Complaint Review: Desert Thunder Cycle

Bone Daddy’s Desert Thunder Cycle        9/22/2013

 Lake Havasu City , Az                   updated 6/16/2014

Dear Randy,

I will start at the beginning – I brought my bike into your shop to be repaired. Mechanic found the broken piston. You ordered the 97 inch kit for replacement. Mechanic installed. I picked it up. I came back with pinging in engine. You had some adjustments made. Sent me on my way with instructions not to go over 3000 rpm. I made it not 10 miles out of town heading up towards hiway 40. Engine made LOUD PINGING AND CLATTER and lost power. I turned around and brought it back to your shop. Mechanic took apart and you called me to come to shop. You showed me piston. Same  problem that I originally came to your shop with. Almost  identical. I feel pretty sure that the pre 50 mile break in nor the 50 mile break in was done . There is a definite sequence for breaking in before putting a load on the engine. Once the sequence is followed then there is the 50 mile break in not over 2500 RPM. As you now know next there is the 500 miles not over 3500 RPM then oil change. Next 500 miles can go hiway speeds then change oil again. Now can ride as always no limit on 3500 RPM.  I was told none of this and was not told to break in as stated above when I was given the bike.

Now on second round I no longer have my 97 inch but you had to bore it out 10 over and get new pistons. I should have never agreed to this but I did. I was given bike and sent off – pinging and clatter – Rich actually thought it was the tail pipe hitting the frame and tied tail pipes up tight –

This did not help and was not the source of the problem. I estimate I came back at least 4 times or more  to have adjustments to take the ping out. It never did go away. Now I have 1076 miles on engine and exact same thing happened. Loud pinging and clatter and loss of power.

I now know that your shop did not ever find the source of the problem but simply replaced broken parts with out knowing why. Your mechanic, (Dolan) , said to me that they do not know what caused it. It would seem to me that a mechanic would find the source and repair and not just replace broken parts and send off with customer.

I am not a mechanic and was relying on you and your shop to make a correct diagnoses and repair. This did not happen.

In 2009 I came in with soft tail heritage on tow truck. Left it there. Steve had mechanic tear down and they found source and repaired my bike. It cost me $2000.00. To this day that bike is running great. This is the reason I came to your shop.

I have spent approximately $1500.00 at your shop. I had to spend 5 plus more days for your second repair at a cost of over $100.00 a day for car rental, motel room and food. It cost me  $750.00 for uhaul truck to get my bike from Sacramento to my destination in Monroe Wa. $275.00 for gas. Another $69.00 for room on road to Wa. $100.00 to get tow truck driver to move bike from u-haul truck into my barn. Now I have the additional expense of repairing  this engine again. This time I will insist on mechanic finding the source of the problem. I fully expect this to cost to me another $2000.00.

Randy, I have been stressed out about this whole episode with your shop and would like your help with repair of my bike. What I would like from you is the following:

1. You pay for new 97” kit $700.00
2. Refund the $220.00 which I paid you in good faith on the second repair.
3. Reimburse me $500.00 for room and rental car for the extra days I had to spend in Lake Havasu City waiting for second repair.
4. Reimburse me $1194.00 for the rental of the u-haul truck, one night stay and gas to get my bike back to my destination.
5. Labor for repair of installation of new 97” kit approximately $650.00 by another shop.
6. Reimburse me the original amount I paid for repair of my engine in the amount of $1300.00.
7. I am not putting any amount in here for stress and issues of breaking down.
8. Total amount due $4564.00.
9. Repair of engine in Kirkland , WA. Where they found a piece of metal in the engine (claking sound) under the piston and piston oiler not working. Now metal filings throughout engine and all bearings replaced and new top end with bill of $3900. Way over my estimate of $2000.

10. Total amount due $4564.00 + $3900.00 =$8464.00.

Randy, I feel that I was more than fair in the original offer that I sent you to settle quickly. You did not offer to negotiate or settle with me. This has upset me and caused me to lose sleep because of the issues created by you and your shop.

Randy, if I do not hear back form you in 5 days I am sending a copy of this letter to the  Attorney Generals Office State of Arizona complaint department again and also the to Better Business Bureau and also will update on blog with yelp and also I am filing a report with Ripoff  Report on internet. Also I am sure that I can find other places on the net to post complaints about your business.

I have contacted attorney in Lake Havasu that will take my case. He advised me to send you one more letter asking for you to settle with me.

Please give me a call so we can discuss.

Thanks

Stan 

Lahiana, HI