790 Duke for 6k - What's the worst that could happen?
Discussion
Some people may remember a month or so ago a deal was posted on the KTM topic about a dealer selling these, brand new for £6k. I saw the post late one Friday night and within minutes I thought, that's too good not to get. I don't need it, I don't want it, I know it's Chinese but by Christ I'll have that. I'd been after a RC390 like my Mr's or a similar lower cc single/twin. The RC's were going for about £5100-5500, so this deal made it a no brainer.
Alarm set for 9am Saturday, called them up, Hi, I see the deal etc, dealer explained they only had orange left, perfect I thought. Deposit taken, the bike would be delivered in about 2 weeks time I'm told. 3 weeks comes and goes still no bike, it turns out it's still not been booked into the workshop as the salesman has been on holiday. There must have been a slight confusion there as I was mulling over getting the Q/S added. I explained if I don't get back to you by the end of the day, just book it in before you go your holiday and proceed without it as not to hold it up. I tried calling a few times that day, but I kept missing him so I just assumed it'd progress without the quick shifter. Anyway they knocked a little money off the q/s £50 or something, he booked it in from that point and explained it would be delivered in a few weeks. A bit disappointing as I wont get a chance to ride it now till next year but meh, all is good.
Today it got delivered, so I sorted taking time off work and here it is.
It's f
king Grey not orange. The delivery driver that worked for them was a Saint, the nicest, happiest guy you'll meet. We called the salesman and explained it's not orange like I ordered. He seemed to think he told me it was grey, I know it wasn't grey as I wanted a orange one and I was happy they had one left. I even downloaded a picture of an orange one, and sent it to folk to say 'here's my new bike'. After him telling me how much he likes it in the grey or that I can get it wrapped, he said if I accepted it in the wrong colour he'd knock a little bit off my delivery when he's back tomorrow. Ok fine, I'm not happy, it's not the colour I want, but mistakes happen, I'm a pretty reasonable guy, it is a good price so I accept the bike on the promise we will work something out tomorrow.
But then I start to look at it under the garage lights. This was the tank.
Now the photo catches it perfect, it doesn't always look that bad depending on what way you're looking at it. There is a few scratches on the mudguard and tank elsewhere that I'd accept but not this maybe I'm being unreasonable. I call the dealer back, speak to the manager who says 'look we can refund some money for you to get it washed' so I send through the photo showing it wont wash out. The delivery driver texts to say he's on the way back. He looks it over, agrees that its not how a new bike should come. He goes away to call the manager, who I overhear offering to send up some T-cut or they will take it away and sort it. So its already on its way back to the dealer. I could live with that if I did it, or it was a used bike but not a new one. I've never owned a new car/bike before, this kinda ruined it for me.
To add to the misery, after buying this 790 I saw my local KTM dealer was doing a 23 plate RC390 with 500 odd miles on the clock for £4k, with a q/s. It's the bike I was after for a great price, so I went to see it, phoned them to make sure it was still there after having a think about it, it was, great! I spent hours trying to get 6 bikes insured for a reasonable price, the second that was sorted I phoned up to purchase it, only to find out a deposit had been taken five minutes ago. For days I've been looking forward to getting two new bikes, now I've none.
Alarm set for 9am Saturday, called them up, Hi, I see the deal etc, dealer explained they only had orange left, perfect I thought. Deposit taken, the bike would be delivered in about 2 weeks time I'm told. 3 weeks comes and goes still no bike, it turns out it's still not been booked into the workshop as the salesman has been on holiday. There must have been a slight confusion there as I was mulling over getting the Q/S added. I explained if I don't get back to you by the end of the day, just book it in before you go your holiday and proceed without it as not to hold it up. I tried calling a few times that day, but I kept missing him so I just assumed it'd progress without the quick shifter. Anyway they knocked a little money off the q/s £50 or something, he booked it in from that point and explained it would be delivered in a few weeks. A bit disappointing as I wont get a chance to ride it now till next year but meh, all is good.
Today it got delivered, so I sorted taking time off work and here it is.
