Good job you not in with the Angels mate. That shyster would be limping for life. So sorry your the victim of fraud. Nobody deserves that treatment. We all feel for you kidda.
Costumize the next bike yourself.. you seem handy enough to do it! and it makes for some great content :).. Most "costumization" is bolt on stuff/powdercoating parts anyway. Special parts like seats / panels / paintjobs you can bring to the "best" guys that there are.. and make it your own.
What has the world come to?! Everywhere you go these kind of people insult your intelligence. I hope you get everything sorted and get ypur hard earned money back.
NEVER pay up front! Years ago I'd gone through a similar situation with a shop I knew and trusted. Substitute a rare snrf model 356 for the Interceptor. I paid the agreed upon restoration price 'up front'. We shook hands on the agreement. Unbeknownst to me, the craftsmen that were to do the work left, then the shop declared bankrupcy.. the shop owner had sold hard to replace parts before I was able to get the car back, in pieces. I eventually finished the project, my faith in the handshake had evaporated.. As usual, it's buyer beware.
I applaud your stoicism, Andy. Your attitude is bang on: yes, it's a lot of money, but life is short and you will (eventually) have a unique Interceptor that will bring you immense pleasure. A refreshingly honest review of your woes, the revenue from which will hopefully offset some of the expenditure on the bike. All the best from the Algarve. RocketMan :)
@UCujJWNWufDSjqH-_I4Nck6g how much space in your grey matter has the construct of stoicism taken? Plenty of room left to fill i would say 😁...spend some time in Athens as opposed to the Algarve...you've earnt it
It's not bang on they were fucking him over every way they could they just saw a guy walking over with money an immature individual that doesn't know when to get up and go from a place where he was not treated properly
Well done to Chris for stepping up to the plate to fix a problem that wasn't even his. As for chasing the £600 VAT in small claims I think I would be pursuing the other £4500 too, if you had a contract to complete the work for £4K how on earth can the total be £8500 ? sounds like a government contract.
The original quote of £4,000 with all the paint work, shocks, exhaust etc was enough to make me shy away from doing it. But for a dealer to agree a price and then double it and some is outrageous. The dealership was obviously sinking already and ripping people off to try and save themselves. It is a lesson for all of us. Thanks for sharing your nightmare.
Exactly Boyd, These clowns get your bike and hold it hostage. They see a passionate rider, that has his bike bastardized, in bits, and use his passion against him. The poor victim just wants his scooter completed. At that weak point, these vultures swoop in. In most US states, on a written contract, they cannot exceed 10% of the agreed upon price, without written approval as an addendum to the original contract. Of course, a company that goes bankrupt, you're pretty much screwed. Can't squeeze blood from a turnip.
Im glad i watched this, your experience will help others. Always get your full quote in writing, Honda for instance insist all their dealers do this to avoid this sort of scam. I just cant beleive what happened have you reported to trading standards, if not you should
And this is the reason I will always do things myself. I appreciate that not everyone has the skill, however you learn as you go. Pretty sure you would of been able to remove parts like tank/side panels and find a reccomended painter/sprayer, remove parts for powder coating (chops has a mate) loads of companies about that do custom seats (Tom Hurley) and even putting a shout out on here for help with the more techy bits would of saved you thousands and got what you wanted and right 1st time. 8K custom work on a 6k bike is just ridiculous and you should of no way paid the other 4k.
The world needs more Chris’s… what a top fella. Andy, what a nightmare for you. Hopefully the end result is some reward for all the tribulations. Thankyou for the honest and open film of the story. 👍
Its funny, but another guy called Chris saved me from a monstrous RE warranty disaster - it makes you think you can trust any Chris to do right with you 😀
You know this is an incredible video because it speaks to so many people out there that deal with the SAME stuff from dealers. It's unfortunate that a lot of what has been described here is SOP for many dealers. Delays, markups, poor to no communication, etc. Thanks for making this video, makes the ones who deal with this stuff feel we're not alone!
I would just like to say What a true gentleman Chris is, almost chokes me up, takes me back to the old days when people used to look out for each other.
@@WyreForestBiker I suppose that's true, the internet has made the world a scary place, all these horrible things that happen around the world probably always went on, but we never really heard of them.
@@bigbadwolf200335 Throughout history people have always eulogized about the past , Steven Pinker's ' The Better Angels of Our Nature ' sums it up well .
You're handling it better than I would have. They shouldn't have subbed the work out without informing you, once the original £4,000 budget had been reached you should have been informed of any ongoing costs. Charging £1000 for that exhaust, at least Dick Turpin wore a mask. Fair play to Chris though for stepping in.
I have to say I massively appreciate your consistent politeness and bearing of no ill will to people involved - incredibly respectful, kind and decent of you. It’s a lot of money being thrown around or possibly nicked and it’s good to see that you’re pursuing some sort of justice while remaining perfectly reasonable and kind. Another lovely example of humanity in Chris as well, nice to see that people just help other people out
@@TheMissendenFlyer I'm so happy you think that :) Hopefull and happy, as I've got you I wanna say thanks for making biking look so appealing - I got my first 125 in September and have loved every bloody minute on the thing - A2 this summer, thanks mate
That was one of the most honest videos I've seen on TH-cam. It details a narrative that can happen to any of us and therefore I feel invested in it. That chap Chris is an absolute gem too. It's almost as if the bike is secondary to the drama now which is interesting in itself. Thank you for sharing.
A lot of people wouldn't have had the honesty to post a video like this, Andy. It says a great deal for your character that you did, and may well save others from similar misfortunes. Chris is a gem for saving your bike from the Receiver and agreeing to carry on at cost, I really hope it goes well from now on. OK it will have cost you north of £15K but you will have a unique bike built to your personal spec and that was never going to be cheap even without the shafting that appears to have gone on. As someone else said, life is short so live it it while you can - you will love the bike when it's done. At the end of the day with any luck it probably won't have cost you too much more than if the work had been professionally costed and carried out by a competent custom shop - customisation is labour intensive so is never cheap. The bike will be unique to you, you'll love it, and the money is just the money - it's the price dreams cost.
A lot of money go's around in that world and even more of shafting people. I saw that with the last place I was working, costumers ordering easily for 25.000 euro of parts, but when the bill comes there is always a problem. Luckily my boss never released anything before the full bill was paid. It is not always the shop that is shafting people, costumers can do the same. My wages where always correct and for six months I had a loner car without anything to pay, I worked there for 11 years before retirement.
How embarrassing for Chris. Sorry about your troubles. My friend taught me when your dealing with a custom shop give them a small job to start with. If they met the deadline, kept the costs in check and had good customer service then go ahead and trust them with a big more ambitious job. Hope it all works out in the end.
@@jeeves6490 is it franchise then? If not RE have no responsibility at all. Nothing illegal in sub contracting work. MF has been properly mugged off. He didn't ask who was doing the work or what customisation he actually wanted in regard to components. If it was my hard earnt money l'd itemise every part wouldn't you?
I would expect that MotoGB (official importer) have their grubby fingers behind this somewhere. My local RE dealer nearly lost everything because of them. They no longer sell RE which is a shame.
I'd be very wary about contracting out motorcycle customising or rebuilding work. I once bought a basket case Matchless G80CS in the US and thought I'd drip feed its restoration via a known restorer in Leominster. I asked him to do a mechanical restoration- not a cosmetic one - but he insisted on doing the work to his standard - not mine - and after I'd paid a number of hefty invoices, I thought I'd better go and see the bike with a knowledgeable friend to gauge its progress. We soon realised that at the restorer's prices and progress to date that I was looking at a £20k final bill. We took the bike away and had it finished off by an enthusiast - not a charlatan. As Andy and I have both found, there are unscrupulous people out there who don't operate in good faith and who feed off people like us. I'd suggest asking around to find satisfied customers before handing over your pride and joy.
