Feel like I should stick my head above the parapet here and risk having it blown off. First off, Pat at Sportsman Flyer has my full respect as a manufacturer of what are undoubtedly the finest bikes in our hobby, bar none. Stumbling across Pat's website a few years back was the catalyst that drew me to want to have a crack at building a motorized Board Track replica in the first place. If anyone would care to look back at the second paragraph of my very first posting on this forum, you'll notice I praised Sportsman Flyer's products but then went on to explain that being in the UK, there was no way I could justify the initial cost, associated import duties and taxes to ship parts for a Sportsman Flyer build over here. Searching online, I discovered CNOL Motorsport on eBay - from who.I purchased the repop frame, tank and springer forks for my debut build. Correspondence with CNOL revealed they are not the manufacturers of these products, merely sellers. My frame/tank/forks were shipped direct to the UK from China for a nominal 30 UK pounds - and the shipment was under-declared, saving me a fortune on duties and taxes. Same story when I later bought a pair of CNOL's sprung girder forks used on my build number three.
Reading this thread's latest topic kicked-off by Pat and expressing his valid concerns regarding 'reverse engineering' of some of his products in China can't help but make me feel bad, but let me say this; CNOL are not the only source of these parts in question. For example, let's look at the stainless gas tanks and board tracker handlebars listed by CNOL on their website right now. Be aware there are a few other China sellers on eBay selling those same items - at a substantially reduced price compared to CNOL's. I'm currently 'watching' on eBay the stainless tank listed for 71 UK pounds, with free worldwide shipping, by someone in China calling themselves Supermotosport. That compares to the same tank listed by CNOL at 147 UK pounds (the price I paid for mine). Similarly, those handlebars are also being sold much cheaper elsewhere. Evidence, to me at least, that CNOL are not the makers of these items.
More concerning though, the Board Tracker rolling chassis mentioned in Steve's post above that's just appeared amongst CNOL's current eBay listings is not yet sold with the faux V-twin motor shown in some of the ad's accompanying pictures. However, it would seem logical to assume it's a prototype and therefore only a matter of time before the motor option too - strikingly similar to Pat's - may be offered for sale. I guess it's down to us folks on this forum to at least provide this information and let people decide how best to spend their money and support creative design.