Stark varg support is the worst

[Slidinsidewayz]

Actually, I don't think they have many problems and what they are doing is shaving costs by keeping staff numbers at their service center small --that is why service is slow and at times unavailable. The internet tends to exaggerate problem/issues. I have bought 2 Starks (MX) over the last 2 years, and had no problems outside of the shitty tubes. And people who don't have problems don't post at the rate that those who do as expected.

Having a large call center to handle consumer problems/warranty work is incredibly expensive (for example with overtime during holidays) and honestly mostly impossible and almost every company or manufacturer in any industry that has ever tried it has failed. That is why there are dealerships and actually why retail even exists. The Japanese proved this in 70s.

Stark did it mail order because they had to, since many dealers/retailers were unwilling to invest in Stark initially and only came around once the bikes were selling and a proven commodity. Stark sold a lot of bikes and continues to do so and now there is a network of dealers. Of course, in the motorcycle industry dealers are no panacea as I am sure you know.

The general hope is longer term the E will be much more reliable/lower maintenance than ICE and remotely de-buggable, so there will be a decreased need for service, but my thinking is that with complex machinery (and even software and firmware) there will always be a need for retail/field techs/local service and trying to do this online on a shoestring budget is a prescription for angry customers.

I hope you get your stuff soon and get back riding.

And BTW some genius thought it would be good idea to run address verification through AI and that hunk of shit software mangled addresses that weren't conventional i.e. shit learned from the internet...check your Stark invoice.

 

[Chaconne]

View attachment 14463

Ya sorry to hear that. I am guessing Stark either got threatened with a lawsuit or maybe even had a lawsuit with regard to somebody DIY'ing something they had no clue about. I am kind of lucky there is a great dealer within a half-hour from me who I have done business with for years buying KTMs . I didn't get a Stark until that dealer carried them.

A lifetime of terrible luck with mail order and I couldn't stand taking the chance with a 10k mailorder even though I had to wait. I have enough difficulty just getting parts delivered properly.

 

[Slidinsidewayz]

Ya sorry to hear that. I am guessing Stark either got threatened with a lawsuit or maybe even had a lawsuit with regard to somebody DIY'ing something they had no clue about. I am kind of lucky there is a great dealer within a half-hour from me who I have done business with for years buying KTMs . I didn't get a Stark until that dealer carried them.

A lifetime of terrible luck with mail order and I couldn't stand taking the chance with a 10k mailorder even though I had to wait. I have enough difficulty just getting parts delivered properly.

Yeah man I hear that I found a dealer near me within 1 hr drive so if they won’t send me parts I’ll just take it to them! Hopefully no future issues after this I’m just bumbed not sure if it’s tariffs or what why stark won’t sell us people extended warranties!

 

[Macros_SA]

After receiving great support Stark have now hit rock bottom for me.

I bent the OEM Stark steel foot peg on the second ride, this was not a complete surprise as I have read about issues and I'm used to replacing KTM footpads as the OEM ones of terrible:


When I logged a support ticket with Stark I was delighted that they sent me a new foot peg no questions asked. Knowing that the OEM ones are soft I then decided to support Stark and ordered the Titanium ones. After 4 rides this happened:




From what I can tell the Ti foot pegs are a weight saving NOT a robustness upgrade. Adding insult in injury this is the reply from Stark support:


I am deeply disappointed in Stark and can kick myself for not ordering Raptor as this is their warranty:




I hope I can assist I fellow riders the same time and money waist I have just experienced. STARK you need to do BETTER!

 

[Macros_SA]

Customers vote with their wallets

 

[Chadx]

Interesting.
You did get a new pair from Stark, so that was good. They'd made an update so likely you had the original design and they sent you the updated version. I suspect that riding damage would not be covered for those of us with the newer version. And not covering rider damage is understandable in my opinion.

Let us know how your warranty request with Raptor goes once/if those get rider-damaged. Like Stark, it sounds like their warranty covers manufacturers defects; not crash/obstacle damage. But if they do cover rider damage, that would be good info to share because that is way above and beyond warranty expectation.

Sometimes manufacturers will sell you replacement parts at cost as part of their crash program, which is also above and beyond expectations, but very nice. Rarely will they cover replacement for free if it's obviously rider damage and not a manufacturing defect.
Keep us posted!

 

[Macros_SA]

Interesting.
You did get a new pair from Stark, so that was good. They'd made an update so likely you had the original design and they sent you the updated version. I suspect that riding damage would not be covered for those of us with the newer version. And not covering rider damage is understandable in my opinion.

Let us know how your warranty request with Raptor goes once/if those get rider-damaged. Like Stark, it sounds like their warranty covers manufacturers defects; not crash/obstacle damage. But if they do cover rider damage, that would be good info to share because that is way above and beyond warranty expectation.

