Warranty questions from a soon to be owner of a 950SM.

[johnnyg]

I have been considering getting an LC8 ADV or SM for some time now. Accordingly, I have been lurking around this site for a little while (orange crush & road warrior) trying to learn as much as I can. I finally decided on the SM as I believe that it is a best fit for how I ride and I’m going to pick the bike up next week but during the buying process the topic of an extended warranty came up.

The dealer (USA) told me that the bike came with a 1yr (I forget the mileage) warranty (parts and labor) and they could sell me the following extended warranties:

3 additional years at $723
4 additional years at $799
5 additional years at $804

I have never bought an extended warranty for a bike before so I have nothing to compare these prices too but they seem a little high. Normally I would just live with the factory warranty and then do most of my own wrenching but the clutch and the water pump seal issue (water&oil>milkshake>swollen paper filter>oil starved motor > $$$$$) have me a little concerned. Also, I thought that KTM’s factory warranty was longer than 1 yr.

Does anyone have any info/opinions about KTM’s factory warranty and these extended warranty prices? John

[karkus30]

supposed to be 3 years, but my dealer in the UK thinks its 2.There seems to be mega confusion. If your dealer is offring a warranty top up, then its usually by a private insurance scheme and you can get smething like that on any vehicle.

[gremor]

I never get one on electronics or such, but when I purchased a used R1100RS with 14,000 miles on it I got an extended warranty for 3 years, about 600.00 USD.

With one week left on the clock the inner seal to the tranny started to leak causing the clutch to slip under hard throttle. Everything was covered, even the new clutch. Would have been over 800.00 out of pocket, so for me it worked.

PS the local dealer helped a lot working with the underwriter.

[Mike in Oregon]

You may have luck in trying to get the dealer to lower the price of the Extended warrantee for you; in my experience they have some good wiggle room on the price of those things. I bought a 3 yr extended on my 05' 950 adventure-($600.00) Never used it but was glad I had it. And recently purchased a 950 SM and dealer threw in 4 yr extended no charge (they low balled me pretty good on the trade in of the 950 Adventure).

I feel better knowing I have the protection, but I generally Never go for the extended warrantee on other stuff, but as you stated, there are some things to keep an eye on with the 950 motors-although I rode the crap out of the 950 Adventure for 7500 miles with no probs, and have no probs w/ the 950 SM either. The 950 motor is a great one for do-it-yourself wrenching-very logically put together, etc.

Take care,

Mike