Recalls on new motorcycles, when done?

[usedtobefast]

Let's say a dealership has a brand new bike in stock and a recall is issued for it.

When do they do that recall fix? Is it common to wait until after they sell it and doing pre-delivery steps? Or would some (most?) dealerships be more pro-active and fix it before a buyer comes along?

I just did a 5 hour round trip to pick up a new bike ... got there ... can't pick it up, there is a recall on it and they have to order parts to do the recall work. :thumbdown :thumbdown

A bit pissed about this, but also understand they didn't know about the recall until they started prepping it (~1 hr before I was due to show up and pick it up).

So now I guess I'll get my new bike some day. And take another lovely 5 hour road trip to get it. Geez. :mad

 

[berth]

So, you're getting a new bike!? Whatcha getting?

 

[usedtobefast]

Well, I hope I get a 2018 KTM 690 Duke. But a bit of a mystery at this point, some recall, has to do with the cam or the balancer shaft, not sure why it is vague and unclear. Parts on order don't know when they will get in or when the work will be done.

I'm close to just saying forget it and give me my money back. Not the greatest way to start off with a new bike.

 

[Kameron808]

Well, I hope I get a 2018 KTM 690 Duke. But a bit of a mystery at this point, some recall, has to do with the cam or the balancer shaft, not sure why it is vague and unclear. Parts on order don't know when they will get in or when the work will be done.

I'm close to just saying forget it and give me my money back. Not the greatest way to start off with a new bike.

Actual "recalls" should be done as soon as possible, it's free money for the service department. No good reason to stall. Service bulletins and warranty extensions are more often done on a case by case basis. Some work can't be performed until the unit is in a customer's name.

Still no good reason for them to put you through all that. They should have known that unit was unable to be delivered as it sat.

 

[usedtobefast]

I guess I understand they would want to wait for a buyer. Like they don't want to prep a bike, recall done and get it all sorted, battery in service, mechanic test ride, etc ... and then possibly have it sit for 3-6-9 months before selling it.

I was thinking last night, of the last 6 new bikes I've bought, 2 purchases were super smooth/perfect, 1 was a bit odd transaction, and 3 the bike had issues right at the start.

So I guess it is more normal for things to be messed up than done correctly!

And my new lesson learned, talk to the service manager to get the "it is running great and ready to go" confirmation before driving to the dealership.

 

[ScottRNelson]

I'm assuming you're using a dealer two and a half hours away because you thought it would save you money. Maybe you should have tried to work something out with a closer dealer...

I would expect all recalls to be completed that are known about before purchase. My KTM 790R had a brake line recall a few months after I bought it, so I had to arrange a time for them to do it, and they only ordered the part after I arranged to have it done, so it took a week or two before they could get to it. And my dealer is about 15 miles away, so I had to drop it off then come back for it later. A little bit annoying, but not like I wasted much more than an hour of total travel time.

I had one recall on the handlebar of a 1997 Ducati Monster that I just handled myself. I think that's it for motorcycle recalls on anything that I've owned.

 

[usedtobefast]

I was looking at used KTM 690 Dukes (2018 was the last year in US) ... a KTM dealer 2.5 hrs away had a brand new one ... yippee!

I did call up my nearby KTM dealer, they had no 690 Dukes and no way to get one. I also checked a few other Bay area KTM dealers and no 2 year old left over 690 Dukes to be found.

So kind of a rare bike/situation.

 

[dravnx]

I would think motorcycles are the same as cars and trucks. They can't be sold with a pending recall.