It's f
king Grey not orange. The delivery driver that worked for them was a Saint, the nicest, happiest guy you'll meet. We called the salesman and explained it's not orange like I ordered. He seemed to think he told me it was grey, I know it wasn't grey as I wanted a orange one and I was happy they had one left. I even downloaded a picture of an orange one, and sent it to folk to say 'here's my new bike'. After him telling me how much he likes it in the grey or that I can get it wrapped, he said if I accepted it in the wrong colour he'd knock a little bit off my delivery when he's back tomorrow. Ok fine, I'm not happy, it's not the colour I want, but mistakes happen, I'm a pretty reasonable guy, it is a good price so I accept the bike on the promise we will work something out tomorrow.But then I start to look at it under the garage lights. This was the tank.
Now the photo catches it perfect, it doesn't always look that bad depending on what way you're looking at it. There is a few scratches on the mudguard and tank elsewhere that I'd accept but not this maybe I'm being unreasonable. I call the dealer back, speak to the manager who says 'look we can refund some money for you to get it washed' so I send through the photo showing it wont wash out. The delivery driver texts to say he's on the way back. He looks it over, agrees that its not how a new bike should come. He goes away to call the manager, who I overhear offering to send up some T-cut or they will take it away and sort it. So its already on its way back to the dealer. I could live with that if I did it, or it was a used bike but not a new one. I've never owned a new car/bike before, this kinda ruined it for me.
To add to the misery, after buying this 790 I saw my local KTM dealer was doing a 23 plate RC390 with 500 odd miles on the clock for £4k, with a q/s. It's the bike I was after for a great price, so I went to see it, phoned them to make sure it was still there after having a think about it, it was, great! I spent hours trying to get 6 bikes insured for a reasonable price, the second that was sorted I phoned up to purchase it, only to find out a deposit had been taken five minutes ago. For days I've been looking forward to getting two new bikes, now I've none.
Marquezs Stabilisers said:
Given your username, fair to surmise dealer in Central Scotland?
No it was coming from Wales. Which makes it all the more staggering they sent the driver up on a 850 mile round trip without checking it over. I felt awful for the delivery driver, he slept in the front of his van last night, he wanted to deliver it at midnight but I was sleeping by the time he texted. moanthebairns said:
No it was coming from Wales. Which makes it all the more staggering they sent the driver up on a 850 mile round trip without checking it over. I felt awful for the delivery driver, he slept in the front of his van last night, he wanted to deliver it at midnight but I was sleeping by the time he texted.
Wow!I am sorry to learn of this and that you missed out on that RC390 at a bargain price.
I prefer the grey ones however I have a thing for orange wheels, when they were doing 790s for £6999 about Easter 2020 time I cleaned the orange wheels on the demonstrator when I returned it. I don't have time for a toy creating problems and my new bike has had four issues created by the dealer which has taken the shine off of buying new again.
Before I did the deal on my bike M&P were doing discounted ZR900s in last year's colours so it's not good to learn they delivered your new 790 with scratches like that on the tank.
I prefer the grey ones however I have a thing for orange wheels, when they were doing 790s for £6999 about Easter 2020 time I cleaned the orange wheels on the demonstrator when I returned it. I don't have time for a toy creating problems and my new bike has had four issues created by the dealer which has taken the shine off of buying new again.
Before I did the deal on my bike M&P were doing discounted ZR900s in last year's colours so it's not good to learn they delivered your new 790 with scratches like that on the tank.
Not the best experience for you but my God what a bargain. The grey is very nice too but they really should offer a swap, you'd have thought it'd be on some sort of receipt of the exact model number etc. My son bought his KTM 125 Duke from Colwyn Bay of which were all very nice and helpful minus 1 chap dealing with bookings who was a bit of a nob.
