So I took my son’s 2023 KTM 125Sx into a dealership to get looked at about the end of April. The bike was running terrible and it didn’t have many hours on it. I know all about a regular 2 stroke and can rebuild them easily but I thought it was due to the EFI and that I’m not good at. So they found the cylinder to be faulty. Not one in North America that I could buy. The earliest date they could give me was August for a new one. They figured I could get a cylinder relined faster than waiting for a new one so we went that route. About the first part of July I called back and they said they had gotten an email that the cylinder was done and was shipped. 2 weeks go by and I don’t hear anything from the dealership that my 125 was back together. When I called, the cylinder hadn’t shown up yet so I just have to wait. Jump ahead to August( sorry this is so long ) my son had been riding his brother’s old yz250f. He was losing interest in riding because he didn’t care for the bike. We went and got a 2024 KTM 250f for him. September 10th my 125 was finally done. Over 4 months later. My friend picked up the bike for me. It was a rusted piece of shit when I got it back. The dealership stored it outside and it wasn’t covered or anything. The plastics, seat, and bars were faded. The brake rotors, chain, and foot pegs were solid rust. And the best part- they never covered the open engine well enough and it filled with rain water for the summer. Not one phone call about any of this. I seen the bike had been tore down more than just a topend and when I called about it, the service writer told me they had to replace the crank cause it was so rusty. I haven’t paid for the cylinder or anything else. They supposedly swallowed the crank(gee thanks). My question is should I be compensated somehow for the rest of the bike’s parts or what would you do in this situation?
I would make them replace the bike. That's not OK.
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I would talk to them first before going to KTM USA. Give them a chance to fix their mistake. I'm not sure that I would want them to take the bike to fix the issues after it came back to you the way it did.
There is NO good excuse for picking up a bike in worse shape than when You dropped it off.
I own a small shop, and if workers of mine did something like that, and I missed it long enough for it to get sun faded, I would offer to fix it. If I hire a worker that screws up, its on me as the owner to make things right. But I love what I do and am more hands on than an owner of a bigger shop might be. Either way, They should offer to fix it. I always prefer that a customer contact me if they are unhappy and give me the chance to make things right.
I would think that the owner of the shop that had Your bike would want a chance to make things right too. If the shop has a lot of guys working there, and is a busy shop, they might not have realized exactly how much damage they did to your bike if You do not tell them.I'm trying to give them the benefit of the doubt . But give them a chance to make things right. Take a lot of photos of how it looks now, and hopefully You have some of before You dropped it off.
A bike outside for an hour that gets caught in a rain shower could get some slight rust depending on how its stored after. But for it to be faded, It had to spend a good amount of time outside or in front of a window.
They should have not even tried to give you that bike back. That’s the shitty part. Why give them a chance to make it right? They had their chance when they made the decision to hand over the bike. Warn others….
I am planning on meeting with the owners next week. I feel something should be done and am willing to hear what they say before I give out their name. I just don’t know what is a fair deal.
fair deal is a new bike to me … They destroyed your bike they should replace it end of story!
I would talk to a lawyer so that you are informed about what your rights are.
That sucks Craig I feel your pain. The bike & car shops now such a joke. I dropped a bike off at a shop for a rusty crank to in April it was freezing rain . Just got it back recently. My van has been in a shop 15 times. No shop could figure out why air kept getting in the system.
Just a question, but how are other bikes stored that are being worked on? I ask because there’s a snowmobile shop I use to go to that only stores sleds outside, period. And they would tell you that upfront when you bring your sled, quad, SXS to them for service.
If you meet with the owner, bring the bike and let him see the state it’s in. Have some level of proof, pic etc. Better have proof if not he will say that’s what it looked like when your brought it. I wouldn’t even ask for him to make it right, reason being he won’t, even if he is a good dealer, that’s just the way it goes. Let him know you know he’s not going to do a damn thing. If serious come lawyered up, don’t just say you have a lawyer, will get a lawyer, have him lined up if you are serious. If not it’s all a waste of time. Have your legal ducks in a row if your serious. If it’s as simple as new plastic and clean up, then get new plastics drain fuel and get it running. If it’s more than that and your serious don’t just send an email to KTM, get a regional rep on the phone. You can buy a lot of bike fix for cost getting a attorney. Maybe small claims is an option. Other option, pic on face book and yelp of what you brought home will get his attention and others. It’s proven social media will not be kind. Ask Budweiser!!
At most shops all the bikes not being worked on are rolled outside every day to give them room to work. But if the motor is apart usually they will keep them inside. It’s a tough situation all around but I agree to give them a chance to make it right.
If a shop takes a motor apart and it then goes outside, it's time to go to another shop.
What an absolute shitshow from that dealer, I hope you get a worthwhile replacement, with a cylinder that lasts.
Definitely get hold of KTM directly because this really is unacceptable on every level.
Don't stress the parts delay point either, you don't want some paper pusher to glance at your letter and write it off as a parts delay complaint when it is infinitely more serious 👍
Honestly…? KTM and that dealership owe you a new motorcycle.
I cannot believe any dealership would do that. They should lose their franchise over that.
Totally agree and I’d be super pissed about it. I was just stating that it’s normal at the majority of shops for bikes to be outside during the day. Of course that’s maybe a couple of weeks, not months and months. I’d like to see how the bike looks now. But with the motor issues and likely needing plastics, seat, etc it would be hard to make him whole without just giving him a new bike.
Agree with what others have said - contact KTM directly.
I had a situation happen when I bought my KX450. Show up to the dealer to pick it up, go inside, sign the paperwork etc. Then im finally ready to leave after hours wasted sitting around in there. I go out back and the bike is sitting OUTSIDE in the rain. Brand new motorcycle outside in the rain with no covering. The salesmen wheels it into their storage shed so I can inspect it, they fucking rode the bike around with the chain so loose it slapped against the swingarm and left abrasions, etc.
I told the dude they need to fix the swingarm or I want my $ back. They did - I just could not believe the whole ordeal. Brand new motorcycle and they treated it like it was a fucking 10 year old piece of shit.
Pit Row
Tell them you want a new bike or complete replacement of everything that is ruined.
After all the time, use AND “value” lost…? They owe him a new bike at the very least…
Look up sale prices for bikes in the same condition yours was in when you dropped it off. They should give you that, and then invoice price for the same bike, new. If you classify it as a trade, hopefully you’ll avoid most of the sales tax. That’s what I think is fair. You should start just asking for a straight trade for a new bike, though.
The fact that they’d leave any bike outside in the rain is insane. Any water that sneaks in the intake is going to damage the engine. I wouldn’t trust this dealership to do anything to anything with wheels. Bikes should be stored inside in a temperature and humidity controlled environment.
Something does not sound right, Why would a "friend" pick it up for you ? and after being in the motorcycle business most of my life I don't believe any shop would release a bike to anyone other than the owner who dropped it off. Something is not right in your story. Sorry but I don't believe you or your story.
We farm and we were combining our crops. My kids had a race on that weekend and were gonna be late making it to the dealership before they closed to pick the bike up. It just so happened that my friend was going there and he offered to grab it and bring it to the track. I don’t get why you think that’s so odd.
You should post some photos of the bike.
Why is there always one?
The guy invented this just because he wants drama in his life?
Lord, the internet!!!
Me too.
What KTM dealer? That’s absolutely awful
How in the hell are there no pix of this bike yet?? Why is this dealer not named?
tldr?
Then why in the hell was he not on the phone with the dealer that day after his "friend" picked it up and at the dealer the next day they were open with the bike ? Again I am not buying the story. I think he is not telling the whole story but then again its his loss not mine.
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