not sure if I posted a follow up...
they agreed to swap out the rear shock at low cost… so its now the later part and guess what, exactly the same (as in crap)
So I went back and we got 3 bikes out all the same model 1290 super adventure, 33ltr petrol tank, 19" front, spoked wheels, trail tyres, WP active suspension, all the toys etc. The tech didn't even know how many modes the bike's have, even suggesting "may be it doesn't have an off road mode" !!! (they are all supposed to have 4 suspension modes: Off Road, Comfort, Street, Sport, but after dealers flash bikes they seem to go to some random mix and match disaster), nor did he know that you can put the bikes into a mode to display cluster software version (and each was running a different version...) it only relates to the cluster and not the software in the rest of the bike, however for me, its indicative dealers don't know what they are doing / they aren't flashing the whole bike correctly to save workshop time!!!
All built within 20 months of each other
1) an early 2015 (9k km) bit of a dog, was just sold approved used.
2) a late 2016 (mine 7k km) mint
3) an early 2017 (4k km) mint
the suspension on each behaved completely differently and NONE of the bikes were remotely close to acceptable. I think the issue results from dealers flashing bikes with the wrong software (maybe trying to unlock more power from the more road focused models) or they are just stupid / lazy and early bikes were really shit
forgetting the random joke that is how poor the engine map is, the random power output pre / post / or post again flashing or that the nanny support was increased and has ruined the bike, here's just the incompetence regarding the suspension:
bike 1) front forks: displaying a known fault on early bikes. noisy, rattley, harsh, stiff, little movement. Modes didn't do much in way of change, disgusting trash fit for the bin
bike 2) front forks: silent, smooth, plush. Modes: Off road OK, the rest are wrong but if you didn't know better you might think it was OK, lacking compression damping in street and particularly in sport (best of this bunch if you ever wanted to go off road... but half as good as they had been, after breaking them doing a software update)
bike 3) front forks: little determinable change in damping or movement between modes, fork action very firm, but well damped and moves smoothly and quietly. No Off Road mode, (clearly only suitable for fast road use).
so basically a mixed joke, now the back
bike 1) Rear Suspension: long travel, compliant well damped movement, with noticeable softening of action in Off Road damping mode. (exactly how I would expect all three bike’s to behave – its rear had a similar response and travel as the front of my bike used to have before a software update ruined my forks)
bike 2) Rear Suspension: with new damper unit fitted. Too little compliance, heavy damping in all modes, Sport, Street and Comfort were identical. Off Road mode slightly softer, but I would say this mode is closer to what the bike should have in Sport mode for road use
bike 3) Rear Suspension: heavy damping in all modes with Sport, Street, Comfort and Off Road all identical. Clearly both front and rear suspension has no Off Road damping modes at all, as is, both front and rear suspension on this bike is only suitable for fast road use.
So there you go, it appears the dealers and or KTM have mix & match software which they don't even seem to be able to write and or apply to the bikes correctly.
The one good guy they have in service reception (when he's off guard, did state they have flashed bikes and lost modes and or not been able to get them to behave correctly and owners have been upset about it). I wrote to KTM Austria about these findings and they said it might take a while to investigate and answer my questions !!! Still waiting
they agreed to swap out the rear shock at low cost… so its now the later part and guess what, exactly the same (as in crap)
So I went back and we got 3 bikes out all the same model 1290 super adventure, 33ltr petrol tank, 19" front, spoked wheels, trail tyres, WP active suspension, all the toys etc. The tech didn't even know how many modes the bike's have, even suggesting "may be it doesn't have an off road mode" !!! (they are all supposed to have 4 suspension modes: Off Road, Comfort, Street, Sport, but after dealers flash bikes they seem to go to some random mix and match disaster), nor did he know that you can put the bikes into a mode to display cluster software version (and each was running a different version...) it only relates to the cluster and not the software in the rest of the bike, however for me, its indicative dealers don't know what they are doing / they aren't flashing the whole bike correctly to save workshop time!!!
All built within 20 months of each other
1) an early 2015 (9k km) bit of a dog, was just sold approved used.
2) a late 2016 (mine 7k km) mint
3) an early 2017 (4k km) mint
the suspension on each behaved completely differently and NONE of the bikes were remotely close to acceptable. I think the issue results from dealers flashing bikes with the wrong software (maybe trying to unlock more power from the more road focused models) or they are just stupid / lazy and early bikes were really shit
forgetting the random joke that is how poor the engine map is, the random power output pre / post / or post again flashing or that the nanny support was increased and has ruined the bike, here's just the incompetence regarding the suspension:
bike 1) front forks: displaying a known fault on early bikes. noisy, rattley, harsh, stiff, little movement. Modes didn't do much in way of change, disgusting trash fit for the bin
bike 2) front forks: silent, smooth, plush. Modes: Off road OK, the rest are wrong but if you didn't know better you might think it was OK, lacking compression damping in street and particularly in sport (best of this bunch if you ever wanted to go off road... but half as good as they had been, after breaking them doing a software update)
bike 3) front forks: little determinable change in damping or movement between modes, fork action very firm, but well damped and moves smoothly and quietly. No Off Road mode, (clearly only suitable for fast road use).
so basically a mixed joke, now the back
bike 1) Rear Suspension: long travel, compliant well damped movement, with noticeable softening of action in Off Road damping mode. (exactly how I would expect all three bike’s to behave – its rear had a similar response and travel as the front of my bike used to have before a software update ruined my forks)
bike 2) Rear Suspension: with new damper unit fitted. Too little compliance, heavy damping in all modes, Sport, Street and Comfort were identical. Off Road mode slightly softer, but I would say this mode is closer to what the bike should have in Sport mode for road use
bike 3) Rear Suspension: heavy damping in all modes with Sport, Street, Comfort and Off Road all identical. Clearly both front and rear suspension has no Off Road damping modes at all, as is, both front and rear suspension on this bike is only suitable for fast road use.
So there you go, it appears the dealers and or KTM have mix & match software which they don't even seem to be able to write and or apply to the bikes correctly.
The one good guy they have in service reception (when he's off guard, did state they have flashed bikes and lost modes and or not been able to get them to behave correctly and owners have been upset about it). I wrote to KTM Austria about these findings and they said it might take a while to investigate and answer my questions !!! Still waiting