The New And Improved Unofficial R65 Forum V2

General Category => General Announcements => Topic started by: Bob_Roller on June 26, 2007, 02:35:20 PM

Title: Bikebandit.com
Post by: Bob_Roller on June 26, 2007, 02:35:20 PM
Has anybody had to return any items to Bikebandit.com, I tried installing my EBC brake rotors about 5 weeks ago, and found that I was sent the incorrect rotors. I sent an email off to their service department, and I got a couple of emails back, the last one requested the VIN of my bike and the EBC part numbers of the rotors that I was sent, that was 4 weeks ago, and with 7 additional emails in the last 4 weeks, no response from them at all. Just sent an email to their returns department this morning, hopefully I'll get a response from them.
Title: Re: Bikebandit.com
Post by: Rob Valdez 79 R65 on June 26, 2007, 04:16:48 PM
YIKES!  I have not tried to mount my left one yet.  What part # is on the box, Bob?

This is from my email receipt: 5145195-001 EBC Front L

I am at work, so I cannot check the actual box until later.
Title: Re: Bikebandit.com
Post by: donbmw on June 26, 2007, 04:42:56 PM
With the name they have that is enought to keep me from using them.

Don
Title: Re: Bikebandit.com
Post by: Bob_Roller on June 26, 2007, 04:45:33 PM
Rob the parts that I got are EBC part number MD602LS, and RS. EBC website has MD605LS, and RS as being effective for an '81 R65. The only other part numbers I have are from the packing slip that came with the parts, and the numbers are : TR-612795, and TR612794.
Title: Re: Bikebandit.com
Post by: Bob_Roller on June 26, 2007, 06:29:59 PM
Well, Bikebandit.com refuses to do anything about this problem, so I have gone to the creditcard company, and they are going to handle the dispute from here.
Title: Re: Bikebandit.com
Post by: nhmaf on June 26, 2007, 10:36:27 PM
So sorry to hear that retailer isn't living up to expectations, Bob.
I took a chance and ordered my new Dowco tank bag from them as they had
a very good price - I am crossing my fingers that it gets here this week and is
the right article.   this is the first time I've ordered from them, though I have often
looked for stuff at their website.   These web-based businesses need to realize
that the power of the web can work for - or against- them if they don't always put
the customer's satisfaction first and foremost.

Title: Re: Bikebandit.com
Post by: Melena on June 26, 2007, 10:42:34 PM
Okay.  If that's the way they want to be.  I guess we all know not to buy anything from them now.  I'm sure you'll put this up on Boxerworks too.  

Word does get around when a company won't honor their customers.   They should just take it back and resend the correct item.  Duh!    

Unhappy customers make bad advertising.  
Title: Re: Bikebandit.com
Post by: Rob Valdez 79 R65 on June 27, 2007, 01:52:56 AM
I received a MD606LS.  

I did not order via their Model Selection, because the closest they came to my bike was a R65T for 1980.

But they had a "BMW R45 (Single rotor with ATE caliper) 1979", and that was close enough for me, I thought.

Here is the link to their website.  http://www.bikebandit.com/partsbandit/catalog.asp
To get to brakes, click on Aftermarket; Brakes; Brake Pads/Shoes & Rotors (EBC) BMW

I have been receiving email ads from them since I made this purchase (on my email acct that I use for such things...).  
Bob, if your situation does not improve, they [size=16]will [/size]know why I am canceling their ads.
Title: Re: Bikebandit.com
Post by: Justin B. on June 27, 2007, 06:55:02 AM
Bob, did they actually refuse to do anything or you just got tired of waiting on 'em?  If they have a phone number did you try calling them or has all attempted contact been via e-mail?

Just curious...
Title: Re: Bikebandit.com
Post by: Bob_Roller on June 27, 2007, 07:36:50 AM
Justin, all contacts have been made via email, I can't find a telephone number for them. They are adamant that the MD602 LS and RS are the correct rotors. And will not issue a return authorization number. If Citibank can't do anything for me, I'm going to file in small claims court here in Tempe, Az.
Title: Re: Bikebandit.com
Post by: Bob_Roller on June 27, 2007, 09:19:25 AM
Well, low and behold, 5 minutes ago, I received a return authorization plus, free FedEx shipping back to BikeBandit.com. They admitted they made a mistake, and the correct rotors have been ordered. I guess CitiBank, made them see the error of their ways. (2 hours later) I contacted Citibank, to stop the dispute process, and I was told not to end the dispute until I have a final resolution to the problem, and that I am satisfied with it. Hopefully Bikebandit will pull themself out of the negative catagory with their actions.
Title: Re: Bikebandit.com
Post by: Rob Valdez 79 R65 on June 27, 2007, 05:22:16 PM
Glad to hear that, Bob.  

I guess L.L. Bean they are not! ;)
Title: Re: Bikebandit.com
Post by: Justin B. on June 27, 2007, 07:05:23 PM
That's good news, Bobn.  I would be very curious if it was your dispute filing or if somebody at BikeBandit realized they goofed.  2 hours seems pretty fast for the CC company to have gotten your dispute and to have lowered the boom on somebody.  But, we will probably never know...