Your transparency and honesty is one the reasons I watch your channel, in fact I bought my Z900rs based partly on your review and naming the best bike you rode that year. Hope you get this sorted without any more issues, cheers tmf
Well done Chris for stepping in there and offering to help. The bike will look proper once those little finishing touches are complete. One to keep and enjoy for a very long time. The situation is bad and sadly quite common with companies folding and many people losing money. I guess the overcharging may have been a desperate attempt to stay afloat. It’s not right though and sorry it happened to you.
@@ian-c.01 My guess is that it was either intentionally run to fail, or he didn’t pay his VAT bill. He may have also milked the gov Covid lockdown dosh scam. I once had a small business that bought a lot of capital equipment in one quarter, which meant that I submitted a return with more VAT claimed than paid. This resulted in a phone call which consisted of a demand to audit my business. I’d been going around six months. Two VAT inspectors traveled from Birmingham to Windsor and spent the whole morning going through my records: two folders of invoices and a shoe box of receipts! They left satisfied yet disappointed, because everything of course was 100% in order.
@@TheMissendenFlyer They are most likely very poor Business people who liked the idea of a Motorcycle Dealership but had not got a clue of how to run it or a clue about money. Most likely they got into it without a Financial sound Business Plan or Back up Plan!!
It’s a real shame to hear the story of the Intercepted Interceptor. I had a similar experience with a classic car restoration shop that was charging for work before it was done, so that they could pay their employees, or buy parts for other customers’ cars. Robbing Peter to pay Paul. Eventually they went bust too, and friends rescued my car. Lesson learned - the next car I restored, I did it myself.
Hi Andy, thanks so much for sharing! Having watched you for as long as I have (and as such kind of knowing you!) I can imagine how frustrating and painful this saga must have been. To present such a candid summary of events is generous indeed. Cheers, Chris
Andy, not easy for you to have to tell this very frustrating story but good on you for being honest and forthright about it. Useful warning to others to be careful in such circumstances. I hope you get some form of resolution and reparation. Keep up the good work.
Don’t feel too bad or depressed about all this Andy. Most of us who have had bikes for years have had a situation which has been costly and left a bad taste in our mouths. The main thing is you’ve got the bike safe, it will be finished and you’ve met a good bloke who has helped you out. It’s just money after all. In the meantime I must thank you because any urge I ever had to customise my Interceptor has now disappeared and I intend to enjoy it in completely standard form!! Best wishes mate from Australia.
Sorry for hearing about this Andy, I’ve know the owner of the bike den for 5 years, had 2 bikes off them and they had done all my services. I’ve been waiting for parts, for 3 months, was repeatedly told that they hadn’t arrived, called the supplier and they arrived 2 months ago and were returned for credit to buy someone else’s parts with! And to make things worse had paid upfront since I knew and trusted them. They didn’t even inform the supplier of all the clothing in the store that they had gone into liquidation and he had 15k worth of stock in the store
Just shows how vital it is to have a watertight contract detailing the exact works and agreed total cost. With that in hand you can use the court to help retrieve the bike if the bill suddenly doubles. Sadly most people are just too trusting.
Well done to Chris for rescuing the Interceptor, and he sounded quite embarrassed for what had happened, even tho none of it his fault. Good luck with your small claims, but wonder how many others are claiming too. Thanks for keeping us informed and not hiding any facts, and keeping your anger down lol.
Can’t help but admire the way you both dealt with this and gave a brief but very thorough and professional take-through of all that happened. Enjoy the bike mate, and don’t let the experience spoil the ownership of it 👍
Wow….what seemed like a fairly straight forward project has turned into a nightmare. I’m sure you’re happy with Chris’ action and his commitment to complete the work. Look forward to seeing the final outcome. The colour combo looks excellent!!!👍
Well that all looks like a nightmare and is a salient lesson in the costs of customising your bike if your not doing the works yourself. For that type of total cost you could have purchased a Triumph bobber or similar. I sympathise Andy and thanks for being so honest about it all, hopefully Chris will sort it all out.
Wow, absolutely speechless. I think Royal Enfield should be stepping in here to help you, either with free parts or compensation of some kind, after all its their dealer network and they recommended them for the custom work. Chin up my friend, it will all work out in the end.
Thanks for sharing this. It's helpful for any of us who might be thinking of getting some custom work done. Huge kudos to Chris who really saved the day, especially rescuing your bike before the locked up the dealership.
Really sorry to hear your tale of woe with your RE Interceptor, the fact it was an RE dealer that 'ripped you off' is truly depressing especially as it happened to someone like yourself who is an ambassador for all of us bikers , I take my hat off to you for having the 'cajones' to bare all via your channel, I only hope that that your man Chris saves the day and produces the 'Scramtracker' you always envisaged .
I looked at getting them for my Blackbird as a second set of front indicators but was told they are illegal. Not sure I'd trust them as the sole indicators for the very reason you said!
Exactly. I would recommend the Motogadget M-Blaze Pin turn signals. They are tiny and very bright. Could be mounted directly to the headlight brackets. Some nice examples if you do an image search.
There are some indicators that are part of the headlight- a ring on the side of each side lights up to indicate. One way to not have indicators sticking out while being more visible than the little ones on the bar ends.
What an absolute nightmare......Two and half years, small claims court and at a hefty price. I do love what you have done and looking forward to seeing the finished bike. I doubt you will be customising again? I admire your patience. Kudos to Chris
I'm not so certain that your man Chris there is the 'knight in shining armour' that you think he is. The work was carried out by him in the first place and the workmanship was appalling. Things shouldn't be loose, such as the indicators and mirrors, things should work. This isn't the case. I do wonder if you aren't being a wee bit naive in thinking that he is the hero of this piece. I assume that he owns the entire building seeing that he had access to it even when the receivers were active, and that in the video you were clearly standing in the old RE dealers part. I imagine he will assist you to the best of his abilities now, but I have my doubts about his role in the past. It will all become clearer in the court room I imagine.
Yeah I bet Chris only fixed it because otherwise it would have made him look bad. Funny how originally it took him a year but he could completely redo the bike in something like 10 days once it was his name on the line and not RE
Wow, Many Thanks for being so honest regarding the costs. Thank god that dealership is out of business. No idea how you kept so calm while presenting your video. Hope you get your interceptor back soon and it's finally to your specification.
Andy, I'm shocked by this video, and how you were treated. Chris is a hero. Sorry, you got ripped off mate. Thanks for this video keep us updated Good luck.
Don’t think the side logo is too bad, the rear mud guard is a must , protects that rear light from loose stones and mud.The side plate is a cop magnet for sure . Rest of it is very nice ! Sad that people rip you off in life though.
What an absolute nightmare. I really feel for you and respect you for your honesty and sharing it with us. What a bunch of crooks! I hope you can still enjoy the bike when it finally gets done.
I can't even imagine the frustration, hats of to you for handling it so well. When finished it will look absolutely stunning with the look you've chosen
I think you remained remarkably calm about it all, what a bunch of expletives the Bike Den were ! It's good that you're highlighting the possible pitfalls of getting custom work done 👍👍
OMG Andy sorry to hear and the price you’ve paid. Glad Chris was there to step in and assist. If you had been quoted 4k I wouldn’t have paid the extra. Hope you get it sorted the way your dreamed it would be. And hope you get the vat bit back 👍
im so sorry to hear this! For me even though the finished article will look great I wouldn't be able to let it go and it would taint the bike permanently to a point where I would sell it. Props to you for staying positive mate!
Something smelt didn’t it Andy..the dodgy Den. You’ve taken this on the chin remarkably well..good luck with the CCJ application. Such an honest and eye opener video. Don’t forget the TMF logo on the seat! I agree with another subscriber..arrange a crowd fund to pay for Chris’s labour (you’ve taken enough pain!) and a nice meal/beer too for rescuing your bike…I’d chip in. Atb.
Thats a great idea re the crowd fund. Chris has had the sh*t end of the stick twice, so lets reward a proper bloke doing a proper job. Hope he gets a load of knock on business.
