Mikes XS

Scottish Thrower

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Has anyone else had problems with them? Bad customerservice, they make the mistakes and want you to pay for it:wtf: Sent me the wrong jets and now will not responde to any of my e-mails. No phone number that I can find.
Just venting.
 
I have had same issue couple of times. Use the email to customer service (they ignore this 1st email usually). Then followup in a few days and ask if the correct parts have been shipped yet - they shipped quickly after this email for me.
 
I have had my share of problems with orders from them, always worked things out with email, but a real pain would be much easier if you could talk to someone
 
I tried to buy a 2 into 1 exhaust. They ran out of stock late last year and the note said to wait until January. I waited then sent an e-mail, got a prompt response that they were on the boat heading for port, just wait until the ship was to come in. Then I sent another e-mail and was told they lost their overseas supplier and were looking for another. How did a shipment of exhaust go from being on the boat approaching port to having no supplier? Today it says Summer of 2013.

Happy ending, I went to Gordon Scott and got a near perfect exhaust that fit without adjustment and only cost me about $30 more than Mike's. FYI - I told GS he should be charging more, my small exhaust had 16 pieces he welded up beautifully for a bit more cost than an overseas mass produced factory piece!
 
I just bought his electronic speedo. No parts list, no instructions. I don't think it will work with the drum brake I have.

sorry I bought it.
 
bought 3 parts a couple weeks ago. didnt get a confirmation email or anything. Had to email them a couple days later to find out if they even got my order. Shipping took two weeks. One of the parts I ordered was the monstercraftsmen neck gusset, but i got mid foot mounts instead. Sent them an email saying I wasnt happy with their service and that I wish to send the mids back and recieve a refund for both the purchase price and shipping them back. Waited another two days for a response that said simply, "I will get the replacement out asap."

I wont be dealing through them anymore.
 
When Mikes first came on the scene it was great. He had stuff we couldn't get or could only get through Yamaha. But something happened to the quality. It is very frustrating to do a job, know you've done it correctly and then still have problems. Lately I only order it from Mikes if I can't get it anywhere else. I put mikes foot peg rubbers on one 650 and oem on another. Three years later the oem is still good and Mikes looks 30 years old. I won't even buy their oil drain plug washers/gaskets anymore. Actually does anyone know another source for those? Yamaha wants $8.64 each, but they'll seal.
whynot2
 
oil drain plug washers/gaskets anymore. Actually does anyone know another source for those?

My local Fastenal offered to get some for me when I was looking. What I'm using was given to me by a mechanic but I had to enlarge the hole with a Dremel. 1/8" or so wide ring is plenty.
 
When Mikes first came on the scene it was great. He had stuff we couldn't get or could only get through Yamaha. But something happened to the quality. It is very frustrating to do a job, know you've done it correctly and then still have problems. Lately I only order it from Mikes if I can't get it anywhere else. I put mikes foot peg rubbers on one 650 and oem on another. Three years later the oem is still good and Mikes looks 30 years old. I won't even buy their oil drain plug washers/gaskets anymore. Actually does anyone know another source for those? Yamaha wants $8.64 each, but they'll seal.
whynot2

You are being bit kinder to Mike than the history will support.

There is no doubt that he recognized the market that the xs650 community presented and that he filled a niche in that market that led to the survival of a lot of these motorcycles.

His delivery was prompt and his prices were reasonable but his Q/C was always spotty. He sold the bad with the good. If Mike got a shipment of crap his business model was to sell it till it was gone and the hell with the customer. He simply WOULD NOT eat a bad batch. Sometimes he would improved on a bad item other times (like a lot of his rubber parts) he'd just keep selling the same crap for years.

The new guys seem to be carrying the sloppy Q/C business model to a new level and are not as good on the shipping side of the operation. so there is a net degradation of an already flawed operation.

The XS650 market is strong and getting stronger and the short comings of this operation create an opportunity. Maybe a guy like PAMCO Pete will step up with a full-scale aftermarket operation and knock Mike's out of its spot at the top of that food chain. MMM could do it but he does not appear to have that particular ambition.