Once all this train gets finished I may need to take motorcycle lessons, it's been so long since I have ridden!  >:(  But, I'm glad we are not getting the 100+ days you guys are.
Title: Re: Bikebandit.com
Post by: Bob_Roller on June 27, 2007, 07:24:14 PM
Justin, Citibank said that it was way to early in the dispute process to have possibly contacted the merchant. Actually the customer service rep at Citibank said they never communicate with the merchant directly, they only have communication with the merchant's financial institution. So it looks like Bikebandit did this on their own. I did hammer them with the EBC website, and repeatedly told them to do a search on their own, and they will quickly find out that they are wrong. The rotors they sent me were for an R65 monoshock, not the twin shock. This makes more wary of doing business with inter-net only companies. I personally like to be up close in someone's face when there is a problem, and they refuse to do anything about it. I'm very confrontative by nature. I'm not without a bike, as I still have the '02 R1150R to ride as well.
Title: Re: Bikebandit.com
Post by: Rob Valdez 79 R65 on June 27, 2007, 09:36:05 PM
Yeah, I am suspicious of internet company sites that do not even give a physical location (I've seen them)!
I would be really upset if I went looking for a customer service phone number and found none.  >:(


I had better get a set of disk pads quick, so I can install this thing.  Who knows, I might have better brakes than I thought?  :D

(https://bmwr65.org/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pbase.com%2Ftomfarr%2Fimage%2F75133798%2Fsmall.jpg&hash=05ce2f94c4cd04b7e29aba795d94995a01f07f28) (http://www.pbase.com/tomfarr/image/75133798/medium)
[smiley=beatnik.gif] like...klik on da pik...man...®


Title: Re: Bikebandit.com
Post by: Bob_Roller on June 27, 2007, 09:40:13 PM
Rob, I finally found a phone number for Bikebandit, it's on the FedEx return label. For future reference the number is : (619) 623-3661.  Their physical address is :7625 Panasonic Way, Suite B, San Diego, Ca., 92154.
Title: Re: Bikebandit.com
Post by: nhmaf on July 01, 2007, 09:28:11 PM
On a positive note, my Dowco Rally Deluxe tankbag arrived the other day and it seems to be a good
product and will do the job I need it to do !   So, another positive result/satisfied customer..
Title: Re: Bikebandit.com
Post by: Bob_Roller on July 11, 2007, 05:37:32 PM
Just received a call from the customer service manager for Bikebandit, and I was told that my EBC rotors were shipped this morning from San Diego. So I should have them for my week end next Tuesday. He apologized for the foul-up, and said the boxes were mis-labeled with their part number, and that was confirmed by their inventory manager. I also have the service managers direct phone number, if you ever have a problem with this internet seller, let me know and I'll give you his number.
Title: Re: Bikebandit.com
Post by: Justin B. on July 11, 2007, 08:00:18 PM
That's great, I'm glad everything is working out.  I hated the fact that I posted the "sale" information after you had these problems.
Title: Re: Bikebandit.com
Post by: Bob_Roller on July 11, 2007, 08:10:39 PM
Justin, you had nothing to do with what happened, you had never done business with them, so how were you to know ! As long as the merchant is respectable, things normally work out in the end.  I guess that it's a warning that doing business with an internet company has it's flaws at times.
Title: Re: Bikebandit.com
Post by: Melena on July 11, 2007, 11:13:06 PM
Bob,
I'm glad things worked out for you in the end.  It seems that a company's customer service is only as good as the worst of their employees because that's the one we seem to get and the one we always remember.   ::)    Hopefully no one else will have any problems with them.
Title: Re: Bikebandit.com
Post by: Bob_Roller on July 12, 2007, 10:15:04 AM
Filing a dispute with the credit card company also seemed to play into this matter. The service manger had a copy of the complaint via the Better Business Bureau. So it seems like your credit card company contacts the merchant's financial institution with the problem, and they file the complaint with the Better Business Bureau locally and don't deal directly with the merchant either. I guess I'll know for sure if this is resolved, when I put the rotors on!
Title: Re: Bikebandit.com
Post by: Justin B. on July 13, 2007, 08:33:02 PM
Cool, keep us updated.  I personally have never bought anything from them but my wife did a while back and didn't have any problems.  Hopefully this was just a "blip", not normal SOP...
Title: Re: Bikebandit.com
Post by: Bob_Roller on July 14, 2007, 07:22:13 PM
Well, a box from Bikebandit was waiting for me when I got home from work about 15 minutes ago. Opened the box and the EBC part numbers were: MD606LS and RS. So it looks like I finally received the correct rotors. I don't have the enthusiasm to go out in the garage to install them now, I've been outside all day at work, and the heat really wore me out today ! I left for work at 5:15 am and it was 91 degrees F. Think I'll try it Tuesday morning before Mr. Sun comes up ! Right now it's time for a chilled beverage, and some sort of dead animal patties on the grill !
Title: Re: Bikebandit.com
Post by: Bob_Roller on July 18, 2007, 07:01:17 PM
This story finally has an ending, and it's a happy ending, I installed the brake rotors today, and they are the correct ones ! One minor problem still exists, the EBC brake pads need to be 'modified', they don't have the cut out on the top for the anti-rattle spring, so they are coming off so I can take them to work over the weekend, and grind off the offending metal. I had the intentions of firing the bike up and do a carb synchronization today, but it's 114 F in the garage and I'm worn out with having been out there from 10 am until 5 pm. There's always next week !
Title: Re: Bikebandit.com
Post by: Justin B. on July 18, 2007, 07:39:57 PM
Well, Bob, look on the bright side - you don't need a 20 minute ride to get it up to temp for the carb adjust!   ;D  Probably a spin around the block would do it! ;)
Title: Re: Bikebandit.com
Post by: Bob_Roller on July 18, 2007, 07:53:36 PM
The Luftmeister temperature indicating dipstick was indicating 120 F., I had a large fan going all day, and it just felt like the exhaust blast from a jet engine. Felt like I was back at work.