Would happily throw a few quid in too, doubt I'd have even bought my bike if it wasn't for TMF reviews/updates. Even if it doesn't cover anywhere near the cost it'd be good to sort your man Chris with something nice at the end of it!
Sorry to hear the saga regarding Bikeden and the way you have been treated. Chris seems like a too bloke and very kind to help you out. May his generosity and the good publicity pay dividends for him going.into the future.
I think RE themselves need to take at least a little responsibility in this. They've been pushing the customisation angle against their brand for a while now and I'm sure the dealers are encouraged to explore it, but it's obviously still very unofficial and unorganised, and I can't help but feel maybe some dealers are getting caught up in it without really being prepared or supported by RE. Might be giving them a bit too much credit after all the markups etc.
Maybe they (RE) need to look more deeply into exactly who they are appointing as dealers? But this seems to be a multi layered FUBAR with the dealer subbing all the work without informing the client, that's just WRONG!
It never ceases to amaze me that there are shysters out there, Chris is like my company that I used to own along with my business partner , when we hit a troubled period we never knocked our suppliers or our employees even though we weren’t getting paid ourselves. Chris is a top bloke , I feel your pain Andy and I’m surprised that you were that cheerful to be honest.
That totally sucks. I think I would have pulled the plug when they asked for the 2nd £4k. A little overspend is one thing, but double... it's not a government contract. Any work I have done, I always say to call for confirmation before extra work/cost. The bike is looking good though. Well done to Chris for rescuing it.
Just watched the video... I really am dumbstruck by the horrific nature of this unbelievable situation. I am struck by how gentlemanly you have behaved in all this. Speaks well of your character and integrity. Chris is quite a gentleman himself... rescuing your bike and setting things right. Thanks for sharing this story... will be helpful to us.
Hi Andy, So sorry that this happened to you. Rewatching the unveiling video, I can only admire your and Mrs F's restraint back then. No idea how you can remain so sensible after all that has happened in this one. Hope you get the VAT situation sorted and those who have done this to you, and quite possibly others, are brought to book. Gutted for you. Thanks for running such a terrific channel. Best wishes, Peter
Hi Andy, words fail me, shafted is about right, my heart goes out to you and hope you get sorted, a lesson to be learnt, the hard way unfortunately, to only for you but everyone out there who is considering this type of venture, all the best, D
Lot of money (sounds too much) but custom is expensive. Chris seems an upfront person and hopefully you soon have your bike back all finished and you can enjoy the ride
Beside of chopped frame there was no customization. Plain paint and bolting on bits and pieces does not count, this is "personalization" worth 1/4 he paid to these thiefs.
Ooof! I think you've been more than fair in your summation of the original builders Andy. To ME it seems like they've been 'at it' (double charging VAT, mark up on parts, adding extra to labour rates etc) Ripped off indeed! What a shambles. Commiserations Andy. Still, at least you found one star to help you put things right! Well done that man.
Can't fault your respectfulness and patience. My first bike is a Royal Enfield Interceptor 650. It's a fabulous machine and a head turner, I ride with a few friends, all riding more modern naked bikes, yet it's the old Interceptor that gets all the questions when we park up, my bike is completely stock.We have a similar RE dealer operating in my area who offers custom work. My friend took his continental GT 650, and they ruined the bike completely. It was supposed to make it look even more like a cafe racer but destroyed the bikes suspension and handling in the process. I tend to live by the old addage "if it ain't broke don't fix it". Nice having a project bike, but do the work yourself. At least you know what quality to expect, then.
Remember, you don’t have to pay everything by credit card. The important thing is that part of the cost is settled by credit card. Then the provisions of Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 (as amended) apply. Remember, the goods/services have to exceed £100. For values less than that, Paypal may be the way to go.
What a horrible experience, thank goodness Chris retrieved the Enfield! Thanks for all your positivity and enthusiasm in the face of adversity! BEST WISHES for a good outcome 👍
Wow Andy! Sorry for the troubles. Hopefully Chris will get it straightened out. Ran into the same problems with my wife’s Camaro when I had work done on it. It can be so frustrating. Chris seemed like a great guy so hopefully better days are ahead. You have really taken the high road with this video. A testament to your character brother!
Really feel for you Andy and have got to admire your willingness to share the whole story, and what a story. Thanks for pointing out and maybe saving someone else from a similar experience. All the best with the bike when you eventually get it back and hope it’s all that you were hoping for 👍🏼
Hats off to how calmly you have taken all this Andy. Each to their own mate but I personally would have kept the Enfield as it was esp as how little use it gets and used the £8500 to upgrade the gs1200
Oh man, that's horrible. Many people think they can play this game for their benefit but it never lasts long. I truly hope you're happy with the end result eventually and thanks for making this video, it's good to make people know the risks if they're considering a similar move.
What a nightmare Andy. I was looking at their website a few weeks ago, and your bike was pictured with a POA price !!!! In your normal gentlemanly way, you are being too nice about the Dealer! They were out to rip you off from day 1, but I’m sure you don’t need me to remind you of that! Great channel mate, keep going. All the Best
Just one of the many other things (that I didnt mention in the video) that I put up with from The Bike Den - I was very unhappy about them pretending my bike was for sale and told them so on several ocassions, including in writing.
Andy your attitude and way you are handling this is an absolute credit to the decent man you are. Chris seems a dammed decent fella with a genuine passion and concern for his customers which should be applauded.
I am amazed at your sanguine attitude to all this. I hope,in the end, that the bike will turn out as you hoped, and although you will have lost a lot financially, you’ll get a lot of pleasure out of it. Thanks for the fantastic content. Love your channel.
Hats off to Chris, proper gentleman, Steve came across ad a "Del boy", when he first appeared on camera, asking for another 4000 when you picked the bike up, was not what was quoted, I would have not given the extra over & immediately got the cops involved, the machine is legally yours so you were entitled to take it away, then let Steve pursue you for the extra 4 grand, law was on your side, but hindsight is never realistic. Chris had demonstrated honourability, so stick with him, the bike will look good in the end, but you derived far better treatment, all the best Andy 👍👍
Well Chris, I have enjoyed all your videos, really informative, and nice presentation. Right that the bull shit out of the way! Up here in't the North we would say, "you have more money than sense?" It all turned pair shaped for me, when the dealer said we will put nobbles on, not what tyres do you want on? I'm honestly at a loss, how you handed over all that money, when every thing that was done to the bike, was after market off the shelf stuff, and nothing that you could not have done your self, or farmed items out your self. Maybe you are the face of modern bikers, it's a bad day at black rock, when you cannot take on an easy parts swap by your self, I'm at a loss mate, but ride safe..
Great video, with a story many of us can empathise with after being shafted by swindling dealers. Hope this gives Chris the positive PR he deserves. Its so often the case where you have genuine mechanics who care about the work, getting caught up in the politics and poor service of the dealership who they work for...
@@TheMissendenFlyer Was it the case that Chris wasn't being paid for work done, and that caused the "breakdown in relationship" with the Bike Den? Sure looks like it....
I feel absolutely gutted for you. I hope it will all come good for you and you’ll get the bike you originally ask for. It’s a lovely looking bike and I look forward to seeing you doing a video with a big smile on your face.
What a nightmare, clearly the original RE Shop were in financial difficulties from the first day you put your bike into their RE shop. It is a shame because for that unnecessary extra major costs you could have had it all done exactly as you wanted including big change had you realised they were Sub Contracting to Chris. I wish you luck with the final project and it looks like Chris knows what he is doing and exactly what you want! I think your bike will look great!
I think the original bike new looks nicer than the deconstructed modified cafe like look. I realize this is subjective and in the eyes of the beholder.
Kudos for posting this up, lots of people (including me) would feel embarrassed at being ripped off. Lot of money for the bike in total but it will be totally unique and if you enjoy it then it's money well spent. I really do love the colour though and styling and am sure you will enjoy it when you get it back.
What a nightmare ordeal! Kudos for the humility and patience in such circumstances; it sets a good example for us all and what a top bloke Chris is for saving your enfield!
