Ok, its a very long post. The just of the information is that i bought the bike brand new, and within 17 days, its been back to the shop three times for repairs, after leaving me stranded three times. Here is the BBB complaint i sent. Anyone know any better way to get my money back?

Complaint to the Better Business Bureau:

On 5-11-07 I purchased a Suzuki GS500F from Owens Cycle Inc for $6,880. The bike was brand new, with only 3 miles on it.

On 5-12-07, I unloaded the bike from the bed of my truck, and started it. It had a very bad oil leak coming from the valve cover gasket, so I had to take time out of my day, load it back up onto the truck, and return it to Owens for repairs. I got a call later that day from the service department telling me that the bike was fixed.

I went to pick it up that day, right before they closed. I went to unload the bike again, and learned how to ride that day. Later that day I went for my first joy ride. On my way home, the bike started sputtering, and died about 5 blocks from my home. I tried starting it numerous times, after pushing it off into a parking lot, and it would not start. After a few attempts, the bike's battery died, leaving me completely stranded. I had to push the 396 pound bike uphill 6 blocks to get home. I then had to have a few of my friends help me lift it into the bed of my truck.

On Monday morning(5-14-07), I went back down to Owen's to drop it off, yet again. When I got there this time, I told them I cant keep doing this, and that this is the last time I want to have to drop it off to be repaired. They agreed with me, and said they completely understand.

I got a call at work about three hours later, telling me that they fixed the problem, which was a pinched fuel line, resulting from bad maintenance. The bike now had 14 miles. I drove the bike back to work that day, and it drove okay for about 2 weeks.

On 5-29-07, i was riding home from work, the bike now had 318 miles on it, the bike started sputtering about two miles from my home. It died, and i managed to roll into a gas station, thinking that i had maybe ran out of gas. I opened up the tank, to see 2+ gallons remained.

I started the bike, which took a few minutes, and let it run for a few minutes. I revved it a few times, to make sure it was running fine, then decided to make an attempt for home. Another three blocks later, it did the same thing, it felt as though the bike had no power left, so i gave it a little throttle, at first nothing happened, no response, and after almost completely dieing, it kicked back on suddenly, making my front wheel leave the ground about a foot and a half. I then hit the back brake, pulled in the clutch, and the bike slammed to a stop from about ten miles an hour, resulting in me slamming into the handle bars, and dropping the bike on its right side.

I then started it back up, once again, and it started to run fine for about a mile. About 8 blocks from my house, it died again. This time it would not start, at all. I then had to push it home yet again, uphill. This time it was a longer push.

I parked it in my garage, and left it overnight. In the morning, after class, i drove down there and asked to talk to the general manager. I told him i was tired of dealing with this, and that i wanted to trade for a different bike, one that would not break on me every week. He shook my hand and said he would do anything he could to make it right, and that he would have me on the new bike by the end of the day.

He asked me to come back around 5:30 to sign papers and take the bike home with me. I had to leave work an hour early to make it down to Owens on time, thinking i was getting my new bike. When i got down there, the story had changed. Now, they had told me that they were only going to take my bike in, as a trade-in, giving me only $4,500. Then they were going to charge me full price for the other bike. So a bike that should have only cost me $8,300 after tax and all, was going to cost me $10,800.

After telling them that i didn't like the idea, they simply told me that there was nothing more that they could do, and that i was stuck with a bike that has broken down on me three times, in three weeks.

Wow man, that sucks ass. Definitely send that to the BBB and get this all resolved.

Originally posted by totaleclipse_05
Wow man, that sucks ass. Definitely send that to the BBB and get this all resolved.

Yeah i sent it to them, also sent the same complaint to the attorney general. And this week i'm setting up a time with ABC news to take down my story, to do a news story about it, they sounded very interested, and wanted to set something up. They said what they would most likely do, is tell the story, and try to get other people that have been screwed by owens, then go down, and ask the manager at owens what he plans to do, then air it. That should get some attention.

Define "joy ride"?

Without passing any judgment on your decisions, I would like to suggest you take the Basic Ridercourse from MSF. It absolutely will help you live a little longer if your insurance company ever lets you ride again.

http://msf-usa.org/

Joy ride... Uh, riding it around town, under 35mph, no quick acceleration. Keeping the rpms under 5.5k like it explains in the owners manuel, which i read, following the rules that my instructor gave me during the MSF COURSE.

And this has nothing to do with my insurance. I havent told them anything, because they dont need to know anything. The bike was stopped when it fell over. the only thing that happened were a few small scratches, and a 2" long hairline crack at the base of the turn signal.

Easy there noboost, your stepping right on your own foot. No where in his post was he being reckless or ignorant.

Nine5, goodluck with it. Isnt there a lemon clause or something that applies to this sort of thing? Man when the bike wont run right never open up the throttle, dropping it was your mistaken judgement as I am sure you are aware. Oh well, We learn from errors, what can ya say right? This sort of thing really sucks, you pay good money for a new bike and at the same time give the dealership your business and they shove it right up your pipeline.

