Motorcycle Shipping - The Good and The Bad

[Skylandry]

I just had my new to me 2005 K1200LT bike shipped from Wisconsin using Eagle One Express. Bike arrived perfect but the guy parked it on the sidestand front wheel downhill in my driveway which has a slight downhill slope . He asked me to check it out. While I opened the left saddlebag on the K1200LT it fell over. Eagle One Express said they wouldn't cover the fall and it was my fault. The parts were $149 but they didn't care. I was very disappointed to pay $685 and not have this incident covered. They didn't even offer to half the cost. The owner finally got mad and sent a fairly rude email when I questioned why it wasn't being covered. I have the entire email string and am happy to share with other owners. Make sure your shipper is full service and will resolve claim issues professionally. Shipping a bike isn't over until you have it safely in the garage on the centerstand. Be careful. The sad part is they have a great shipping method (don't drain anything) and good trucks but customer service was very lacking. I couldn't believe he wouldn't work with me. I guess he assumed I would go away quietly. I filed a BBonline complaint and am warning others.

[RonKMiller]

That's a real bummer, but I don't get what you are complaining about.:confused:

If the guy parked it in your driveway, and it was safely sitting there all by its lonesome until you touched it - you get to pay. What if it sat there for 12 hours, they were long gone and then you opened the saddle bag? Would you still blame them?

A tough break for sure, but it sure as heck wasn't his fault it fell over. They did their job and by your own admission a very good job to boot.

S*** happens.

[humplatch]

Ditto.

Tough break for sure, and you can bet I'm sorry to see it happen to you.

Many new owners find out the hard way on how not to park your LT. The guy that delivered it drives a truck, not an LT...he probably didn't know. Fix it and ride it...put a grin on your face.

[Petre]

I just had my new to me 2005 K1200LT bike shipped from Wisconsin using Eagle One Express. Bike arrived perfect but the guy parked it on the sidestand front wheel downhill in my driveway which has a slight downhill slope . He asked me to check it out. While I opened the left saddlebag on the K1200LT it fell over. Eagle One Express said they wouldn't cover the fall and it was my fault. The parts were $149 but they didn't care. I was very disappointed to pay $685 and not have this incident covered. They didn't even offer to half the cost. The owner finally got mad and sent a fairly rude email when I questioned why it wasn't being covered. I have the entire email string and am happy to share with other owners. Make sure your shipper is full service and will resolve claim issues professionally. Shipping a bike isn't over until you have it safely in the garage on the centerstand. Be careful. The sad part is they have a great shipping method (don't drain anything) and good trucks but customer service was very lacking. I couldn't believe he wouldn't work with me. I guess he assumed I would go away quietly. I filed a BBonline complaint and am warning others.

Sorry to hear that happened to you .

I probably would have extracted my money from the guy with a baseball bat. :mad:

Just kidding ... maybe.

[katnapinn]

As stated in other posts S#*T Happens. I am sorry that you are not happy with the shipper BUT as a truck driver and a LT rider his job was over when he left it in your driveway.On a lighter note welcome to the forum and to the Austin area we have a few Lt rides from this part on Texas (San Antonio to Dallas to Houston). Get fixed and lets go ride!! :D

[petevandyke]

Allied did a great job on my RT from Chicago to Dallas in January, the guys who palleted the thing treated it like it was made of glass, they insured it for $4k OVER value, so i wasn't concerned if something happened, and when it arrived, they even spent ten minutes with microcloth polishing it.

[Skylandry]

I agree things happen but if you ship bikes for a living and claim to know about bikes, why would you park a bike on the sidestand downhill? Yes, I should have said something and had it moved but in the excitement of the moment I wanted to look over the toy. I am riding and having fun but they should have covered the fix or at least offered to split it. Do any of you park your big LT's downhill on the sidestand? As someone said earlier, I will ride and have fun but I won't be taken advantage of or pay to be treated rudely. That just isn't good business. Ride on :)

[Florian]

I agree things happen but if you ship bikes for a living and claim to know about bikes, why would you park a bike on the sidestand downhill? Yes, I should have said something and had it moved but in the excitement of the moment I wanted to look over the toy. I am riding and having fun but they should have covered the fix or at least offered to split it. Do any of you park your big LT's downhill on the sidestand? As someone said earlier, I will ride and have fun but I won't be taken advantage of or pay to be treated rudely. That just isn't good business. Ride on :)

I can see your pov, however, as Ron posted, it wouldnt have dropped until you touched it. Maybe instead of going into the saddlebag, you could have moved it to a proper parking spot...I know hindsight is 20/20. get out there and ride. :bmw:

F

[Skylandry]

Guys and Gals,

It has been a fun string and it was good to get a different perspective. The important thing in life is too look for the good things. It arrived, it runs great, sounds great and is fun. Life is too short to focus on the negative. Maybe this string will help the next guy that ships his bike. Don't let them park it downhill and if they do, move it;). Ride on :).

