Don't buy from Chaparral Motorsports

[tt48]

Wanted to let everyone know of my recent customer service experience with Chaparral Motorsports.

I purchased a front tire for my ST, and I received a tire with a DOT date stamp of 2319.

Since I don't ride enough to get full use out of this tire before the 5 year shelf life would expire, I contacted them to see if they could replace the tire with one that was made in 2021 or 2022.

After making me wait a week without hearing back from them, I contacted them this morning to check on the case. A manager decided that, since that was still considered a "new" tire, that they would not replace it with a newer one.

I DO want to point out that the representative I dealt with (not the manager) was professional, pleasant, and was very helpful in assisting me with getting the nearly three year old "new" tire returned.

For a company that has been around since 1980, it is shocking to me that they would refuse my simple request.

When you buy milk, do you want the freshest milk, or one that expires within a week?

When you buy apples, do you pick the smoothest, shiny ones with no bruises, or pick the ones that are "kind of fresh"?

The sad part is, we're not really talking about produce here...we are talking about riders' LIVES.

I guess ChapMoto defines customer service differently than I do.

So, forum members, I will be doing everything in my power to let every single rider I know of my experience, and strongly urge them to NOT purchase from ChapMoto.

(sound of jumping down from soap box)

Rant over.

 

[Bush]

the 5 year shelf life

A highly debatable topic.

 

[paulcb]

A highly debatable topic.

Agreed...

 

[tt48]

A highly debatable topic.

True, but I prefer to err on the side of caution. It would have cost them nothing in profit to ship me a newer tire, just the time for a worker to look through their stock, and find a tire with a newer date code. And their return for that time could have been a customer for life, had I received that level of customer service. Too many organizations have forgotten the art of great customer service, when it is such a simple thing to go a bit further to provide memorable service that brings people back.

I was expecting something more like, "Sure, we can do that for you. It's technically still a new tire, but we want you to be as happy as possible to keep you as a customer."

I mean, without customers, you don't make any money.

Do I have unrealistic expectations?

 

[paulcb]

Do I have unrealistic expectations?

I don't think so... they should have just replaced that tire with a newer one. Although personally, I would have kept the 2019 tire and ridden it for 10-15k miles with no worries.

 

[TPadden]

The sad part is, we're not really talking about produce here...we are talking about riders' LIVES.

The sad part is all the exaggerated drama has really trivialized life.

Do I have unrealistic expectations?

Yes, and a bit of paranoia if you think a perfectly usable tire and the management at Chapmoto are seriously trying to kill you .

Tom

 

[Uncle Phil]

True, but I prefer to err on the side of caution. It would have cost them nothing in profit to ship me a newer tire, just the time for a worker to look through their stock, and find a tire with a newer date code.
Do I have unrealistic expectations?

Not trying to be a smart aleck, but from a company's standpoint, it costs them something for a worker to find it and ship it unless their folks work for free. Would you pay the extra shipping both ways or would the company?
I don't disagree with your point about customer service and going the extra mile, but from a company standpoint, the 'extra mile' ain't free.

 

[tt48]

I don't think so... they should have just replaced that tire with a newer one. Although personally, I would have kept the 2019 tire and ridden it for 10-15k miles with no worries.

Paulcb, I had not come across that ST1100 Info link before. What a great collection of knowledge!

I think I will visit my local Cycle Gear store, talk to the manager, and let him or her know that I want to buy a tire from them, but only if they can get me one with a 2021 or newer date code on it. If I can get exactly what I want, the slight difference in price will be well worth it. Perhaps I should have done that to begin with (sound of head hitting countertop in regret).

I have to get this figured out so I can get the new tire on, and fix the speedo gear while the wheel is off, so I can make the RTE in Stillwater, OK at the end of April!

 

[tt48]

The sad part is all the exaggerated drama has really trivialized life.

