KTM · NHTSA safety record

2016 KTM 690 Duke

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

Complaints

Crashes

Fires

Injuries

Deaths

Owners of the 2016 KTM 690 Duke have filed 11 safety complaints with NHTSA between November 2016 and June 2017. The most complained-about system is the fuel and propulsion system, named in 11 of them (100%). The typical failure was reported at 1,550 miles, the median across the 8 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 1 recall covering this vehicle.

Recalls (1)

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP

17V388000 · June 20, 2017

The defect: KTM North America, Inc. (KTM) is recalling certain 2016-2017 KTM 690 Duke motorcycles. The affected motorcycles may leak fuel from filler cap area of the fuel tank.
The risk: A fuel leak increases the risk of fire or injury to the rider.
The remedy: The recall began January 2, 2018. Customers may contact KTM customer service at 1-888-985-6090.

KTM North America, Inc. · up to 1,029 vehicles across all model years covered

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 11.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 11 100%

STRUCTURE 2 18%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 1 9%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2017 at 10.

2016 to 2017

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM Filed June 24, 2017

1,500 miles

FUEL LEAK FROM TOP OF THE FUEL TANK WHEN IN MOTION.

NHTSA complaint 11000969. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM Filed May 26, 2017

3,500 miles

WHILE RIDING MOTORCYCLE GASOLINE STARTED LEAKING FROM THE TOP OF THE TANK LEAKING DOWN BOTH SIDES OF THE BIKE AND SATURATING MY PANTS WITH GASOLINE AND RUINING THE FINISH OF BIKE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE MOTORCYCLE CONSTANTLY SMELLED OF FUEL, EASILY OVERHEATED, CONSUMES OIL STALLS AT RANDOM, AND SOMETIMES WOULD NOT RESTART FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME. THE FUEL LEAKAGE CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE FINISHING FRAME, SWINGARM, AND PLASTICS ON THE MOTORCYCLE. THE EXHAUST WOULD TURN RED HOT AND GLOW. FUEL ALSO LEAKED ONTO THE EXHAUST. THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE CONTACTED, BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. UPDATED 10/02/2017*JS

NHTSA complaint 10991855. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM Filed April 19, 2017

GAS FUMES LEAKING FROM MOTORCYCLE. GAS TANK MAY BE LEAKING AT TOP FILLER DUE TO WARPING PLASTIC GAS TANK.

NHTSA complaint 10979241. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM Filed March 30, 2017

TAKATA RECALL TANK LEAKING

NHTSA complaint 10969572. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM Filed March 28, 2017

1,400 miles

FUEL TANK (PLASTIC) IS WARPED AND LEAKS FUEL AND FUEL VAPOR NEAR THE UPPER FLANGE SEAL. TANK WAS REPLACED ONCE BY KTM UNDER WARRANTY WITH THE SAME PLASTIC TANK AS THE ORIGINAL, THE PROBLEM IS LESS BUT PERSISTS, FUEL SMELL IS STILL COMING FROM THE TANK, FUEL VAPOR IS STILL ESCAPING. I KNOW OF TWO OTHER 2016 KTM 690 DUKE MOTORCYCLES WITH THIS SAME EXACT PROBLEM AND I BELIEVE THIS FUEL TANK FAILURE IS DUE TO POOR FUEL TANK DESIGN. THIS IS BOTH A SAFETY ISSUE AND AN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE. A RECALL ON THIS FUEL TANK SHOULD BE CONSIDERED.

NHTSA complaint 10969018. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM Filed March 26, 2017

GAS TANK LEAKS FROM FILLER CAP. THE DEALER CHANGED IT 3 TIMES. IT STILL LEAKS. I KNOW THREE PEOPLE WHO'S 2016 KTM 690 DUKE LEAKS FUEL FROM THE FILLER CAP.

NHTSA complaint 10968573. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Every KTM on this site — 5 vehicles, 27 recall campaigns and 0 open investigation s.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

Complaints: NHTSA's ODI complaint file , published August 20, 2026. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.
Recalls: NHTSA's recall campaign API , most recent campaign filed August 12, 2026.
Investigations: NHTSA's ODI investigation file , published 2026-08-19.

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by guarledes
Independent developer and analyst