'til somebody takes that shot I guess Mike's will be our supplier of last resort
 
Last fall I ordered a starter gear for my XS650B. You all know the one I'm talking about. When I went to put it in I had a problem with the fit. It didn't want to slide like it should on the splines.

Being I am a Tool & Die Maker from way back I got out my files and went to work on the gear splines. Before long I had it working just fine. Assembled the parts back together and never looked back.

Wasn't long I recieved an e-mail from Mike stating that they were having trouble with the gears and he was refunding the complete purchase price for the gear. I informed him that I had fixed the problem and was using the gear with no problems and for him to keep the money. He still refunded my money and I am still using the free gear.
 
Last fall I ordered a starter gear for my XS650B. You all know the one I'm talking about. When I went to put it in I had a problem with the fit. It didn't want to slide like it should on the splines.

Being I am a Tool & Die Maker from way back I got out my files and went to work on the gear splines. Before long I had it working just fine. Assembled the parts back together and never looked back.

Wasn't long I recieved an e-mail from Mike stating that they were having trouble with the gears and he was refunding the complete purchase price for the gear. I informed him that I had fixed the problem and was using the gear with no problems and for him to keep the money. He still refunded my money and I am still using the free gear.

I'm sure you would agree that a customer should not have to be a Tool & Die Maker nor have the tools of that trade in order to get an off-the-shelf part to function properly. But it is good to know that they will recall items.
 
Nobody else offers this gear that I know of. Had I not fixed it I would be kick starting my bike and I don't like doing that anymore. I didn't call him when I found the problem. I just fixed it (that's what I do) and went on. He is the one that called it to my attention that he was refunding my money. I didn't even think of asking. Had I not been able to fix the problem I would have contacted him about it.
 
Nobody else offers this gear that I know of. Had I not fixed it I would be kick starting my bike and I don't like doing that anymore. I didn't call him when I found the problem. I just fixed it (that's what I do) and went on. He is the one that called it to my attention that he was refunding my money. I didn't even think of asking. Had I not been able to fix the problem I would have contacted him about it.

There is no critcism of you expressed or implied here and I'm happy Mikes did the right thing in your situation. I only wonder if it is a "one off" situation or more like the
VM34's that Sporting for Less sold - they would put correct jetting in a few to generate some positive user comments but sold most set-up more for a snowmobie than an xs650.
 
I finally installed the starter fix that I bought last year on one of my 650's. The spring was not up to spec and I had to put it in the vice to make it work. Every thing worked like it should, so yesterday when I could not find any listed at Mikes I emailed and asked about them. I received a reply that there was a defective lot and they were waiting for a new shipment, due in July. I was impressed that they came clean about it. When they are in I will get another one, but I will check the spring tension before I install.
That's a check in the Plus column for Mikes
Anson
 
File to fit.

I have a VW bus. I ordered a clutch fork and it would not fit. So in exasperation I got out the Mill Bastard (that's a file LOL) and made a custom fit. Later i was talking to an friend a few years older and complained about quality. He laughed and said back in the 60s 70s he had to do that all the time. It was called 'File To Fit' and was a recognized thing that mechanics had to do. I was surprised but found it to be a learning experience. :laugh:
 
I've bought a bunch from Mike's and while there have been some shipping goofups they've always made them right at their expense, not mine. Perhaps the communication could be a bit better, but in the end what counts is if the problem is fixed and it has been each time. We have to remember that it's basically a very small operation and they are dealing with people all over the planet. I bet they get busier than a one armed paperhanger.

In fact, I bought a mini speedo and tach, after about 8 months the tach seized internally. This was out of their warranty, I bought another but Emailed about the bad one. I got an Email few days later asking me to return the bad one, which I did at my expense. About three weeks later I got a check in the mail refunding the purchase price.

So far the quality of the stuff I have bought has been decent with the exception of the aforementioned tach.
 
I send question Emails to Mike's on some of his products and never get a reply.
Why should I trust somebody like that with a large order for parts for a resto job on one of my bikes.
Now I just hunt down the parts from 650 Central, EBay or Yam bits.
 
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