Purchases you regret

GoldenMotor.com

Rudz

New Member
Jun 24, 2014
454
1
0
Tyler TX
I wish I studied up more before my build, I wasted time and money on things that either didn't work or didn't work well enough.

Sportourer elastomer seat - should have gotten a cloud 9 from the beginning, the elastomer seat sucked.

Spring tensioner - unless it's from TurboBuick, don't bother with anything else. I finally have one of his enroute, compliments of my girlfriend for valentine's day.

Origin 8 Batwing bars - they look awesome but they aren't very comfortable, I knew that, but I thought it could be manageable. It might have been, if my to tube wasn't so short.

19" frame instead of a 21", 23" frame. I wish I got the bigger frame, it sucks that I didn't, especially because the same bike comes in bigger sizes.

Quality kit - I ordered a kit from a vendor that came without a rear mount and didn't start. Took me weeks and weeks of headaches before I got a refund and got another motor. Now I've found vendors who are more trustworthy.
 

Davezilla

New Member
Mar 15, 2014
2,705
10
0
San Antonio Texas
I think we've all been there at one time or the other... really wanted something but didn't bother to ask if any good before buying either because we didn't think we needed to ask or maybe because we kinda knew it would get some negative reviews from others who already bought it so we don't ask in the hope that it'll work as advertised etc...

Sometimes we need to ask before buying or chalk it up as "lesson learned".

My bad purchases so far were...

Cheap engine kit... Only the original jug and piston are used in my bike.. everything else was junk.
Titanium piston pin and bronze bushing... Yup.. titanium is lighter, but the bronze bushing is Heavy, no weight savings here...
Centrifugal Clutch kit... This worked pretty good, but had to spend time on the lathe to make work properly, then the gear on the bell was just pressed in, it released on me after about 5 rides. I may braze the gear back on, bubt I'm pretty much done with that.
Bike.. I wanted a cheap bike to base my build on so I found this cool looking mountainbike at a pawn shop, didn't measure the frame, just bought it... Yeah, I got everything to fit and it runs very well, but having a larger frame would have saved me a ton of hassle and modifying of mounts, brackets, as well as welding and cutting to make things fit and work right.

Let's hear some other's mistakes so maybe a new builder won't do the same...
 

Semaj

Electric Enthusiast
Dec 11, 2014
299
1
16
Austin Tx
Sidefolding 2 prong kickstand that would tip my bike over in a heartbeat :p
Cable driven speedometerx2 (first one was for the wrong wheel size... second one I Disliked)
Panniers that were a fraction of the size I had precieved them to be,
A micargi Bike
ALL the bits I need for a front Disk breaks for a springer fork ... that doesnt fit in the monarch forks Ive got (as far as I can tell. Still need to get a professional opinon)
"The most comfortable Bike seat" Its not.... Thats not to say its the most uncomfortable bike seat, far from it. I just dont think I would want to perch on this thing on a motor bike. its ok on the peddle one I guess.
 

Greg58

Well-Known Member
May 1, 2011
5,353
2,575
113
65
Newnan,Georgia
My mistakes haven't cost me much, I learned early on to research a lot before you buy. I once ordered front side pull brakes from a vendor on eBay that listed them for a cruiser bike, what I got was not what was needed. From then on if the reach is not listed as 96mm I look elsewhere.
 

mapbike

Well-Known Member
Mar 14, 2010
5,502
109
63
Central Area of Texas
I have ordered pistons which I still have that didnt list wrist pin size and I ended up getting low pin pistons that use the larger wrist pin than the standard 10mm.

I bought a standard pull starter from BGF that is junk and I will never use since its the one with a plastic spool and steel pull cable instead of a good pull rope.

I've bought a few other nickel and dime parts over that last few years that I regretted also, like a set of suspension forks that have to short of a stem to work on any of my 26" cruiser frames.

unfortunately, there are a lot of crap shoots on the WWW when it comes to china girl parts, sometime you get what is pictured in the listing and sometimes you don't.
 

Davezilla

New Member
Mar 15, 2014
2,705
10
0
San Antonio Texas
Agreed... I really don't like buying from BGF because he just puts a generic picture and no description, the stuff I have bought from him did come in quickly and none of it ended up in the trash can... the centrifugal clutch I got from him broke after about 5 rides but I'm going to try and salvage it before it officially gets tossed...
 

crassius

Well-Known Member
Sep 30, 2012
4,032
158
63
USA
for those bars, look up 'quill extenders' I use a lot of them here to make things more comfortable
 

bluegoatwoods

Active Member
Jul 29, 2012
1,581
6
38
Central Illinois
I guess I don't have much. I think I've got a few items (maybe still around) that are non-bike related that I bought and never used for one reason or another. And it seems that I've got vague memories of receiving something or other that was not at all what I'd thought I was buying.

