NHTSA Complaint #10776585 — 2015 KTM 1190 ADVENTURE

THIS IS A FOLLOW UP TO AN ON GOING PROBLEM WITH THIS MACHINE. IT IS CURRENTLY BACK IN THE DEALERSHIP FOR EXCESSIVE HEAT TO THE RIDER'S SEAT. THIS IS NOW THE THIRD TIME IT HAS BEEN IN, IN LESS THAN 3000 MILES OF RIDING AND 6 MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP. THE LAST TIME IT WAS SUPPOSEDLY "REPAIRED", THE SEAT GOT SO HOT WITHIN 10 MILES OF THE DEALERSHIP, THAT I HAD TO STAND ON THE PEGS OF THE MOTORCYCLE TO GET THE BIKE HOME. UPON SPEAKING TO THE DEALER, HE HAD FEW ANSWERS, JUST THAT KTM WAS TO CALL ME. WHICH THEY HAVEN'T. AS A MATTER OF FACT I TRIED TO REACH THE DEALERSHIP BY PHONE YESTERDAY, AS A FOLLOW UP, WITH NO RETURN CALL FROM THEM AS OF YET. PERHAPS THEY ARE TOO BUSY. ONE WOULD ASSUME KTM KNOWS OF THE ISSUE WITH THIS MACHINE. NUMEROUS MESSAGE BOARDS HAVE RIDERS OF THIS TYPE OF KTM CONCOCTING VARIOUS MECHANICAL REMEDIES OF THEIR OWN TO THE SEAT PROBLEM. ALSO RIDERS ARE INDICATING ADJUSTING THEIR RIDING TECHNIQUES TO ACCOMODATE THE SEAT HEAT, SUCH AS STANDING WHILE RIDING DOWN THE ROAD OR SPREADING THEIR LEGS TO GET SOME RELIEF. ALSO THE AFTERMARKET INDUSTRY HAS INTRODUCED AT LEAST TWO "SEAT COOLERS" FOR THIS PARTICULAR MACHINE, OF WHICH I ASKED MY DEALER IF HE WOULD INSTALL ONE IF I BOUGHT IT, ONLY TO GET THE REPLY THAT KTM WOULD CALL ME. THIS IS A VERY HIGH PERFORMANCE MACHINE, CAPABLE OF 10 SECOND QUARTER MILES AND 150 MPH. THE SEAT HEATING UP WITHOUT ANY WARNING, AND RANDOMLY, IS A DANGEROUS DISTRACTION WHEN ON A 500LB., 150 HORSEPOWER BIKE LIKE THIS IN TRAFFIC, OR ANYWHERE FOR THAT MATTER. IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE HARD TO REACH AND VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE SWITCH FOR THE SEAT HEAT, IS AN ADDED DISTRACTION WHEN THE SEATS MALFUNCTION. IN ADDITION TO MY DEALER I HAVE SPOKEN TO A DISTRICT SALES MANAGER OF KTM'S AS WELL, JEREMY KETCHUM. AS OF NOW, THE BIKE I OWN IS AT THE DEALERS YET, AND I HAVE NO ANSWERS. OTHER THAN KTM WILL CALL ME.