I think this is a great lesson in customizations. If you want to have a custom bike take control of every step in the process, do it all yourself, or buy an already finished custom bike.
When the 4000 pound contract limit had been reached i am wondering why you didn't verify that the work had been done. There is no way I would have honored the second payment unless you had an agreement that things might cost more. Sorry for your experience with such a dishonest person. Hopefully you will get it finished and be able to enjoy it. Props to Chris for stepping up on a problem that wasn't really his !
That's terrible. Sorry to hear you've been put through the ringer with the custom work TMF. As always, you've handled it like a true gent and I applaud your restraint! Chris is a star too, diving in and rescuing your bike from the bailiffs. Hope it works out soon and you're on the road with it for the spring.
Very good of you to share what was obviously a very embarrassing situation for anyone to find themselves in. These things can happen in any business, we learn by our mistakes. Customising bikes can involve a number of people, so you gotta look them up, get the bits, and bolt them on. Preparation is key. A guy who does paint. A guy who does exchausts Etc Etc I would have thought 2k max would have been sufficient. I've never trusted Bespoke services, to me, they're simply middle men who rarely get their hands dirty. If you want a job done right, do it yourself. Your obviously a man of integrity which is more than l can say for that SHARK you first run into. Whatever rock that guy crawled under, l hope he stays there.
Happened to me to Andy many years ago with an old Lambretta. I ended up paying twice to have it restored. First by the guy that stitched me up and secondly by the bloke that put it right in the end. The most important thing is not to begrudge the actual machine. I swore I would never get rid of mine after that and I hope I never have to. On a hot Saturday when you run it up the road to grab a bottle of wine you’ll smile and it will be worth it. All the best
Similar happened to me with a car restoration although I took the car back before prices got stupid then sent it back for work to be rectified after the original panel work wasn't right.
Looks like bowels was right. How on earth can a RE dealer go out of business given the popularity of the bikes. Plain crap service by the looks of it. Absolutely shameless. That Enfield guy has shades of Garner about him. Good luck in getting it sorted Andy and thanks for sharing the pitfalls that can happen. 👍🏻
Very good point. How bad would you have to be to fail right now as an RE dealer? There`s a guy near me who has run a small independent motorcycle shop ,much respected and very competent ,for decades. These last few years he has become an RE dealer and his shop grows tangibly. Good luck to him and payback for all those years of providing service to owners of older bikes and their riders who would not go near a main dealer. It`s always the people that count.
From what I can see the only things, that were right ,was the tan seat ,the gold wheels & the colour green . If I had just bought a brand new RE & somebody told me they were going to chop bits off it ,they would be lucky if I didn’t have bits chopped off them ..The dumpy rear end looked a right dogs breakfast . All these characters sound nice & talk up a good job ,while they are after separating you from your bunce . The shysters responsible for your hassle & grief ,should be pacing up & down a cell in Jail . They had a brass neck charging what they did ,they took advantage of your easy going nature & your love of personalised motorcycles Mr Flyer . They are an absolute shower & deserve any & all the bad luck that is due to them . I hope you will be able to get your RE finished to your satisfaction & also restore some of your faith in human nature ,& putting this unfortunate experience behind you .👍
That was a really bitter pill to swallow TMF but I have nothing but respect for you in having the balls to publicise how you’d been duped. There aren’t many that would have gone public with this and in such a dignified and fair manner. Top man Andy and I look forward to seeing a bike that you will love as it will definitely have to be a keeper after that amount of grief and expense.
Really sorry this has happened to you. I think you are doing well keeping calm and just dealing with the nightmare. Hope it is all sorted soon and thanks for all your hard work on your channel. I hope you can really enjoy the bike once it is finished. Many thanks 🙂
I’ve watched a number of your videos over the past year or so, and this has to be one of the best. I’ve just subbed in on the back of it. Hope you finally get what you wanted from this deal. Cheers.
Fair play on sharing this horror story. There's no way I would have paid that extra 4bags, but I admire your perseverance. Fair play to Chris too. Look forward to seeing it all sorted.
Just goes to show that not everyone in the motorcycle business is out to fleece you. Chris sounds like a top man, fingers crossed it all works out for you Andy. Looking forward to finally seeing the interceptor finished.
That is crazy! Hope you get the bike back soon and it is beyond expectations this time to make up for the previous hassles. Looking forward to seeing the end product.
Chris seems like an honest and good mechanic. That dealer was shady, it can be hard to spot the signs that’s for sure! Crazy times. A bit too much drama, but it’s still a great bike.
What an absolute nightmare for you and I’m not going to help here by saying that personally I much preferred the stock bike anyway. Sorry! I appreciate that you had it done partly for the interest of the channel though so in a way its job done I suppose? How the heck can they justify £8.5k though? Criminal!
It’s good that you’ve got your bike back and are getting it finished off! Let’s hope you can get a good Summer on it! That sounds like a frustrating journey you’ve been on! Good weekend Andy!
Really sorry to hear your tale of woe Andy. I think you’ve been very generous in your consideration of the RE dealer given how they’ve behaved. I hope that when you finally get the bike back, it puts a big smile on your face.
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Thanks everyone for the kind comments - I'm struggling to answer them all but I promise I will read every one!!
Good job you not in with the Angels mate. That shyster would be limping for life.
So sorry your the victim of fraud. Nobody deserves that treatment. We all feel for you kidda.
Thanks!
Good luck, sorry you had a difficult experience.
Costumize the next bike yourself.. you seem handy enough to do it! and it makes for some great content :).. Most "costumization" is bolt on stuff/powdercoating parts anyway.
Special parts like seats / panels / paintjobs you can bring to the "best" guys that there are.. and make it your own.
What has the world come to?! Everywhere you go these kind of people insult your intelligence. I hope you get everything sorted and get ypur hard earned money back.
To be honest, those people at the RE dealer are just plain criminals. That man Chris is a gem! Big thanks TMF for this somewhat sad but honest video!!
Thank you Tom!
NEVER pay up front! Years ago I'd gone through a similar situation with a shop I knew and trusted. Substitute a rare snrf model 356 for the Interceptor. I paid the agreed upon restoration price 'up front'. We shook hands on the agreement. Unbeknownst to me, the craftsmen that were to do the work left, then the shop declared bankrupcy.. the shop owner had sold hard to replace parts before I was able to get the car back, in pieces. I eventually finished the project, my faith in the handshake had evaporated.. As usual, it's buyer beware.
@@sscbkr48 Demanding payment up front suggests an insufficiently financed operation that's always sailing close to the wind.
@@sscbkr48 what about the money?
I applaud your stoicism, Andy. Your attitude is bang on: yes, it's a lot of money, but life is short and you will (eventually) have a unique Interceptor that will bring you immense pleasure. A refreshingly honest review of your woes, the revenue from which will hopefully offset some of the expenditure on the bike. All the best from the Algarve. RocketMan :)
I agree👍
Shame you didnt applaud the interceptor the same way...A truly stoic machine
@UCujJWNWufDSjqH-_I4Nck6g how much space in your grey matter has the construct of stoicism taken? Plenty of room left to fill i would say 😁...spend some time in Athens as opposed to the Algarve...you've earnt it
It's not bang on they were fucking him over every way they could they just saw a guy walking over with money an immature individual that doesn't know when to get up and go from a place where he was not treated properly
Having 5? bikes does help though😄
Well done to Chris for stepping up to the plate to fix a problem that wasn't even his. As for chasing the £600 VAT in small claims I think I would be pursuing the other £4500 too, if you had a contract to complete the work for £4K how on earth can the total be £8500 ? sounds like a government contract.
As a tradie that's a fantastic idea to double the bill of an original quote but I doubt I'd be in business for much longer lol
Common problem, people tell u anything to get u in and then charge like wounded bulls. No Honor!
Yep there assholes.
