vote here

[mmoore]

we voted a shovelhead forum in here a while back (thanks) lets see how the members feel about this thread and if we should save it , change it or can it. its too bad as there is some good in it, but I feel we should can it

[Baytown]

I'm happy to keep it.
Who knows, one day there may be more people willing to use it.
Ken.

[kval]

I will repeat what I said in another post, if real names are used MAYBE some of the dirt throwing will stop. this spot is being used mostly to complain and we hardly ever hear the other side of the story. members should also post when they are happy about dealing with a vendor and post a positive message. that would be a real help to someone looking for something. neeless to say I say keep it

[Paps]

I say keep it with one exception.......A Hole customers shoud be named also. Paps

[Paquette]

This section of the forum has been good for me as I stand by my knowledge and craftsmanship. That said, if this section is to stand there is a need, as Cotten and others have stated, for a dead beat payers section a sort of " Vendors rate Customers" , but that will open a can of worms that can never be closed. I think this forum needs to be about the sharing of information, not a crap match. I really don't know because one post about happy customers will never match one post from someone that you try to please but will not tell you what the problem is. For those of us who make our products by hand, one at a time, there will always be imperfections. Hopefully, the craftsman is the only one who knows.

[Ohio-Rider]

Sure we should keep it. As Kevin said, this a great place to find out about reputable suppliers. New members need a place like this to make their own decisions about where to spend their money.

If we change the name from “Vendors Rated” to “Satisfied Customers” that might be a way to go. Life is full of negative ****. Lets try to keep it out of here.

[kval]

everybody
let me talk to the web people and see what we can come up with, maybe a second spot for satisfied customers is an answer.
also vendors, if you keep it clean why not ask nicely for someone to pay you what is owed for your product/service. we need the vendors to keep playing with our toys.
there are a lot of vendors out there that make high quality repo parts that they invest a lot of time and money to produce because they love the hobby too. you can bet they are not getting rich on this.

[George Greer]

I don't have a problem with using my real name...

I don't mine keeping bitch forum threads going, but it IS a two way street...

I DO recomend..

Tom Cotten (Liberty).....Kurt and Wendy Riffe (45 Parts Depot-Holland). JW Boon & Rene (Holland). Mr Baker, at NOS Parts Ohio


Only ONE complaint....Tech support at J&P Cycles.

Don't bitch at me when I call you and ask for support and you give me incorrect information to begin with...........THEN be even more of a smart mouth when I call you back about it.

George Greer
Markt Einersheim Germany

[rousseau]

Hello all

As I have been watching this thread I recall a while back we had some very similar post. I especially recall Cotton wanting to "rate " his customers. I replied back then that I thought this was a bad idea and I still feel this way. Some members felt it would simply turn into a "feedback" forum like ebay. The best analogy was that it would become a "cyber based shouting match".
What is happening this time is the classic "one person is going to ruin it for everybody".
Dennis Rousseau
Knoxville TN.
AMCA#11302

[T. Cotten]

Just for clarity,
I did not suggest "rating" customers.
I suggested a "Stiffs List" so that other vendors could assess their risk, notify errant customers who may simply have forgotten, and add some balance to this fragile new system.

As it stands now, customers are sacred cows, while vendors are fair game.

If the mission of the AMCA is to foster vintage motorcycling, it will occasionally want to administer a little medicine. But too much too soon is poison.

No such forum catagory would work without a lot of editing, moderating, and responsibility of all parties involved.
This brave new cyberworld just isn't mature enough for that.

....Cotten

[kval]

Cotton
you are right "rate" the customer would not work, BUT I see no problem with you asking
John Q. Member to pay his past due bill for one of your great floats(which I use) without getting into nasty name calling it might make people think twice about burning a vendor out of his hard earned money.
without the vendors, 90% of these old bikes would not be on the road(mine included)!

[Baytown]

Fence Sitting

we voted a shovelhead forum in here a while back (thanks) lets see how the members feel about this thread and if we should save it , change it or can it. its too bad as there is some good in it, but I feel we should can it

I read this post wrong. I thought you were asking if we should keep the Shovel Head forum! I thought it was a bit of a strange question!

Re the Vendors Rated list. I agree with both sides. There are some poor performing venders, and with out fail, there are be poor performing buyers.
What do we do? I want to know about companies to be aware of, just as we all would. That being said, mud sticks, and people can easily be tarnished by aggressive or unreasonable customers.

I'd like to keep the list, but more effort needs to put in by the customer before they 'bag' the venders in some cases. That being said, it's great to hear the positive comments as well.

Effectivly, I'm fence sitting.

Ken.

[mmoore]

yea I could have worded it better as a former shovel owner I felt we should include them but I did mean the vender ratings . I too also feel that it is a good tool properly used and read it more for the positive than the neg which I usally dont read. from this forum I have learned that the next float I buy will be from somebody here. I will not buy on ebay if I can possibly avoid it among other things. lots of good info BUT I am dissapointed with this forum being used to try to settle something out which wont be done here. we as members should be wary of joining any fight that develops here. I want to avoid any liability that might arise from it and hurt the club. it is not easy to reccomend to end this as many vendors here and elsewhere in this feild have gone out of thier way to provide me with nothing else than EXCELLENT service and should be thanked for that in places like here so it wasnt easy to think about closing this forum but I dont want to see the mudslinging that was going on. I was voted down (no hard feelings) but in the future I will not read any posts like that one. thanks for all the imput here guys lets move on to better things like DAVENPORT in 9 days!!!!!

[mmoore]

im glad they locked those threads I see that some of you are starting to agree that this is going too far. as a mechanic I have been on both sides of issues and can see that these arguments will probaly not solve anything. as a vender I also have refused service to some as they have unrealistic requirements but it also cost me as they made comments about my ability. maybe if we have no first hand experence with these venders we should refrain from commenting. please proofread your comments and if you are in a bad mood wait a day or so before submitting. when you post something here we are also judging you.

[fabercycle]

I vote to do away with this category.


Since the AMCA judges bikes, I guess now they feel they can provide a forum for judging vendors (people). Gee, what a "God" complex that looks like. Does anybody consider that the general public can look at this mess, and think "man, I'll never join that club!"

Shouldn't we try to have a more attractive image to the public? Isn't that best for the club?


I know from experience every vendor has trouble with customers being dishonest on a weekly basis, with problems such as non-payment (theft) returning damaged goods, after getting their refund (theft), stealing off your table at swap meets (theft) EVERY Davenport meet I have product stolen from me.

I noticed many members wanting to "keep" this category (in this, and the other thread) have a high AMCA number posted proudly. I guess you are fairly new. Well here's how it used to work..........you make some friends in the club, be a good guy, and within a couple of years "word of mouth" lets everyone know who to steer clear of........as well as who you want to get to know better.

I'm not so sure that it can't become a legal problem for the AMCA if this "defamation of character" platform isn't dis-abled.

The cons out weigh the pros by far.


I've had dealings with many amca vendors over the years, and I have never met one, including the ones that have been criticized, that wouldn't bend over backwards to make sure a customer was happy, give a refund, or do a job over.........as long as they were treated with respect, and the customer didn't start a fight about it. People need to work out their problems like adults, and not "air their problems" publicly.

This whole thing is like a "trailer trashy" reality show..........yes that's it, lets get Jerry Springer as the moderator.....that will fix it!