[Florian]

Guys and Gals,

It has been a fun string and it was good to get a different perspective. The important thing is life is too look for the good things. It arrived, it runs great, sounds great and is fun. Life is too short to focus on the negative. Maybe this string will help the next guy that ships his bike. Don't let them park it downhill and if they do, move it;). Ride on :).

Excellent suggestion!!!


F

[ollieabn]

Guys and Gals,

It has been a fun string and it was good to get a different perspective. The important thing is life is too look for the good things. It arrived, it runs great, sounds great and is fun. Life is too short to focus on the negative. Maybe this string will help the next guy that ships his bike. Don't let them park it downhill and if they do, move it;). Ride on :).

I agree that moving on is the best thing. That being said I feel that a company that specializes in motorcycle shipping should know better than to park a bike so it will roll off the sidestand just by opening a saddlebag.

Thanks for sharing your experiences with the company.

[donn]

Always,always,always park the LT in 1st gear,ALWAYS..............

[UncleRock]

It didn't fall till you touched it, your fault.
Your really looking at this all wrong, now you don't have to worry about it falling over for the first time etc.
Rock

[Skylandry]

Uncle Rock,

You made me laugh out loud. It was good to get the first fall over. Some truth to that but your logic on fault is a little to black and white for me. Life has plenty of gray for all of us. Speaking of gray, who put that on my head ;).

[JGroves]

If the shippers had been courteous, even if they hadn't agreed to any fault, I'd feel more inclined to take up for them.

If your mechanic doesn't tighten your oil drain plug and it vibrates loose, empties your oil pan all over the road, and you seize up your engine on the way to CCR, is it your fault (yes, for not doing it yourself, but...)? Would he get away with saying, "Hey, it was fine when you picked it up"?

I think the point is more the lack of service than who's to blame. I'd be miffed. But then, I'd have spent the $600+ on a plane ticket and ridden the bike home...

[Skylandry]

My only hope from this string (besides meeting everyone) is to help just one other person avoid the problem I had. Nothing more. Now let's all get out off these computers and go ride!

[Dick]

My only hope from this string (besides meeting everyone) is to help just one other person avoid the problem I had. Nothing more. Now let's all get out off these computers and go ride!
Hey, Rich - Welcome up to the best damn site on the www. Really great to have ya as part of the fambly. I'm gonna hi-jack your thread for a sec.

Lissen - I'm gonna make a leap of faith here and invite ya to come over for breakfast in Blanco tamale mornin' and meet the Hill Country BMW Riders group of fine folks. About 0800 arrival time, or there'bouts. Steve (Katnapinn) from over in the Austin area posted a thread about it in the South Central forum. I'm not a member of that elite bunch, butt I do like breakfast and I guess they knew that, and invited me to their last breakfast outing in Marble Falls. I guess I behaved, cuz they posted the invite again!! ;)

Anyway, Dave & Kathy Moore from here in Boerne are gonna lead me over to Blanco and to the Sunset Cafe (on the corner of the square at Hwy 281 just a block south of the only stoplight in Blanco). I have no idea how many folks are coming outta the Austin area, butt sure would be a good opportunity for you to meet some of 'em. Ping Katnapinn if you would like more info. Hope we see you there.

(Hey, Steve - apologies for puttin' out the invite w/o ax'n. Hot sauce and two pats of table butter on me tamale!!! :D )

[vernvernvern]

I agree things happen but if you ship bikes for a living and claim to know about bikes, why would you park a bike on the sidestand downhill? Yes, I should have said something and had it moved but in the excitement of the moment I wanted to look over the toy. I am riding and having fun but they should have covered the fix or at least offered to split it. Do any of you park your big LT's downhill on the sidestand? As someone said earlier, I will ride and have fun but I won't be taken advantage of or pay to be treated rudely. That just isn't good business. Ride on :)

Sorry about your mishap..........it happens until we learn to ALWAYS leave it in 1st gear and roll it against the engine BEFORE you put it on the side stand.