The original quote of £4,000 with all the paint work, shocks, exhaust etc was enough to make me shy away from doing it. But for a dealer to agree a price and then double it and some is outrageous. The dealership was obviously sinking already and ripping people off to try and save themselves. It is a lesson for all of us. Thanks for sharing your nightmare.
Spot on.
Exactly Boyd,
These clowns get your bike and hold it hostage. They see a passionate rider, that has his bike bastardized, in bits, and use his passion against him. The poor victim just wants his scooter completed. At that weak point, these vultures swoop in. In most US states, on a written contract, they cannot exceed 10% of the agreed upon price, without written approval as an addendum to the original contract. Of course, a company that goes bankrupt, you're pretty much screwed. Can't squeeze blood from a turnip.
£8000. IT IS FUCKING MENTAL!!!!
Im glad i watched this, your experience will help others. Always get your full quote in writing, Honda for instance insist all their dealers do this to avoid this sort of scam. I just cant beleive what happened have you reported to trading standards, if not you should
And this is the reason I will always do things myself. I appreciate that not everyone has the skill, however you learn as you go. Pretty sure you would of been able to remove parts like tank/side panels and find a reccomended painter/sprayer, remove parts for powder coating (chops has a mate) loads of companies about that do custom seats (Tom Hurley) and even putting a shout out on here for help with the more techy bits would of saved you thousands and got what you wanted and right 1st time. 8K custom work on a 6k bike is just ridiculous and you should of no way paid the other 4k.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing!
Absolutely right, I always do my own alterations. He's been ripped off all the way.
The world needs more Chris’s… what a top fella. Andy, what a nightmare for you. Hopefully the end result is some reward for all the tribulations. Thankyou for the honest and open film of the story. 👍
Its funny, but another guy called Chris saved me from a monstrous RE warranty disaster - it makes you think you can trust any Chris to do right with you 😀
You know this is an incredible video because it speaks to so many people out there that deal with the SAME stuff from dealers. It's unfortunate that a lot of what has been described here is SOP for many dealers. Delays, markups, poor to no communication, etc.
Thanks for making this video, makes the ones who deal with this stuff feel we're not alone!
Well said
Absolutely, I have had similar issues with several workshops, they don't seem to be able to deliver on their promises.
I would just like to say What a true gentleman Chris is, almost chokes me up, takes me back to the old days when people used to look out for each other.
Amen 👌🏾 well said
Those old days that only existed in our memories ? .. always been con men around , we just get to hear the stories more easily now .
@@WyreForestBiker I suppose that's true, the internet has made the world a scary place, all these horrible things that happen around the world probably always went on, but we never really heard of them.
@@bigbadwolf200335 Throughout history people have always eulogized about the past , Steven Pinker's ' The Better Angels of Our Nature ' sums it up well .
You're handling it better than I would have. They shouldn't have subbed the work out without informing you, once the original £4,000 budget had been reached you should have been informed of any ongoing costs. Charging £1000 for that exhaust, at least Dick Turpin wore a mask. Fair play to Chris though for stepping in.
absolutely - I never would have paid above the 4k agreed, and I wouldn't have risen the bike away when it didn't meet specification
i would have burnt their place down
That Baak Exhaust is over £1,158 Euro's from Baak in a matt black finish !!!! Believe it or not, he got that cheap!!!
I have to say I massively appreciate your consistent politeness and bearing of no ill will to people involved - incredibly respectful, kind and decent of you. It’s a lot of money being thrown around or possibly nicked and it’s good to see that you’re pursuing some sort of justice while remaining perfectly reasonable and kind. Another lovely example of humanity in Chris as well, nice to see that people just help other people out
I think most people in the world are nice people - no point in holding grudges!
@@TheMissendenFlyer I'm so happy you think that :) Hopefull and happy, as I've got you I wanna say thanks for making biking look so appealing - I got my first 125 in September and have loved every bloody minute on the thing - A2 this summer, thanks mate
@@savvapistolas Great to hear! Best of luck with the A2!
That was one of the most honest videos I've seen on TH-cam. It details a narrative that can happen to any of us and therefore I feel invested in it. That chap Chris is an absolute gem too. It's almost as if the bike is secondary to the drama now which is interesting in itself. Thank you for sharing.
I'd like to say "my pleasure" but in this case pleasure has had little to do with it!
Good luck to Chris and hope this has a positive affect on his business.
Yes me too...
A lot of people wouldn't have had the honesty to post a video like this, Andy. It says a great deal for your character that you did, and may well save others from similar misfortunes. Chris is a gem for saving your bike from the Receiver and agreeing to carry on at cost, I really hope it goes well from now on.
OK it will have cost you north of £15K but you will have a unique bike built to your personal spec and that was never going to be cheap even without the shafting that appears to have gone on. As someone else said, life is short so live it it while you can - you will love the bike when it's done. At the end of the day with any luck it probably won't have cost you too much more than if the work had been professionally costed and carried out by a competent custom shop - customisation is labour intensive so is never cheap.
The bike will be unique to you, you'll love it, and the money is just the money - it's the price dreams cost.
Yep I'm with you there Vince - no one died so it's not that bad.....
More like a nightmare to me.
A lot of money go's around in that world and even more of shafting people. I saw that with the last place I was working, costumers ordering easily for 25.000 euro of parts, but when the bill comes there is always a problem. Luckily my boss never released anything before the full bill was paid. It is not always the shop that is shafting people, costumers can do the same. My wages where always correct and for six months I had a loner car without anything to pay, I worked there for 11 years before retirement.
Your patience and composure is remarkable . You're a better man than I.
This is why I like watching you so much TMF, such a gentleman, even in a crappy situation.
I would went berserker on their ass !
How embarrassing for Chris. Sorry about your troubles. My friend taught me when your dealing with a custom shop give them a small job to start with. If they met the deadline, kept the costs in check and had good customer service then go ahead and trust them with a big more ambitious job. Hope it all works out in the end.
Thats very good advice!
Good advice I wish I’d tried that with some repairs I had carried out
Or just buy a hacksaw and a 125mm grinder, spend a couple of hours on the internet, and do it yourself in your shed for peanuts.
What a fiasco. You are lucky that chap Chris saved the day. Seems like a proper solid bloke!
Couldn't agree more
Royal Enfield Uk needs to hear about this and come to the rescue. Lets hope something good comes of this in the end
Why? Nothing to do with Royal Enfield is it?
Why should they, not their responsibility
He represents RE, if he was representing my product, I would not be happy.
@@jeeves6490 is it franchise then? If not RE have no responsibility at all. Nothing illegal in sub contracting work. MF has been properly mugged off. He didn't ask who was doing the work or what customisation he actually wanted in regard to components. If it was my hard earnt money l'd itemise every part wouldn't you?
I would expect that MotoGB (official importer) have their grubby fingers behind this somewhere. My local RE dealer nearly lost everything because of them. They no longer sell RE which is a shame.
I'd be very wary about contracting out motorcycle customising or rebuilding work. I once bought a basket case Matchless G80CS in the US and thought I'd drip feed its restoration via a known restorer in Leominster.
I asked him to do a mechanical restoration- not a cosmetic one - but he insisted on doing the work to his standard - not mine - and after I'd paid a number of hefty invoices, I thought I'd better go and see the bike with a knowledgeable friend to gauge its progress. We soon realised that at the restorer's prices and progress to date that I was looking at a £20k final bill. We took the bike away and had it finished off by an enthusiast - not a charlatan. As Andy and I have both found, there are unscrupulous people out there who don't operate in good faith and who feed off people like us.
I'd suggest asking around to find satisfied customers before handing over your pride and joy.
Your transparency and honesty is one the reasons I watch your channel, in fact I bought my Z900rs based partly on your review and naming the best bike you rode that year. Hope you get this sorted without any more issues, cheers tmf
Well done Chris for stepping in there and offering to help. The bike will look proper once those little finishing touches are complete. One to keep and enjoy for a very long time. The situation is bad and sadly quite common with companies folding and many people losing money. I guess the overcharging may have been a desperate attempt to stay afloat. It’s not right though and sorry it happened to you.
