New 500, blown motor.

[Spud786]

Well, I guess we aren't going to get the UOA results, disappointing.

On a side note, I broke down and bought an oil filter at the dealer, costed me $14 out the door (for a Honda). I must have really been feeling generous to do that. I usually get them at pep boys for 7 dollars or so.

[oldfuddy]

Well, I guess we aren't going to get the UOA results, disappointing.

He might be still out riding and forgot about the whole incident as soon as he grabbed a handful of throttle!!

[Navaho6]

Had a similar experience in 2004 with a brand new ktm. Dealer was an a-hole about it. Ktm offered to buy it back but only if I agreed not to talk about it and sign an agreement stating this. I kept the bike and it worked good for three years. Sold it to a friend and he had no problems either. BUT I decided to never buy another brand new KTM again. Having read this thread and other similar stories about new KTM's has only reinforced my decision.

Local dirt bike mechanic will not work on ktm 4-stroke motors. He told me "about 1 in 10 are lemons". I don't think its nearly that bad.

Last year a friend bought a brand new 250 exc. Tranny exploded with less than 20 hrs and had to tow him back.

I will still buy used KTM's but only from people I know and can trust. I own a 950sm and a 2007 450exc. Both very reliable but not as durable as the Yamahas I've owned.

Edited August 10, 2014 by Navaho6

[Rider777]

Had a similar experience in 2004 with a brand new ktm. Dealer was an a-hole about it. Ktm offered to buy it back but only if I agreed not to talk about it and sign an agreement stating this. I kept the bike and it worked good for three years. Sold it to a friend and he had no problems either. BUT I decided to never buy another brand new KTM again. Having read this thread and other similar stories about new KTM's has only reinforced my decision.

Local dirt bike mechanic will not work on ktm 4-stroke motors. He told me "about 1 in 10 are lemons". I don't think its nearly that bad.

Last year a friend bought a brand new 250 exc. Tranny exploded with less than 20 hrs and had to tow him back.

I will still buy used KTM's but only from people I know and can trust. I own a 950sm and a 2007 450exc. Both very reliable but not as durable as the Yamahas I've owned.

 

Good for you.......save all the new KTM's for people that appreciate and use the latest and greatest engineering.....and don't worry about the small stuff.     Yeah so a motor had a major problem....KTM took care of it.  If it was my bike I would've opened the motor up to see what happened.......like to know that.   So it cost a few bucks.....in the grand scheme of things it's nothing vs. knowing what went wrong.   Even after that I bet KTM would've helped out.

 

Go to Yamaha because of course they never have any issues.

[yamaha227]

He might be still out riding and forgot about the whole incident as soon as he grabbed a handful of throttle!!

 

I think you will find there is a whole other side to this story we arent being told....

[oldfuddy]

I think you will find there is a whole other side to this story we arent being told....

Possibly and that's ok. Didn't happen to us. Dude doesn't owe us a thing. It happened to him and I just hope all is well and he's enjoying the bike.

[Burnrider]

Had a similar experience in 2004 with a brand new ktm. Dealer was an a-hole about it. Ktm offered to buy it back but only if I agreed not to talk about it and sign an agreement stating this. I kept the bike and it worked good for three years. Sold it to a friend and he had no problems either. BUT I decided to never buy another brand new KTM again. Having read this thread and other similar stories about new KTM's has only reinforced my decision.

Local dirt bike mechanic will not work on ktm 4-stroke motors. He told me "about 1 in 10 are lemons". I don't think its nearly that bad.

Last year a friend bought a brand new 250 exc. Tranny exploded with less than 20 hrs and had to tow him back.

I will still buy used KTM's but only from people I know and can trust. I own a 950sm and a 2007 450exc. Both very reliable but not as durable as the Yamahas I've owned.

50% (or more) of everything on the left coast trails are orange. That's a lot of lemons.

Edited August 11, 2014 by Burnrider

[Navaho6]

50% (or more) of everything on the left coast trails are orange. That's a lot of lemons.

 

 

 

A lot of pumpkins, not lemons.  The popularity of KTM says nothing about their durability by comparison.  I've owned several KTM's and still have two in the garage.  High performance machines but far more maintenance intensive than the Yamaha's I've owned.  Yamaha's have problems too.  2014 YZ250F is very popular but a ticking time bomb for some.

