MotorcycleCarbs.com, RaceBolts.com - Experience? (Quick quasi-rant)

[junior varsity]

I have had some really great "online shopping experiences". I could go on for days about how great CA-Cycleworks, Motowheels, Desmoworks, Pro-Italia, Ducati Seattle, Commonwealth, Desmoworld, Monsterparts, and really countless other places are for 'online' motorcycle related shopping.  Apparently my hot streak went cold for a bit. I think its getting hot again, but man these two were/are rough:

--- Situation 1 ---  MotorcycleCarbs.com ---

...So I was going to get some fresh carb / intake manifold rubbers (the mount rubbers that the carbs sit on/in) for this project bike since the original ones look a bit ragged and mangled from the previous owners "doings". He really treated the bike like hell.

Well I did some searching, and found what I believed to be the correct part from "MotorcycleCarbs.com". I promptly placed an order for two of the rubbers. That was mid-February (around the 19th).    A week or so goes by and I hadn't received any kind of shipping notification, so I send an email asking what the deal is and get a response: "its back ordered - will be arriving stateside from Europe next week".

Well, a month later I still have nothing. I have not since gotten a response to any emails I send to them (and I make sure to send them to the one I got an email reply from since I know it is a good address, as well as the others listed on their website).  I thought perhaps I was going about this wrong, as many folks in the moto industry don't do so much 'technology' and perhaps email is not the best means to contact them, despite the one reply I got awhile back.   So I go back to their website looking for a phone number. No dice - its been "removed" because it rang a lot. WTF.   Now I'm pretty steamed - if you've had a good experience with these people, do tell - otherwise I think my patience is about up and I'll be resorting to disputing the transaction with the CC company.

Guess I should have ordered them from the dealer way back when, I'd have them by now for sure.

--- SITUATION 2 --- RaceBolts.com ---

I've used RaceBolts a bunch in the past for titanium bolts.  Its been a mixed bag. Sometimes the wrong parts were sent, which was frustrating, but I had no difficulty in returning them for the correct ones.   However, The last time I did so place an order with Racebolts, I just needed some damn M10x1.0 bleeder bolts - and I wanted them in Ti so they wouldn't eventually look like hell, like the stock ones that are all corroded.   So I put in an order for a few of them with Rene at RaceBolts - same exact time frame as with the MotorcycleCarbs.com order. Only difference was, not only did I not ever receive an item, or a shipping notification, or anything, I never got a response to an email from RaceBolts when I continued to inquire as to where the fudge my order was.   (Note: Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me -   and this is at least the second time I've had a pretty bad experience with RaceBolts - so I definitely should have used ProBolt for these damn Ti bleeders despite the higher price or ordered the stainless Speedbleeders from Motowheels or Spiegler or Speedbleeders direct).

I used PayPal to check out on that order, so I felt compelled to try to get my money back using PayPal.  Well, I "instigated" an "action" and about a week later I finally got a response from Rene at RaceBolts through the PayPal dispute system that he was "having difficulty with the bleeders being sized a little too small and it would be a little while before he would have the correct part for me". WHAT THE FRENCHTOAST?! I want the money back, you fool! You've screwed me over - if you knew something was wrong with the parts, you might've sent me some type of communication in the first 5 or so weeks after I ordered!  

Super pissed about this one - still haven't gotten my fudging money back, and unlike MotorcycleCarbs.com, RaceBolts has burned its "benefit of the doubt" privileges and I will not be using them again. Even if they are the only place in the galaxy that has something that I want, I will have to abstain.    


Good news is that there are titanium supplier alternatives like TPO Parts, Motowheels, BallerBolts, Pro-Bolt / Tasty-Nuts, Mettec, Ti Sixty-Four, Toronto Cycle, and Yoyodyne (probably some others too).  Some of those do bolts, others do linkages/axles, and others do all of the above + others.

[booger]

I hate how online retailers make me feel sometimes. Like a gold-plated asshole. These days - it's like most don't care about your business. Like they're mafia fronts. There doesn't seem to be anyone who knows their shit, and they're certainly not cordial or pleasant to deal with. Everybody's full of excuses when they botch your order. That's why you should keep a short list of those you do business with. Giving unknowns a shot these days 8 out of 10 times will result in disappointment and frustration. That's the inherent trouble you will encounter with internet businesses - any moron can set up a website and pretend they know what they are doing. Banks who lend money for brick&mortars want a track record, collateral, and results before they release loans. The weedout process is being circumvented, and the Darwinism that has typically gone hand in hand with business no longer functions.

Chris Kelley is obviously serious about his business. Jeff Higginbotham fudged my order way back when but made it right. Motowheels have their heads screwed on straight. LT's got a chip on his shoulder but gets it done. It's hard work and it certainly isn't for everyone. You pays your money and you takes your chances.

I ordered from Racebolts once without a problem. However I'll think twice now. I'm not waiting for them to screw up to dump them.