I have an "03 so don't have the power center stand ( I can barely get it up by myself,ugh!) thusly, I always use the side stand when I park. It's a down hill street at Church to park on and I park it on the side stand every Sunday. No problem falling over. It is asphalt so I usually add a round piece of wood to keep the stand from sinking in the asphalt on hot mornings.
Live and learn......................I did. LOL :bmw:

[Skylandry]

Dick,

I just saw your post (11pm). We have been at the Round Rock Express baseball game. Thank you very much for the invite. It just goes to prove that BMW riders are the nicest riders I have ever met. I am not sure if I will make it. The wife has gone to bed and I can't find her booklet with the kitchen passes in it ;). I had another local rider (Channing) ask me via mail. You guys are friendly! I look forward to many years of BMW riding, friends and this great site. Well I better get to lookin the house over for those kitchen passes. If I don't see you tomorrow, let me know when you guys have breakfast next.

Many thanks,

Rich

[Skylandry]

Mike and Channing,

Sorry I missed breakfast. Let me know next time and I will get that kitchen pass ready.

On another note the "mystery" is solved. It was something Donn said above "always put the LT in 1st gear when parking on side stand." I decided to test this theory because I had to know what happened? Is my side stand faulty? Am I crazy. Well I tested it out and it proved out. My bike will not tip over on the side stand if it is left in 1st gear. I went to a local grocery store with a good slope. Put the bike in 1st gear and on the side stand downhill. I (crazily - what did I have to lose) stood behind the bike and pushed it. It would not fall. No matter how hard I pushed. With the bike in 1st gear and the side stand down, even downhill it won't fall over. I passed this on to the shipper. I will let you know if he responds. Thanks for everything guys. My first string hear and I have learned much and met many.

Keep the faith,

Rich

[Skylandry]

I just heard back from the Better Business Bureau and Eagle One Express. Eagle One Express maintains they parked my bike in gear and that I am mistaken. I told them both of my test but they still denied the possiblity of parking it in nuetral.

Lessons Learned:
1) Buy a K1200LT
2) Join this great forum
3) When looking for a bike shipper, ask the Forum first
4) Once you pick the shipper, ask about problem resolution and how the process works
5) If something happens before you sign for the bike, don't take pitty and feel sorry for the guy. Well those are ok but insist that the problem be noted. Don't let him go and think you can work it out with his boss
6) When it is over, let it go. Buy the parts fix it and ride on.
7) Always look for the good in life :)

[Dick]

Hi, Rich - thanks for the wrap-up on the Eagle One Express fiasco. Not the best of endings, butt movin' on and looking for the good in life, puts you way, way ahead of them, IMO. I hate hassles with bidness folks like them - they don't need my money and I don't need them in order to ship anythang. So, they're off my radar and maybe a few others too.

lissen - a few folks from around these parts are gonna have some Hooters chicken arms in Killeen this Saturday. If you're free, drop by and let us meetcha. Won't be very many, cuz it's not a true RTE - just a coupla folks outta DFW area, Austin area, and Boerne area. Around 11:30. Check the South Central forum for more info. Love to see ya there. If your scoot is still in the shop, then cage it. We won't look!!! ;)

[UncleRock]

I just heard back from the Better Business Bureau and Eagle One Express. Eagle One Express maintains they parked my bike in gear and that I am mistaken. I told them both of my test but they still denied the possiblity of parking it in nuetral.

Lessons Learned:
1) Buy a K1200LT
2) Join this great forum
3) When looking for a bike shipper, ask the Forum first
4) Once you pick the shipper, ask about problem resolution and how the process works
5) If something happens before you sign for the bike, don't take pitty and feel sorry for the guy. Well those are ok but insist that the problem be noted. Don't let him go and think you can work it out with his boss
6) When it is over, let it go. Buy the parts fix it and ride on.
7) Always look for the good in life :)

Even if they did park it in gear, on a downhill slope, as you say. There can be plenty of romm for the bike to roll past the stop on the side stand.
I put side stand down to kill bike in gear, then roll forward until all slack is out of drivetrain, push kickstand forward with my toe and lower the bike.
(This from a guy that dumped it 3 times in one hour :eek: Is that a record :histerica )
Ride and enjoy!
You have to take things into perspective, putting in a new toilet seat at the house, my now ex comes out into the yard. Me and 3 of my buddies are standing in a circle peeing on the seat, when she asks what the hell we're doing? The Dwarf tells her were just breaking it in for ya. :D
Rock

[falcon3552]

I park it up hill, down hill, sideways and in all ways, the bottom line is to ALWAYS park in FIRST GEAR. What probably happen was that the bike was parked in neutral and with the driveway slope and the bike's weight caused the bike to slip off the side stand and down it went. If you park in first gear then this will never happen. Unless, the tar heats up and the side stand sink in causing it to topple over.