Edited August 12, 2014 by Navaho6

[Burnrider]

A lot of pumpkins, not lemons.  The popularity of KTM says nothing about their durability by comparison.  I've owned several KTM's and still have two in the garage.  High performance machines but far more maintenance intensive than the Yamaha's I've owned.  Yamaha's have problems too.  2014 YZ250F is very popular but a ticking time bomb for some.

 

Agreed. These were expensive bikes and KTM sold them with problems. DJH has a history of RFS issues posted on Thumpertalk in a pinned thread. I have not seen one here. My '05 had terrible intake valve wear issues, some issue with a shift roller (I replaced). a claimed 150 watt stator (really only about 40 watts stock), squealing clutch, to name a few. KTM compensated some owners-only cuz they made more noise than the clutch. Others got stiffed either by choice or ignorance.

 

2010 to 2014 bikes have issues, just doesn't look like the same issue over and over again. I like the punkin because accessories seem to be unlimited. I know a lot of guys on Japanese bikes don't a punkin slow them down. Like what you ride and get out to ride.

[Spud786]

Had a similar experience in 2004 with a brand new ktm. Dealer was an a-hole about it. Ktm offered to buy it back but only if I agreed not to talk about it and sign an agreement stating this. I kept the bike and it worked good for three years. Sold it to a friend and he had no problems either. BUT I decided to never buy another brand new KTM again. Having read this thread and other similar stories about new KTM's has only reinforced my decision.

Local dirt bike mechanic will not work on ktm 4-stroke motors. He told me "about 1 in 10 are lemons". I don't think its nearly that bad.

Last year a friend bought a brand new 250 exc. Tranny exploded with less than 20 hrs and had to tow him back.

I will still buy used KTM's but only from people I know and can trust. I own a 950sm and a 2007 450exc. Both very reliable but not as durable as the Yamahas I've owned.

 

That sounds more likely the case here, He was very interested in posting his results, assuming no accident or something. But why didn't you take up KTM on the offer?

[yamaha227]

Possibly and that's ok. Didn't happen to us. Dude doesn't owe us a thing. It happened to him and I just hope all is well and he's enjoying the bike.

 

I couldnt give a rats arse either, we are hering his version of events only.

Edited August 15, 2014 by yamaha227

[Navaho6]

That sounds more likely the case here, He was very interested in posting his results, assuming no accident or something. But why didn't you take up KTM on the offer?

I tried but waited too long.   Called a few days after the offer to tell the dealer that I accepted, and he said he changed his mind and then threatened me with legal action if I talked about him negatively.  So i wrote a letter to KTM and they suggested I take it to another dealer and have them look at the bike.  They admitted that something wasn't quite right but said to just ride it.  If it breaks, KTM will fix it.  

[Spud786]

I tried but waited too long.   Called a few days after the offer to tell the dealer that I accepted, and he said he changed his mind and then threatened me with legal action if I talked about him negatively.  So i wrote a letter to KTM and they suggested I take it to another dealer and have them look at the bike.  They admitted that something wasn't quite right but said to just ride it.  If it breaks, KTM will fix it.  

Oh the dealer offered. If ktm him does it, the cost is not much they manufactured  it, the dealer does it, he eats full cost. Sounds like a flakey dealer to offer and then withdraw though.

[BRM-RIDER]

I had a similar, but different, thing happen last year when I bought a '14 500EXC. 

 

On mine, there was an oil leak that I noticed on the first day I rode the bike.....44mi. on it when the leak was spotted. I did a power slide into a driveway and thought to myself "huh, that was wierd.." Upon inspection after stopping, there was oil all over the lower left-side, under the engine and left-sdie of the rear tire.....so bad, I couldnt tell where it was coming from.  I called the dealer Immediately and let them know what was up. I took the bike home and cleaned the oil off everything and let it sit over night to see if any would leak while sitting. No, leak.  I rode it around the block and there was oil that looked like it was coming from the left screen or oil drain bolt (with the magnet)...still couldnt tell where it was coming from..The dealer gave me brand new oil screen bolts and oil drain bolt with new Orings, free of charge. I put them on and started out on a ride to test it.  After riding 6miles, it was still leaking.  I called the dealer-they said to bring the bike in and they would take a look at it. Purchased the bike on Monday - took it back Thursday the same week. It rained on Friday into the weekend.....no ride for me..super bummed I was....

