Stay AWAY from Klass Cycles in Fountain Valley, CA (extremely upset at these guys)

Wheelin

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Aug 13, 2017
Messages
261
Location
Southern CA
I brought my 2016 S10 for a valve adjustment to an outfit called "Klass Cycles" in Fountain Valley, CA. I had my first valve adjustment a few years ago and it went flawlessly. I've also brought bike to them for minor things like adding auxilary lights, etc.

This time, I brought my bike in March 11 for another valve adjustment at 58,000 miles. I told them that I was aware of a supply chain shortage and they assured me that they had all the parts that they needed. A week passes and I call about the bike. Now they tell me that they're waiting on the valve cover gasket. When I reminded them that they had assured me that they had all the necessary parts, they claimed that they never made that statement and that I must have "misunderstood". (Unlikely.) I asked if I could retrieve the bike until all parts were in, and they responded that they already had the bike apart in pieces. So my bike was now being held hostage.

Fast forward to April 1 (April Fools for me, apparently). They tell me that the all the parts have finally arrived and they can now work on the bike. I call next week on April 7 to get status, and I was told that they hadn't gotten around to my bike yet. REALLY?!

So my plan is to go to their shop next Friday, April 15, when I'll have the day off, and I will take my truck and a motorcycle trailer. I'll take the carcass of my bike, and maybe a few buckets to haul any loose parts away. They'll likely charge me for their time in disassembling the bike and god knows what else.

Once I have the bike back, I guess I'm going to have to hit the books and figure out how to do the job myself...or sell the bike for parts. I depending on this bike as my daily commuter, so it really sucks to lose it.

I doubt that I'll have any legal recourse, but in any case, if anyone on this forum lives in SoCal, take my experience and AVOID these crooks like the plague.
 

StefanOnHisS10

Converting fuel into heat, noise and a bit motion
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It is still your property and in my opinion you have the right to claim your bike if they don’t perform as agreed. Too bad I live far away otherwise I would have helped you collect your bike. I have done that in the past myself because a shop had no idea what they were doing…
 

Cycledude

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Rib lake wi
Hopefully they will have your bike ready to go by next Friday when you pick it up. It shouldn’t have happened but it did and if that’s the worst thing that ever happens to your ride your a very lucky man.
 

lund

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Jul 8, 2019
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809
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Okanagan Valley, Canada.
Agree 100% with the above statement. Once the job is done and all is settled and being your not happy, the next time take the bike to another repair shop or do the work your self if your capable.
A one sided story is exactly that a one sided story, I'm a tech and know for a fact there is always the missing details on the goings on in these cases.
Frustrations always lead to bad decisions at the end.
 

jbrown

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Sep 25, 2012
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Novato, CA
Assuming they did all they could before ording the gasket, they shouldn't have much left to do. I can't imaging they just took it apart and then decided to wait for the gasket before doing the actual measuring and shimming.
 

lund

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Jul 8, 2019
Messages
809
Location
Okanagan Valley, Canada.
There is a huge problem with parts in all industry with the supply chain shortage. Shops order parts and are not informed by the supplier if and when they will receive their order.
We deal with it daily here.
In this case depending on mileage and condition of the valve cover gasket, I wouldn't hesitate to reuse it. They are reusable but then it falls on the shoulder of the shop if it leaks and shop don't like redo's on their coin.
Shop and customer communication is always best in these scenarios, in this case there appear to be a failure of good communication, shit happens.
 
Last edited:

Wheelin

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Aug 13, 2017
Messages
261
Location
Southern CA
It is still your property and in my opinion you have the right to claim your bike if they don’t perform as agreed. Too bad I live far away otherwise I would have helped you collect your bike. I have done that in the past myself because a shop had no idea what they were doing…
Oh, I’ll definitely get my bike back. In pieces, but I’ll get it back.
 

Wheelin

Active Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2017
Messages
261
Location
Southern CA
Hopefully they will have your bike ready to go by next Friday when you pick it up. It shouldn’t have happened but it did and if that’s the worst thing that ever happens to your ride your a very lucky man.
I suppose you’re right. I’ve commuted 100 miles most days to and from work on one of the most dangerous highways in the US and am still alive to type about it.
 

Wheelin

Active Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2017
Messages
261
Location
Southern CA
Agree 100% with the above statement. Once the job is done and all is settled and being your not happy, the next time take the bike to another repair shop or do the work your self if your capable.
A one sided story is exactly that a one sided story, I'm a tech and know for a fact there is always the missing details on the goings on in these cases.
Frustrations always lead to bad decisions at the end.
It may be a one-sided story, but I’ve not omitted any facts. And I’m the king of bad decisions.
 

Wheelin

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Joined
Aug 13, 2017
Messages
261
Location
Southern CA
Assuming they did all they could before ording the gasket, they shouldn't have much left to do. I can't imaging they just took it apart and then decided to wait for the gasket before doing the actual measuring and shimming.
From what the secretary told me, that’s exactly what they did.
 

Wheelin

Active Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2017
Messages
261
Location
Southern CA
There is a huge problem with parts in all industry with the supply chain shortage. Shops order parts and are not informed by the supplier if and when they will receive their order.
We deal with it daily here.
In this case depending on mileage and condition of the valve cover gasket, I wouldn't hesitate to reuse it. They are reusable but then it falls on the shoulder of the shop if it leaks and shop don't like redo's on their coin.
Shop and customer communication is always best in these scenarios, in this case there appear to be a failure of good communication, shit happens.
They didn’t communicate at all. All the communications came from their secretary. And again, rather than take the bike apart and wait for the parts, they should have told me to wait to bring it in when all the parts were in. I would’ve even been willing to make a deposit on the parts if there was a lack of trust on their part about me bringing the bike in if they ordered the parts.
 

Scrambler007

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Feb 13, 2022
Messages
114
Location
Canada
I think we've all been in situations like this where we're pissed, but the alternatives usually just make issues last longer and cost more. In those situations I remind myself that I'm not starving or receiving bombs on my head and that it will, eventually get resolved. And the next time, I bring my business elsewhere.
 

Fennellg

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Jun 28, 2015
Messages
607
Location
North Carolina
Ok, if I read your post correctly they had already done the job once to your satisfaction, with good results. I also understand your frustration.

Valve adjustment is a big pain in the butt job. Many farm it out and pay to have it done. Some have posted they screwed up and lost the motor in attempting this.

I would advise a face to face talk. Make sure they are telling you the whole truth. If it’s just the gasket then set out to obtain one for them. I figure they were smart enough to do the job once then they were smart enough to reuse the old gasket. It’s probably TOAST. eBay, the forum, other dealers, it’s a big country there are a few gaskets out there, to be sure.

I believe they might be agreeable to knock something off the price especially if you say nice things in the forum about them. Or a decent Google review. Bad comments on the web are death to such a place.

Hope this helps
 
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