Another failed MikesXS Part

[340frontporch]

wow, now the chopped out dudes are to blame... this thread sucks... i'm gonna go take a dump.

 

[Teebs]

Mikes always taken care of me. I agree with the griz, right on!! all these little jesse james wannabe's been hacking on the old xs for too long maybe its time they go ruin some old cb's or something. I don't mind the chop but when everyone welds on a hardtail kit, sportster tank,ape hangers and leaves a 27 degree rake it just screams I have no concept of design.

lol like the CB hasn't had the shit chopped out of it already...

You tell 'em! No more weld-on hardtail/sporty peanut combinations! Frikkin apehangers...

And then there are some people that REALLY need to grow a thicker skin... wow.

 

[bluebikerblan]

The best, smoothest operating, strongest and longest lasting cable I've found and used is the "EZ Pull" from 650 Central. http://www.650central.com/

E-Z Pull Clutch Cable

Using an over-sized, nylon-lined housing, and a slinky 7x7 wound inner, this cable has sufficient free length to allow a proper leverage ratio at the push screw. Others don't. Also eliminates the friction-causing metal elbow. 1974-84. Black


Pulbacks, Tracker bars E-Z Pull 53 1/4" #CEN26-3350..... $19.95

Daytona, Euro, E-Z Pull 46 1/4" #CEN26-3351..... $19.95

Hi Bar, Ape Hangers E-Z Pull 61" #CEN26-3352..... $19.95

A little more costly but more than well worth the difference! Blue

 

[yamasarus]

Cheap and easy parts access is a blade with two edges. Thanks to cheap and available parts (that sometimes work), it now takes a lot less commitment to refurbish and half-assed maintain these machines. Result: demand and prices for the bikes are up and more and more machines are being Sawzalled into bar-hopping fashion statements. Thanks a lot, Lalonde.

That would be fashion statements with no fashion taste......

 

[Travis]

Some of you guys crack me up when you get so worked up about this stuff.

If you don't like his service or products, don't shop there. If you got screwed once by a failed part or his service, bitch a little bit, and get over it. Some people are salty about one $20 part they bought 3 years ago and are still ranting to the world about it with every chance they get.

I'll still buy stuff from mikesxs, and if it breaks, I'll get it somewhere else the next time (if it's even available anywhere else). It's like buying from harbor freight, without the return policy. Some stuff works just fine and is a great value, and some stuff you're better off spending a few more bucks elsewhere. How come you never see threads on the internet with people pissed off about the shitty tools they bought from harbor freight? It's kind of the same thing isn't it? Yeah I know.. harbor freight has a store where you can go yell at the teenage cashier who will pretend to care and give you store credit for more shitty tools.

Let's not turn this thread into a discussion about the XS650 hardtail with the sporty tank and apes. I think there is already a couple of threads about that.

Now have a beer or ten and relax

 

[Teebs]

Everybody on here cracks me up... and it was a $25 part 2 and a half years ago.

You tell 'em! No more weld-on hardtail/sporty peanut combination rants! Frikkin apehanger haters...

 

[nj1639]

Everytime I see apehangers on the road I remember xsjohn talking about them pickin' bugs outta their armpits- and then I laugh. Sorry, just had to say..... HA!

 

[Tech7]

Everytime I see apehangers on the road I remember xsjohn talking about them pickin' bugs outta their armpits- and then I laugh. Sorry, just had to say..... HA!

The trick is proper clothing!

 

[yamasarus]

Some of you guys crack me up when you get so worked up about this stuff.

If you don't like his service or products, don't shop there. If you got screwed once by a failed part or his service, bitch a little bit, and get over it. Some people are salty about one $20 part they bought 3 years ago and are still ranting to the world about it with every chance they get.

I'll still buy stuff from mikesxs, and if it breaks, I'll get it somewhere else the next time (if it's even available anywhere else). It's like buying from harbor freight, without the return policy. Some stuff works just fine and is a great value, and some stuff you're better off spending a few more bucks elsewhere. How come you never see threads on the internet with people pissed off about the shitty tools they bought from harbor freight? It's kind of the same thing isn't it? Yeah I know.. harbor freight has a store where you can go yell at the teenage cashier who will pretend to care and give you store credit for more shitty tools.

