Posts
47
Joined
7/30/2010
Location
Long Beach, CA, USA
Edited Date/Time
1/26/2012 2:34pm
Be careful before purchasing any bikes from Mark Harris of Bullhead City, AZ. I recently bought a 1979 Honda CR250 that was supposed to be 'Fully Restored'. Not quite.
When I took delivery, I have to admit, the bike LOOKED beautiful. Mark told me he had taken taken it on a test ride prior to delivery, and then admitted that it had the wrong throttle cable that would have to be either fixed or replaced.
At first, I thought the throttle issue was going to be only a minor inconvenience. That turned into a $40 new (Custom made) cable. After installing the cable, I brought the bike to a local MX Vet track in order to break it in. I didn't make it a full lap. The cable was only part of the problem, the throttle assembly was shot as well. There was not a stop, it simply went from full throttle in one direction to full throttle rotating the other direction. (I literally had to ride with one hand on the clutch and one on the kill switch in order to make it back to the truck!)
At this point, I decided to cut my losses for the day and bring it to my personal mechanic who builds my race bikes. I asked him to replace the throttle cable and assembly, as well as the handle bars (which were bent, incidentally)
When I went back to the shop to pick up the bike and kicked it over, we realized it wasn't idling anywhere close to normal. My mechanic then pulled the carb and discovered a considerable amount of DIRT IN THE FLOAT BOWL. After some furthur adjustment to the carb,we re-fired the bike. My mechanic then said that the main bearing in the lower end sounded strange. He pulled the timing cover off and saw that the MAIN BEARING IN THE LOWER END WAS COMPLETELY WORN OUT. (Had I managed to ride the bike for any time at all, there is no doubt we would have lost the entire lower end!) Luckily, this was discovered while in the shop, rather than on the track. (His 'test ride' should have revealed this.) I now have to pay my mechanic to fix the problems that, frankly shouldn't exist.
So at this point, I have a bike that Mr. Harris claimed was ready to ride, that's spent more time in my mechanic's garage than in mine.
Again, the bike looks great, but I bought it to ride, not to look at.
Incidentally, I e-mailed Mark, with these same details, expressing my displeasure with the bike he sold me, and requested a partial refund. He never returned my message. (This from someone who claims to stand behind his work.)
I would think twice before purchasing a bike from this guy. (Or make sure you CLOSELY inspect any bike prior to purchasing.
BUYER BEWARE!
When I took delivery, I have to admit, the bike LOOKED beautiful. Mark told me he had taken taken it on a test ride prior to delivery, and then admitted that it had the wrong throttle cable that would have to be either fixed or replaced.
At first, I thought the throttle issue was going to be only a minor inconvenience. That turned into a $40 new (Custom made) cable. After installing the cable, I brought the bike to a local MX Vet track in order to break it in. I didn't make it a full lap. The cable was only part of the problem, the throttle assembly was shot as well. There was not a stop, it simply went from full throttle in one direction to full throttle rotating the other direction. (I literally had to ride with one hand on the clutch and one on the kill switch in order to make it back to the truck!)
At this point, I decided to cut my losses for the day and bring it to my personal mechanic who builds my race bikes. I asked him to replace the throttle cable and assembly, as well as the handle bars (which were bent, incidentally)
When I went back to the shop to pick up the bike and kicked it over, we realized it wasn't idling anywhere close to normal. My mechanic then pulled the carb and discovered a considerable amount of DIRT IN THE FLOAT BOWL. After some furthur adjustment to the carb,we re-fired the bike. My mechanic then said that the main bearing in the lower end sounded strange. He pulled the timing cover off and saw that the MAIN BEARING IN THE LOWER END WAS COMPLETELY WORN OUT. (Had I managed to ride the bike for any time at all, there is no doubt we would have lost the entire lower end!) Luckily, this was discovered while in the shop, rather than on the track. (His 'test ride' should have revealed this.) I now have to pay my mechanic to fix the problems that, frankly shouldn't exist.
So at this point, I have a bike that Mr. Harris claimed was ready to ride, that's spent more time in my mechanic's garage than in mine.
Again, the bike looks great, but I bought it to ride, not to look at.
Incidentally, I e-mailed Mark, with these same details, expressing my displeasure with the bike he sold me, and requested a partial refund. He never returned my message. (This from someone who claims to stand behind his work.)
I would think twice before purchasing a bike from this guy. (Or make sure you CLOSELY inspect any bike prior to purchasing.
BUYER BEWARE!
I hope this will be solved for the both of you and I'm sure Mark will see you angle and will try to save his reputation.
Let us know how it went.
The Shop
DeCal Works Huge Plastic Inventory of UFO and Polisport kits.
It's going to cost me $1000 for a complete engine rebuild on his "Complete Restoration".
The worst vintage deal I ever got into was with a person who so many people in the motocross scene seem to think highly of. But I guess there are quite a few wealthy people out there that made their money by dryfucking people who actually work for their money. Lesson learned.
Buying used is always a gamble.
If you want to ride them? Well... Good Luck!
First he claimed he never got my email, and this was the first he had heard of any problems. TRUTH: my email account shows his email was read. Next he said he never claimed the bike was "fully restored". TRUTH: I sent him a copy of the email he sent me claiming , using his EXACT WORDS, that it was a "Complete Restoration". He also claimed that he was going to "dial in" the carb that was full of dirt.
I find it funny that he is currently advertising a RM Suzuki as ALL ORIGINAL when it has an Acerbis front fender. I'm sure that the motor has all its original (and worn out) parts.
Regardless whether I take this guy to court or not (I still might!), I hope anyone who reads this thinks twice about buying anything from him.
As the saying goes, "When you mess with the bull, you get the horns."
BTW
I never get tired of Applegate's an Asshole threads
Vintage Iron in SoCal and they are museum quality. No this is not an advertisement, I am just saying there are restorers that know what they are doing and uphold their reputation.
Marks replied to several of my questions on Mark's and has helped me locate some hard to find Items. He's been extremely helpful on more than one occasion. I'm not coming to his defense in anyway as obviously you got screwed here.
Also Crask has high praise for Vintage Iron who might possibly be the most hated business in Vintage motocross. Read this thread for a start.
http://www.vintagemx.us/message_board/viewtopic.php?t=3156&postdays=0&p…
Pit Row
Take him to court and loose another couple of grand.
-you paid cash
-no written contract
-bike wasn't running from the start
-Probably put less amount on the pink slip then you paid LOL
-used items r sold as is
ur fucked!
A few responses to your statements
Yes, I paid cash. It's the best way to buy from private parties, and I have bought many many bikes this way, and will continue to do so.
Written Contract? If you mean a bill of sale, yes, I do have one. Does it state 'as is'? NO it does not. However, if you mean a written warranty, no I did not get one. However, I did receive emails from him attesting to a "complete restoration" which was not the case.
The bike WAS running upon delivery. I have to admit that I was influenced by the amazing appearance. When he mentioned the throttle cable issue, I gave him the benefit of the doubt. (The truth is, I haven't ridden a 2-stroke in many years and wasn't listening with as trained an ear as I should have.) After replacing the throttle cable and discovering a lot more problems, I began to realize he'd put lipstick on a pig.
He actually wrote the full price on the receipt he gave me.
It is obvious you take pleasure at others expense, how sad. Fucked? More like extremely disappointed and inconvenienced.
Stupid? Well before you start pointing fingers, go back and re-read your own post. (I'm guessing English wasn't your favorite subject...)
Best wishes to your brother, and good luck on the whole 'boobies' thing.
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