Makes me wonder why an official RE dealer is going out of business after RE have had such a success with sales of the Interceptor ?
@@ian-c.01 My guess is that it was either intentionally run to fail, or he didn’t pay his VAT bill. He may have also milked the gov Covid lockdown dosh scam.
I once had a small business that bought a lot of capital equipment in one quarter, which meant that I submitted a return with more VAT claimed than paid. This resulted in a phone call which consisted of a demand to audit my business. I’d been going around six months. Two VAT inspectors traveled from Birmingham to Windsor and spent the whole morning going through my records: two folders of invoices and a shoe box of receipts! They left satisfied yet disappointed, because everything of course was 100% in order.
Yes I thought that!
@@TheMissendenFlyer They are most likely very poor Business people who liked the idea of a Motorcycle Dealership but had not got a clue of how to run it or a clue about money. Most likely they got into it without a Financial sound Business Plan or Back up Plan!!
It’s a real shame to hear the story of the Intercepted Interceptor. I had a similar experience with a classic car restoration shop that was charging for work before it was done, so that they could pay their employees, or buy parts for other customers’ cars. Robbing Peter to pay Paul. Eventually they went bust too, and friends rescued my car. Lesson learned - the next car I restored, I did it myself.
Hi Andy, thanks so much for sharing! Having watched you for as long as I have (and as such kind of knowing you!) I can imagine how frustrating and painful this saga must have been. To present such a candid summary of events is generous indeed. Cheers, Chris
Andy, not easy for you to have to tell this very frustrating story but good on you for being honest and forthright about it. Useful warning to others to be careful in such circumstances. I hope you get some form of resolution and reparation.
Keep up the good work.
Don’t feel too bad or depressed about all this Andy. Most of us who have had bikes for years have had a situation which has been costly and left a bad taste in our mouths. The main thing is you’ve got the bike safe, it will be finished and you’ve met a good bloke who has helped you out. It’s just money after all. In the meantime I must thank you because any urge I ever had to customise my Interceptor has now disappeared and I intend to enjoy it in completely standard form!! Best wishes mate from Australia.
Thanks for being so open and sorry to hear of all the challenges you have faced. It’s always difficult finding people you can trust
Sorry for hearing about this Andy, I’ve know the owner of the bike den for 5 years, had 2 bikes off them and they had done all my services. I’ve been waiting for parts, for 3 months, was repeatedly told that they hadn’t arrived, called the supplier and they arrived 2 months ago and were returned for credit to buy someone else’s parts with! And to make things worse had paid upfront since I knew and trusted them. They didn’t even inform the supplier of all the clothing in the store that they had gone into liquidation and he had 15k worth of stock in the store
.....nothing surprises me with The Bike Den now.....
Just shows how vital it is to have a watertight contract detailing the exact works and agreed total cost. With that in hand you can use the court to help retrieve the bike if the bill suddenly doubles. Sadly most people are just too trusting.
Yes I've learned the hard way....
Well done to Chris for rescuing the Interceptor, and he sounded quite embarrassed for what had happened, even tho none of it his fault. Good luck with your small claims, but wonder how many others are claiming too. Thanks for keeping us informed and not hiding any facts, and keeping your anger down lol.
Cheers Gary, getting angry rarely helps i've found.....
@@TheMissendenFlyer Nobody would blame you though for a few private effs and jeffs!
Can’t help but admire the way you both dealt with this and gave a brief but very thorough and professional take-through of all that happened. Enjoy the bike mate, and don’t let the experience spoil the ownership of it 👍
I'm afraid it already has to a large degree....
Eye opening and scary. Disgraceful how the dealer acted! Thanks for sharing this!:)
Hopefully others can learn from my mistakes!
Wow….what seemed like a fairly straight forward project has turned into a nightmare. I’m sure you’re happy with Chris’ action and his commitment to complete the work. Look forward to seeing the final outcome. The colour combo looks excellent!!!👍
Yes thank goodness Chris offerred to step in and recover the situation....
Well that all looks like a nightmare and is a salient lesson in the costs of customising your bike if your not doing the works yourself. For that type of total cost you could have purchased a Triumph bobber or similar. I sympathise Andy and thanks for being so honest about it all, hopefully Chris will sort it all out.
Wow, absolutely speechless. I think Royal Enfield should be stepping in here to help you, either with free parts or compensation of some kind, after all its their dealer network and they recommended them for the custom work. Chin up my friend, it will all work out in the end.
Thanks for sharing this. It's helpful for any of us who might be thinking of getting some custom work done. Huge kudos to Chris who really saved the day, especially rescuing your bike before the locked up the dealership.
Really sorry to hear your tale of woe with your RE Interceptor, the fact it was an RE dealer that 'ripped you off' is truly depressing especially as it happened to someone like yourself who is an ambassador for all of us bikers , I take my hat off to you for having the 'cajones' to bare all via your channel, I only hope that that your man Chris saves the day and produces the 'Scramtracker' you always envisaged .
I'd worry about those front indicators.
Drivers seem oblivious to normal ones let alone dinky ones tucked up almost behand the bar end mirrors
I looked at getting them for my Blackbird as a second set of front indicators but was told they are illegal. Not sure I'd trust them as the sole indicators for the very reason you said!
@@Arryhall True. I nearly rear ended a sportsbike at high speed due to his minute black rear indicator. Visible from 15 feet.
Exactly. I would recommend the Motogadget M-Blaze Pin turn signals. They are tiny and very bright. Could be mounted directly to the headlight brackets. Some nice examples if you do an image search.
And if you ride it in the dark? Blinding you
There are some indicators that are part of the headlight- a ring on the side of each side lights up to indicate. One way to not have indicators sticking out while being more visible than the little ones on the bar ends.
What an absolute nightmare......Two and half years, small claims court and at a hefty price.
I do love what you have done and looking forward to seeing the finished bike.
I doubt you will be customising again? I admire your patience.
Kudos to Chris
I'm not so certain that your man Chris there is the 'knight in shining armour' that you think he is. The work was carried out by him in the first place and the workmanship was appalling. Things shouldn't be loose, such as the indicators and mirrors, things should work. This isn't the case. I do wonder if you aren't being a wee bit naive in thinking that he is the hero of this piece. I assume that he owns the entire building seeing that he had access to it even when the receivers were active, and that in the video you were clearly standing in the old RE dealers part. I imagine he will assist you to the best of his abilities now, but I have my doubts about his role in the past. It will all become clearer in the court room I imagine.
Yeah I bet Chris only fixed it because otherwise it would have made him look bad. Funny how originally it took him a year but he could completely redo the bike in something like 10 days once it was his name on the line and not RE
Wow, Many Thanks for being so honest regarding the costs. Thank god that dealership is out of business. No idea how you kept so calm while presenting your video. Hope you get your interceptor back soon and it's finally to your specification.
Admire your honesty and ability to keep calm despite what that dealer did to you.
Andy, I'm shocked by this video, and how you were treated. Chris is a hero. Sorry, you got ripped off mate. Thanks for this video keep us updated Good luck.
Don’t think the side logo is too bad, the rear mud guard is a must , protects that rear light from loose stones and mud.The side plate is a cop magnet for sure . Rest of it is very nice ! Sad that people rip you off in life though.
What an absolute nightmare. I really feel for you and respect you for your honesty and sharing it with us. What a bunch of crooks! I hope you can still enjoy the bike when it finally gets done.
Does leave a bot of a bitter taste...will see how I get on with it.....
I can't even imagine the frustration, hats of to you for handling it so well. When finished it will look absolutely stunning with the look you've chosen
Thanks Martin - I think so!
I think you remained remarkably calm about it all, what a bunch of expletives the Bike Den were ! It's good that you're highlighting the possible pitfalls of getting custom work done 👍👍
Yes hence why I made the video - thought others could learn from my mistake!
