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Yes, I think that is the situation. I do not think many private owner bikes have been delivered at all. Only bikes that they feel give them press. The only thing that sucks about that is most of these dealers did not sign on until late. Stark is clearly more worried about selling more bikes in the future then delivering the ones they sold already.
As long as the actual consumer is a fast rider, the last thing they want is the consumer to be the slowest rider on the track!
I was wondering about that too. I was thinking that it was not a good look to be trying to sell more when They still have not delivered most of the ones that were pre ordered. And somebody who puts a $100 down today will be waiting a year and a half or so for their bike.
Then I started to think that maybe they were doing it to keep the people who put the $100 down still interested in buying the bike. I have a hand full of customers who have told me they have money on one. Of those people , all but one have expressed that they were not sure about if they were going to end up going ahead when they got the email for payment. But now after a localish dealer had a demo bike, most have said they are all in now.
For a company that started out so open and in the public eye, they seem to be less open and upfront . I would like to hear Stark explain why they are putting Demo bikes out that could have been delivered to customers.
I am on the fence about it tbh.
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The people who paid for a product that isn't sitting in their garage yet are the dummies. They are using your money to fund operations and kick the can down the road. Sounds pyramid'ish.
Everybody so mad about Stark not delivering but nobody mad that KTM is parading out new bikes while 1000s of owners of last years bikes are waiting on backordered parts....
*Yes, I understand the folks waiting on parts haven't prepaid so it's not "apples to apples" just something I find funny*
Curious to know why. Tired of waiting? Not getting the answers you want?
Same boat honestly. They first contacted me in the beginning of July saying it’s time to confirm your order. Email back and don’t hear anything for a few weeks. Random Saturday I get a phone call from the gentleman handling US orders, says my order is now confirmed and I’ll get an email with a link to complete the purchase. A few more weeks I get an email stating my order is confirmed but nothing provided to pay for the order and we’re now 2 months passed initial contact.
Track/riding season is approaching, but I’ve lost quite a bit of my interest in actually buying it. For now we continue to wait patiently.
Yes, paid in full. I received an email a couple months ago stating that the bike was ready to go into production soon, and that I needed to finish my payment. Once payment was completed I had someone from Stark call me to confirm, and now I’m just waiting for the shipping confirmation. He mentioned that they were likely about a month behind my original ship date, but part of that was my fault because I waited about a week to make my full payment.
I understand the frustration, their system isn’t the best and I’ve been a bit frustrated too, but trust me the bike is worth it. I’ve ridden it a couple times, I’ve seen the factory in Spain and met the team of people behind it, this isn’t a scam and when you get your bike you’re going to love it . I think they got a WAY bigger reaction to these bike than they anticipated and are having to really play catch up, but Anton is a smart guy and I believe they’ll get the process sorted out. For what it’s worth I have no affiliation with them and they barely even know I exist, that’s just what I know about the situation and my personal belief that they’ll get it right.
Yes, that is what happened with myself except because I did not get the email about payment within 3 or 4 days I logged into my account and there was the payment button. It had not been there before. I paid for it and then got a phone call from a guy here in the US thanking me for my payment and explaining my bike was now in production and would ship in 2 weeks. That was about two months ago. lol
Little bit of all that...the moment is sorta passing by almost. Starting to become anticlimactic for me. I am sure if I pass on it, I will regret it, but who knows. If it lasts another few months, then 5 months of winter, I will probably skip it. Not like it's a bargain or anything.
Is anyone here aware of a non-professional athlete, non-social media influencer, non-celebrity, or non-resident shill that has received one yet? I’ve never seen one in real life at a local track yet.
seems kind of strange to send 14K into the unknown for something from a new start-up company on another continent. esp when they are already 2 years behind. not this boy. would be different to walk into a store as usual, pay and walk out with the product in hand.
"For a company that started out so open and in the public eye, they seem to be less open and upfront ."
This is what I have saying for months now. Glad somebody else is acknowledging it.
I finally got some of those KTM parts I ordered and PAID in full for from KTM. I paid back in October or so , got them in last week. Since I ordered them the prices went up, but I still got the items at the price I paid almost a year ago! I think its not a great look for either to be doing what they are doing. I wonder how many demo Vargs are out there?