Power to the people! Vote with your wallets! And j v you should have known better. Went to the motocarbs site and it screams disorganized amateur. The product selection/ordering system is totally incoherent.

[junior varsity]

The first time RaceBolts flubbed an order was a 2-month delay before refunding my money on somewhere around 1.5-2 dozen M6x16 (they may have been the M6x18) Ti tapered socket head bolts. Do the math, 20+ bolts at a few bucks a pop is big money to have in "limbo".   Should have learned my lesson then, but I think I wrote it off as a "large volume order" and thought because it might have been unusual, there was a fair explanation for the flub.   But common, that's really not that big of an order! These are the bolts for the valve inspection covers, belt backing plates, and cam-end bearing plates (essentially a whole lot of bolts for the heads)


As far as Ti parts: TPO parts, Baller Bolts, Pro-Bolt USA, Mettec - never screwed me. Going to give the really friendly guy at Ti Sixty-Four a chance next on some larger Ti parts (like pivots and axles) - he's on the "very good" side of customer service and is great at communicating back and forth - never short changes me in his answers.

Funny the companies I have trouble with are here in the USA. I've had the best dealings with Germany (Desmoworld, Hey-Tec, etc), Italy (IMA, Discacciati, etc), and Japan (Aella). Hell, I even had a fair dealing with some folks over in Taiwan. Go figure.

[ducatiz]

Funny the companies I have trouble with are here in the USA. I've had the best dealings with Germany (Desmoworld, Hey-Tec, etc), Italy (IMA, Discacciati, etc), and Japan (Aella). Hell, I even had a fair dealing with some folks over in Taiwan. Go figure.

That sucks.

[junior varsity]

It sure does frustrate the hell out of me, but I at least do have some recourse as a buyer here, from a seller...here.

[Düb Lüv]

i've been waiting about 2 weeks for 4 SS hex race spec bolts from racebolts.com. it's not pissing me off yet since my bike hasn't moved.

[junior varsity]

weird thing is - when i use to order frequently from him, it was almost shipped within 2-3 days of me placing the order...everytime!  Maybe times are bad and he is doing other things at the same time now, but he's got to step up the communication aspect.   And refund the money I've been asking him to refund for a few weeks now!

[Ddan]

I had a similar problem with MotorcycleCarbs.com, I'd ordered some jets, they sent the wrong ones way late, gave me the run-around and I wound up buying them somewhere else. I did some on-line research after the fact and they are a pretty shaky outfit, lots of bad feedback, some complaints to the BBB, etc.  I did manage to find the guys address and phone number as well as his wifes (ex) who he claims is the reason for all the bad service. He's a nice guy on the phone but it still amounted to all bullshit

[junior varsity]

gah!  sonofapregnant dog! and    well. i hope i can get this worked out!

[badgalbetty]

in my limited motorcycle experience of about 30 years, if you need a factory part and the bike is under 10 years old the dealer is always the best bet first.Something as simple as carb parts should be a no brainer for your dealer ,just have them UPS the parts to you.It saves time and in the long run it'll probably be cheaper and you get the right parts.I bought a suburban years ago and had the dealer UPS brake pads. It was cheaper than driving to the dealership to pick up parts which was 30 miles away coupled with the cost of my time.
BGB

[junior varsity]

definitely a good point. should have called around until I found them or waited even the simple 10 biz days to get the parts from ducati!

[Düb Lüv]

well i was kinda late posting this, but i just got my caliper bolts this past wednesday.

when i originally got a out of stock email i called to find out the ETA. supposedly some race team cleaned them out by the sound of it, and ended up returning a lot of stuff. that race team happen to have returned the bolts i needed, and got the ball moving faster.

it does suck living in the midwest and they don't ship usps priority.

[junior varsity]

well, with racebolts, I had to escalate the PayPal "Dispute" to a "Claim".   After another day or so, I finally got my money refunded, but I think it was PayPal's forcing the hand, rather than RaceBolts doing the right thing.   As a "consolation prize" I got a two-sentence email from Rene at RaceBolts that said "I am sorry, i dont intend to treat custoemrs [sic] this way. Sorry again and have a good weekend."

wow. thanks. could've fooled me.



still haven't resolved my issues with the folks over at MotorcycleCarbs.com

[ducatiz]

"I am sorry, i dont intend to treat custoemrs [sic] this way. Sorry again and have a good weekend."

well, that could mean they wanted to treat you worse... 

[The Mad King Pepe']

Damn, wish I had seen this before. I put in an order with racebolts on May 2nd and still haven't got a thing. I've emailed, called and texted the dude and still no answer. 

I can understand that sometimes shops don't have parts in stock and it can take a while to get them, but they should let customers know. I'm far more willing to be patient when the seller says "sorry, they're on order. I'll get them in x days" than when they just ignore me.

Anybody have any experience with these guys: http://www.corsemeccanica.com/ They're sort of local to me, might go do a local pickup...

How about we sticky this thread (or one similar) where we list the online vendors to avoid? Personally it would make my life easier.