I have a gut feeling the BBB is going ot be useless, i have never seen them do very much but hopefully the Att Gen office and news can help you. Good thinking there.

Terry

Originally posted by Star Turbo Talon
Easy there noboost, your stepping right on your own foot. No where in his post was he being reckless or ignorant. Nine5, goodluck with it. Isnt there a lemon clause or something that applies to this sort of thing? Man when the bike wont run right never open up the throttle, dropping it was your mistaken judgement as I am sure you are aware. Oh well, We learn from errors, what can ya say right? This sort of thing really sucks, you pay good money for a new bike and at the same time give the dealership your business and they shove it right up your pipeline. I have a gut feeling the BBB is going ot be useless, i have never seen them do very much but hopefully the Att Gen office and news can help you. Good thinking there. Terry

Yeah, i take responsibility for the body damage, which honestly isnt much, it was a bad idea to give it more throttle. I'm aware of the lemon law, and i did some research. The lemon law covers bikes 750cc and above only. Plus, to be considered a lemon, it has to be something potentially harmful, such as a fuel leak, failing brakes, ect. Tomorrow i'm going to the DMV as well to talk to the washington dealer investigator.

Yeah, that sucks.

I hope you get on ABC since it has much more impact than the BBB silently dealing with it.

you would think the size of a street legal bike would be irrelevant.

Originally posted by Star Turbo Talon
you would think the size of a street legal bike would be irrelevant.

I agree... plus, shouldn't a bike NOT running correctly be considered potentially harmful and therefore a lemon? Attempting to merge into traffic and it decides not to work sounds pretty harmful to me.
I think between the BBB, attorney, and ABC, you should be able to get things fixed.
Good luck with it all

That's kinda shitty. One bike left me stranded once, but I fixed the issue (I've never owned any vehicle with a warranty).

It sounds like it's something as simple as a fuel filter, fuel pickup screen, or fuel pump (those are injected, right?).

If I were in your shoes, I'd do the same thing. Texas has no lemon law, you sign the papers, you own it, no if's, and's, or but's.

Now, if I had those issues, I'd be there so much they'd hate me, they'd want to get the bike fixed just to never see me again.

read up on magnusson-moss...

lemon law can deal with a microwave.....

good luck w/it..

i'm in the process/litigation with chrysler over transmission issues with my SRT4.....

fuckin neons

$8300 for a GS500F!? Yikes.

So what was the problem with the bike the 3rd time you brought it in?

Originally posted by Star Turbo Talon
Easy there noboost, your stepping right on your own foot. No where in his post was he being reckless or ignorant.

And nowhere in my post did I pass judgment or accuse him of doing anything wrong. I just asked for clarification.

I took the MSF course and loved it, I got some free raffled leathers out of it, a 10% discount on insurance, 15% off all my gear, and got to skip the DMV test for my license, so it's already more than paid for itself.

Glad the bike wasn't abused (which is usually what joyride means) and I hope you get the company to fix it for you. Best of luck, shitty situation for sure. Amazing how dangerous such a little fuel problem can become.

Out of curiosity, where was your bike assembled/manufactured? Does it say on the sticker?

lemon laws are good and bad at the same time if memory serves the same thing must fail 3 times not 2 or 3 different problems. Im not sure but i would check that out.

Originally posted by noboost
Out of curiosity, where was your bike assembled/manufactured? Does it say on the sticker?

Heh, what assembly? Most bikes these days are shipped fully assembled. By the time the dealer gets them all they have to do is add a little gas, oil, brake fluid, bleed the brakes lines and give it a good look over to make sure there's no leaks and lights etc are working. That's why I laugh my ass off and tell any dealer to suck my wang if they try to add $1k in "dealer prep" fees to the bikes MSRP.

Originally posted by cougar694u
It sounds like it's something as simple as a fuel filter, fuel pickup screen, or fuel pump (those are injected, right?).

Carb.

Originally posted by EvuLFleA
$8300 for a GS500F!? Yikes. So what was the problem with the bike the 3rd time you brought it in?

No, the gs500f was $6,800. The suzuki sv650s, which msrp's at $6300, was going to be $8300, before they added tax, assembly, prep, ect.

Originally posted by noboost
Out of curiosity, where was your bike assembled/manufactured? Does it say on the sticker?

Who knows.. they claim to assemble all of their own bikes, they charged me an extra $450 to do so actually.

Originally posted by goalie40
lemon laws are good and bad at the same time if memory serves the same thing must fail 3 times not 2 or 3 different problems. Im not sure but i would check that out.

You're right, it has to be something, such as the fuel lines leaking, three different times.

Call Suzuki NA. Let 'em have it. If Owen doesn't care, I bet suzuki will.

Originally posted by 992gnt
Call Suzuki NA. Let 'em have it. If Owen doesn't care, I bet suzuki will.

You know, I honestly did not think of that. Thats a good idea! I'll get on that tomorrow as well. I financed through two companies, Suzuki, and Funancing. I will be on the phone with both of them tomorrow!