Topic: Them's Good Guys there at APE...

[KB02]

So often we hear stories about people who have had problems with orders they have placed with vendors that have ended in disappointment, frustration, aggravation and the general comment of, "I'll never deal with them again." And while no business can be perfect, it is the customer service that makes the difference that makes or breaks the deal in a frustrating situation. A timely response (heck, sometimes even a response at all) can turn, "I'll never deal with them again," to, "That took a while, but they stayed on top of it."

I wanted to send out a note about the guys at APE (www.cbrzone.com). I placed an order with them back in the second week of June which I still have yet to receive. Normally at this point I would be fuming and yelling, but I have been in back-and-forth contact with the guys at APE (specificlly Pat) and they have been keeping me informed of what was going on and the reason for the delay. Simply knowing what was going on has kept me happy. I will have no problems dealing with them again.

Just thought I'd share.   

[SD750F]

My experience with APE has been excellent! My items shipped out quickly, and they are replacing one item with a correct one (not in their catalog) with no hassles.

Way to go APE team!

Scott

[SD750F]

Update on my APE experience. I was told to buy a specific tool for my new APE HD Studs. When I got the insertion tool I discovered that the tool was not made for the studs I purchased, but was for a 10mm stnadard stud. So here is a copy of my emails. All I can say is over a month after sending the part back, I don;t have the tool, or a replacement, and out $25!

Scott

Attached is email thread most recent first...

Pat,

I sent the part back. I do not have the part. I could not use the part because my studs are 8mm. So are you telling me that I am out the $25?


Blue Skies,

Scott Christensen

BLUE SKY AVIONICS, LLC
400 S. Sycamore Avenue, Suite 104-1
Sioux Falls, SD 57110-1255
P 605•977•3608    F 605•977•3704
www.blueskyavionics.com

On Aug 22, 2008, at 6:28 PM, Pat wrote:

Hello Scott,

I checked again with everyone and no stud installers have come back to APE....   It has not arrived at APE.

Pat at APE

On Aug 21, 2008, at 11:44 AM, Scott Christensen wrote:

Pat,

I sent it US Mail. In a small box with all the paperwork inside. Should have been received around 4 weeks ago. Check again and see if you got one of the 10mm Stud Installers in with the blister pack cut open...


Blue Skies,

Scott Christensen

BLUE SKY AVIONICS, LLC
400 S. Sycamore Avenue, Suite 104-1
Sioux Falls, SD 57110-1255
P 605•977•3608    F 605•977•3704
www.blueskyavionics.com

On Aug 21, 2008, at 11:50 AM, Pat wrote:

Hello Scott,

We have not yet received your return.  The return authorization paperwork is still in our waiting book and our return log (we log all returns as they come in) does not show anything coming back from you so far.    The installer must still be in transit or may be lost.

How did you send it?  Is it trace-able?

Regards,
Pat at APE

On Aug 21, 2008, at 8:03 AM, Scott Christensen wrote:

Pat,

I have sent this part back to you per your instructions over a month ago but have not received the exchange, refund, or other? Please let me know what's going on???


Blue Skies,

Scott Christensen

BLUE SKY AVIONICS, LLC
400 S. Sycamore Avenue, Suite 104-1
Sioux Falls, SD 57110-1255
P 605•977•3608    F 605•977•3704
www.blueskyavionics.com

On Jul 10, 2008, at 2:04 PM, Pat wrote:

I put that not onto your RA paperwork so the warehouse will handle it when the wrong part arrives.

Regards,
Pat

On Jul 10, 2008, at 10:54 AM, Scott Christensen wrote:

Pat,

If you have one for the 8MM studs common on the SOHC CB750 then yes, please exchange, that would be great!


Blue Skies,

Scott Christensen

BLUE SKY AVIONICS, LLC
400 S. Sycamore Avenue, Suite 104-1
Sioux Falls, SD 57110-1255
P 605•977•3608    F 605•977•3704
www.blueskyavionics.com

On Jul 10, 2008, at 11:39 AM, Pat wrote:

Hello Scott,

This is Pat (I'm back in the office today).

