Captainkirk

Emails and phone calls have gone unanswered. Since I had the owner's "permission" (prior to commencing work on his Second Gen VR) to sell off his parts on the First Gen VR (and split the profits) I will now assume it is OK to keep all the profits; at least until the bill is satisfied. I'd like to offer up any parts to you guys first before I hit up eBay. I've had some of them in your classified section before, but not sold anything. Nevertheless; I'd rather see some of you guys get them first. I'll be selling parts as I dismantle the bike. For any specific needs, PM me and I'll try to get back with you as quickly as possible. If possible, snap a pic of the part you need to help me identify it. Thanks for all your good advice previously; you really are a great bunch! Parts I do NOT have: Instrument cluster Carbs Main wiring harness Seat Rear bags Trunk bag Radio Battery These I know for sure are missing, unless the owner has them. Please check the Classified section for listings or PM me.

I've listed several of the parts prior to this post (and prior to the whole Second Gen. Fiasco) but I'd be willing to try it again. FYI, there is a whole 1st Gen VR for sale here, folks. Make me an offer........

Once again, thanks to all of you for your comments and suggestions. I don't want to beat this thing to death, so let's just say at this point I'll proceed with all due caution and try to stay both civil and legal. I'll also give this guy one final chance to make things right. I'd thought about asking for the title to the other VR so I could legally auction off the parts, but I fear that might make him think I've accepted that as a viable (read: acceptable) alternative. Believe me, I'd rather have the cash. Besides, it costs money to list parts on eBay whether they sell or not, and I'm remiss to go even more in the hole on this deal. I may not have a choice, though. If anything of any magnitude happens, I'll be sure to let you all know the outcome. Those of you who work on OPM's (Other People's Motorcycles) please be careful. Whatever you do, don't release the machine until the check clears or the cash is in your wallet! So many people find a barn-fresh bike out there that doesn't run, and are sooooo pleased with themselves when they chew the owner down to a steal of a price....and then expect to get it up and running for a song. In this guy's case, the cost of parts & repairs on the first Venture would've exceeded $1500.00. For less than that I hooked him up with a Second Gen. Venture that ran, but needed some work. (And this is my thanks!.....and No, I didn't get a finder's fee) In most cases, the potential buyer is way ahead of the game buying a running bike in good condition and paying the higher price....as in the case of the Second Gen VR. The reason I mention this is because next time someone springs a hare-brained idea like this (I'll get it cheap, you fix it cheap for me!) tell them to go jump. It doesn't usually work that way. And your friend is only your friend as long as you give him something for nothing, or cheap. Sign found on Dan's Motorcycle Course site, truer words never spoken! (especially the small printing on the bottom of the sign) http://www.dansmc.com/paysign.jpg Anyway, thanks again to all of you......ride safe and keep the rubber side down!

You know what the truth is in all this but believe me, some people will say anything (true or not), even when under oath. My point is, you have no idea what this guy might say, and you don't want to put yourself in a situation where you have actually done something wrong. Just be careful about selling parts off that other bike. Good point. Hadn't even thought of that angle. By the way, have you ever mentioned small claims to him or offered some sort of payment arrangement, or even offered a reduced payoff? Even half of something is better than all of nothing. Yes, I knocked off $200.00 off the initial bill, offered for him to pay me a couple hundred and make payments when he could, and finally, told him give me $500.00 and we'd call it even. He responded by offering me "equipment" which he sells, of which I had no use for, and told him that the whole reason I worked the side biz was for extra money. I haven't heard from him since. Few people left in the world that has a conscience. I pay all my bills on time and even paid some I didn't owe or was in question. Good credibility and a good name is the pride of a family.Learned some hard lessons to. I wish I had all the money people owe me. I wish everyone lived by your philosophy. Capt, Good on you for not immediately posting this person's name and address. That is a class act on your part. yes there are two sides, but this sounds pretty cut and dried. My aim was not to trash this guy over the internet. I don't know his motives for non-payment and it's not my aim to judge the guy....I was only venting and asking opinions of my peers. I'm sorry to hear you got stiffed, but what were you thinking? Even not knowing he would be remiss, what if it had been stolen from your driveway,, you would have legally owed him the whole value of the bike!!! Another good point. Thanks for bringing it up.

Thanks to all those who offered their advice and comments. I'm aware of the small claims option. I'm choosing not to exercise it at this point in time for two reasons; 1) Red Tape. I am not licensed as a small business, and as was previously mentioned, judges are not too sympathetic in he said/she said cases such as these. Also, I work out of my own garage, in a residentially zoned district. You don't run into the arena waving a red flag at the bull (judge). This could cause way more trouble than 900 smackers is worth. I know the guy has enough money to have given me at least something since last June; he's choosing to ignore the situation and hoping it (and myself) will go away. As I mentioned, I'll not work on his machine again, unless he comes clean with me, pays up his account, and pre-pays all future deals. Given what I've seen in the past, I doubt this will ever come to pass. Chalk up $900.00 as tuition to the School of Harde Knox. 2) I still have a trump card. I have, in my possession, his other motorcycle, an early Venture Royale he bought to restore but after checking into it I told him it would cost more to rebuild than it was worth. Though I don't have the title, I can ebay the parts off this machine (at my expense, naturally) and try to recoup some of the loss. This much I intend to do. As for ratting the guy out, I know I should. But I don't know his personal or financial situation (although he appears to be much better off than I am.....I'm the one working late nights in the garage for extra cash) but we all know people are not always as they appear to be. For the protection of others in the Chicago area who work on Ventures and might get a phone call seeking services, however, I'll offer up this; PM me, tell me the person in question's name, and I'll tell you yes or no. That way I can't be accused of slandering or personal attacks. You can do as you choose at that point. I just don't want anyone else to get burned. Once is enough. (Psssst...wanna buy some Venture parts?)

