Complaint Review: Patmont Motor Werks

I purchased a Goped GSR Cruiser from an "authorized" Goped dealer. At the time, Goped had a list of their "authorized" dealers, complete with descriptions about what they specialized in and what options their stores had. Looking at this, it seemed that PMW went to great lengths to ensure that their "authorized" dealers were up to speed with the product. Read further. Decide for yourself.

I had no experience with RC cars or Gopeds. I am disabled and purchased a Goped to help with mobility. THe unit was about $800 plus cost for peripheral items. I picked the unit up and received NO INSTRUCTION on usage. They gave it to me. There were places that I was supposed to sign on some paperwork and they didn't let me sign, taking the forms away and stating that it wasn't necessary. Basically, I walked in and paid... and was given an assembled GSR Cruiser and shown the door. As I will mention later, this should be considered a crime, once you know how dangerous these units are.

I took it home. The tank was already filled with fuel. I rode it for about 15 minutes. Yes, it was fun to ride. I shut it off. I went out the next day and rode it again. This time, it was sluggish. It lacked power. Towards the end of the short ride, I could walk faster than the Goped at top speed. I shut it down. I tried to start it later and it would not start at all. This was the start of a 2-week fiasco.

I took the unit back to the store. They had their "mechanic" look at it. It ws returned to me with a warning to stop running it with the choke on. Running it with the choke on? Uh... you can't run it with the choke on. I told the service person that I did not run it with the choke on. I then left with the unit. I took it home and rode it for about 15 minutes. Again, the next time I tried to ride it, it had no power. Then, it just wouldn't start.

I took it back to the store. They looked at it and again told me I was running it with the choke on and that I needed to stop, indicating further repairs might not be covered. I took the unit home. I was afraid to start it up. I knew that the unit had not been run with the choke on. You can't run a 2-stroke engine with the choke on. So, I knew there was a problem somewhere that the dealer was unable to find.

So... I called another dealer. Another "authorized" dealer. I described the above to the dealer. This dealer insisted that the first dealer was wrong to sell me the unit and provide no training. I agreed with that. He then asked me to describe to position of the choke handle when I tried to start the unit, and when I was running the unit. I told him that I put the handle perpendicular to the ground (choked) and pulled the rip cord until the unit chugged; I then put the handle parallel to the ground and pulled the ripcord until the unit started. He told me this was backwards.... and that yes, I was running the unit with the choke on if I was doing it in the described manner. He insisted that this was why the spark plug was being fouled.

I didn't buy it. I did not believe the guy. I placed calls to PMW. Some time later, the only person at PMW who answers customer calls called me. He was slightly miffed because I refered to the unit as "junk" in my message. I call it like I see it. I explained all of the above to the guy. He told me that the Gopeds WOULD NOT RUN WITH THE CHOKE ON. I repeat, he told me what I already knew about 2-stroke engines, that the WOULD NOT RUN WITH THE CHOKE ON. This is what I told the dealer I bought it from, who insisted that I was running it with the choke on. THis is what I also told the other dealer, who insisted that I was doing it all wrong and backwards. In fact, I was operating the unit exactly right... and the unit was just failing to run after running for about 15 minutes. The guy from PMW told me that the only thing that could be causing the spark plug to foul was if the fuel mix was not right.

Ah. Then it hit me... the fuel in the tank came from, you guessed it, THE AUTHORIZED DEALER. The "authorized dealer" who told me I did the impossible, twice, running the unit with the choke on. I drained the tank. I put in MY fuel mix, mixed according to the specs in the book and, VOILA! Like magic... no more fouled spark plugs and stalled out Gopeds.

I was DICKED around by PMW "authorized" dealers for 2 weeks to find out that they gave me a Goped with the wrong fuel mix. No apologies. No "hey we're sorry" for the extra 40 minute roundtrip drives to the store, and all the phone hours logged. No nothing.

So, then I found out just why Gopeds are dangerous, and why "authotized" dealers should provide training before delivery. While out for a ride, a car darted out. I hit the brake, the FRONT brake, the ONLY brake... and the brake locked. The front wheel became a pivot point, and the energy that had been propelling the system forward was now directed to lifting the back tire off the ground, and pivoting 180 degrees over the front wheel. I was riding the unit, so, in the blink of an eye, one moment I was standing, the next, I was crashing into the pavement with incredible force. I am a former skateboarder back in the clay wheel days. Those crashes were bad. The Goped front-brake-locking-vaults-you-over-the-handlebars-into-the-pavement crash was far beyond that. Over a year later, I still cannot use my right shoulder, which I directly landed on and injured in the crash. If I move my arm too far, I get pain that brings tears. I was in bad shape after the crash. I had something sticking out from my ankle. I think it was bone. My shoulder. The expected road rash, which is no biggie. Dislocated knee. It was... and still is... bad.

In the wreck, the starter ripcord was ripped off the unit, so it had to go in for repair. I also decided that it had to have a rear brake if I was going to ride it again. The front brake is not safe. IT IS NOT SAFE. I don't much care what Steve Patmont says about it... it IS NOT SAFE. Since TWO dealers apparently did not know their arse from their elbow... I decided to find another "authorized" dealer to do the repair. I found one about 1.5 hours away. When I got down there to drop it off, the place was a dump. The guy who worked there, even dumpier. I did not want to leave it there, but had few options, so I left it. I made sure that there was a time commitment. When it came close to the 2 weeks... I started calling. I got some message stating that the number was disconnected or something. This made me very worried.

Having heard nothing back from the company, I finally went down there to pick up the unit. When I got there, I was told that it was not finished. I was told that the brakes had not been delivered from PMW and that it was PMW's fault, so the brakes wouldn't be installed. I was told that the starter was there, but it hadn't been put on. I was told to come back in a couple hours. In the meantime, I called PMW to find out that the brakes were available and the fault was with the "authorized" dealer. I picked up the unit. It didn't run very well. I never used it. It sat in my garage for the last year. I am now selling it on ebay.

I spoke to Steve Patmont. He defended his product. He said it was safe. He also said the whole "authorized dealer" stuff wasn't really meant to indicate expertise... and anyone could be an authorized dealer... so he couldn't vouch blah blah blah. If that was the case, Steve, it wouldn't be a selling point, highlighted on the Goped site... outlining capabilities... training... etcetera.

I leave people to judge whether the units are "safe". I made my judgement the hard way and am still paying for it physically as I do minor things like try to sleep on my side, and ultimately can't due to pain. I leave it for others to read the Goped site and see the selling point of the "authorized dealers".

This experience was a nightmare to me. These dealers which should have been at least minimally knowledgeable did not know shite from shinola. Steve Patmont, if he were a man of character, would have simply bought the unit back from me. Had it been MY company.... yes, UI would have bought the unit back. Yes, I have character.

Do yourself a favor. Buy something else... manufactured by a company that stands behind it... and which "authorizes" dealers who invest enough to be at least operationally knowledgeable with the product.... so that the burden is not placed on the CUSTOMER.