Learn from my mistake, a BAD experience

[feederbb]

I know it's not FJ related but thought some might learn something from my experience.  I ordered some parts for my dirt bike from Sturgis CycleHutt KTM the first weekend in Feb.  I ordered on-line and used my debit card (first mistake).  The prices weren't the real reason but proximity for shipping, sooner then some of the "big guys".  I waited a week and nothing.  Called and got the "parts are due in next week will ship".  Waited a week and still nothing.  Actually having a life OTHER than my dirt bike I sent an email and again waited, the parts not being necessary but....  I still had been charged the full amount with shipping the day I placed the order.  It was now March and I called again and talked with a rep and was told the one part wasn't available and it's cost would be refunded but there was an "invoice" still showing the other part coming in.  The partial refund was credited to my card but the full shipping amount and the other part, still nothing.  Again I was lax and waited another week or so and finally called. They had "just received an order from that company" and were "sure it's in there and will be shipped out".  I called the very next day to check, number no longer in service, website is offline.  Turns out after looking into reviews of this company that they were less than stellar and LOTS of people had had problems.  The final unrefunded amount was only $100 but what burned my ass was that the guy KNEW he was feeding me a line and they had been served papers and had been in a ongoing legal battle with KTM and were closing down.  IF I had used a credit card instead of debit, no problem, and my bank has given me a "temporary credit" for the amount while they pursue the company.  I have also filed a claim with the Better Business Bureau.  So moral of story is check them out before you buy, use a credit card, possibly one just for your on line shopping, and don't be lazy like me and let it drag out.  Hey if your burning Franklin's to light your cigars, no worries, do as you please but I'm not going to let it happen again, and I hope they loose their sorry lying asses to KTM and never open their doors to steal money again.  OK, I feel better now.

[CatTomb]

Sorry to hear about your troubles.

Have you checked out KTMtalk.com? It is another great forum. There are pages upon pages of CycleHutt complaints...going back years. It is amazing to me that they held on as long as they did. It also seems like the bankruptcy and delisting from KTM are recurring stories. Not sure what is happening there... Might be like those furniture store that have "going out of business" sales for months on end...

I've had very good luck with rockymountainatvmc.com and munnracing.com for OEM KTM parts. If you join and donate to KTMtalk.com and access munnracing from the forum you get a 10% discount.

One of the most surprising things to me in owning the FJ is the amount of support available thru this forum and the absolutely fantastic service and quality of parts available thru Randy at RPM.  Makes me love my '87 all the more. 

It's riding season 

Jeff

[feederbb]

Thanks Jeff, usually I use RMATVMC or Motosport.com for my dirt parts but thought I'd try a smaller place and spread some of my $$ around to the smaller guys and maybe get it a little faster since they were closer geographically.  I'm familiar with KTM talk having been a KTM rider/racer for about 9 yrs and the ex wife finance manager for a dealer in so cal.  I even did a little part time work on my off days from UPS in exchange for parts and race entries.  Hey, it's all part of learning and more than anything, not the money but that the guy lied outright.  I even berated the guy for posting scripture on their web page, giving Christians a bad name.  Guess it was just another ploy to attract customers.  It's all good but I still don't have a skid plate on my bike but with all the tracks here closed down for the summer, guess I have plenty of time to round one up.  I have yet to use Randy but from what many reports have stated, he's the go to guy for sure.  So many helpful, smart individuals on this site. 

[CatTomb]

Get High! I had a place in Duck Creek Village, up the mountain from Cedar City. If I remember correctly it was at 7500'. I loved the summer there. Tons of trails and great weather for riding. I've ridden my Mtn Bike all over the west and the Virgin River Rim trail is in my top five places to ride... along with Gooseberry Mesa down your way (non-summer).

Tons of double track to moto up on the plateau too. I had a WR250 at the time and could burn a tank of gas without ever hitting pavement.

I have the plastic KTM skidplate. I like it because it is removable with a twist of the wrist and is, so far, unbreakable.

Ride on brother,

Jeff

p.s. I got a cooling fan to install today on my 450EXC. Raining now and rain scheduled for tomorrow. Tuesday's ride is going to be EPIC! 

[feederbb]

Jeff, seems like we are probably into much of the same stuff.  With it being too hot to ride the dirt bike, I try and get out early with my Rocky Mountain on the pedal trails while it's still cool in the morning.  I know of Duck Creek, as well as a lot of good two lane pavement all around Southern Utah.  Some of my inlaws live in Escalante so we do the ride up Cedar Mountain over to Panquich or up through Brianhead to there then over through Bryce, Tropic, etc, to Escalante. Hit Boulder Mt. and Corral Reef area from Escalant.  Great riding.  This time of year with the heat, we head "up the hill" where it's cooler than St George, unfortunatly sooner or later, you must come down, which often ends up with a little sprinkler time in the back yard to get the core temp down (and of course some frosty adult beverages as well).  All but one of my top 10 rides have been in this area, dirt and pavement with the exception of one in N Idaho.  Most of them I found before I moved here (mom and dad have been here for 20+).  I actually haven't ridden Gooseberry since I've moved here and that was four years ago, a bunch before of course but it's kind of a tourist type ride.  Most of my rides on my mtn bike I never see a single person, NEVER more than one at most and I ride right from my front door!  Kind of hard to justify loading it up and driving 45 minutes to the Goose and fighting crowds.  Cheers!