Let's not turn this thread into a discussion about the XS650 hardtail with the sporty tank and apes. I think there is already a couple of threads about that.

Now have a beer or ten and relax

Yes, I think I hear it.........the voice of reason.

 

[skyhawk04kilo]

Dudes regardless of whether his parts are of top quality or not, he should at the very least respond to an email in a timely manner and with some thought to the customer. There are other places like http://www.alibaba.com/ who can make many of the parts "MikesXS" does. All it would take is someone willing to put up the costs and put a fucking smile on their face when there shit doesn't work.
I really don't give a crap if he is shuffling shit to us, we are buying and he is selling. However, I do expect that when I want to know if a product is in stock or not, and I send an email, that I don't have to send the same fucking email 2x to get a response.
Dudes. we are stupid for continuously shopping there. At some point another ass hat will fill the market with a smile.
I could care less if the parts are crap, but really all I expect is a fucking smile or at the very least a reach around when he is fucking me in the ass.
Who gives a shit if he reads this or is invited to this board or that...it's just business and he should realize that in this or any economy he can be swallowed at any time like a virgin on prom night.
I mean really, you sell a part and it breaks,all you have to say is bummer, I'll look in to making it better in the future.
Fuck I wanted to buy $80+ in parts, all I asked was for one thing to be in stock and it took 3 fucking emails to get a response.
That is just shitty business. At least the cigarette manufactures will tell you that their products will kill you before buy them.
People care about their bikes, and the products they buy for them.

If you click "add to cart" on his website, and the part is out of stock, three little red asterisks (***) appear under the item with a disclaimer saying the item is out of stock.

I'm not impressed with his service either (and was very impressed with MMM's service, until I realized I didn't get a master link with my chain and he's on vacation for 2 weeks... that's another story). Everyone bitches about Mike's, but he's got the parts you need. Sometimes you just have to suck it up and deal with the bullshit. Haven't any of you people ever been to a car dealership? It's basically the same experience. You want the product, but you have to deal with a whole bunch of bullshit to get it. That's just how life is. Deal with it.

 

[650Skull]

One more thing i will add, this is not for or against.....just information.

Mikes orders his parts to be made from a manufacturer. When he makes an order he has to buy in bulk. Sometimes he has to wait for a quiet time in the manufactures schedule before his parts are made
When parts are running low he can't ring up the wholesalers and get a few more he has to go through the process again of waiting for the parts to be made in bulk.

We are used to going down to the shop and if they have run out they will get a few more from the wholesalers or another store.
If there was no mikes you would be searching for months for your parts on ebay, forums, yamaha dealers, small independents, (MMM-650 central, Tony Hall-Halco, RIP.) and the chances are you would be looking at other bikes as the XS would go into the to expensive/hard/long basket.

For any one who has had a long term interest in these bike they will know what i am talking about, parts were expensive and over time they became harder to find as the supply ran out, hence all the barn finds. They were cheap, now it is hard to find those barn finds let alone be cheap.

A link to the cost of a rebuild before mikes XS. Sure this is in Australia but go and cost the Yamaha parts in the States and you will find the prices relevant

 

[Teebs]

If you click "add to cart" on his website, and the part is out of stock, three little red asterisks (***) appear under the item with a disclaimer saying the item is out of stock.

I'm not impressed with his service either (and was very impressed with MMM's service, until I realized I didn't get a master link with my chain and he's on vacation for 2 weeks... that's another story). Everyone bitches about Mike's, but he's got the parts you need. Sometimes you just have to suck it up and deal with the bullshit. Haven't any of you people ever been to a car dealership? It's basically the same experience. You want the product, but you have to deal with a whole bunch of bullshit to get it. That's just how life is. Deal with it.

I was a successful car salesman and I can tell you that you definitely DON'T have to deal with it. You CHOOSE to deal with it. That's why I made a very good living selling cars: I knew exactly what to say to make you think you had to put up with my bullshit. And you believed it every single time.

