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[JaimeC]

Electric Cowboy was hired to pick up an LS-218 at the factory.  It didn't go as planned.

https://is.gd/CuFVEQ

[MVetter]

Working on an edit from the GoPro I was holding. Strange day.

[NervEasy]

Regardless of Lightning being weird and unfriendly, pretty normal you can’t pick up a new bike for someone without something on paper... If I would try to do that and ask the vendor to trust me on my word (even with the buyer on the phone, who could be anyone) that would be a no go.

Buyer needs to be there in person or a legal document has to be shown before you can pick up a bike...

This seems like activly looking for drama. True, Lightning did handle that situation completely wrong but I can’t shake the feeling you guys went in there expecting and maybe even hoping that what happened would happen...

[Crissa]

I see a video of a couple guys who didn't call ahead, then didn't leave when asked to.

The woman seemed very polite, she could have called the cops on you guys.

-Crissa

[MVetter]

Regardless of Lightning being weird and unfriendly, pretty normal you can’t pick up a new bike for someone without something on paper... If I would try to do that and ask the vendor to trust me on my word (even with the buyer on the phone, who could be anyone) that would be a no go.

Buyer needs to be there in person or a legal document has to be shown before you can pick up a bike...

This seems like activly looking for drama. True, Lightning did handle that situation completely wrong but I can’t shake the feeling you guys went in there expecting and maybe even hoping that what happened would happen...

To be clear, it was 100% understood by Lightning that the owner was in Florida, 2600 miles away, and would have agents picking up the bike on his behalf. There was no debate about this. Plenty of text logs.

The morning we left, I gave a courtesy call to Mike Corbin. It is Corbin's factory that Lightning are renting a section of. He welcomed us and said, "the bike looks great!" and we told him we'd see him within an hour. We are welcome at Corbin's factory.

As soon as we were asked to leave the area Lightning is renting, we did. I mean he did slam the gate on us but, again, we are welcome at the Corbin factory. Drama only happened when they decided they had a problem with the agents picking up the bike in question. You could clearly hear the customer requesting that we be allowed to take the bike.

[Electric Cowboy]

I see a video of a couple guys who didn't call ahead, then didn't leave when asked to.

The woman seemed very polite, she could have called the cops on you guys.

-Crissa

Hey Chrissa,

Hope you are doing well. You might have skipped around. If you watch the whole thing, I show the messages from the owner where he spoke to JoJo about us picking the bike up and the time we were to pick it up at. Also, it might be a little hard to hear, but on the phone the owner told JoJo he wanted me to pick up the bike. Also, there is a section where I am on the phone with the owner and he made it clear that he wanted me to take the bike if they couldn't deliver it to FL by this Friday for his race that he has paid thousands of dollars for.

All in all, they said they would release the bike to us if the customer said to, but after he said to, they changed their story and refused.

I agree JoJo definitely tried to be nice, but there were some times where she was pretty clear, like when I said "What if the owner says he wants me to pick up his bike" and she responded "He can't". But this is after she said she will do what the customer wants. It doesn't line up.

In the end, this guy that paid in full for his bike, might be out thousands of dollars because his bike wont be there in time for the race. It is super unfortunate that he might lose that opportunity. And super unfortunate that I won't be able to earn the money we were promised. I have a family you know, and we need to eat. Things like this make it very hard. Driving a bike across the country in 4 days or less would have helped me pay rent, a lot.

Also, delivering the bike to me would have been a big win, I mean if I, of all people, took delivery from lightning, they would have won a lot. I was prepared to eat my words, but sadly, the way this went down, it was just bad.

I just feel bad for Steven who will be out all that money for his races just because Richard doesn't like me.

Happy holidays!

[Fran K]

Probably should have given a referral to some entity in the motorcycle transport business.  Liscenced, insured all that sort of stuff. 

I am not watching the videos but there are names of commenters to put into search sites.

[MVetter]

Probably should have given a referral to some entity in the motorcycle transport business.  Liscenced, insured all that sort of stuff. 

The problem is the extremely tight schedule. When we filmed this on 12/15 the plan was to head cross-country and deliver by 12/20. No one like HaulBikes is going to be able to get it done in that window. We were willing.

[Fran K]

Would adversary relationship be fair word for relationship.  The main thing would be to get said bike out of the manufacturing location, I would think.  Lots of races did not happen lately.  You guys seem more in the video creation business than the motorcycle transport business.  Hard to believe some test ride incentive is not at play here.

Just a side note.  Portable sawmill, band type in this cost class business is done 1 to 5 thousand deposit balance bank check to the trucker at delivery. I think the manufacturers are all 4 months or so lead time.  Similar for special order F150, Similar for Ag tractor built to spec.  Those are somewhat less lead time.  Why there is a sense that pay in full before it gets on the delivery method is acceptable in the electric motorcycle business is puzzling.  Dealer network bad, $500 uncrating deposit and balance at pick up, that would make such product way more cost.

Fran

[MVetter]

You guys seem more in the video creation business than the motorcycle transport business.  Hard to believe some test ride incentive is not at play here.

I think this would have made for a cool video. And once in Florida, if the owner wanted Brandon to test and inspect the bike, that would have been on the table. But as it stood we had no intention of doing anything other than looking at the bike and hauling it to Florida. And by looking I mean looking. No tools, no disassembly without the owner there with us watching.

[Crissa]

Alas, a business is in its right not to do business with a customer or contractor they don't want to.  Depending on the contract, they might be able to refund the bike, too.

Corbin isn't selling the bike, so calling them wasn't appropriate.

Cash out the door was my experience with every bike except Ducati.  And they wanted signed papers and two ids that I was responsible for paying for it.

-Crissa

[Fran K]

Alas, a business is in its right not to do business with a customer or contractor they don't want to.  Depending on the contract, they might be able to refund the bike, too.
....

-Crissa

Could not mail fraud come into play?  You have had some legal opinions on here in the past?

Going back to the sawmill example.  Buy a sawmill from Alabama no sales tax if a real trucker with dot number picks it up either you or the manufacturer picks the trucker no difference.  If you send your buddy or go yourself they have a special two point something sales tax.  Since this is a race bike not a dot one (may be wrong) sales tax could come into play.

[Crissa]

Yeah, that varies by state, and I don't know California's rule on shipping via a third party.  I've only dealt with licensed shippers.  (And I've never shipped a car!)

I think for most states you just need the right registration paperwork already processed.  If not, then it gets into tax considerations...

Anyhow, I can't get UPS to pick up from a FedEx only place, or hire a non-union truck to pick up from a union shop.  This is no different, really.  If they won't deal with you, well, gotta pick a different agent.

-Crissa

[JaimeC]

Corbin isn't selling the bike, so calling them wasn't appropriate.

Corbin owns the facility.  Lightning just leases some space in it.  Since it seems Brandon enjoys a friendly relationship with Mike Corbin he was just being polite.

[nicktulloh]

Alas, a business is in its right not to do business with a customer or contractor they don't want to.  Depending on the contract, they might be able to refund the bike, too.

Corbin isn't selling the bike, so calling them wasn't appropriate.

Cash out the door was my experience with every bike except Ducati.  And they wanted signed papers and two ids that I was responsible for paying for it.

-Crissa

Not entirely true. If he had refused to deal with them because they were black, he would have been in violation. Looks to me like the business is tanking and this guy is really high strung about it.