So howabout a thread were we all weigh in on how we evaluate some of the online guys & why. I have had good, bad and dificult so far getting things but a lot of that has to do with where I choose to live.

Here are my evaluations so far.

Good
twistedthrottle.com- Good Product, Good price(IMHO), Excelent customer service over the phone(I have to call everyone since I live in Guam)

moto-pro.com Good spring calculator on the website, I called and was able to talk to John who is VERY knowlageable. I dont know if the prices are good but the customer service was so good I dont care. I will be spending a decent amount of money lowering the GF's bike and respringing mine & am happy about it.

utahsportcycle.com- This order went so smothe I forgot who I ordered it from and had to look it up! I dont think I even had to call them!

Bad
bikebandit.com -
Positive-They were only place I could find that had the sfmirrors I was looking for. They also had some decent closeout prices so I more than doubled my order value.
Negitive the only # they list is their toll free # which I can not call from guam. I had to find their actual phone # in a post online of someone complaining about their bad customer service.
Negitive They will not ship USPS to Guam even though it is cheepest shipping method. They say they "Have" to ship via UPS which is good company in the states but is HORRIBLE and expensive here.
Negitive They sent me an email that the following items were deleted from my order becuase they were out of stock(listed each item on the order) When I called them about it they told me that all the items were in stock but I had given them completly incorrect billing address for my credit card. Impossible I say its been same address on that card for 10years. They say well the bank said it was incorrect. Put them on hold and called the bank who confirmed there was a charge from bikebandit and it was authorized not denied. No appoligy from bikebandit just a lets run the order again. Also had a hard time explaing what a "Guam" was. Tried to explain it was a territory like Puerto Rico but they insisted that i tell them which state the territory was inside of.(They gave the example of how Puerto Rico is a territory in the state of Florida)
motercycle-superstore.comGood Price on helmets, Bad-attitude when called on the phone. I got the impression I was keeping the guy from dealing with real customers. Knows where Guam is but "we do not sell internationaly" Bummer as now I find out their name pops up on all the searches for the tires I want!

Jury's still out
bandbcyclerestorations.com Good-351, smog blockof & SS brake lines. Good guy far as I can tell. I was just surprised when they put out a note saying they were low on cyl's to bore and everyone should return theres for a core buyback but when I offered to send in the extra cyl I got with my bike it was only worth half of core charge even if I just wanted other product in trade. Prompted me to get a Utah Skidplate and make my own blockoff plates. When the GF is ready for more power I will be getting me a 351 and putting the 330 on her bike.


RMATV
Good prices, Good selection but after calling and placing the order, Faxing a copy of my credit card and being assured it would ship the next day I found out weeks later that it did not ship and no one knows why. And a bunch of items were then sold out.

any additions to the good and bad list would be greatly apreciated as I see myself spending some $ in the future.

Cheers Jim

 

rmatv is all i order from, unless i need something they dont carry. best prices, fast shipping, never had a problem with them. they also have a customer rewards program thats kind nice, got 50 bucks off an order last year, few 10 percent off coupons.

also for suspention stuff, i went with pro moto and couldnt be happier. just like when i put eibachs on my car, they called me up shortly after i ordered and ask me what i ride, what i weight, mods to the bike and such.

 

+1 on Rocky Mountain ATV. I also support Cycle Gear when possible, they support the Blue Ribbon Coalition which supports off road access for riding.

Cycle Gear Makes 10K Donation to Keep Trails Open

 

I have ordered from all the same vendors except bandbcyclerestorations. I have only one issue and thats with bikebandit. Whom did the same thing to me that they did to maninthesea. Sold me something that was in stock and then emailed me it was no longer in stock and items were deleted. I did not follow thru with any calls to try to find the additional parts. I got lucky and found the TECH 8 mx boot inserts IN STOCK at a local bike shop.

 

Im going to throw in some opposites:

Good:

Bike bandit - spent a small mint from them and never been disappointed
motorcycle superstore - great prices if you can find what you want, superfast shipping
cheapcycleparts.com - good supplier, no issues
Rocky Mountain - only one order but it was fine
B&B - best investment in the bike and wonderful business exchange, very very helpful and patient.

Bad and Ugly - The southernmost Kawasaki Stealership in Richmond VA!

 

Off that list I've only used bikebandit and bandbcyclerestorations.

Bike bandit where OK, quick enough and when they did stuff up an order, shipped the wrong part, they put it right quickly and without any cost to me even though I'm in Aus.

I think a bit a latitude needs to go to bandbcyclerestorations as they are clearly a very small operation and provide a great service to us KLX owners. My pumper arrived without fuss and I would have no hesitation in using them should I be tempted to go 351.
If given a choice I would prefer to deal with a small operator any day.
What goes around comes around.

Both my wife and I have a policy of supporting the small guy.
On condition that the service is good and the price is in the zone.
Doesn't have to be as cheap but within a zone if you know what I mean.

I buy most of my parts from a small family owned part supplier.
They know me and I know I could get the stuff for less.
But that ain't what its about for me.
I some times have a bit of a laugh with em when I tell em the online price as I'm forking out the hard earned on another bit for one of the "toys".

If I can't get it local or it's not in stock and the wait is 3 weeks, then I go online.

End of rant

 

Neil
I agree with supporting the small guy if the price is reasonable and the stock is there. Generaly you get the best customer service from the small guys as they are trying harder than the big guys. I know becuase I am probably one of the smallest companies in the world doing what I do. I survive on customer service, my availability to my customer and my understanding of what I am doing. I may have come across more negitive than I intended on B&B. If I do upgrade the cc of the GF's bike it will be thru B&B & if he can get me an FCR carb I will get one from him also. Only reason I want a FCR over a Mikuni is I allready have one and I want compatable parts and only have to learn one carb.

Cheers Jim

 

I hear ya Jim,
I guess in Guam, there might not be too many motorcycle farkle options.
Especially for the KLX?

Even here in Perth which is a city of 1.5 million people the options are limited and some stuff you just need to order in.

For example, the Big Gun exhaust was not imported by the Aus importer so the only way to get it was by importing it myself.
The fact the BG full systems for other bikes was $A1300 locally and I landed the system for $A550 only made the decision all the sweeter.

 

+1 on RMATV. They have been awesome for me. Fast delivery and easy replacement when things don't fit. My first choice.

 

RMATV.

Dennis Kirk has excellent service & selection but higher prices than most (but they will price match anything over $100).