Do you need the stud installer that fits your studs?  If so, we do have them.  We could exchange instead of issuing credit.....

Let me know!

Regards,
Pat at APE

PS: I am going to get our site updated to show the correct installer for the CS750H studs.....

On Jul 9, 2008, at 3:09 PM, Scott Christensen wrote:

Dianne & Pat,

I will ship out the tool tomorrow and process it per your instructions. The tool has not been used. And I personally like the Old Style Inline Fours myself. I am working on my 1978 CB750 F3 Super Sport (which I am finding a lot of things are no longer made for the 1977 & 1978 Super Sports). New powder coated frame. Modified in the Rocker/Cafe style minus the rear sets. But if I can get through this engine trouble I will be smooth sailing.

Thanks again for your reply.


Blue Skies,

Scott Christensen

BLUE SKY AVIONICS, LLC
400 S. Sycamore Avenue, Suite 104-1
Sioux Falls, SD 57110-1255
P 605•977•3608    F 605•977•3704
www.blueskyavionics.com

On Jul 9, 2008, at 3:43 PM, Pat wrote:

Scott
We certainly don't want you to have a tool you'll never use.
I'm sorry if my email was so misleading. If the tool "shows" no use, you can return it.
We cannot sell a used part as new, so I was trying to emphasize that it must be in pristine condition. We will be able to tell as soon as we see it.  Since it cannot fit your smaller studs, I don't see how you would have scratched or deformed it, so send it back if you know it is fine.
As for the studs, no we wouldn't take them back if you have tried to put them in your motor. They were made for the Honda 750 SOHC thru 1978 only. We have never had a complaint about these when used in the correct motor.
The stud remover fits many different size studs because it has a reducer/ expander built in. We don't offer the same for the installer as all but the early Honda use a 10mm  stud. The early Honda is not in style any longer, sad to say, as I personally favor it.

Thanks again.
Dianne

[MJL]

I sent it US Mail.

That is your problem.  I would not send anything other than a letter via USPS.  You do not get a tracking number unless you pay for it, and the tracking system they have isn't very good. I bought something on ebay from Chicago, and it was in my hand before USPS showed them having it.
Ups, while maybe more expensive, gives you $100 of insurance and a tracking number free. Their tracking system is much better.

[Terry in Australia]

APE did a crank for me (lightened and balanced) and couldn't have been more helpful, great experience, and excellent work! Cheers, Terry.

[kghost]

Scott.......

Have I talked to you or done business with ya?

The name of your avionics shop sure sounds familiar......

[754]

I dont see how you can complain about them, if the part never got back to them..

[SD750F]

kghost,

Maybe, do you do Hang Gliding, Paragliding, Hot Air Ballooning, Soaring, oe have an experimental aircraft? I make and repair instruments made specifically for these markets.

I know I should have sent the part UPS. But after 6-1/2 years of business I have never had any thing lost using USPS. And I was at the Post Office sending a Canadian repair out so I put the installer tool in a small box and sent it First Class. I was checking in to see what's what and I want to make sure that someone didn't miss place the item at APE or didn't receive it properly. I have had this happen many more times than the item actually not getting there... And if I had the UPS tracking number with the name of the person who signed for it I bet I would be asking APE to ask that person were it is right now and not have to burn my $25... Oh well.

Scott

[voxonda]

APE did a crank for me (lightened and balanced) and couldn't have been more helpful, great experience, and excellent work! Cheers, Terry.

Hey Terry,

How did you send it?. Must have cost a fortune to send over? Would dearly love them to do a crank for me.

cheers, Rob

[Terry in Australia]

G'Day Rob, well I did some horse trading with one of the members here who lives in the US for a spare crank he had laying around, so the deal was he'd send the crank to APE for me, APE did all the work and then sent it to me via USPS. Shipping wasn't real bad, around 200 bucks from memory, but I wouldn't have done it if I'd had to send them a crank, it just would have been too expensive.

As it is, I've still got the APE crank sitting in a box, I really don't want to tear my engine down again soon, it took too long to put it together the first time, ha ha! Cheers, Terry.