....don't pay me at all. I guess that's the thinking, anyway. I did some work for a local Venture owner (sad to say, a member on this forum, although I don't think he's ever posted here-he registered after I recommended the site to him) last summer. Let me start at the beginning. I am a professional mechanic for a living (not motorcycles) who also happens to be be a bike owner, rider and mechanic. I decided to open a little side biz working on bikes to earn a little cash on the side (mostly to support my bike hobby!) and invested in a Handy Lift and a lot of tools for my home shop. I took on a job on this guy's Venture with a whole laundry list of problems to fix. He dropped off the bike around the first of June last year with a $50.00 deposit for parts & whatnot. He knew up front I charged $40.00/hr, and as I worked off the problems I informed him as to what had been done, and what was left. He kept adding on things to fix as we went along. At the end of the first week I'd already used up the deposit money on fluids, parts, etc, and I called him up and informed him that I'd need more money if there were any more parts needed. I mentioned that the labor bill was starting to "get up there" (it was about $400.00 at that point) but he brushed it off and laughed...."I'm not worried about it" were his exact words.... Now I can see why. I carried on with the work, paring it down to a wiring nightmare issue somebody else had Frankensteined together, and an intermittant CLASS system problem that went from not working at all, to working most of the time. In the end, the bill was around $800.00. I had kept in touch via emails after the bill hit the $500.00 mark with no negative responses. About the third week of June he called saying he needed the bike for a weekend jaunt and wanted to pick it up Friday; he'd bring a check. OK, fine. But I wasn't going to be home; I was going to a car show. He asked if I'd leave the bike outside. No problem, I said. I'll leave the invoice on the instrument panel. Just leave the check in my mailbox. Well, you guessed it. No check. He'd respond to my emails alright, offering excuses and apologies, but nothing else. My last contact with him was a week before Christmas, hinting I could really use the money for the Holidays. More excuses, more apologies. But no money. The bill was almost $900.00 by hours worked. I'd knocked off over $200.00 due to the fact there was some head-scratching involved and that the CLASS system was still intermittant. The bill reflected this credit. Now, part of this is, naturally, my fault. I never should have released the bike without payment, "friend" or not. But I had more work coming in, no room to store the bike, and ........he was a "friend". Maybe he felt like he didn't need to pay me, as I was not a "professional" motorcycle mechanic? Maybe he had good intentions.....but we all know what the road to hell is paved with..... Maybe he thought that, as an acquaintance, I should sacrifice my family time for his hobby? Maybe he had no intention of paying the bill in the first place (as my wife believes) and played me for a sucker? I run a clean business. I email my customers with progress updates several times a week complete with photos and keep in phone contact. My invoices are detailed and professional. I guess the reason for this post is (1) to vent, and (2) to advise you guys out there to keep in touch with your mechanic, don't give carte blanche unless you intent to pay for it, and in the end, if you owe it, be a man, suck it up and pay it. I would've happily taken partial payments or made arrangements or even adjusted the bill if there was any dissention about any particular items. His silence on the matter indicates there was not. But to blow me off completely shows me there was really never any intention to pay up to begin with. (3) Your mechanic doesn't work on other people's bikes as a hobby or excuse to get away from his family. He's trading time he could be relaxing, spending time with family, or even working overtime at his "real" job. He's trading that, in the hopes you will play square with him and compensate him for the time he invested in YOUR hobby. Yeah, I know I could drag the guy into small claims, or begin and continue harrassing him with emails, letters or phone calls, or make threats. But that's just not my way of doing business. He has, however, lost a mechanic in the future, unless he squared up with interest and late fees, and paid for future work UP FRONT. So, guys, remember this when your favorite wrench asks for a deposit, or payment in full on delivery. He's not being a jerk. He's protecting his interests. Sad to say, out of all my customers, the Venture rider is the only one who stiffed me. I would appreciate any and all comments and opinions on this thread.

By "airplane gas" he is no doubt referring to 100LL Avgas. 100LL tends to resist oxidation and chemical breakdown much longer than conventional autogas. The only problems I see with running Avgas are; 1) may react to certain compsites and rubber compounds differently than autogas 2) 100LL (low lead), while labeled a "low lead" gasoline, is so called due to comparison to other aviation gasolines in production at the time of it's introduction; namely 100/115 Avgas, and 115/130 Avgas (both no longer in production). 100LL Avgas has FOUR TIMES the amount of tetraethyl lead than leaded premium autogas. If you're running a cat or "lead-free" exhaust valves I wouldn't make a habit of burning it. That being said, If you're not running a cat, one gallon in the tank won't hurt.