Hard to start 2021 1290 SDR

2406 Views 38 Replies 10 Participants Last post by Lowrance, 2 d ago

franzone_

Discussion Starter · 18 d ago

Hey all,

Have had my super duke for a couple months now and just starting to really ride it this season. I noticed that on the first start of the day if it has been sitting overnight (ambient temps in around the 60s and 70s), the engine has a bit of an extended crank, a stumble, and is a bit hard to start. Attached is a video of what I'm experiencing.

Along with this, every 3 or so cycles of the engine, (on, off 3 times) an MTC failure illuminates with a CEL. once started and ridden, bike goes into limp mode and cannot rev above 5k rpm. a few restarts usually clears the MTC failure, CEL illuminates for a few more times though. I did have the exhaust off and messed with the servo cables, so I am thinking I messed up the tension. Also put a slight kink in one of them at the end where it connects to the valve. I am attributing the MTC failure with the servo, ESE is on its way and hope this fixes the issue.

Things ive done so far:
-attempted to adjust tension of exhaust servo cables. realized I cannot see the correct tension values unless I have a diagnostic tool hooked up, so who knows if they are adjusted properly. ESE kit on order.
-the fuel tank has been off, i thought maybe the bike was losing fuel pressure overnight. lifted the tank this afternoon and disconnected the main fuel line under the tank. observed that the black rubber o-ring had a nick in it. replaced the o-ring with a new one from an assortment I had, lubricated with grease, re -attached fuel line, primed fuel system, observed no leaks at connection. Started bike again and all appears normal, but the bike probably hadn't been sitting enough to cool down completely. (it was off for about 2 hours while I was doing the work on it.) will let the bike sit overnight and start again tomorrow morn to see if problem is fixed.

bike runs fine otherwise.

Any ideas for what might be causing this? many thanks all!

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1 - 20 of 39 Posts

_Will_

· #2 · 18 d ago

In before someone else’s says battery!

In reality, the hard start for the first start of the day was something my lithium did for a while when it was new. It seemed to have to get used to be woken up after being on a shelf somewhere. It would start and then die, then start again fine. But if I turned on the bike and gave a 10 count it would start and stay running. Every start after that was fine.

As for the error codes, could be related but I’ll let those with more experience in the latest KTM sensor arena chime in.

Reactions: 1

franzone_

Discussion Starter · #3 · 18 d ago

_Will_ said:
In before someone else’s says battery!

In reality, the hard start for the first start of the day was something my lithium did for a while when it was new. It seemed to have to get used to be woken up after being on a shelf somewhere. It would start and then die, then start again fine. But if I turned on the bike and gave a 10 count it would start and stay running. Every start after that was fine.

As for the error codes, could be related but I’ll let those with more experience in the latest KTM sensor arena chime in.

Interesting note about the battery. It is as far as I’m aware the original battery but I have no idea how well it was taken care of before I owned the bike. I put a volt meter on it and it measured 12.7v last night. Would you consider this normal then? Thank you for the reply

_Will_

· #4 · 18 d ago

franzone_ said:
Interesting note about the battery. It is as far as I’m aware the original battery but I have no idea how well it was taken care of before I owned the bike. I put a volt meter on it and it measured 12.7v last night. Would you consider this normal then? Thank you for the reply

12.6 is normal for a lead acid which I'm guessing is what you have, a lithium tends to run a higher resting voltage so unless I'm wrong that rules out the lithium starting theory.

Reactions: 1

franzone_

Discussion Starter · #5 · 18 d ago

_Will_ said:
12.6 is normal for a lead acid which I'm guessing is what you have, a lithium tends to run a higher resting voltage so unless I'm wrong that rules out the lithium starting theory.

It’s the stock battery in the bike. I’ll try giving it a 10 count next time I start and see if it’s any different

_Will_

· #6 · 18 d ago

franzone_ said:
It’s the stock battery in the bike. I’ll try giving it a 10 count next time I start and see if it’s any different

if you’re running a lead acid battery, the 10 count won’t really help; only if it’s a lithium and if you’re measuring 12.7V resting that is a lead acid battery most likely. Particularly since KTM isn’t a fan of lithium batteries in most cases and you suspect it’s the original.

Reactions: 1

nosurrenda

· #7 · 18 d ago

_Will_ said:
KTM isn’t a fan of lithium batteries

My Gen 2 is a great fan of lithium! The exact problem in this post afflicted my bike until I changed to an SSB Heavy Duty lithium battery. Now it fires up after about two cranks and settles into a strong idle immediately. With the OEM, it would long crank, fart, and even occasionally cut out.