[voxonda]

G'Day Rob, well I did some horse trading with one of the members here who lives in the US for a spare crank he had laying around, so the deal was he'd send the crank to APE for me, APE did all the work and then sent it to me via USPS. Shipping wasn't real bad, around 200 bucks from memory, but I wouldn't have done it if I'd had to send them a crank, it just would have been too expensive.

As it is, I've still got the APE crank sitting in a box, I really don't want to tear my engine down again soon, it took too long to put it together the first time, ha ha! Cheers, Terry.

Hey Terry,

That's the way to go! Am doing research to finally put my 850 together. Like you don't want to tear up an engine that's running, so try to do it right in the first attempt.
Cheers, Rob

[Terry in Australia]

That's it mate, my 836 is pretty sweet, so I'll wait until I blow it up before I install that crank, ha ha! 

[voxonda]

What carb's are you running on that 836? 

[Terry in Australia]

Mike Rieck got me some new Keihin CR 29mm carbs Rob. It's always nice to install new carbs on a new engine, ha ha!

[voxonda]

Am in contact with Mike about preparing a head for me. For now want to use the OE carb's like the original JAPAUTO bikes did. Had a set of 29CR's but sold them in favour of a Garrett T2 Turbo and a new Mikuni HSR42, that I have abandoned now And just lying around.

[Terry in Australia]

So what's happening with that nasty ol' turbo Rob? I wouldn't mind one of them, not that I know what I'd use it on, how close is it to a "bolt on" deal? Cheers, Terry.

[voxonda]

So what's happening with that nasty ol' turbo Rob? I wouldn't mind one of them, not that I know what I'd use it on, how close is it to a "bolt on" deal? Cheers, Terry.

Hey Terry,

Hardly see any Turbo's as "bolt on" items. it is a good Garrett T2, new Mikuni which has to be mounted to the turbo. Made a manifold with booth so the Turbo can be mounted to the cylinderhead. Exhaust to be made. It is a nice job but to run decent pressure you have to lower combustion rate, so you have to purpose build an engine. have a set of DOHC rods which are 1 m/m shorter, and stronger, to cope with that.
Will post a pic shortly.

Cheers, mate.

[Terry in Australia]

Woohoo! I want to see a pic of that set up, I was lusting over an article on the Kawasaki Z1R TC on the weekend, nice neat set up, would be nice to have one on a CB750, for sure! Cheers, Terry.

[voxonda]

Hey Terry,

Here some pic's of the Turbo parts:






Got more but now you get the idea.

Cheers, mate

[kghost]

Hey Terry,

Here some pic's of the Turbo parts:
[
Got more but now you get the idea.

Cheers, mate

Hey are those rods a drop in deal?

[voxonda]

Hey Terry,

Here some pic's of the Turbo parts:
[
Got more but now you get the idea.

Cheers, mate

Hey are those rods a drop in deal?

Hey,

If you have the right bearings they are, but they are about 1 m/m shorter. Use them to lower the combustion rate. Important if you run with high(er) boost on a Turbo engine.

Rob

[kghost]

Whats the Drop in the CR?

[voxonda]

Whats the Drop in the CR?

About 1.2 points, so  around 7.8:1. Is a good value for using the Turbo.

cheers, rob

[Terry in Australia]

Hey that looks great Rob, thanks for the pics. I love the way the whole set-up sits neatly behind the engine, that manifold looks pretty simple, I might try building a turbo kit for one of my bikes, I rode a turbo'd Kawasaki Z1 back in 1978, it was the first turbo bike I'd ever seen I think, it was otherwise standard and I saw 150 MPH on the speedo as it screamed up the newly opened Eastern Freeway in Melbourne, (at that stage) I'd never been so frightened in all my life, ha ha! Cheers, Terry.    

[kghost]

Whats the Drop in the CR?

About 1.2 points, so  around 7.8:1. Is a good value for using the Turbo.

cheers, rob

Might be a good option with the 836 kit ...would give ya better rods and drop the CR back to about stock...