As background, I have a 2001 520 EXC that has an obviously defective center case gasket that lets the oil pour out. The motor has 6 hours on it. Gaskets don't wear out - the cases were put together at the factory with a bad gasket.
After going back and forth with the dealer where I bought the bike and KTM customer service (Ha! That's misusing the term...) I am left with a bike that won't hold oil and an estimate for about $800 to fix it. KTM said that since the bike is a year old (even though it's in showroom condition with only 6 hours on it), and the fact that they 'have no indication that there is a problem with the gaskets' they would not cover even a part of the repair.
This is a pretty crappy response to such an obvious manufacturing defect. I've done nothing but talk highly of this bike and KTM. I've recommended this bike to many people, and one friend bought one based on my recommendation. I am now feeling very let down, and have a much lower opinion of KTM and their representatives in Ohio. I now have a bike that costs close to $8,000 that is unusable unless I spend another $800 to fix a problem caused by the factory.
I would have been happy if they would have admitted that it was their fault and covered even a portion of the repair costs, but they chose to deny any responsibility. I think that says a lot about their company and how they do business.
I can't help thinking that I'm gonna shell out big bucks to fix this problem just to have the cam bearings grenade on me, or the water pump seal fail and start spewing coolant.
It's a sad sad day - the KTM ball cap that I have worn every day for the last few months has now been stuck in the back of the closet, possibly never to be worn again.
Larry
After going back and forth with the dealer where I bought the bike and KTM customer service (Ha! That's misusing the term...) I am left with a bike that won't hold oil and an estimate for about $800 to fix it. KTM said that since the bike is a year old (even though it's in showroom condition with only 6 hours on it), and the fact that they 'have no indication that there is a problem with the gaskets' they would not cover even a part of the repair.
This is a pretty crappy response to such an obvious manufacturing defect. I've done nothing but talk highly of this bike and KTM. I've recommended this bike to many people, and one friend bought one based on my recommendation. I am now feeling very let down, and have a much lower opinion of KTM and their representatives in Ohio. I now have a bike that costs close to $8,000 that is unusable unless I spend another $800 to fix a problem caused by the factory.
I would have been happy if they would have admitted that it was their fault and covered even a portion of the repair costs, but they chose to deny any responsibility. I think that says a lot about their company and how they do business.
I can't help thinking that I'm gonna shell out big bucks to fix this problem just to have the cam bearings grenade on me, or the water pump seal fail and start spewing coolant.
It's a sad sad day - the KTM ball cap that I have worn every day for the last few months has now been stuck in the back of the closet, possibly never to be worn again.
Larry
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