[chocky14u]

Got home today to find that my alarm was sounding because of a flat battery, tried to take the seat off to get to the battery only to find that the lock would not open because at some point the tip of one of my keys had chipped off inside the lock....managed to open the lock with a screwdriver and persuader.

Upon feeling that a new barrel and a key was required was pleasantly surprised when key chipping fell out of the barrel lock once it was removed and tapped gently.

Anyone know how much replacement keys are? and what information is needed to obtain one preferably matching the ignition key?:hmh:

 

[Deerjan]

...

Hi mate, cant remeber the exact cost of the keys but in sweden when i asked is around 1500-1700kr or maybe up to 2000kr = 130£ - 147£ - 160 £. Thats atleast what you can expect the cost for new keys.

And they told me at the retrailer that if you or if something happens to the bike lock or one key is missing then you need to deactivate the bike by putting the orange key in to the ignition and then it will deactivate all the keys, then you need to call the ktm service not the retailer and give them the key number so you can order new ones, if i dont remeber it wrong, all i remeber is dont loose your keys

 

[993sdad]

sounds about rite that i was told never loose a key coz there expensive,

 

[chocky14u]

I think this bike is becoming a pain!!!! cheaper to throw fivers down the khazi!!!

 

[chocky14u]

Quick update contacted Redline KTM; keys and transponder are £63.95 and out of stock at KTM....typical!!

 

[Richie1967_uk]

been waiting for a lock set for my rc8 for over a month and still been told they wont be in stock for another 10 days...they are made in italy which shuts down for a month!! 6 weeks with some great weather and no bike....rubbish

 

[Fat Tony]

Lets face it, KTM are manufacturing for a very small market, they're never going to maintain the same level of stock as the big Jap manufacturers and their dealers

 

[chocky14u]

Surely though Tony, KTM as a company has to think about customer service, keeping vehicles on road is the best and cheapest advertising possible for a motorcycle brand. KTM have been trying to become a mass market supplier of superbike, slashing prices and glossy magazines to tempt punters, how will their new customers feel if they are struggling to get service or repair parts for their motorcycles, spending large amounts of time off road waiting for spares. Whilst at the same time they see shiny new parts catalogues, advertising apparrel and custom parts.

A slogan i picked up when studying marketing is that if a person has a bad experience they on average tell 10 people that they have had that experience, KTM should learn from this if they want to become a competitor for Ducati/Aprillia or are they going to rely on insurance companies simply writing off motorcycles every time there is an accident?

 

[xfireblade]

Surely though Tony, KTM as a company has to think about customer service, keeping vehicles on road is the best and cheapest advertising possible for a motorcycle brand. KTM have been trying to become a mass market supplier of superbike, slashing prices and glossy magazines to tempt punters, how will their new customers feel if they are struggling to get service or repair parts for their motorcycles, spending large amounts of time off road waiting for spares. Whilst at the same time they see shiny new parts catalogues, advertising apparrel and custom parts.






A slogan i picked up when studying marketing is that if a person has a bad experience they on average tell 10 people that they have had that experience, KTM should learn from this if they want to become a competitor for Ducati/Aprillia or are they going to rely on insurance companies simply writing off motorcycles every time there is an accident?

very true, but i have never ridden a better bike. so wot do you do?

 

[Fat Tony]

Chocky, you're absolutely right mate... product quality, customer service and prompt fixes SHOULD be the norm with any product and yes, pissing off 1 customer will deter many others when they hear about it

I've experienced better aftercare from KTM than I ever did with Suzuki but I understand everybody's experience differs from that of others

Personally, I think KTM's problem has been spreading it's product lineup too wide a few years ago, and now with the world economy in the state it's in, the Company is severely feeling the pinch and is struggling to maintain stock levels of parts (as well as, like other manufacturers, finding it incredibly difficult to sell many new bikes).

Not that it's the right thing to do, but printing glossy brochures offering lovely, new toys and associated bling is far cheaper, and potentially results in profit, than building a huge stock of support parts for warranty claims which in effect cost the Company money.

(The lengthy wait for parts that some are experiencing isn't limited to KTM though is it? A mate just had to wait about 9 weeks for a replacement shock for his 1098, and the customer service and repair work he's had done at the Duc dealer has been crap)

But yes... It's shit if you're kept off the road because of it

 

[chocky14u]

Agree totally with what has been said; I love my bike apart from its niggles and at the end of the day people that are dissatisfied eventually vote with their feet look at the numbers for sale on ebay, look how many members we have lost recently with niggling faults to their bikes or shoddy dealerships.....Maybe KTM should take a few tips from BMW's approach, whilst not trying to conquer the world before they can hold their own in an ultra competitive market. The thing to remember is Honda motorcycles started off as a backyard business, they obviously got everything sorted very quickly so the template for success has already been written.

BMW Establish a sturdy base from where to grow sorting supply chains personnel and a logical coherant dealer network, KTM appear to be adopting a fragmented approach, peaks and troughs everywhere throughout the business even down to the showrooms with dealers only doing dirt bikes and others only doing road bikes.....

No wonder when you go to a dealer they never have a part, KTM are only interested in selling numbers in a diminishing motorcycle market and i for one find that infuriating.

 

[damodici]

Oh I can assure you Ducati are easily as bad at the moment, should read half theconplaints about the new multistrada, even though lots love it the fuelings really crap, it stalls, false neutrals and the £600 panniers they're all buying are that shit they don't seal properly (visable gaps) and they're stuff gets wet!

And that's just the latest bike. Point being is that unless you have a hugely mass produced bike such as a blade, gsxr or zxr type I doubt you'll find much difference between stock levels especially on the random parts

it took over 3 months for many of the new 848 owners to get the £2000 worth of Dainese kit they were promised with the bike.

 

[Fat Tony]

Haha, gentlemen... it's time we packed up the day jobs and started running KTM

 

[damodici]

To be fair not everybody can get on with a twin, they are without doubt harder to ride as I know this from only ever riding twins and then recently buying my R1 4xv track bike and finding it a piece of piss even though it's old tech!

I personally also believe a lot of new RC owners probably jumped to quick, didn't test ride properly and that's why you have lots for sale, also the 08 bikes they sold do seem to have loads more issues than mine which is no doubt why they're cheap. I paid more for my 09 but tbh so far...touch wood....it's fine, it's just a twin and I love em

 

[chocky14u]

KTM, the new TVR? or LOTUS (Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious)?


Get a good one and youll enjoy it, a bad one and you will regret it for the rest of your life, the unfortunate thing is that those poor bikes still remain in the system, as 2nd hand used bikes.

People who buy these bikes are never totally 100% aware of the full history of that bike partially due to the sellers eagrenes to maximise the returns on their investment. Further poor experience's will further tarnish KTM's reputation and residual values on the good bikes that are out there.

Ducati obviously have a Q/C problem too on their new model (or too many holidays?) but do they admit there is a problem? If they do then they are are at least starting to address the problem. I dont see KTM admiting there is a problem.

Think of what i am saying as tank warfare......send in the tanks drive them forward, till they run out of fuel, while your replacement fuel is way behind, tanks just sit there until the supplies catch up.... sitting ducks.....this is how KTM is operating. It would be better as in Honda's/BMW/Yamaha et al approach to move forward together minimising potential issues. Unfortunately there will always be some delays but a plan of strategy should be a priority.

I repeat that i love my bike; but i dont look at KTM through rose tinted spectacles either. Come on KTM admit there is a problem as this is starting to sound like British Leyland in the 70's, and get it Sorted........

 

[damodici]

Nah, Ducati NEVER admit a problem, they just look into things