tonyc
XS650 Guru
How could one ever re-build his reputation with multiple complaints from the same forum? I think it is impossible. I believe in a second chance but this is beyond a second chance.
well lets see , since you guys started voicing concern about the turn around times i have had 3 frames ordered and two received, the first frame i called him all the time changing shit, musta drove him crazy . Probably why he does not answer the phone , he can get more done.... I still have the second frame not even touched set up for internal fork stop for a custom front end I am making. he still gets my money but I am in less of a hurry since I figured good work takes time. I too have built and then rebuilt bikes because .....ya know you buy all these parts ya put them on and they look like shoit, so you take em off and start looking for other parts. thats the way I am, Jon after the first frame I figure is the same way we had lots of conversations , about the new shop, employees that were just not where you need them to be, and I got to say times have changed. you cant get good people now a days, and most times you have to do it all yourself because 1) you cant afford mistakes. 2) its just easier and less stressfull. 3)Every frame is different. 4) if I got a tone of work just sitting there waiting for me to do it that would be my motivation to do it. Presently he has a roadstar frame to do for me it might be a ardtail, it might be a modded soft tail I dunno its gotten to the point I just trust him to build something nice. so I guess there is a yin and yang to everything.
Not buying that. I'm 18 months out on frames. I would never take money, full payment especially, for a frame that I knew couldn't be completed in the time frame I give my customer.
I have a wait list and a progress list with photos for my customers to check in weekly with a password on my web page.
Things happen. Storm puts out the power for the day, ole lady gets sick, employee's get sick, I get sick, but a strong business model takes those issues into account. I've missed completion dates. My last one was in 2004 on a frame that I keep destroying Strawberry hole saw cutters and the hydraulic motor went on my tubing bender. I kept the customers UPDATED with issues and push back dates. Didn't let it go to some PayPal arbitration. LOL
It takes me 22 hours to build a frame from full size sketch customer sign off and It takes 60 hours of daily operations within those 22 hours to complete frame to send for paint. I would never schedule more work than there are hours.
Hi Jpikus,
I just read this whole string when it came to the top of the list again.
My own biased reaction to the first post was that you got off light because the chiropractic treatments you'd need after riding a hardtail would cost a lot more than the money you lost from not getting the one you ordered.
But hey! That's just me giving you a hard time because there's nothing like spending the first 5 years on 2 wheels riding rigid frame bikes to make one appreciate the worth of rear suspension and wonder at the thought processes of those who'd remove it.
So, Ardcore finally came through for you and I wish you every good fortune with your build.
I wonder if it was the half year's worth of increasingly acrimonious correspondence that finally got the frame sent to you or if the builder was plain ol' swamped by circumstances and did the best he could anyway?
- - - I haven't really come across too many bike with the spring suspension in the back that I actually liked the look of, then what would happen is id have a bike that I would never ride. Exactly why I got rid of the two sport bikes I had
Today's offerings don't even include an XS650 equivalent.
The closest to a bike that'll take two in comfort and weighs less than half a ton is a Suzuki Bergman.
Love the thruxton...I agree! However, there is one exception of course....the Triumph Bonneville has stayed pretty true to it's original looks/feel. Even the Thruxton would be a good choice in that market.