[Alter Ego Trip]

Being my first twin, I wanted to double check with the gurus if this sounds normal. If my inline 4's ever sounded like this I would have thought the motor was coming apart. Very loud tick (almost like lifters with no oil). Sorry for the crappy cell video but it should give you an idea.

 

[CourageOO7]

NO! NOT NORMAL. Valve slap or something really bad. Take that $hit to a dealer immediately before it's a catastrophic failure. Do not ride it.

 

[Badger]

Being my first twin, I wanted to double check with the gurus if this sounds normal. If my inline 4's ever sounded like this I would have thought the motor was coming apart. Very loud tick (almost like lifters with no oil). Sorry for the crappy cell video but it should give you an idea.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYeM3947wZA

Sound exactly like mine did when it popped a valve shim out, my fault though due to an overrev caused by using raceshift for first time and going from flat out in 2nd back to first gear.

Have you missed a gear or done something to over rev the motor?

I lifted the rocker cover and the shim was lying in the head, just replaced it and all is well, needless to say i have gone back to standard road shift pattern.

 

[Alter Ego Trip]

Freaking great. No over rev. I haven't even used full throttle or rev'd the motor past 7k. I've been breaking it in by the book and only have 450 miles on it.

Hell, the bike doesn't even move until the temp gauge has hit at least 150. To say it's been babied would be a huge under statement.

There have been way too many motor issues popping up lately. With a three month riding season this doesn't bode too well for me. :cursing:

 

[fast4d]

ticking increase with rpm?

LC8 has lots of mech noise but that ticking seems excessive.

It does sound like when my shim popped out.

 

[Alter Ego Trip]

The other thing I noticed is when I fired her up prior to sounding like that; she blew a big cloud of smoke for about 10 seconds.

 

[bajadog]

Hopefully KTM will do you right.

 

[Alter Ego Trip]

Hopefully KTM will do you right.

Crap happens, but these motors issues are coming up more and more often recently. This is becoming unacceptable. I've flogged the hell out of Jap bikes for years with nary an issue. I decide to try something different after having great luck with KTM dirt bikes, and 450 miles in the motor starts coming apart. Doesn't bode well for me and KTM. I'm about ready to trade it in and buy a zx10. Riding season is too short around here to have a bike in the shop for weeks on end.

 

[bajadog]

I agree.

Reading all the issues on ktmrc8rtexas thread, I'm
surprised KTM hasn't done a SB or recall.

 

[wilmar13]

Crap happens, but these motors issues are coming up more and more often recently.

It is very odd that the +'13 bikes seem to have a lot more problems out of the gate. It may just be coincidence and limited to a few forum posters, but lets assume where there is smoke there is fire: shouldn't build quality get better as the model is unchanged and time goes on, not the other way around?

Growing pains at the factory leading to poorly trained or low quality workers? Maybe having two different 1195cc versions (due to 1190ADV) is creating more opportunities for mistakes? Either way it sucks if it happens to your ride. Sorry about your troubles.

 

[Alter Ego Trip]

That was one of the main motivating factors for me. The bike hasn't freaking changed for quite some time; it should be pretty much bullet proof. I expect quibly crap here and there, but motor issues are inexcusable if you ask me.

The crappy part is my local dealer has never sold an RC8 let alone worked on one. So I'm going to have to trailer her to another dealer a couple hundred miles away. I emailed him the youtube video to see what he has to say about it. It's tough to diagnose crap over the internet/phone, but I'd be happy with a more conclusive recommendation.

 

[Alter Ego Trip]

Good grief, it this wasn't self fulfilling prophecy. :death:

This was my conversation in KTMRC9RTexas thread regarding his motor seizing.

I do love this bike but I just have a sketchy feeling about it now. Idk hard to explain. For me this is my first motor to seize on me it was a very un easy feeling and may have shattered my mental edge to b confident on this machine again. Call it superstition or what u want but like that bike has and ju ju lol

Can't say anyone blames you. Sounds like a freak occurrence though. KTM generally is a very reliable machine. I shied away from the likes of Ducati and similar bikes because of their track record. Watch, mine will blow up next lol.

That is the main thing getting back to riding. Killing me that weather is amazing here right now and mine is broken lol but it will all b sorted out soon enough I'm sure and one way or another ill b back on two wheels, thanks for everyone's advice and help

Try living in MT. We have three good months of riding weather. Having a bike out of commission for a couple weeks is a killer.

 

[Alter Ego Trip]

Here's another video showing the smoking upon startup. I took this video after the third start. It was much worse on initial startup. It does it every start almost for a couple seconds or more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3I7y80yZngo&feature=youtu.be

 

[Badger]

That is normal, mine did it from new and after a 1000 miles or so it will stop, i would not worry about the burning oil smoke as it is not abnormal.

The noise needs checking out though, what was the strange noise at 18 seconds?

 

[swoop]

man alter sorry to hear about your troubles with the 13 model id hoped you'd have none being the year and all. this makes me nervous because im going to pick up my 13 on the 12 of this month and going up to the dealer tomorrow to put some money on it to lock in the price for it. ill make sure I start it up to listen to the engine. keep us posted on what was the problem k bud. and keep things positive it will be easier to deal with real bad news if you do.

 

[JLeosnow]

what was the strange noise at 18 seconds?

Sounds to me like the fuel pump priming..

-John

 

[Alter Ego Trip]

Sounds to me like the fuel pump priming..

-John

Yup, that's the only normal sound coming from the bike, lol.

 

[fast4d]

stock air box?

oil level? over fill could get it into air box fro pvc hose

 

[Alter Ego Trip]

stock air box?

oil level? over fill could get it into air box fro pvc hose

Definitely not over filled. Checked her 60 seconds after ride and it was just at the half way point on the stick. Probably a hair low if anything.

 

[Mcooper]

My bike did some ticking last summer. Real random, usually early morning starts. But as soon as I would here it, once it warmed up, it was gone. And it wasn't every day. Hasn't done it in a long time. Is it constant on yours?

Why waste your time tip-toeing through life just to arrive at death safely?