Nightmare with Golden Eagle (GeBe)

[LPisGood]

Fellow bikers,

I need to vent my frustration with this company. I'm sure there are several happy Golden Eagle customers out there. However, I'm NOT one of them, and I would definitely not recommend that anybody do business with them. Here is my story:

I placed an order for the Robin/Subaru 4-stroke in early July. After placing the order, I talked with a sales rep over the phone about NY state laws and I expressed concern about the legality of motorizing my bike. She informed me that there were several satisfied customers in NYC so it shouldn't be a problem. My worries were somewhat assuaged. I said that I wanted to think about it some more and that I would call back within 24 hours. I also mentioned that if I didn't call back in 24 hours, GeBe should just go ahead and ship the engine. She agreed and made a note to ship the engine in 24 hours unless I called back...fairly simple.

I decided not to call back... I really wanted that engine!

I waited several weeks, but no engine arrived. I finally received an email asking if I still wanted it to be shipped. Apparently they placed a complete "hold" on the order. Even after the conversation and the specific note, they managed to mess it up. So I emailed back and said yes, of course I want the engine.

It finally arrived, but I soon discovered that installation was impossible... they shipped the wrong drive ring. I had ordered the 32-spoke and they sent the 36. I consulted my invoice to make sure I ordered the right part. The invoice confirmed their mistake.

So I contacted them; left a voicemail and sent two emails. They finally got back to me and expressed doubt, asking me to go back and count my spokes again. I reluctantly did for the umpteenth time, and my count was the same. So I contacted them again...waited again. They said they would ship out the correct drive ring... BUT, they billed me for it... 50 bucks! I had to return the wrong drive ring, and pay for shipping OUT OF POCKET, in order for them to remove the $50 balance from my account! This was to correct the mistake that THEY made.

For my inconvenience, they offered to compensate me with an extra kevlar belt. But this, too, was contingent on me shipping the wrong drive ring back to them. What kind of customer service compensation is that? All I wanted was the correct drive ring with expedited delivery...but no deal.

So the RIGHT drive ring finally showed up (at my expense) and I began installation again. This time I encountered new problems. It turned that out my rear axle was not long enough for installation. They don't tell you this, but for most bikes you need a longer axle to mount the engine. So I custom ordered an axle from a nearby bike shop and waited another few days for its arrival. Once I got the new axle on my bike, I discovered that I still couldn't mount the engine unless I drilled and modified the frame. Now, over the phone I had been informed that the engine mount is universal and fits just about any bike. I even made sure to mention the specifics of my bike and they assured me that the mount would fit.

They were wrong.

I tried to roll with the punches a little bit. I had come this far and spent a lot of money. I wasn't going to let the mistakes of one company mess up my dream of motorizing my bike.

So I decided to forget the old bike and set my sights on a new one. I picked out a Marin Coast Trail (a nice, inexpensive ride) and had the bike shop fit it with the custom ordered longer axle that I purchased.

...but lo and behold, the engine STILL wouldn't mount on this bike either!

This was the last straw. My frustration had peaked. I contacted GeBe and asked for a full refund in light of their mistakes and misinformation. It took them two days to get back to me and I was told that there is a 20% re-stocking fee. Which means if I return the engine I lose $125.80! That's before shipping and handling!

I asked them to waive the re-stocking fee in light of their mistakes and misleading statements. Again, I waited several days for a response, so I sent another email. Finally they responded and informed me that they would not waive the fee, even though the engine is unused and in mint condition. (These delays in correspondence were a recurring theme. It was incredibly difficult to communicate with them. I would leave messages and emails, yet it would take days to receive a response.)

So that's pretty much the long and short of it (mostly long...apologies for the rant). Because of GeBe's misleading statements, shipping errors, inadequate compensation for their mistakes, and reluctance to provide remotely decent customer service, I must advise others NOT to do business with them. I am now in the process of trying to sell this engine because I do not want to deal with them anymore and I am unwilling to lose $125.80 (plus S&H) in re-stocking fees.

I have finally cooled off from the frustration of this whole escapade and this post is not out of anger. I post here to save you the time of dealing with the poor business ethics of Golden Eagle Bike Engines. Their product might be worthwhile, but I would never know. I was unable to ever use it.

Best of luck, and all responses are welcome.

 

[fetor56]

LP.....Augi's offer is good & that's what i would be doing in your situation.

 

[astring]

I'm sorry you've had such a negative experience with Gebe. Mine has been the opposite. I ordered my kit at June end and received it within 3 weeks, a bit long but okay, given. I later ordered HD wheel and other parts. An extra $20 was tacked on by Paypal for shipping which I noted in order notes to Gebe and it was immediately refunded.

More savage growth troubles at Gebe; I ordered two belts and they only shipped one, billed for two. I emailed Gebe once I discovered the discrepancy and requested a belt, not a credit. They immediately shipped the belt. I have nothing but evidence they respond.

I am completely satisfied with my experiences with Gebe. It's obvious many vendors are enjoying a surge in sales and I know from personal business experience it's a big challenge. Gebe has promptly responded to my requests and resolved them.

