longride
New Member
I just got Cycle World mag to catch up on the long term KTM 1190 Adventure and BMW GS Adventure comparo. Of course, they didn't want to throw the Tenere' in the mix. You will find out why. Here is a synopsis for those that don't get the mag.
In the first installment a few months ago they drooled all over these bikes after a whopping 2500 miles. Just gushing with praise and superlatives. The KTM was $18,134,and the BMW $21,671. They made a big deal about the 'high quality' and 'awesome reliability' of these 'premium brands'. They hardly rode them, yet didn't have one bad word about them. Oh boy, was that going to change. Big time.
So in the latest installment (and I'm sure last) they rode them off-road a bit more, and the miles racked up, and the reality hit home. The KTM was hard starting at 8000 miles so they took it in to the dealer to check it out. They found the valves 'tight', and they 'claim' the motor consumed enough dust to require a complete top end rebuild, which they had to do. The motor was shot and the dust did it in. I call BS on that one. CW said the air cleaner element was looking good when they took it apart. Supposedly an 'air box problem" did the motor in, but unless the air box was shoveling in dirt, I think the dust claim is a stretch. I think it is more like 150 horsepower problem. I'd bet my life that motor will burn up when ridden hard, and it did. Horsepower and longevity aren't used in the same breath, and the KTM died quick. Also $1,641 bucks for 'Maintenance Costs'. They have a whopping 11,837 miles on it, and at 8000 miles the motor top end took a crap. Sounds peachy. I'll take two.
Not to be outdone in the overpriced, crappy quality race was the BMW. They simply dropped it over once and cracked the valve cover, even though the bike supposedly has crash bars. Next the horn button was broken. To fix that was $441 with labor which CW called 'totally ridiculous'. Really? I thought that was the point of the Beemer?? :-*
Anyway they looked over the Beemer further and found both front and rear shocks blown and a toasted clutch totaling another $1,458 in parts alone. In 11,000 miles the BMW tallied up $1,858 in maintenance costs, and $3,173 in repair costs. Right about 5 grand in 11,000 miles. That is on top of the $21,671 purchase price. Doesn't that sound inviting? I'm running to the BMW dealer right now hoping they haven't sold the last one!
CW summed it up by claiming that big adventure touring isn't cheap, and they are glad for good warranties. They were wrong on both counts. They simply overpaid for bikes with horrible reliability history. If they throw they Tenere' in the mix, at real world pricing would have gotten one 4 grand less that the KTM and a whopping 7 grand cheaper than the BMW. I am 100% sure the motor wouldn't need a complete rebuild at 8000 miles, and I am sure wouldn't rack up 5 grand in repair and maintenance costs in 11K. The last thing I worried about with my Tenere' was the warranty. I guess the 'premium' bikes need those. All this happened in less than 12K and one year. Imagine long term. I did. That is why I OWN and Tenere' and the CW guys would too, since not one dime came out of their pockets for those bikes.
Be assured we have the least expensive, most reliable bike in the world. PERIOD. Aren't you guys looking smarter every day? I'd say yes. No argument at all! ::012::
In the first installment a few months ago they drooled all over these bikes after a whopping 2500 miles. Just gushing with praise and superlatives. The KTM was $18,134,and the BMW $21,671. They made a big deal about the 'high quality' and 'awesome reliability' of these 'premium brands'. They hardly rode them, yet didn't have one bad word about them. Oh boy, was that going to change. Big time.
So in the latest installment (and I'm sure last) they rode them off-road a bit more, and the miles racked up, and the reality hit home. The KTM was hard starting at 8000 miles so they took it in to the dealer to check it out. They found the valves 'tight', and they 'claim' the motor consumed enough dust to require a complete top end rebuild, which they had to do. The motor was shot and the dust did it in. I call BS on that one. CW said the air cleaner element was looking good when they took it apart. Supposedly an 'air box problem" did the motor in, but unless the air box was shoveling in dirt, I think the dust claim is a stretch. I think it is more like 150 horsepower problem. I'd bet my life that motor will burn up when ridden hard, and it did. Horsepower and longevity aren't used in the same breath, and the KTM died quick. Also $1,641 bucks for 'Maintenance Costs'. They have a whopping 11,837 miles on it, and at 8000 miles the motor top end took a crap. Sounds peachy. I'll take two.
Not to be outdone in the overpriced, crappy quality race was the BMW. They simply dropped it over once and cracked the valve cover, even though the bike supposedly has crash bars. Next the horn button was broken. To fix that was $441 with labor which CW called 'totally ridiculous'. Really? I thought that was the point of the Beemer?? :-*
Anyway they looked over the Beemer further and found both front and rear shocks blown and a toasted clutch totaling another $1,458 in parts alone. In 11,000 miles the BMW tallied up $1,858 in maintenance costs, and $3,173 in repair costs. Right about 5 grand in 11,000 miles. That is on top of the $21,671 purchase price. Doesn't that sound inviting? I'm running to the BMW dealer right now hoping they haven't sold the last one!
CW summed it up by claiming that big adventure touring isn't cheap, and they are glad for good warranties. They were wrong on both counts. They simply overpaid for bikes with horrible reliability history. If they throw they Tenere' in the mix, at real world pricing would have gotten one 4 grand less that the KTM and a whopping 7 grand cheaper than the BMW. I am 100% sure the motor wouldn't need a complete rebuild at 8000 miles, and I am sure wouldn't rack up 5 grand in repair and maintenance costs in 11K. The last thing I worried about with my Tenere' was the warranty. I guess the 'premium' bikes need those. All this happened in less than 12K and one year. Imagine long term. I did. That is why I OWN and Tenere' and the CW guys would too, since not one dime came out of their pockets for those bikes.
Be assured we have the least expensive, most reliable bike in the world. PERIOD. Aren't you guys looking smarter every day? I'd say yes. No argument at all! ::012::