If Stark is doing something shady with customers funds .What is the conspiracy behind KTM selling bikes built with the parts that people have had backordered for close to a year, or longer? Is KTM in trouble? Do they just want to sell bikes and build hype for new sales and not care about the people who have a bike sitting they can not ride?
I'm not sure what I would be more mad about. Buying a bike that was late and seeing the demo bikes showing up, or buying a bike that broke and is sitting because it needs the parts that are on the bikes that are showing up in large numbers? Both people are paying payments or have paid in full and are unable to ride their bikes. And keep having ETA's pushed back. It sucks for both , It might be a sign of trouble, or might not be . Pushing back deliveries of bikes is one thing, but after a customer has paid, I thought that meant they had the bike ready to build. and by now would have an idea of how long that will take. Hope both companies get stuff figured out soon.
Yes. There was a brand new at our local track in Bellingham WA last night. Local vet B rider, picked it up at dealer in Lynwood yesterday morning and raced it last night. He had no time to figure out any of the settings, just unloaded it, hit practice then raced it for 3 moto's. By the 2nd moto he had it looking pretty good. This rider is not an influencer, pro or celebrity, he's a 50+ year old normal local dude who races MX and off road normally on a KTM 2 stroke, (which he raced his 4th moto with last night).
Did he pre order it or did he just walk in a buy it?
Serious question: If they barely know that you exist, how did you (presumably) get invited to ride a pre-production bike and tour the factory? Did they pick up the tab for your flight/hotel/food?
I know it probably sounds that way, but it’s not a shot at you, btw. I’d do the same if invited, even on my own dime.
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"Not like it's a bargain or anything."
I don't know, man. Isn't an all expenses paid trip to Spain to try it out part of the deal?
Seems like it is for some people.
Good thing they could walk into a dealership and pick one up, instead of delivering bikes to the people who actually already paid for it.
He did pre-order it. He was supposed to get it last week but it came it with a left hand brake on it which he didn't want so the dealer switched it over which is why he didn't get it until yesterday morning. The bike was delivered to Lynwood Motoplex.
So those that paid in full, did you pay with a CC? If so I guess at least you have some protection, if you wired them funds I would be feeling a little Nigerian Prince scammish....
So they're asking for money up front before they even manufacture your bike that doesn't sound like a company that's going to be around for a long time
Funny, I did order the hand brake. Any idea when he paid for the bike?
Preorderded mine the day they were announced. Got an email about 2 months ago asking me to confirm my spec. I confirmed spec and then was told I would be sent a payment link as soon as the bike was ready to be shipped. Still waiting on that payment link.
WSX disease? Varner syndrom?
Reading a lot of customer's real order info and Stark contacting for confirmation, only to be left hanging for X months instead of weeks and no return contact from Stark. This has me even more concerned about how Stark does business. Seems even more shady than I thought.
Not a KTM guy so I had no clue about parts being on backorder for so long. What parts were back ordered? 10 months of backorder is pretty bad. Aftermarket parts slightly more understandable, but not OEM.
I can understand that way of thinking, but if you read the agreement when You put the money down it explained the process.
Since there are some somewhat custom aspects to the bikes, I can understand wanting payment before building. Everything can be undone that they offer , but still they are building the suspension valving and settings around what you ask for. And the Brake, wheel sizes. I thought the website had said they would ask for payment before they built the bike. But looking at it recently , it says that they will contact you when the bike is ready to ship. Not sure if that applies just to new orders, or if I just remembered it wrong.
Perhaps they changed the process since realistically they are so behind , it is unlikely they would end up with unsold bikes. Maybe they might have to revalve some suspension or swap a few things around.
I feel like after You take somebody's money You owe it to them to communicate at the least. I doubt it is to the level that people have to worry about losing money , and I'm not saying its a scam like others have said. Just that they should communicate a little more with the people who they have asked for payment in full from. And give some kind of explanation for the delay.
I think they offer the option of taking delivery at a local dealer with the bike ready to ride, or shipping to the customers home. It was an option when I looked last. They would be pulling a KTM if they started having bikes on the showroom for sale before the people who paid in full got theirs.
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