To the OP, get a good quality lithium, and make sure it's high CCA.

Reactions: 2

_Will_

· #8 · 18 d ago

nosurrenda said:
My Gen 2 is a great fan of lithium! The exact problem in this post afflicted my bike until I changed to an SSB Heavy Duty lithium battery. Now it fires up after about two cranks and settles into a strong idle immediately. With the OEM, it would long crank, fart, and even occasionally cut out.

To the OP, get a good quality lithium, and make sure it's high CCA.

I’m also a fan and have a heavy duty anti gravity in my Gen 1 and have had no issues. What I’m saying is that KTM corporate seems to not be a fan, they told me to get rid of mine when I was getting a gauge cluster replaced for water intrusion on my 2014. They’re a regularly debated topic (lithium batteries) and I’m not out to change anyone’s mind, to each their own.

Reactions: 1

franzone_

Discussion Starter · #9 · 18 d ago

nosurrenda said:
My Gen 2 is a great fan of lithium! The exact problem in this post afflicted my bike until I changed to an SSB Heavy Duty lithium battery. Now it fires up after about two cranks and settles into a strong idle immediately. With the OEM, it would long crank, fart, and even occasionally cut out.

To the OP, get a good quality lithium, and make sure it's high CCA.

Any particular one you recommend for my situation? Much appreciated.

nosurrenda

· #10 · 18 d ago

franzone_ said:
Any particular one you recommend for my situation? Much appreciated.

Here in Aus it would be the SSB LH9-BS , not sure if available oseas

nosurrenda

· #11 · 18 d ago

nosurrenda said:
Here in Aus it would be the SSB LH9-BS , not sure if available oseas

Oh wait that's for a gen 2 so not sure if compatible for a 3

franzone_

Discussion Starter · #12 · 18 d ago

nosurrenda said:
Oh wait that's for a gen 2 so not sure if compatible for a 3

Got a lithium battery on order. We shall see if this takes care of my farting and cranking issues on the first start of the day.
Anyone have any advice on the MTC and CEL? Does anyone know if an issue with the exhaust servo would also throw a CEL? I know it can illuminate an MTC failure, but not sure about the light.

maiyasdad68

· #13 · 18 d ago

Low batteries can cause any number of weird behavior from the bike including CEL. A word of warning, the battery will help but the key is to keep the battery fully charged with a battery tender of some sort. Once I got use to that, all of these problems went away.

Reactions: 1

Hairway_to_Steven

· #14 · 17 d ago

Lithium solved so many of my problems.

Lithium battery, that is. And not my problems, my bike's.

Reactions: 2

SocalSDR

· #15 · 15 d ago

Have your Pulse Generator/sensor looked at by the dealer. The symptoms you described I’ve run into - weird one, I had random MTC as well as CEL also, and sometimes fires up right away sometimes it doesn’t. one day it just wouldn’t start, it cranks but nothing- turned out to be the Pulse Generstor sensor.

Reactions: 1

franzone_

Discussion Starter · #16 · 11 d ago

I installed a new lithium AntiGravity battery that has 360 CCA. Also installed the HealTech ESE. The MTC and check engine light have stayed off! Even after riding about 10 times and multiple power cycles. I will call that a win!

However the hard starting issue is still present. The battery is fully charged, and I'm giving the bike a good 10-20 seconds with the ignition on before I actually engage the starter on the first start of the day. And it will stumble a bit. Going to try and call the dealer and get an appointment for a couple recalls that need to be addressed. (I did the work already on the recalls, but just want to mark it as resolved in KTM's eyes for my bike.) I will also mention this issue to them and see what they say.

Any other advice would be greatly apprecaited!

pablo.gyds03

· #17 · 10 d ago

How many miles? I would check the valve clearances. Tight valves can make for hard starting on any bike.

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franzone_

Discussion Starter · #18 · 10 d ago

pablo.gyds03 said:
How many miles? I would check the valve clearances. Tight valves can make for hard starting on any bike.

Sent from my Pixel 7 Pro using Tapatalk

It has 4,500 miles. I don’t think a valve check would be warranted if it starts fine after the first start of the day, no?

I can start it in the morning after sitting all night, it stumbles and farts. Turn it right off after idling for 10 seconds. Start again, perfect start.

acpantera

· #19 · 8 d ago

Still have winter storage gas in it? I know my SDGT starts and runs a bit off till I get fresh gas in it.

Lowrance

· #20 · 8 d ago

That video is normal....my 2021 is exactly the same. No issue.

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