 

Long story short, the dealer contacted KTM and sent the motor to them. KTM determined that it was a "porous casting" that caused the leak from the Oil Pump Cover.  KTM sent a brand new crate motor to the dealer overnight - the dealer installed it. I was riding on Wednesday.  I asked for some freebie stuff to make up for my experience..hand guards and a skidplate....that was a NO-GO.  Both the Dealer and Manufacturer did thier part and got me back on the bike in about a weeks time. I can not complain.

 

The dealer took care of all of the DMV paperwork concerning the VIN/Engine ID's.....my paperwork is all matching. (I had pictures of the original engine and verified that the number on the new case was in fact different than the leaky motor...they didn't rebuild it. It was replaced as new.)

 

I've now had the bike for almost 1 year. 2200 miles and 80.3 hours, about 70/30 dirt/street. I've done 5 oil changes since new, theres nothing unordinary in the oil......just the regular fuzzy chips on the magnet and some clutch fragments in the screens.

By far the best Dual-Sport I've ever owned in 28 years of riding.

[BDM]

BRM-RIDER's experience is what I would have expected for OPer, baffled as to why it didn't work out that way (unless no crate motors in USA).

 

Bruce

Edited September 1, 2014 by BDM

[C6DNA]

After reading all this, I have two comments and points to consider.

First.. the OP bought a 2014 for ~$8,000. That's about $2,000 off MSRP. My first thoughts... DEMO. FACTORY SECOND. SOMEONE OVER-REV'D THE MOTOR AT FIRST START.

Second, is it unreasonable to test ride the bike before buying? I know every new motocross bike I bought new was just loaded on the trailer and brought home. Isn't this an EXC? Dual sport?

I guess reading this and laying down $10K for a new bike, I would want to make sure it starts and can get to the end of the block.

.

[oldfuddy]

After reading this one can only conclude it was a fluke. We can Monday morning quarterback it all day, but at the end of the day it just happened, could not have been prevented by the OP, and its not the norm.

Edited September 1, 2014 by oldfuddy

[C6DNA]

Agreed... a fluke. In that case I would expect a new motor, hense the reason I would insist on a test ride first.

 

I would simply cancel the deal. I wouldn't sign papers until they delivered a defect-free bike.

 

.

[accuracy]

I think this situation is crap and OP has every right to be upset. KTM won't give them a new motor, but what can you expect they have procedure to follow up in corporate. 

I however, think the dealer should have gone to the length to satisfy their customer as that is their job, not necessarily the manufacturer's. It's not right to have a new vehicle blow off the lot...period. KTM knows it, and the dealer knows it. Although it's not the dealer's fault, it certainly isn't their customer's. And I think it should have been the dealer taking it up with KTM to try to get a new motor for the defective bike, while they gave OP a new bike. To leave the customer with a good relationship and a smile still on his face, while they dick with KTM on their own time. 
 

 

but of course, i don't work in the auto industry. But I do see this sort of "good cust. service" done in other industries, Albeit not a 10,000 bike. 

[oldfuddy]

I wouldn't sign papers until they delivered a defect-free bike..

Yeah, agree test rides are a must. Not sure if it happened in this case. Nothing to say the test ride goes ok and then it craps out at home. After the sale it appears crate motors are not the norm, rebuilds are. Appears the customer does not have a choice. I have a new 1190R and it has a known air box problem with several inmates with brand new dusted engines that don't run across the planet. KTM is choosing to rebuild all of them. Don't know of one case where after the sale a new crate motor was provided with these new 1190s (a $18k bike). Just make mention of the 1190 example here because the same thing happened with this 500 in the sense it was a rebuild. KTM's ROE appears to rebuild first. Yeah, this sucked for this PO, but as I mentioned earlier it is what it is and you just gotta press on and ride the piss out of it or if the PO chooses he can cut his losses and sell it and wash his hands of the whole thing and ride something else.