Sometimes manufacturers will sell you replacement parts at cost as part of their crash program, which is also above and beyond expectations, but very nice. Rarely will they cover replacement for free if it's obviously rider damage and not a manufacturing defect.
Keep us posted!

That is not correct. I posted the Terms and Conditions in my earlier post but for clarity here they are again
"The Raptor Titanium replacement warranty covers cracks, breaks and bends in the footpeg"

I respectfully disagree with you regarding riding damage, I have ridden over 1000 hours of hard endure and have never broken a foot peg. I will do detailed close up measurements to show that Starks foot pegs are seriously under engineered. This is a $300 part

If I had done a big hard enduro event like Erzberg or Romanics and this had happened it would have meant the end of the race. Hard Enduro is a tough event and any hard enduro rider knows our foot pegs take a beating.

 

[Macros_SA]

Furthermore I would like to bring your attention to a close up of the foot peg:


I have marked where the material is reduced by 300%-500% and this has been done for weight reasons. This has created stress area's that are prone to failure


Now if you compare this to the Raptor:



It's clear that these are designed for robustness.

My intention as stated in my first post is to avoid fellow riders making the same mistake I made.

 

[MotoxXxMan]

to be fair, I agree with stark that footpegs broken by an impact should not be covered under warranty. It's like any other warranty on anything else, where the warranty disclaimer is that it can not be caused by misuse or abuse, physical damage. Only covers manufacturer defects and failures out of your control.
Like a car. They're not gonna warranty a bumper because you hit a pole.
I do however agree that those Ti pegs look rather weak in the areas you pointed out, and will be prone to failure upon mild impacts, and is of poor design.

 

[AL_V]

to be fair, I agree with stark that footpegs broken by an impact should not be covered under warranty. It's like any other warranty on anything else, where the warranty disclaimer is that it can not be caused by misuse or abuse, physical damage. Only covers manufacturer defects and failures out of your control.
Like a car. They're not gonna warranty a bumper because you hit a pole.
I do however agree that those Ti pegs look rather weak in the areas you pointed out, and will be prone to failure upon mild impacts, and is of poor design.

I bent my stock pegs, and then I noticed a guy selling a pair of Stark Titanium pegs on ebay that he got from a referral.
He was asking $80 for the pair, but accepted $60, so I purchased them, and have been running them in hard enduro for about a year.
And they are still basically like new, perhaps I've just been lucky, but I straightened the stock ones and keep them in the truck for backups.
All this is to say that I have been satisfied with the Stark titanium pegs, but I guess that will change one day if I take my foot off the peg and hit a rock

 

[UKLee]

Furthermore I would like to bring your attention to a close up of the foot peg:
View attachment 14483

I have marked where the material is reduced by 300%-500% and this has been done for weight reasons. This has created stress area's that are prone to failure


Now if you compare this to the Raptor:

View attachment 14484

It's clear that these are designed for robustness.

My intention as stated in my first post is to avoid fellow riders making the same mistake I made.

That does look weak and poor design, no doubt.
What pepole do tend to overlook is if you build a very strong footpeg and it gets a big hit it will take out the mount on the frame so instead of a few minutes changing a footpeg you then need to change that section of frame on the stark (this is assuming the mount section will be damaged and not twisted the main frame) and getting that taper out can be a big job.
People buy these stronger and longer rally pegs but do not consider the longer it is the more leverage it has on the frame mount seen it happen and not an easy fix on steel framed bikes with the lug welded directly to the frame, same goes with off road buggys etc stronger wishbones and links are all well and good but not much use having a stright wishbone but you ripped the mounts out of the frame.

You want to be sure the foot peg is there for you when landing off a jump etc so if you know it has taken a hit have a good look at it or even replace it.

 

[Chaconne]

That does look weak and poor design, no doubt.
What pepole do tend to overlook is if you build a very strong footpeg and it gets a big hit it will take out the mount on the frame so instead of a few minutes changing a footpeg you then need to change that section of frame on the stark (this is assuming the mount section will be damaged and not twisted the main frame) and getting that taper out can be a big job.
People buy these stronger and longer rally pegs but do not consider the longer it is the more leverage it has on the frame mount seen it happen and not an easy fix on steel framed bikes with the lug welded directly to the frame, same goes with off road buggys etc stronger wishbones and links are all well and good but not much use having a stright wishbone but you ripped the mounts out of the frame.

You want to be sure the foot peg is there for you when landing off a jump etc so if you know it has taken a hit have a good look at it or even replace it.

Great points @UKLee. The pegs should be weaker than the mounts. It reminds me of those old Honda 70s where the peg mounts were on the side case. More than one friend caught one those super strong pegs on a low stump. Pegs stayed intact while the engine gushed out oil. That wasn't an easy fix either.

"You want to be sure the foot peg is there for you when landing off a jump etc so if you know it has taken a hit have a good look at it or even replace it."