interesting review of Kymcos and Kymco owners!

[Stig / Major Tom]

Saw this posted by a parts seller on another forum.

"We sell parts for a lot of different scooters, and I can just about guarantee that the problem is not the product or the Kymco dealer, but the people who are leaving bad reviews. I don't know why, but some of them are weird as hell. Anyone who has worked with Kymco scooter owners and other scooter riders will tell you the same thing. There are a lot of nice people who ride Kymco scooters too, but Kymco has a lot of kooks in their ownership database. A short perusal of their forum will find people who want their Kymco to run on acetylene and water, who think making their own gaskets out of paper bags is not why the engine failed (spoiler alert, it is), and who remove crucial parts in order to make the scooter perform better, then are surprised when it doesn't and that the dealership won't fix the damage they did for free under warranty.
I've owned several Kymco scooters, and they are about as reliable as the scooters made by the big four, in fact, they make all of Kawasaki's scooters, and just about every transmission in a Honda or Yamaha scooter uses Kymco clutches and variators. I wouldn't hesitate to own another Kymco."

OK, will the kooks please join me in standing .......remove your hats......and your mouse ears.

Thank you.
Major Tom

[randyo]

my local dealer sells the big 4 + Kymco & Polaris.  Service manager tells me that among them Kymco has the least warranty claims and other service requests.  Polaris is worse, with the rest in between.

[Iahawk]

that seems like a very odd generalization of Kymco owners..

[Neil955i]

that seems like a very odd generalization of Kymco owners..

Makes for a good read though eh Hawk?  C’mon, you know we’re all Kooks at heart!

[souzamoto]

my local dealer sells the big 4 + Kymco & Polaris.  Service manager tells me that among them Kymco has the least warranty claims and other service requests.  Polaris is worse, with the rest in between.

Ask your dealer how many of each brand they have sold in the past 2 years, then ask what is the % rate of warranty claims per brand is. If he's sold 30 Kymco and has 10 claims, that's 33.33333%. If he's sold 600 Polaris and has had 50 claims, that's about 8.34%. This example is how you have to look at it. Then you need to look at warranty cost per claim average.
CJS

[randyo]

Ask your dealer how many of each brand they have sold in the past 2 years, then ask what is the % rate of warranty claims per brand is. If he's sold 30 Kymco and has 10 claims, that's 33.33333%. If he's sold 600 Polaris and has had 50 claims, that's about 8.34%. This example is how you have to look at it. Then you need to look at warranty cost per claim average.
CJS

Polaris RZRs have a terrible history of breaking things, 

the likely reason they have a low % of Kymco's, is mostly they are scooters purchased by adults that don't beat on em to find the flaws, Polaris on the other hand doesn't sell anything in that category, Tell me, what is the purpose of a 1000cc turbocharged motor, of course they are going to break more often

[CROSSBOLT]

I do not doubt for a minute that the report is, for that sellers' area, an accurate assesment. The "souper-uppers" could be a potentially pesky bunch. The number of disagreeable people that emerge on other scoot forums have been shocking. Like souzamoto pointed out the numbers need examination to get a better picture.

Conversely, some dealers have been stunningly obstinate is performing warranty work or even admitting warranty responsibility. Not ALL dealers but some. I have no idea the ratio. All I know is that most cases I have voluntarily assisted the dealer was being unresponsive to the customer complaint OR was actively trying to play on the customer's technical ignorance.

My personal experience with one dealer involving a Yager delivered missing parts was the first nightmare just trying to get the parts to clamp the loose battery down. I had to involve Kymco USA and a regional sales rep to get satisfaction. That was when Kymco USA actually would answer the phone. It may be different this very day in 2022 but the US has been reclusive for several years and I have no interest in engaging them for anything until I hear from others that they actually respond.

Parts have never been an issue since I have rarely needed anything beyond consummables available elsewhere at better than dealer prices. Besides, no dealers of Kymco scoots within 160 miles. All gone.

[Mancashire]

Either they are referencing another, or other, forum(s) but from what I have read on this forum, this is a rather tame and respectful group of owners. Course that’s my opinion, I could be wrong.

[Neil955i]

Either they are referencing another, or other, forum(s) but from what I have read on this forum, this is a rather tame and respectful group of owners. Course that’s my opinion, I could be wrong.

No Manc, I think you're right.  I've  been on here a few years now and from my (admittedly limited) knowledge of other forums, this one is both respectful and knowledgeable, in the main!

[Iahawk]

in my 7 (?) years here I've found this to be one of the nicer, lower key, easier going forums. I can't recall any arguments, name calling, abusive type behavior. Just a group of scooter enthusiasts having fun with informative and many times off-beat discussions about scooters, life, music, food, travel...

[Neil955i]

And long may that last Hawk!