When I buy a car, I walk in and TELL THEM what I want and how much I will pay for it. I dictate the terms and they either comply or I go someplace else. THAT'S how it works. They need you, not the other way around. You're a sucker if you play their stupid game.

A little trick to remember the next time you go car shopping. Remember the 3 S's.

Simplified explanation:

1. The SHOCKER : This is where we hit you with sticker shock, tacking on every fee, charge, interest percentage we possibly can. You are expected to reject this. It's called "highballing". You're mad now, which has put you off balance. The more pissed you get the happier I am. Thank you for being such a sucker.

2. The STORY : This is where we work our magic. This is the con. I'm your friend and I'm on your side. Something along these lines:

"I know what it's like right now. You have more important things to do with your money. It's tied up in investments. You're planning for the future. You have kids, right? Yeah, me too. My daughter is 17 and my son is 12, so I know what it's like trying to plan for your own future and still put money aside for college. So I'm going to make this happen for you. What can I do to help?" (At this point you give me your lowest figure.)

3. The SLIDE: I go into the manager's office and we bullshit about what we did over the weekend, talk about where we're getting lunch, plan on hitting a few golf balls in the afternoon as soon as I wrap up this sale and look like we are having a very serious discussion about your future purchase.

I walk out, shaking my head and looking disappointed. I tell you that while I thought your offer was fair, the manager is an unsympathetic jerk and then I present our counter offer. At this point you're tired and just want to get out of there. It's a war of attrition and I'm very good at waiting you out. We'll go back and forth a little, I'll go to the manager a few more times, but the deal is already done. I give in to a few small demands so it doesn't sting quite so much and slide you into the price I knew you would pay as soon as you walked in the door.

Get it? The price you pay was already determined and is usually marked somewhere on the car as a SKU # or something similar so the salesman knows what his wiggle room is right from the start.

And you still want to just suck it up and deal with it?

EDIT: Well, you won't hear me bitching if he's out of stock. That's another matter entirely, as long as it is listed as being out of stock. (Which it is IIRC.)

 

[xjwmx]

It's gotten embarrassing to read. I don't know how you can disrespect yourselves and the others here enough to write it.


Note to Travis. Consider moving this to the Lounge please, where they'll have more privacy.

 

[Teebs]

What the hell are you talking about?

 

[twinsarehot]

 

[Teebs]

 

[Fatman]

lol like the CB hasn't had the shit chopped out of it already...

You tell 'em! No more weld-on hardtail/sporty peanut combinations! Frikkin apehangers...

And then there are some people that REALLY need to grow a thicker skin... wow.

Thats why I am building a glue on hardtail/sporty apes with frikkin peanut hangers

 

[motor650b]

I've just had two parts fail from the Auto stores. A master cylinder and the Sorenson Voltage Regulator to replace my XS voltage regulator. I've had parts fail from Mike's, and I've bought replacement clutch cables from Mike's that are superior to cables I've purchase elsewhere.

Personally, I have not had any problems dealing with MikesXS. Quick response to email and a quick refund for a returned cylinder core.

But I do remember the days before Mikes when the Yamaha dealer had to tell me that the XS650 was an old bike and they no longer carried alternator brushes for it. We had to resolder the connections to get another year out of them.

The availability of parts has kept many a bike on the road. Whether standard, modified or enhanced, we get to keep playing.

 

[xjwmx]

no longer carried alternator brushes for it. We had to resolder the connections to get another year out of them.

What did you do exactly to get the extra year out of them?

 

[CDNTX650]

I have never had problems either. Buy a cb twin or SOHC or xs400 and see how fun it is trying to find parts. I placed an order once with mikes and had to cancel and they did right away through email no questions asked. Mikes XS will always have my business. Fast, and for the most part, good product. Yes some things are not that good. But after having to try and find parts for a 73 cb500/4 i feel i am blessed to have access to so much stuff to try and keep these things on the road. I have used 2 clutch cables and from him and neither have broken yet. Lube em up good before install.