Here's my parts horror story.


This happened in 1985 so bear with the "technology" of the time.

I bent a motorcycle rim and remembered that there was a review in CYCLE magazine about getting used parts thru salvage (wrecking) yards. If the part wasn't in the yard close to your home they could track one down and get it shipped to your area.
The author gushes about what a great deal this is, about the service and about the owner of this place


The best part about the whole deal was the place the author wrote about, J and F Motorcyle Salvage, was 5 minutes from my house.

I drove over and made arrangements to have a wheel sent from up north - This guy puts out a call on a CB radio and in about three minutes there is a call back, "we got you rim here in Fresno..." With the promise that it would be in perfect shape and delivered in 3 days... I am stoked...

Down payment in their hand, I left.

1984 fj 600 Yamaha rim?
125.00 dollars used......250.00 brand new!!!
DUDE!!! such a deal!!!

Three days later I am THERE...

No rim...apparently the 'guaranteed' rim was bent..I don't have time for this, I ask for a refund and the owner hems and haws.."Give me a chance-your bike is a popular one and people that race snatch up any spares......" One of his guys is in the office listening to this exchange.

So, I go home and start calling around the area. I'll see if I can get a rim from someplace else.

This ain't gonna be easy, front rims are the first things that hit cars. I call another dealer in the area and I relate the story to him...He then tells me that he has talked, via radio, to the original
nitwit and thinks that I am a jerk for going someplace else.....he hangs up on me. I wasn't paying attention to the number I had called.....otherwise.....

I make a call to ANOTHER dealer and he's got my rim, SALVATION!

I hot foot it over to that store and who walks in?

The guy that was sitting in the office listening to my hassle with the owner....I made a huge stink about what a bunch of crap the story in the magazine was and what a jerk the owner of J and F motorcycle salvage was.

After my little speech the guy helping me, seeing that he's gonna get the sale, pulls out the rim..that's it!!!!....puts it in a jig and spins it......It wobbles more that a newborn learning to walk.

I walk out of the store and go DIRECTLY TO THE DEALERSHIP.

I leave the dealership and go back to J and F to get my money back.

The owner, refuses to give me a refund.....he thinks that I have purchased a rim from another junkyard. He asks for proof that I made the purchase from the dealership....To get my refund I relent and when I ask for it in cash he balks.....I only have a check...a personal one at that.....

He writes and I run to the bank....


Before I leave I look over my shoulder and tell him that CYCLE magazine will hear from me..

------------------------------------------
F and J motorcycle salvage went out of business and
Cycle magazine bit the dust soon after...

I don't know if they ever read the letters I wrote about the crappy service and the lies in the magazine article, But I do get a sense of revenge when I see the location where that business USED to be........

And I wonder what job that shyster moved on to.