CoolRetroBikes Update

rob221 · Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2008 3:00 pm Post subject: CoolRetroBikes Update

Listers,
I finally got a refund and the following email from CoolRetroBikes. It might help to explain some things for those of you still waiting.

Bob Sadowski
Erie, PA

Robert,
I am sorry to hear you feel you need to take this kind of action.
I do apologize for the delay in getting your seat cover to you.
I am working on rectifying any and all problems with you and other customers including issueing refunds when applicable and desperately trying to catch up on getting seats back to customers in wait.
There were production problems due issues with the vinyl, as we explained.

Sadly, my personal life complications have also caused these many delays .
I have had numerous health problems stemming from a motorcycle accident.
I was also the primary care taker of my 87 yr old mother for the past 3 yrs, who lived with me as I refused to put her in a rest home because of horroe stories my frineds have had with their parents. Unfortunately in the past 3 months she required extensive extra care and Hospice was only able to offer limited assistance to me. The rest was on me.
She just passed away on March 06 and I am currently involved in making funeral arrangements, delayed due to her being cremated.

There were other issues also but I wont go into them. Suffice it to say, I got into the seat business originally as a favor to fellow enthusiasts I knew who needed their seats repaired, particularly doing vinyl repair service on original cover seats, our specialty and how I got into this business as a knock off of my mobile auto interior repair business. No one else would offer this service to vintage motorcycle enthusiasts because of the degree of expertise it requires and time it takes to do repairs on old Japanese vinyl. To my knowledege, no one else still does off this service.
I had all the best intentions of being the best at what I do, offering the best products, seat covers etc and I still believe I do. However the business snowballed right from the start and I have a hard time turning away work , especially to custom ers who need my services and cant find it else where. We are unique in the services we offer and have strived to be the best at what we do. What we lack in communication and timely orders we have always made up for in the final end product nad why we have had the degree of success and repeat customers as well as a referall base without the need to advertise.
I was literally working 100 + hrs / week for the past several years trying to keep up. The situation with my health and care giving has not afforded me this the past year and regretably I have gotten farther behind. At this point in time I am turning away work on a daily baiss in order to try to play catch up to fulfill customer orders.
Any one who knows me from the VJMC knows I was only able to contribute stories to the magazine and was regretably never able to make any VJMC events because of lack of time to attend due to my attention and conviction to my customers.
Had I not had this dedication , I would not have received all the testimonials that are listed on my website:
http://www.coolretrobikes.com/seatsreferals.htm

Mebob · Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2008 4:12 pm Post subject:

I sent a seat to T.D. on Feb 20. On March 11 I spoke with him. He told me about the passing of his Mom and bike week.
He indicated my seat would be done by March 17. I have been calling since then. Let many messages. I phoned this AM (March 29 on now his message center has been turned off.
Do you know if he is still in business? I just want my seat back. Repaired or not.
Regards
Bob