KTM OPENS PANDORA’S BOX
A new model from KTM seems to herald the start of subscription-based features for motorcycles
The announcement of KTM’s 2023 890 Adventure R came with a new electronic feature for the brand – and it’s proven a bit controversial.
Along with an updated look and better aerodynamics, KTM announced a new Demo Mode for the 890 Adventure R, which allows the rider full access to the bike’s optional electronic accessories for the first 1500km. It allows riders to take advantage of all the specs and options available for that distance, at which point the optional features become locked and the rider decides which option pack or specific features to acquire through the dealer.
It sounds like a win for riders at first: try out all the fruit first before you decide what you actually want and need. But with the hardware for options such as Quickshifter+ and cruise control already installed on the bike from the factory, needing to electronically activate them begins to feel like a bit of a cash grab.
The reasoning behind shipping vehicles with all the necessary physical parts is quite simple. It saves on labour and helps keep production costs down. Instead of making two sets of hardware, KTM is only designing and making one.
The problem for consumers is whether they should have to pay to activate something they’ve already paid for physically. It’s murky waters, but I don’t see it going away anytime soon, with some alarmists voicing concerns that the next inevitable step will be subscriptions for features.
From talking with other riders, it seems many are quite worried about where this is heading.
“What happens if a fault resets your bike, do you have to pay all over again?”
“Most apps are subscription now. Music and TV services are subscriptions. Is it that motorbike software-driven hardware features will soon be subscriptions rather than a one-time purchase? And what if the owner changes, do they get to keep the features?”
They’re good questions and so far there don’t appear to be any concrete answers from manufacturers.
KTM hasn’t spoken on whether it’s looking to make a move into the subscription world, but it’s widely assumed to be the next step. However, let’s remember that no manufacturer has as yet publicly put subscription services on the radar.
If a subscription-based system does appear in motorcycling, remember you don’t have to optin. At the end of the day, you can always vote with your feet and there are some bikes now offering a host of electronic features for a very reasonable price.