[Tbird]

Here I sit again...waiting...and waiting...and waiting...and...

I've now ordered parts (NOT routine maintenance items) twice for my K1200LT from Chicago BMW. You probably know that they widely advertise themselves as a national parts retailer who offers 20% off. That part is great!!! And they are always very nice to talk to.

..but here is the rub. If they don't have it...it'll be a long while before you have it. And they never seem to have it. I figured that since they make such a push to be a national parts retailer that they'd have an inventory that reflected such volume. I must be mistaken because they never have in stock what I order and always have to get the parts from somewhere else. In both cases, after extended waits (and a couple of calls), I've called them to find out the parts they ordered (that I ordered from them) have been received...but not yet shipped. This is even more maddening. My first order took 33 days to arrive. My current order is in day 19.

Bottom line is this. I'm not recommending against using them...but from now on I'll be calling them first to determine if they have the parts I need in stock. If not, I'll gladly pay the 20% to get them elsewhere without the l-o-n-g wait.

 

[Reid]

I believe they're associated or are the same company as Chicago Harley. My brother-in-law had serious problems with Chicago Harley parts. He never received some parts that he was charged for and had to go through credit card company to get refunded. Also same story about waiting and waiting and calling and waiting some more. I myself will steer clear.

 

[cyclecamper]

Actually their parts dept. is pretty good, and their parts prices excellent.

On the other hand, they were truly incompetent in trying to resolve a problem with primary seal leaking onto the clutch. This was as I was en-route to California, and they took 3 weeks to start on the bike and nearly a month more to get it almost running, nearly two months total while I holed up stuck in Chicago. They broke the transmission and the shifter switch, pinched a roller in the paralever bearing races, left a bolt out of the coil cover so it sawed thru the plug wires, installed a bolt wrong in the rear caliper so it gouged the new rear disc, broke the clutch switch so the cruise didn't work, didn't return the manuals from the topcase, and a host of other problems...$1100 later the clutch still slipped because they replaced it all but didn't replace the seal that was causing the problem. They stupidly replaced the wrong seals which were fine. And more stupidly couldn't get the trans to shift after taking it apart for no reason. I got as far as nearly Arkansas when the previously-fine transmission blew. My advice: don't trust them with any service more complicated than...well, only buy parts from them by mail-order. Don't let them play around with your bike if it matters to you.

 

[cyclecamper]

I believe they're associated or are the same company as Chicago Harley. My brother-in-law had serious problems with Chicago Harley parts. He never received some parts that he was charged for and had to go through credit card company to get refunded. Also same story about waiting and waiting and calling and waiting some more. I myself will steer clear.

Yes, they share the building back-to-back but separate management I think.

 

[jkersh1]

Funny that today I received a parts order from Chicago BMW that I've been waiting on for a month. I wasn't looking for it right away when I ordered and they did say it would be a couple of weeks. But I had ordered a right hand Euro switch for my R1100GS. As I unpacked it I thought even coiled up this looks short and feels light. Hey... wait the end connector is square not rectangular, there's no kill switch, and there is a horn. SOB ... it's a left hand switch (off a K75). The package is labeled with the correct part number if they would have just included the correct part.

Now, having to wait another month for the right part really makes me wonder about the 20% "savings".

 

[mintaka]

Funny that today I received a parts order from Chicago BMW that I've been waiting on for a month. I wasn't looking for it right away…

Now, having to wait another month for the right part really makes me wonder about the 20% "savings".

Same thing on a EuroSwitch to fit an '04 K12RS (different connectors than one for an '02). Three attempts (and nearly a month and a half) for THEM to get it right. And no rebate on return shipping charges on "wrong ones", either.