That is very close to my experience. These people (Julia and Dennis) are decent folk and I'd be totally surprised if they were "screwing people over".

 

[augidog]

there you go again.

i never offered to "make good" because i don't have the facts (from LP's side of the story) yet...i have offered to see if there's something i should be bringing to the attention of GEBE, twice (i offered to repeat the offer a 3rd time if it was gonna shut you up)...but i've since learned that it's not necessary...and believe me, you do not have the whole story...so you just keep steppin' in it if ya want to...i'll happily play along, cuz i'm now good with the situation.

LPisGood: while your description of the timeline and the occurances seems somewhat accurate, you and i both know your portrayal of how and why these things occurred is unfair. it seems to me this topic is about your frustration with not being prepared before ordering, and your inablity to clearly make your wishes known while ordering caused the office to take pause (and perhaps understandably miss a beat) while you figured it out. i'm sure the experience WAS a nightmare, but you're laying too much blame on others. you, and OTHERS, are wrong in the assumption that GEBE isn't willing to work with you to work out any remaining details, if there are any. it's my understanding you actually came out ahead of the game, correct me if i'm wrong. if you do decide to contact the office, keep in mind they are NICE people who deserve to be treated NICELY...if you can't do that, i don't think i'd bother, my friend.

i feel that this discussion is now between LP and myself, and i'm respectfully asking MBc-staff to give LP a reasonable amount of time to reply, then close the topic if he doesn't. meantime, don't y'all think Mm's made his 'tude clear enuff to warrant some editing/deleting of OT-flaming in the future?

 

[BSA]

i feel that this discussion is now between LP and myself, and i'm respectfully asking MBc-staff to give LP a reasonable amount of time to reply, then close the topic if he doesn't. meantime, don't y'all think Mm's made his 'tude clear enuff to warrant some editing/deleting of OT-flaming in the future?

noted.

BSA

 

[Happy Valley]

meantime, don't y'all think Mm's made his 'tude clear enuff to warrant some editing/deleting of OT-flaming in the future?

This is bogus. To call that flaming is ridiculous.

This has been an open thread. If mods or admins thought it warranted PMs or email they should have directed it there that 3 pages back.

Now a member tries to drum up support for censoring another member?

 

[NunyaBidness]

so, if it doesn't work out the way augidog wants it to then just close the topic??
way to censor the community
I have seen NO 'OT-flaming' at all
just people wanting to get to the bottom of this issue
if GEBE messed up then call them on it don't censor the community

 

[augidog]

and, the other side of the coin is that it's ok to bash and slam, go on witchhunts based on a person's (as yet) unsubstantiated rant? uh-huh, double-standards, as far as i see it.

all i said was if the OP sees fit to let this go it should be closed...i've repeatedly asked LP for discussion, anyone interested on calling him on his part? so far, no. double-standard. if the OP is unwilling to provide proof of his statements, y'all feel we should keep it open why? to continue the bashing, i guess...i'll go with that until i see differently. double-standards is what this is.

i've never been out of touch...when i turned off my PM, i also inserted an email address into my signature. there it is, right there...

yet again, someone screws up, blames another for it.

 

[HoughMade]

Guys, I understand where y'all (both sides) are coming from, but at this point- nothing positive will be done if this keeps up.

If LP wants to check back and contact Augi, great. If not- his decision. Please, let's not escalate this discussion and lets leave this alone until the OP wants to get involved. No need to lock it, but if we could exercise restraint, it would be great.


.....what is the world coming to....a call for peace by a lawyer....

 

[NunyaBidness]

augi it seems like you're reading a post from some alternate universe
none of what you are talking about is happening here
what world are you living in?
there has been no bashing going on just a discussion of a problem a customer had with your buddies then you start posting inflamatory stuff like that?
I'm done with this post

 

[augidog]

correct, hough'...LP's input is the only input that's relevant at this point.

other sellers, non-sponsoring sellers, enjoy more discretion than GEBE has in this case...used to be that the MBc-community (and staff!) held complainers & complaints to higher standards. used to be the response to an OP like this one was "you better be prepared to back yourself up if you're gonna talk like that."

LP, substantiate your claims...or not. to the others, you're way out of line on this one, and should be asking the OP for more info, or you should stay out of it and observe what happens, or what doesn't happen.

i know the story & have no problem standing behind the office in this situation. in essence, i'm claiming LP's claims hold only marginal merit at best, i know that the majority of the blame for the ensuing mistakes is his, i also know he was way less than nice about working with the office to reach a resolution, and yet i've still offered to help. so...if ya hasta bash someone, how about y'all bash him for his inaccurate account and his silence since?

better still, as houghmade as suggested, how about you don't bash anyone? let his silence tell the rest of the story.

and, if he doesn't want to, or can't, back himself up, then keeping this unsubstantiated complaint open simply for the enjoyment of the flamers isn't fair.

EDIT: nunya'...it's a matter of perspective, i've been at this long enuff to know a barking dog when i hear one...there's peeps doing some growling and snapping here that have no knowledge of the situation other than what LP tells 'em...assuming (and saying so) that the office is the culprit is inflammatory. again i say: double-standard.