Fuller story behind KTMs troubles
- Thread starter bigpoppa
- Start date
Friend of mine recently bought a Subaru which came with a free trial period access to their App with remote start. She's never had remote start and said she'd never missed it until she had it. If it wasn't for the free trial period she never would have paid for the option but now realizes she loves it and will pay for it when the free trial is up.
I don't know what's in the street version of the KTM Tech Pack but the $800 version for the offroad models includes Rally Mode. I'm guessing most people would say to themselves the "Offroad" mode the bike already comes with will be just fine for them. Until you actually try Rally mode and see how good it is and never use Offroad mode again.
I'm fine with the free trial period stuff as it let's you see if you want/like it before paying for them but I can see how it could irk people not having it automatically included considering bike costs.
I don't know what's in the street version of the KTM Tech Pack but the $800 version for the offroad models includes Rally Mode. I'm guessing most people would say to themselves the "Offroad" mode the bike already comes with will be just fine for them. Until you actually try Rally mode and see how good it is and never use Offroad mode again.
I'm fine with the free trial period stuff as it let's you see if you want/like it before paying for them but I can see how it could irk people not having it automatically included considering bike costs.
I get that standardizing all the HW on the bike and charging to unlock only the SW features that the customer wants cuts manufacturing costs. However, in that case, these costs should be passed on to the consumer. All these companies are doing is pocketing the savings.
Also, if I purposely opt not to have HW pre-installed, like Quickshifter, Electronic Suspension, Automatic Ride Height Adjustment (yes, I know KTM doesn't have these last two) on my bike, it's for a reason - either weight savings or reducing the complexity which could lead to potential mechanical failures. If these features that are disabled on the bike cause problems in the future, then I'm further out-of-pocket to repair something I never wanted in the first place.
Not a fan.
Also, if I purposely opt not to have HW pre-installed, like Quickshifter, Electronic Suspension, Automatic Ride Height Adjustment (yes, I know KTM doesn't have these last two) on my bike, it's for a reason - either weight savings or reducing the complexity which could lead to potential mechanical failures. If these features that are disabled on the bike cause problems in the future, then I'm further out-of-pocket to repair something I never wanted in the first place.
Not a fan.
Relax
Well-known member
I love the way KTM lets you try before you buy, rather than paying for it and realizing you never really needed it. The cost isn't in the hardware, it's in the IP that they developed to make the hardware work. People who think KTM should just give it to them free are probably the same people that think software piracy should be legal.
Shaman
Well-known member
Yeah, I really wanted the tech pack for my 1290R after the first 850km of riding (then straight to Deal's Gap). I just like having a quickshifter and having tried the bike without any traction control, I can tell you that it needs some. A super duke will spin that tire everywhere if you're on the gas at all (something about 650lbs with me on it and 100lb or so torque, I suppose). Though they DO provide the basics of traction control without the software upgrades.
PS: I lined up with my buddy and his ZH2 and beat him three times in a row (to my surprise) even to 240 the last time (in Mexico), so don't think KTM isn't building premium bikes these days. They just appear not to understand finances.
That's an interesting and important question. If you aren't paying for a feature (say quickshifter for discussion), can I remove the parts or will this be like a printer that won't print black if it runs out of yellow? I would be very upset if a part I didn't use at all that was not needed for the bike to operate caused me to be down.
Relax
Well-known member
KTM does have electronic suspension on various models, and I don't believe it's deactivated after Demo Mode expires.
As far as I can tell, the only Demo Mode feature that relies on dedicated parts is the quickshifter, so really there's nothing to remove unless you want to replace the quick shifter sensor with a longer shift rod. But it would need to physically break in half to affect shifting. Is that a common occurrence?
I was more worried about something like banging the sensor on a rock or ripping out the wire and then the computer freaks out and refuses to start because it is missing an input (that it doesn't use). The logic either way is easy to implement. The question is whether the money team or engineers chose the logic to use.
Relax
Well-known member
It wouldn't make sense for the main logic to poll the QS sensor if it isn't being used, especially since it isn't a safety item.
I agree but profit is often placed in front of logic (as in printers that refuse to print black without all colours also being present).
Relax
Well-known member
That's a little different, though. Some printers are designed to use some of the colours to create a richer black. That's why I switched to a Brother can be set up to only use the black toner for black/greyscale printing. Before that, I was always running out of CMY toner on my Samsung printers, even though I rarely actually printed in colour.
