Randy's customer service

[racerrad8]

...BUT I have used over 100 Megacycle hardwelds

That is probably the most frustrating part of the whole thing. I have been using Mega Cycle cams for year too and they treated me terribly when I actually had a problem. There was no help in trying to determine the problem, just the basic message, "it is not our fault, we are not fixing it for free".

I have build over 200 FJ engines and probably close to 500 cylinder heads and I can honestly say that there is not too much I have not seen.

So, for them to act like I am some person who is just calling to tell them their cams are bad does not make good business practices. Then for Barbara to tell me she has never even sold me anything and I had to provide a few invoice numbers so she could find it really was discouraging.

Like, I said...the final straw was for her to call me an "asshole" and then tell me I need to make a decision as I am wasting her time and to send me money to her just floored me.

There has only been one time in my life that I have been as discouraged with customer service and I actually had the credit card company charge back the credit card transaction for that instance. Mega Cycle is smart in that aspect, you can mail them a check or money order as they do not take credit cards because if they did they would probably be out of business due to their lack of respect for any & all customers who would take action and charge back the transaction(s).

Call me an "asshole", "wasting their time", "send me your money" = great customer service?

Someday, I will break down the complete story...

Randy - RPM

[airheadPete]

Wow, just wow! What idiots.

[Mike Ramos]

Merry Christmas everyone,

I was going to post this weekend about my recent visit to the new RPM shop. 

However, this thread has prompted me to take a few minutes from work to state the following: I happened to be at Randy's shop for some serious carburetor work on one of the days when he received a series of phone calls from Megacycles.  Hearing only Randy's part of the conversation, I did not realize the extent of the disagreement nor the derogatory treatment he was receiving from Megacycles.

Randy remained professional and never lost his composure.  All he said to me was that he was having a problem with a set of cams and apologized for taking time away from my carb project.  After reading through this thread, it is apparent that Randy's diplomacy is far above what most people would have been able to maintain under such circumstances.

As far as the carbs on my  bike?  My folks said that if I made home before dark they would take me to McDonald's for my favorite Happy Meal.  So leaving the gentleman from RPM I managed to take a considerable time off of the usual 5 hour ride home.  While it is not all back road, on & off the throttle high rpm riding, it was nonetheless NOT ideal riding conditions ( smooth road & no wind).  However I maintained an average cruise speed of not less than 80 mph and at times into the high 80's & low 90's.  5K rpm @ 85 mph.  Fueling up at 186 miles on the odometer trued out to 41mph.  So yes, the carb work was successful, returning mileage to normal numbers.

Thanks Randy.

Ride safe everyone,

Mike Ramos

[jscgdunn]

...average cruise speed of not less than 80 mph and at times into the high 80's & low 90's..... 

Ride Safe Everyone

[Bozo]

Sorry to hear of your experience. Web had lobe problems with different Hayabusa grinds about 9 or 10 years ago. There was a bit of a run around there as well with many of the same lines Randy heard. I have Web in my FJ (with no problems except they really cut the base circle) BUT I have used over 100 Megacycle hardwelds and billet cams (mostly in rocker arm engines) over the years with only 1 reported failure (which was second to to much spring pressure).
What makes things difficult is there are basically only 2 hardweld suppliers in the USA. This also is the case with valvetrain parts with Kibblewhite being a large supplier of motorcycle parts. I have had problems with some of their products.
Now....if we all had Chevy small blocks in the bikes there would be just a bit more choice out there.

JMR, I have kibblewhite springs on my valves, it has been mentioned that hardwelds cam faces don't like heavier valve springs (Randy might know more on this topic). I appear to have a set of cams from a bad run, but that doesn't explain why Megacycle gave Randy a hard time when he wanted their evaluation of what might've happened.

I agree with you. I have been hung out to dry over the years too with basically nothing more than "it sucks to be you". If I had a dime for everytime I have heard...."that's the first time I've heard of that".
The only way to install Kibblewite springs...IMO and practice...is to measure spring pressure at the installed height and various lifts. Kibblewhite specs for spring installed height are generally to stiff IMO.

Interesting about the valve springs??
Randy did ask me to check the spring pressure but I had already re-installed  the stock cams, my bad.

[JMR]

...BUT I have used over 100 Megacycle hardwelds

That is probably the most frustrating part of the whole thing. I have been using Mega Cycle cams for year too and they treated me terribly when I actually had a problem. There was no help in trying to determine the problem, just the basic message, "it is not our fault, we are not fixing it for free".

I have build over 200 FJ engines and probably close to 500 cylinder heads and I can honestly say that there is not too much I have not seen.

So, for them to act like I am some person who is just calling to tell them their cams are bad does not make good business practices. Then for Barbara to tell me she has never even sold me anything and I had to provide a few invoice numbers so she could find it really was discouraging.

Like, I said...the final straw was for her to call me an "asshole" and then tell me I need to make a decision as I am wasting her time and to send me money to her just floored me.

There has only been one time in my life that I have been as discouraged with customer service and I actually had the credit card company charge back the credit card transaction for that instance. Mega Cycle is smart in that aspect, you can mail them a check or money order as they do not take credit cards because if they did they would probably be out of business due to their lack of respect for any & all customers who would take action and charge back the transaction(s).

Call me an "asshole", "wasting their time", "send me your money" = great customer service?

Someday, I will break down the complete story...

Randy - RPM

I agree.....no need for that kind of language and attitude......indefensible.

[fj1289]

Sounds like a great advertisement for Web Cams...

[Bozo]

Sounds like a great advertisement for Web Cams...

The best advertisement for WEB cams is Barbara from Megacycle.

[wickedRadian]

I have to be honest, as a fellow business owner, sometimes it is difficult to remain calm in the face of a situation like that. congratulations Randy i know this thread is directed towards bad P.R. skills but due to the expense and difficulty in obtaining new hot bumpsticks, have any of you played with re-grinds? i know of several auto machinist shops around that could hook me up for like $100, i just have a hard time justifying throwing $7-900 at a set when when i only want .100" lift, but maybe thats too much for factory shim-bucket?
thanks
Blake