This wasn’t an OLD BULL but this is what dealing with the public is like for us.
Guy orders a set of 0.70kg/mm fork springs for his BMW GS800. I have them made in little runs of 4 to 6 pairs in the US and air freighted out.
He calls and complains they do’t fit. I ask if he’s read the instructions. he explains he shouldn’t have to it’s just fitting springs. He’s pissed off he needs to cut spacer material to set the preload, tells me I should do that. So I send him some plastic spacers express post. He calls again and says he doesn’t want shit plastic spacers. So i send him Delrin and washers. Still not happy, Race Tech has aluminium spacers, why can’t we.
I try to explain as calmly as I can, with the collapse of Australian manufacturing over the last 30 years, the availability or raw materials in this country has also become scarce. I can only get aluminium this wall tube in 35.5 and 44mm, not the 40.5mm he needs. In the US you can get it in an imperial size, that’s what’s in their boxes. (I have spent so much time chasing tube it makes my head spin, even Yacht mast tube) I can buy any tube I want from China but it’s a 500kg minimum order. i’ve never had a plastic tube fail, it’s lighter and does noy shed debris if it rubs on anything.
Still not happy, wants a refund, but he gets to keep the product for his time I’ve wasted. He tells me how many BMW forums and Adventure rider forums he’s on and will tell everyone how bad my products are. I explain I’ll need to product back for a refund. He refuses, says he does not have time till after the BMW Safari. OK, whatever.
So I get the springs and all spacer material back today. It’s all been used. In the Safari I presume. He’s still demanding his refund and I have little choice but to give it to him as you all know the power of forums and shit canning a business.
So, two things standout.
The power of the people can be misused. Consumer laws vary from state to state, if you read them it’s scary. WA is the worst.
Second, I wish Ford and Holden would stay, we drop the minimum wage, abolish unions and start manufacturing again so little businesses like mine can buy from the spin off companies that supply the car makers. My purchasing ability in Australia is about to get worse with yesterdays Holden news.
If the 6.6 is in the 400, that’s more like it, still a bit light for you but not too bad. 7.2 would be better. see how it feels.