J & P Cycles

J&P were very helpful with the return. Return form and postage paid address sticker were included with the spokes, so I am headed for the post office soon to return them.
Called Buchanan awhile ago and the spokes will ship out to me tomorrow. - Ryder

He's building an Akront Rim and alloy hub for Dyna-Annie (down below>scroll> Evo's thru '99).

Return form and postage paid address sticker were included with the spokes

Return form and postage paid adress sticker?? Where'd this all come from? L.L. Bean doesn't even do that...and their so-wired....they even know who you are as soon as they answer the phone.
Guess the motorcycle industry is setting some new standards.
http://www.jpcycles.com/

Yeah, J&P always sends a return address (stating NO POSTAGE PAYMENT DUE) with an order, along with a very short form to show why it is being returned. This is all on the backside of the invoice and is perforated so that you detach it and keep the invoice when you return an item(s). The policy is to return it within 120 days or else they charge a 15% restocking fee. That's way more than fair.
Class act in my opinion. I just hand the return off at postal and pay nothing - Ryder

Never happens to me that way...I ALWAYS paid return postage...then on top of that that they charge...usually $6.00...return/restocking fee...and I usually do not wait 1 day...I hate that, but after a time or two you learn to check and triple check and then order the right part the first time...they are helpful though, got to give that to them...money hungry bastards.....

I have never dealt with J&P, but I have often admired the business sense of its founder.

All should remember that when dealing with mega-distributors like J&P,.. or (insert favorite pulp catalog),.. or even Tedd, you are dealing with them for convenience.

They make money by providing service, and they commonly charge for everything they do.

If you are an individual and not a business, then you can avoid restocking charges by dealing with your local independent dealer. They can help you avoid ordering the wrong part, and take responsibility when they do.

But why deal with megamiddlemen, when you can often go straight to the source (like Buchanan's)? Those huge catalogs make it too easy not too.

That funny plastic box with the big eye before you will get you to the best providers of services and hardware on the planet. They are small businesses, cottage industries, and individuals.
Its a minor inconveniece to find them, but well worth while. Especially considering the megamarts inflate their prices for the same products dramatically!

.....Cotten

http://www.buchananspokes.com/ ...wheels of our industry.
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And, least we forget to mention the shop that's local (by telephone) to everyone...where you're going to get parts that are packed by an actual antique enthusiast with conscience of moral aspect, and maybe, if they have time, if you've made a purchase (which is why you called), some good direction, if you're a new builder. You'll need to buy the catalog. There's an OEM/Kick-Start part number conversion section in it that makes finding the page you need easy. Catalog No. 8 is the latest one I have. Nowdays, I think the catalog is just one volume that's perpetual, since they carry a finite number of parts found to be necessary for repair of 36-47 OHV, '30-48 74 & 80 Flathead and '29-73 Flathead 45. No belt drive primary parts. A cheap quik-reference that's also a historic Q&A of some of the early problems and solutions.
Kick-Start M/C Parts (616) 245-8991 M-F, 10-5, Wyoming, Michigan, USA

I couldn't decipher a bit of Kirk's post,
but I can endorse Kick-Start M/C Parts (616) 245-8991 M-F, 10-5, Wyoming, Michigan, USA for personal mail-order service.

But please be aware that his selection is still the pretty much the same.

His catalog is the absolutely the most informative!

....Cotten

[Pa]

Man Cotten !! I love your first reply ! It was right on target ! Well spoken !!!! And yes... Kick Starts catalog has always been very useful and informative. Pa

The problem I have is there are no independent dealers in my area...Hell man, it's WV for Christ's sake...there's only an HD dealer that I would rather not ride than deal with...need that KickStart catalog if it is that good...saw his ad in a book I read recently...Mr. Cotten, great float...thanks.

Hate to tell you this fella's.

I won't ever deal with J&P ever again...why??

Smart ass technicial service...

I called J&P from here in Germany...asked a Specific question about a part for my WLA......hang on I'll put you in touch with the tech dept...

Tech Dept...Oh yea ..that is the correct part for your bike and will just hook right up.........Bull.

OK Parts come.......ain't what I ordered, called back.....OK tech dept again..

Answer from the fella at Tech Dept....

Any competent mechanic that can use a multi-meter and read a wiring schematic should be able to figure it out.

Screw them. I for one will not do any business with them...

Sorry to vent.....and I am sure that there's many that does business with them and gets good service from them....

BUT when I pay for something that I call and ask about just to make sure that it it the correct item before I do order it and have problems with it.......I sure don't need a line of lip.....

George in Germany

[Pa]

Skip........45" Parts Depot is opening a stateside store just north of you in Warren, Ohio. Should be available, as I understand it, for walkin customers, before winter ends. I'm not sure where exactly in WV you are but if you go up the panhandle and cross over the Ohio River there, into East Liverpool, Ohio, you can jump on Ohio state route 11 north and just follow the signs to Warren. I can make it there where I am at in about 1/2 an hour. Then again....I can make it to Cass, WV in about 4-1/2 hours. Pa

I am in Parkersburg...about 1 1/2 to 2 hours from East Liverpool...thanks for the info...will make it a point to frequent that establishment...Warren is the place the postal service had the big unvailing of the motorcycle stamps isn't it...wife had to go...man that Elkins ride and the one to Cass is unbeliveable isn't it!....stop by sometime on your way...always ready for a trip...Skip

To George in Würzburg!

What sence does it make to call the US if you got good people around the corner??
It happens to me all the time that i get customers with complains from Ebay etc. but would thea try the Custom Shop in their own Town? No Way!!
What i am trying to say here: Look in your hood for the right people( real ones you can talk to, and advise is allmost anytime for free!!)

George: I know what you mean...last winter I was rebuilding my front end and called the tech dept. to make sure about the seals, caps, fork cups, etc...one "gentleman" told me I had several wrong peices ordered and in turn reordered the "correct" ones for me...paid the extra $24 to have the overnighted...I hate waiting...a thing that cost me my career in the military...well that and my complete disregard for authority...any way, when they got here everything was wrong...nothing fit and I was to say the least pissed a little...so with my mental state in question I called J & P...only to get a WOMAN!...well she soon put me in my place and had me in awe of her intellegence...she saw from my previous slections that I had had the correct ones to begin with and sent them to me post paid...and for the first time no restocking fee...not over night though...so I guess the point to my ramblings is there are some there that know and care about what they choose to do there...I will not deal with them again because of another issue here recently.....but I can be an ass...Skip

http://www.wwag.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/ ... wo/Main.wo
Nice city, Wuerzburg. Wide river. Big warehouse. Nice people. Lotsa' parts.

skip
Funny you should mention the motorcycle stamps. I was in the post office to pick up some more MC stamps yesterday and was told that they have been discontinued.

I do frequent the W&W Cycles fellas in Wuerzburg, for advice and sometimes parts for the bobber project.

Paul Jung, at W&W Cycles, super super nice guy........ I have seen him race his bike.

Seen him many many times for advice. He's also the man that lapped and fitted my engine's sprocket and pinon shaft and bearings...

Paul, and Rudy and many other's that are working there are always quick to give advice and help.

Masterblaster......If I knew of a Custom Shop in my area...yes sir I would love to have one in my area, but I don't know of one....that is reasonably near where I live...

George in Germany

Curt:

If you are truly interested send me your address and I will get you a plate(the book size only uncut)...have several framed myself...wife works in a VERY small rural PO and they should have some left...Skip