear in the crankcase. It looked like it had done 200,000 kilometres,” he told MCN. “KTM could have fixed it on a goodwill basis but instead I had to pay £2,900.”
KTM also declined to comment on this case in response to MCN. “We cannot provide information on individual warranty/goodwill claims from our customers. Each case is examined individually and all aspects of the individual case are assessed and included in the decision-making process.”
It appears that KTM is trying to keep the camshaft issue on the LC8c parallel twin under wraps as much as possible, downplaying the issue in order to avoid being forced by judges and governments to issue a costly recall. KTM says that owners who have noticed a decrease in performance or increased engine noise can contact their local KTM dealer, but be aware that the average annual mileage is so low that it could be a while before problems manifest.
– Thanks for information from Motorfreaks.