A recall of the 2014 KTM 1290 Super Duke R has been issued in the US by the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration, following similar recall announcements issued by its counterparts in Canada (Transport Canada) and Australia (Australia Competition & Consumer Commission).

KTM->ke1954 North America announced the recall of 640 bikes for alleged fuel leaks stemming from the bike’s threaded inserts that attach the internal overflow pipe to the fuel tank. Similar to the recalls in Canada, the specific problem lies in irregularities in the coating process of the inserts, which could cause a fuel leak, leading to the increased threat of the entire setup catching fire.

This issue is extremely dangerous for riders, not only for the obvious fire and safety hazard it poses, but also because of the threat of messing up the traction to the rear tires. Should that happen, it could turn into a really dangerous situation for the rider that could lead to serious injuries or worse, death.

Such is the gravity of this problem, which is why KTM North America is highly encouraging owners of the 2014 1290 Super Duke R to have their bikes checked for the potential problem. A notification to affected owners will also be sent out but considering the nature of the problem, it might be in the best interests of the owners to preemptively find out for themselves if their bikes are affected by the defective threaded inserts.

Either way, KTM’s dealerships are already on standby to fix affected units at no cost to the owner. The first step would be to seal the threaded inserts to prevent future fuel leaks, but if there’s already an existing fuel leak, the entire gas tank will be replaced.

Continue reading to read more about KTM North America’s recall of the 2014 1290 Super Duke R.

Why it matters

We all knew it was coming. It was only a matter of time before KTM North America, or to be more specific, the NHTSA, would follow on the recall advisory already issued in other parts of the world for the 2014 1290 Super Duke R.

Not to throw any shade on Harley-Davidson’s own recall for its saddlebags, but this is the type of recall that should be taken seriously. I know this may sound overly emotional, but it needs to be said anyway.

Lives could be at risk if you don’t heed to the recall notices for the bike christened as “The Beast.”

There’s no going around it. You don’t mess with a bike that could potentially go up in flames at a moment’s notice. Not only would that be foolish, but it’s also extremely dangerous.

If there’s an owner of the 2014 1290 Super Duke R who is reading this, I highly encourage you to contact your local KTM dealership as soon as possible to determine what course of action needs to be taken to get your bike fixed as soon as possible.

Should your bike be not part of the 640 affected units, then good for you. But if it is, don’t wait for somebody else to tell you what you need to do. You already know what has to happen.