OMG Andy sorry to hear and the price you’ve paid. Glad Chris was there to step in and assist. If you had been quoted 4k I wouldn’t have paid the extra. Hope you get it sorted the way your dreamed it would be. And hope you get the vat bit back 👍
im so sorry to hear this! For me even though the finished article will look great I wouldn't be able to let it go and it would taint the bike permanently to a point where I would sell it. Props to you for staying positive mate!
It has been a challenge and has left a bitter taste I must be honest....
Something smelt didn’t it Andy..the dodgy Den. You’ve taken this on the chin remarkably well..good luck with the CCJ application. Such an honest and eye opener video. Don’t forget the TMF logo on the seat! I agree with another subscriber..arrange a crowd fund to pay for Chris’s labour (you’ve taken enough pain!) and a nice meal/beer too for rescuing your bike…I’d chip in. Atb.
Thats a great idea re the crowd fund. Chris has had the sh*t end of the stick twice, so lets reward a proper bloke doing a proper job. Hope he gets a load of knock on business.
Would happily throw a few quid in too, doubt I'd have even bought my bike if it wasn't for TMF reviews/updates. Even if it doesn't cover anywhere near the cost it'd be good to sort your man Chris with something nice at the end of it!
Sorry to hear of your troubles, looking forward to seeing the finished product. All the best 👍 🏍
Thanks 👍
Sorry to hear the saga regarding Bikeden and the way you have been treated. Chris seems like a too bloke and very kind to help you out. May his generosity and the good publicity pay dividends for him going.into the future.
I think RE themselves need to take at least a little responsibility in this. They've been pushing the customisation angle against their brand for a while now and I'm sure the dealers are encouraged to explore it, but it's obviously still very unofficial and unorganised, and I can't help but feel maybe some dealers are getting caught up in it without really being prepared or supported by RE. Might be giving them a bit too much credit after all the markups etc.
Maybe they (RE) need to look more deeply into exactly who they are appointing as dealers? But this seems to be a multi layered FUBAR with the dealer subbing all the work without informing the client, that's just WRONG!
It never ceases to amaze me that there are shysters out there, Chris is like my company that I used to own along with my business partner , when we hit a troubled period we never knocked our suppliers or our employees even though we weren’t getting paid ourselves. Chris is a top bloke , I feel your pain Andy and I’m surprised that you were that cheerful to be honest.
I don't feel very cheerful about it Tony!
That totally sucks. I think I would have pulled the plug when they asked for the 2nd £4k. A little overspend is one thing, but double... it's not a government contract. Any work I have done, I always say to call for confirmation before extra work/cost. The bike is looking good though. Well done to Chris for rescuing it.
Just watched the video... I really am dumbstruck by the horrific nature of this unbelievable situation. I am struck by how gentlemanly you have behaved in all this. Speaks well of your character and integrity. Chris is quite a gentleman himself... rescuing your bike and setting things right. Thanks for sharing this story... will be helpful to us.
Hi Andy,
So sorry that this happened to you.
Rewatching the unveiling video, I can only admire your and Mrs F's restraint back then.
No idea how you can remain so sensible after all that has happened in this one.
Hope you get the VAT situation sorted and those who have done this to you, and quite possibly others, are brought to book.
Gutted for you.
Thanks for running such a terrific channel.
Best wishes,
Peter
Hi Andy, words fail me, shafted is about right, my heart goes out to you and hope you get sorted, a lesson to be learnt, the hard way unfortunately, to only for you but everyone out there who is considering this type of venture, all the best, D
Thanks 👍
Lot of money (sounds too much) but custom is expensive. Chris seems an upfront person and hopefully you soon have your bike back all finished and you can enjoy the ride
Beside of chopped frame there was no customization. Plain paint and bolting on bits and pieces does not count, this is "personalization" worth 1/4 he paid to these thiefs.
Ooof! I think you've been more than fair in your summation of the original builders Andy. To ME it seems like they've been 'at it' (double charging VAT, mark up on parts, adding extra to labour rates etc) Ripped off indeed! What a shambles. Commiserations Andy. Still, at least you found one star to help you put things right! Well done that man.
Can't fault your respectfulness and patience. My first bike is a Royal Enfield Interceptor 650. It's a fabulous machine and a head turner, I ride with a few friends, all riding more modern naked bikes, yet it's the old Interceptor that gets all the questions when we park up, my bike is completely stock.We have a similar RE dealer operating in my area who offers custom work. My friend took his continental GT 650, and they ruined the bike completely. It was supposed to make it look even more like a cafe racer but destroyed the bikes suspension and handling in the process. I tend to live by the old addage "if it ain't broke don't fix it". Nice having a project bike, but do the work yourself. At least you know what quality to expect, then.
Sorry to hear that story, hope you get to really enjoy it when finally done.
Did you pay by credit card ?, if so the money will be retrievable. For this reason I always buy anything expensive on one then pay it straight off.
Remember, you don’t have to pay everything by credit card. The important thing is that part of the cost is settled by credit card. Then the provisions of Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 (as amended) apply. Remember, the goods/services have to exceed £100. For values less than that, Paypal may be the way to go.
Sadly no credit card involved....
What a horrible experience, thank goodness Chris retrieved the Enfield! Thanks for all your positivity and enthusiasm in the face of adversity! BEST WISHES for a good outcome 👍
Wow Andy! Sorry for the troubles. Hopefully Chris will get it straightened out. Ran into the same problems with my wife’s Camaro when I had work done on it. It can be so frustrating. Chris seemed like a great guy so hopefully better days are ahead. You have really taken the high road with this video. A testament to your character brother!
Really feel for you Andy and have got to admire your willingness to share the whole story, and what a story. Thanks for pointing out and maybe saving someone else from a similar experience. All the best with the bike when you eventually get it back and hope it’s all that you were hoping for 👍🏼
Thank you Colin
Gobsmacked. Thank you for sharing your experience and fair play to Chris, a man with pride it seems.
Hats off to how calmly you have taken all this Andy. Each to their own mate but I personally would have kept the Enfield as it was esp as how little use it gets and used the £8500 to upgrade the gs1200
It’s would’ve been cheaper to trade in the GS for a brand new 1250GSA than modify the Interceptor 😳😩🤦🏻♂️
Oh man, that's horrible. Many people think they can play this game for their benefit but it never lasts long. I truly hope you're happy with the end result eventually and thanks for making this video, it's good to make people know the risks if they're considering a similar move.
What a nightmare Andy. I was looking at their website a few weeks ago, and your bike was pictured with a POA price !!!!
In your normal gentlemanly way, you are being too nice about the Dealer! They were out to rip you off from day 1, but I’m sure you don’t need me to remind you of that!
Great channel mate, keep going.
All the Best
Wow! Unbelievable
What?! That’s outrageous!
Just one of the many other things (that I didnt mention in the video) that I put up with from The Bike Den - I was very unhappy about them pretending my bike was for sale and told them so on several ocassions, including in writing.
Andy your attitude and way you are handling this is an absolute credit to the decent man you are. Chris seems a dammed decent fella with a genuine passion and concern for his customers which should be applauded.
I am amazed at your sanguine attitude to all this. I hope,in the end, that the bike will turn out as you hoped, and although you will have lost a lot financially, you’ll get a lot of pleasure out of it. Thanks for the fantastic content. Love your channel.
Hats off to Chris, proper gentleman, Steve came across ad a "Del boy", when he first appeared on camera, asking for another 4000 when you picked the bike up, was not what was quoted, I would have not given the extra over & immediately got the cops involved, the machine is legally yours so you were entitled to take it away, then let Steve pursue you for the extra 4 grand, law was on your side, but hindsight is never realistic. Chris had demonstrated honourability, so stick with him, the bike will look good in the end, but you derived far better treatment, all the best Andy 👍👍
Thanks Geoff....
