In September 06, I had my engine rebuilt by what I thought a respectful shop in Daytona Beach. Their shop has been featured in Easy Rider and Monster Garage. I spent thousand of dollars for a 120 HP 2004 Road Glide. I broke it in and had it on the dyno for final adjustments. After the dyno, I moved 3000 miles away in the Northwest. I rode my bike maybe 4 times before parking it for the winter in a heated garage. I rode it twice once the weather heated up a little and notice oil leaking out of the exhaust port. I do not know when the leak started. I have less than 300 miles since the bike had its final adjustment. I called up the shop owner and he was helpful at first. He said bring the bike to the shop and they would look at it. I told him I was 3000 miles away. He said to have the head taken off and send to the shop and they would fix it. He said it was an exhaustvalve guide leak. I asked him if he would pay for the labor and that is when he started to go sideways. He said at the bottom of the receipt it stated there is only a 30 day warranty. He said I was lucky they were fixing it all since it was six months since the build date. I explained I had only rode it 300 miles if that. Their website stated they stand by what they build. I guess it is only for 30 days.

It took me two weeks to get someone to take off the head and I sent it to Florida a $90 shipping expense. I called the owner and told him it was on the way and again tried to get him to pay for part of the labor and he went off on me. I then asked him to at least send some gaskets to put the bike back together and he told me he would call me back. I have never been treated so poorly by a company.

Today I called his son, the person that put my bike together at the shop. His son stated he would talk to his dad about my bike. The son told me valve guides were tricky and the only way to tell if they were not installed properly was to ride it and determine if there was a leak. 15 minutes later there was a message from the dad on my phone telling me not to send my head and if I did he would send it back.

I called the owner up and he stated I was dishonest and would not do business with me. I told him my bike was in pieces and I needed my head repaired. His head has special made custom made valve guides from his shop. Where else can I get them from? He did not care. He said my heads were out of warranty and to bad. I told I had already spent several hundred dollars removing the head and $90 to mail it as he requested and he told me he was mailing it back when he gets it. I told him his son told me the motor they built was bullet proof and good for 20000 to 30000 miles.

I kept my cool and never raised my voice. He called me dishonest when he is the one going against his word. Who in their right mind would get work done at his shop if he told them upfront after 30 days you are on your on. So much for his statement in his web site.

Was I wrong trying to get his shop to cover some of the labor?

What if any recourse do I have?

P.S.-Get your warranty in writing before choosing a shop

 

Wow, now that sucks brother. I don't know what to say, but I do know where I would be flying to with that head next week.Of course the head be in a big thermal sock when I got to his shop.

It really irritates me when companies are nice as all get out right up to the point they get your money.

Best of luck man......
-Kern

 

That sux, Don.....

Sadly, I bet it would be different if you had not moved away and could walk in & talk to them face to face.

Unfortunately, when it comes to performance stuff.... any of them could do that, if they were so inclined. Most of the reputable ones would not. Where are you in the NW, now? I bet we can help you find someone trustworthy to get it fixed for ya...

Gonna cost for someone else to do it, but what other option is there?

[&:]

 

I think you are right that everything would have worked out if I had been in Florida still. I don't know what set the dad off. I bet he would ask Chevrolet to fix his Duramax if he was one mile past his warranty or six months past his warrant and only had 300 on the odometer on a 36K warranty. I gave the shop thousands of dollars and wanted them to help pay for $300 for a poorly installed valve guide. My bad.

Let me know of any good machine shops to repair my head near Boise. I am going toVegas and San Diego in the near future.

 

**** on him....that really sucks...and that is the very thing that is killing the indy shops and the custom bike market....**** poor customer service, you know, he could have fixed it, sent it back, and split the cost with you , and he would have still made money, had a happy customer, but now, I am sure that you will tell at least 20 people the name of the shop, and they will tell twenty and so on and on. If I can help you in any way, let me know, Mondo is in Vegas, and a very very reputable builder, if there is anybody in Vegas that can help you Mondo will know them, I will try and catch up with him next week.

 

Please talk to him. I am going need some help. I forgot the best thing the owner told me today. I got to drive a bike with a 120 horsepower I got what I paid for when I complained about spending thousands of dollars for 300 hundred miles.

Please email me any info he may have to donyanas@aol.com.

thanks

 

Any reason that you never mentioned the shop by name? I don't think that is something that I would be able to keep under my hat.

 

Don - One of the best cylinder head guys in the country is in the NW. If I were you, I would give Dan Baisley a call. I bet he could help you out.

Phone: 503-289-125
E-Mail: info@baisley.com
Baisley Performace
5511 N. Interstate Ave. Portland, OR 97217

Good luck.

 

my bikes engines are stock,,,,,, anit got a clue as far as any of them probs,,,
hit the switch and ride


My theory,,, "you wanna fly,modify,,, you want a 'rock" stay stock"!!!!

 

Rick - I'm sure Don appreciates your valuable input on this particular subject.