Do not get scammed

[Stein.S]

Hi. I would like to warn about paying in advance if you are looking for buying new cylinders for your Harley J.

I paid 3550$ for cylinders, piston and exhaust valves in December 2021.

Cylinders were promised sent to me in Norway within a month. After that it’s been hundreds of emails and phone calls.

I have been promised the cylinders probably 100 times now.

In late summer 2023 I got 2000$ of the deposit back, with a promise that the cylinders would soon be ready to send, and that the 2000$ I got back then should be transferred to the seller when the cylinders were ready to ship.

Autumn 2024: I was contacted by the producer/seller again. This time the cylinders were “ready for machining”, but I had to pay the 2000$ so the seller could pay the machine shop. I was unsure whether I would ever see my money or the cylinders, but I made a choice and paid the 2000$. The cylinders were promised finished and sent within weeks.

They were not sent, and I got new explanations and excuses.

This summer I asked for my money back. I was promised a refund within a week. More promises, but no money.

A “Japanese customer” was supposed to pay a deposit for two sets of cylinders, and I was told that when that money came in, I would get my refund. That never happened either.

One month ago I told the seller/producer that this has gone on long enough, and that people should be warned.


My advice: Do not pay in advance for newly produced cylinders for your J.

If anyone wants more information, send me a PM.


Regards, Stein-S

[droptopford]

Too late now, but Paypal Goods and Services plan is one way to go. I think there's a 2.9 percent charge that is (usually) negotiated between buyer and seller. Once the deal starts going south, you can pull the plug, get your money back and the seller can suck it.

[DEEBS47Chief1991]

I had a sidecar wheel built in the Ukraine (before the war) and after months of B.S. excuses I pulled my Paypal payment. The seller then made a hasty effort to build and ship the wheel. When it arrived here I examined the product and promptly re-paid him through Paypal and prevented myself from getting ripped off.

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[micmac]

I'm sorry that happened to you. I know how the promise game goes myself. I have had promises of something from a well known vendor for some time now. I'm done with them. Our hobby has taken on a dark side in the past decade. It NEVER was like that before.

[chuckthebeatertruck]

Our hobby has taken on a dark side in the past decade. It NEVER was like that before.

Indeed it has.

I blame COD going away. Until right about 2000, I NEVER paid for parts until the UPS driver showed up and I handed over the check. I can't recall even doing private parts purchases where I sent the check before the parts arrived and were inspected. That all changed as fleabay took over and electronic payments became very simple. We suddenly went from a community where everyone was one or two phone calls away from knowing everyone else to a community where we are all more anonymous.

Second big thing was a lot of "builders" getting into the business in the early 2000s -- many of whom had no clue how to run a business. Many wanted to start making parts and advertised or even did start offering parts. But, they were enthusiasts who opened shops, not parts suppliers and manufacturers. Most under estimated the challenges of stocking and supplying parts at scale. A huge percentage of those shops have failed in the past five years or changed hands.


It still sucks and makes you angry when all you want to do is buy the thing you agreed to buy!