Well Chris, I have enjoyed all your videos, really informative, and nice presentation. Right that the bull shit out of the way! Up here in't the North we would say, "you have more money than sense?" It all turned pair shaped for me, when the dealer said we will put nobbles on, not what tyres do you want on? I'm honestly at a loss, how you handed over all that money, when every thing that was done to the bike, was after market off the shelf stuff, and nothing that you could not have done your self, or farmed items out your self. Maybe you are the face of modern bikers, it's a bad day at black rock, when you cannot take on an easy parts swap by your self, I'm at a loss mate, but ride safe..
Stephen - thanks for the comment!
Great video, with a story many of us can empathise with after being shafted by swindling dealers. Hope this gives Chris the positive PR he deserves. Its so often the case where you have genuine mechanics who care about the work, getting caught up in the politics and poor service of the dealership who they work for...
Yes I hope so too - although involved throughout I see Chris as having been shafted just as I was....
@@TheMissendenFlyer Was it the case that Chris wasn't being paid for work done, and that caused the "breakdown in relationship" with the Bike Den? Sure looks like it....
I don't know the details of the falling out between Chris and The Bike Den...but I imagine it was something like that.
Sorry to hear of your troubles, I hope your project is a success in the end.
I feel absolutely gutted for you. I hope it will all come good for you and you’ll get the bike you originally ask for. It’s a lovely looking bike and I look forward to seeing you doing a video with a big smile on your face.
Me too!
What a nightmare, clearly the original RE Shop were in financial difficulties from the first day you put your bike into their RE shop. It is a shame because for that unnecessary extra major costs you could have had it all done exactly as you wanted including big change had you realised they were Sub Contracting to Chris. I wish you luck with the final project and it looks like Chris knows what he is doing and exactly what you want! I think your bike will look great!
I think the original bike new looks nicer than the deconstructed modified cafe like look. I realize this is subjective and in the eyes of the beholder.
I agree except for the colour. So many classic colour options that make the bike stand out for very little money.
Yes many have said the same - personally I prefer my modded bike (of course)…
Kudos for posting this up, lots of people (including me) would feel embarrassed at being ripped off. Lot of money for the bike in total but it will be totally unique and if you enjoy it then it's money well spent. I really do love the colour though and styling and am sure you will enjoy it when you get it back.
What a nightmare ordeal! Kudos for the humility and patience in such circumstances; it sets a good example for us all and what a top bloke Chris is for saving your enfield!
Thanks!
I think this is a great lesson in customizations. If you want to have a custom bike take control of every step in the process, do it all yourself, or buy an already finished custom bike.
Agreed.
When the 4000 pound contract limit had been reached i am wondering why you didn't verify that the work had been done. There is no way I would have honored the second payment unless you had an agreement that things might cost more. Sorry for your experience with such a dishonest person. Hopefully you will get it finished and be able to enjoy it. Props to Chris for stepping up on a problem that wasn't really his !
Wow expensive , they wouldn’t have taken another 4.5 k from me , I always getting everything in black and white beforehand
That's terrible. Sorry to hear you've been put through the ringer with the custom work TMF. As always, you've handled it like a true gent and I applaud your restraint! Chris is a star too, diving in and rescuing your bike from the bailiffs. Hope it works out soon and you're on the road with it for the spring.
Very good of you to share what was obviously a very embarrassing situation for anyone to find themselves in.
These things can happen in any business, we learn by our mistakes.
Customising bikes can involve a number of people, so you gotta look them up, get the bits, and bolt them on.
Preparation is key.
A guy who does paint.
A guy who does exchausts
Etc Etc
I would have thought 2k max would have been sufficient.
I've never trusted Bespoke services, to me, they're simply middle men who rarely get their hands dirty.
If you want a job done right, do it yourself.
Your obviously a man of integrity which is more than l can say for that SHARK you first run into.
Whatever rock that guy crawled under, l hope he stays there.
Thanks Michael...
Happened to me to Andy many years ago with an old Lambretta. I ended up paying twice to have it restored. First by the guy that stitched me up and secondly by the bloke that put it right in the end.
The most important thing is not to begrudge the actual machine. I swore I would never get rid of mine after that and I hope I never have to.
On a hot Saturday when you run it up the road to grab a bottle of wine you’ll smile and it will be worth it. All the best
Yeah that's a good attitude - thanks Ed!
Similar happened to me with a car restoration although I took the car back before prices got stupid then sent it back for work to be rectified after the original panel work wasn't right.
Looks like bowels was right. How on earth can a RE dealer go out of business given the popularity of the bikes. Plain crap service by the looks of it. Absolutely shameless. That Enfield guy has shades of Garner about him. Good luck in getting it sorted Andy and thanks for sharing the pitfalls that can happen. 👍🏻
Very true about the previous Norton owner!
Very good point. How bad would you have to be to fail right now as an RE dealer?
There`s a guy near me who has run a small independent motorcycle shop ,much respected and very competent ,for decades.
These last few years he has become an RE dealer and his shop grows tangibly.
Good luck to him and payback for all those years of providing service to owners of older bikes and their riders who would not go near a main dealer.
It`s always the people that count.
From what I can see the only things, that were right ,was the tan seat ,the gold wheels & the colour green . If I had just bought a brand new RE & somebody told me they were going to chop bits off it ,they would be lucky if I didn’t have bits chopped off them ..The dumpy rear end looked a right dogs breakfast . All these characters sound nice & talk up a good job ,while they are after separating you from your bunce . The shysters responsible for your hassle & grief ,should be pacing up & down a cell in Jail . They had a brass neck charging what they did ,they took advantage of your easy going nature & your love of personalised motorcycles Mr Flyer . They are an absolute shower & deserve any & all the bad luck that is due to them . I hope you will be able to get your RE finished to your satisfaction & also restore some of your faith in human nature ,& putting this unfortunate experience behind you .👍
That was a really bitter pill to swallow TMF but I have nothing but respect for you in having the balls to publicise how you’d been duped. There aren’t many that would have gone public with this and in such a dignified and fair manner. Top man Andy and I look forward to seeing a bike that you will love as it will definitely have to be a keeper after that amount of grief and expense.
👍💪
Really sorry this has happened to you. I think you are doing well keeping calm and just dealing with the nightmare. Hope it is all sorted soon and thanks for all your hard work on your channel. I hope you can really enjoy the bike once it is finished. Many thanks 🙂
I’ve watched a number of your videos over the past year or so, and this has to be one of the best. I’ve just subbed in on the back of it. Hope you finally get what you wanted from this deal. Cheers.
Fair play on sharing this horror story. There's no way I would have paid that extra 4bags, but I admire your perseverance. Fair play to Chris too. Look forward to seeing it all sorted.
Just goes to show that not everyone in the motorcycle business is out to fleece you.
Chris sounds like a top man, fingers crossed it all works out for you Andy.
Looking forward to finally seeing the interceptor finished.
Yes me too - and I wish I'd worked directly with Chris from the outset - would have had 2 years of riding on the bike by now!
I hope you’ll use your platform to continue helping publicize Chris’s custom shop. He seems like a good chap who does good work at fair rates!
That is crazy! Hope you get the bike back soon and it is beyond expectations this time to make up for the previous hassles.
Looking forward to seeing the end product.
You and me both!
Chris seems like an honest and good mechanic. That dealer was shady, it can be hard to spot the signs that’s for sure! Crazy times. A bit too much drama, but it’s still a great bike.
What an absolute nightmare for you and I’m not going to help here by saying that personally I much preferred the stock bike anyway. Sorry!
I appreciate that you had it done partly for the interest of the channel though so in a way its job done I suppose? How the heck can they justify £8.5k though? Criminal!
It takes a lot of you tube views to recover £8,500 let me tell you!
I think the bike looks better standard.
Fair enough - thanks for telling me!
It’s good that you’ve got your bike back and are getting it finished off! Let’s hope you can get a good Summer on it! That sounds like a frustrating journey you’ve been on! Good weekend Andy!
Really sorry to hear your tale of woe Andy. I think you’ve been very generous in your consideration of the RE dealer given how they’ve behaved. I hope that when you finally get the bike back, it puts a big smile on your face.