I've recently bought a Triumph Trident 660 after 4 months of riding around on a courtesy bike from my written off Duke 790. The Duke is a much better bike in almost everyway, stick a lovely chavvy Black Widow exhaust on and she's golden. Don't get me wrong it's a KTM so she had her issues but I genuinely loved riding it. Hope you get it sorted
I've recently bought a Triumph Trident 660 after 4 months of riding around on a courtesy bike from my written off Duke 790. The Duke is a much better bike in almost everyway, stick a lovely chavvy Black Widow exhaust on and she's golden. Don't get me wrong it's a KTM so she had her issues but I genuinely loved riding it. Hope you get it sorted
Caddyshack said:
You gotta love a salesman who has the solution for delivering the wrong bike to suggest you get it wrapped…I guess £500 might get it wrapped but it would never be the same as the original bike in orange.
and then you've got to declare it as modified to your insurance company and get the reg doc colour changed with DVLA...no ta. Toral clusterfk and the dealer doesn't have a leg to stand on if you reject it as bith wrong colour and damaged!
Tell them that if they refund you in full I will come and pick it up from you and give them £4k to save them the hassle of coming to get it.
Edited to add I just read it again and realised they have collected already.
bks.
k and the dealer doesn't have a leg to stand on if you reject it as bith wrong colour and damaged!Tell them that if they refund you in full I will come and pick it up from you and give them £4k to save them the hassle of coming to get it.
Edited to add I just read it again and realised they have collected already.
b
ks.Edited by Rubin215 on Thursday 9th November 16:53
Update, I got a call the next morning at work saying my bike was on its way back to me fixed and would be with me by lunch time. I point out I won't be back, I'm hours away on a water treatment plant at the side of Loch Lomond. 'Did you not tell the driver you wouldn't be home tomorrow'. Well, naw as no one told me what was happening. The driver musta got the bike back down around 5-6pm on the Wednesday, they've worked on it then he's left at 5-6am the next day, mental.
The tank appears to have been fixed, a few faint scratches that haven't came out but I'd probably accepted that if it came like that the first time. I was skeptical they could turn it around in that time. It might have just needed a t cut but I'm fked if I was going to do it on a new bike.
I checked my deposit receipt, it clearly states orange. They offered £150 off the delivery for the colour error and explained there was nothing left in the bike to give anymore discount. They stated they never had another in orange so couldn't swap it or do it for that price again.
Hats off to the delivery driver, I shoulda bought his van not the duke it must be quicker on the road the rate he got up and down.
But FFS the communication from start to finish wasn't great.
I just hope it's not got some silicone spray over it hiding the scratches that'll reapear after a few washes.
The tank appears to have been fixed, a few faint scratches that haven't came out but I'd probably accepted that if it came like that the first time. I was skeptical they could turn it around in that time. It might have just needed a t cut but I'm f
ked if I was going to do it on a new bike. I checked my deposit receipt, it clearly states orange. They offered £150 off the delivery for the colour error and explained there was nothing left in the bike to give anymore discount. They stated they never had another in orange so couldn't swap it or do it for that price again.
Hats off to the delivery driver, I shoulda bought his van not the duke it must be quicker on the road the rate he got up and down.
But FFS the communication from start to finish wasn't great.
I just hope it's not got some silicone spray over it hiding the scratches that'll reapear after a few washes.
Sad that it wasn't a straight forward purchase but imo that is a lovely looking bike in the grey.
If you really hate it check out Sam Vincents YouTube channel. He's wrapped his 1290 with a decal kit from motoproworks. I'm not doing mine but know a couple of people who have who are pleased.
If you really hate it check out Sam Vincents YouTube channel. He's wrapped his 1290 with a decal kit from motoproworks. I'm not doing mine but know a couple of people who have who are pleased.
Took it a ride today, and I f
king love it. It's obviously still needing run in, the roads were greasy and it was freezing with salt going down as I came home but fk me it handles like a hoose-flee. A real nice change from sportsbikes, I only did about 40 miles before my hands were going to fall off but I now get why people rave about these and I've barely opened it up. I maintained I was just going to use it for going out with the o/h and trade it in after two years, I'm now scouring aftermarket crap that I said I simply wouldn't get. However, I gave it a wash when home and ripped off the remaining protector/film to discover piss poorly applied decals.
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