But I've had similar problems to Semaj on kickstands. One where both legs folded up to the left side never worked well. And I remember stripping the mounting bolt early while trying to get the thing tightened up so that it wouldn't vibrate loose. Another standard type double leg that wasn't long enough. I've now got one with adjustable legs and it's pretty good. Though it still vibrates loose.

I've yet to find a really good kickstand for a motorized bike, for that matter. I've found some that are better than others. But even then, I have to park carefully. Particularly when it's windy.

I've never bought an engagement ring. (Considering that I'm just a very ordinary guy, I'm lucky to have done as well as I have when I think about how very, very cheap I am in the jewelry dept.)

And it seems that neither my wife nor I have a any regrets over our wedding rings. Though we're on #3 or 4 by now. In the early years we'd been known to throw them at each other on occasion. A couple of them did get lost.

But it's okay; we're more mellow these days.
 

mapbike

Well-Known Member
Mar 14, 2010
5,502
109
63
Central Area of Texas
Jeff, they just announced a local try out day with 2 ebikes.

Storm eBike Demo Day is on Sunday, February the 15th in Santa Monica, CA at the pier.

sorry for hijacking this thread.
Neil,

I tried to PM you back but I cant until you clear some of the PM's from your box, I got an error saying you pm box is full so I cant send the message.

map

Message sent.... Thanks Neil
 
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Rudz

New Member
Jun 24, 2014
454
1
0
Tyler TX
Don't get me started on engagement rings, traded one of my rare private label paintball guns valued at about 4k for one. Then she cheated on me and "lost" the ring.

Norm, show up with a China Girl to the test ride
 

allen standley

Well-Known Member
Oct 22, 2011
1,126
238
63
Bangor, Maine
Yes I have bought things that were not best for the application or not needed at all. Threadless steering tubes are my downfall Not really complex at all I just can't seem to get the mm correct. Spacers and all that bike stuff I seem to always over buy. I finally picked up a sliding metric measure. I can't go wrong now.
It is the purchases that never arrive. It's usually the key component in a build that holds all else up til that piece is in place. You put all your trust into a vendor that really doesn't care about anything other than KA CHING. Problem is you don't know that before hand. I'm not talking about some faceless person in China stamping out low quality production pieces day after day 7 days a week. Maybe this custom part maker is busy doing his regular 9 to 5. We are all busy. But the guy who actually makes you tube videos showcasing his great idea, the guy who takes time to create an account right within our own motor bike community and openly advertises and encourages us to buy his product. An American right here amongst us will take your money, deposit in his account and then you never hear a word about if payment is received or when part will ship. See this is all one sided This person should 1. put customer service top priority Especially if The word "SERVICE" Is is in the business title. 2.hire help to tend his mail orders or 3. Pack Up Shut Up and get ta he(( out of business. If your trust and money is given to a vendor who doesn't say thank you, doesnt say I'll have it to you next week or in 2 weeks actually doesn't communicate at all. It puts him in the same catagory as THIEF. Also known as electronic mail FRAUD. This is my ONLY regret.
 

mapbike

Well-Known Member
Mar 14, 2010
5,502
109
63
Central Area of Texas
Yes I have bought things that were not best for the application or not needed at all. Threadless steering tubes are my downfall Not really complex at all I just can't seem to get the mm correct. Spacers and all that bike stuff I seem to always over buy. I finally picked up a sliding metric measure. I can't go wrong now.
It is the purchases that never arrive. It's usually the key component in a build that holds all else up til that piece is in place. You put all your trust into a vendor that really doesn't care about anything other than KA CHING. Problem is you don't know that before hand. I'm not talking about some faceless person in China stamping out low quality production pieces day after day 7 days a week. Maybe this custom part maker is busy doing his regular 9 to 5. We are all busy. But the guy who actually makes you tube videos showcasing his great idea, the guy who takes time to create an account right within our own motor bike community and openly advertises and encourages us to buy his product. An American right here amongst us will take your money, deposit in his account and then you never hear a word about if payment is received or when part will ship. See this is all one sided This person should 1. put customer service top priority Especially if The word "SERVICE" Is is in the business title. 2.hire help to tend his mail orders or 3. Pack Up Shut Up and get ta he(( out of business. If your trust and money is given to a vendor who doesn't say thank you, doesnt say I'll have it to you next week or in 2 weeks actually doesn't communicate at all. It puts him in the same catagory as THIEF. Also known as electronic mail FRAUD. This is my ONLY regret.
I order stuff all the time straight out of UK, China, Hong Kong, Porto Rico and they almost all and always send me a confirmation message letting me know they got my order, when theyll ship it and for me to expect it between so and so dates.
If any of them drop the ball, Im done with them unless it was something out of their control.

Hope it all works out for you Allen
 
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