Yes, and a bit of paranoia if you think a perfectly usable tire and the management at Chapmoto are seriously trying to kill you .

Tom

I have been led to believe that, as a motorcyclist, EVERYONE is trying to kill me! lol

 

[paulcb]

Paulcb, I had not come across that ST1100 Info link before. What a great collection of knowledge!

It's an on-going community effort... lot of input from lots of people, even if they don't know it.

 

[tt48]

Not trying to be a smart aleck, but from a company's standpoint, it costs them something for a worker to find it and ship it unless their folks work for free. Would you pay the extra shipping both ways or would the company?
I don't disagree with your point about customer service and going the extra mile, but from a company standpoint, the 'extra mile' ain't free.

That is true, Uncle Phil, but in my experience that cost is returned many times over in the long run with a loyal customer base. And I didn't think you were being a smart aleck at all...I am originally from Boston, so my smart aleck meter takes quite an input current to move the needle. Fellow Bostonians, back me up here

 

[TPadden]

I have been led to believe that, as a motorcyclist, EVERYONE is trying to kill me! lol

... and yet you purchased your tire from a drop shipped mail order. I am positive if you walked into Chapmoto at Riverside California's brick and mortar location (it's a great store) you could shop for a tire with an acceptable life saving manufacture date.

Tom

 

[ReSTored]

................True, but I prefer to err on the side of caution. It would have cost them nothing in profit to ship me a newer tire, ....................

Do I have unrealistic expectations?

Well, I don't think I'd be happy if I got a 3 year old tire, but they don't really "expire" like a perishable product after 5 years. In fact, there are no real standards concerning non medical product expiry dates and most dates really refer to freshness or optimal taste standards the manufacturer decides on. It fact, many food products are perfectly sound past their so called expiry date.

It's really not accurate to say the vendor would not take a hit on this as you probably expecting them to pay for shipping back to them and then they have to pay for the shipping of a newer tire to you. I'd just ride on it and don't worry about it.

 

[Andrew Shadow]

I think that they should have tried to do something to work with you from a customer satisfaction perspective, but not specifically because the tire has a manufacture date of 2019. I can understand why they would not want to replace it for you if the date of manufacture was your only issue however, especially if it was expected for them to cover the additional shipping expenses involved in addition to the labour and processing costs involved in exchanging it for you. From their perspective, they are spending money for no technical reason because there is nothing wrong with that tire.

This issue of tire storage shelf life is one of those urban myths in my opinion, not based in any fact that I have ever seen. I have never seen any technical document that actually puts a storage shelf life on a tire, assuming that it has been stored properly. i.e. not rotting in the sun. I have seen many technical documents with detailed instructions on how tires are to be stored and in what conditions, but never has any of them included a storage shelf life for an unmounted tire.

I know of and have worked using storage instructions for both unmounted as well as mounted and inflated wheel and tire assemblies. An inspection process is required after prescribed time limits for mounted and inflated tires. This did not apply to unmounted tires however. Once a tire is installed, it becomes a different situation. Stresses from inflation and use, and more importantly environmental factors, especially ultraviolet light, have an effect on its storage and serviceable life. The biggest non physical damage suffered by a mounted tire is caused by exposure to ultraviolet light. If indoor motorcycle riding was a possibility and we could eliminate that exposure, other than normal wear the tires would have no life limit.

I personally would have no problems mounting and using that tire, even if it took me another five years to wear it out, simply because it has a date of manufacture of 2019. Assuming that it was stored indoors since it was manufactured, in my opinion the clock starts once it is installed, not when it was manufactured. Even at that, a tire that has been installed for five years is not an issue simply because it has been installed for five years, it all depends on how much ultraviolet light it has been exposed to during those five years.

I would install it and enjoy many worry free miles on it.

 

[tt48]

... and yet you purchased your tire from a drop shipped mail order. I am positive if you walked into Chapmoto at Riverside California's brick and mortar location you could shop for a tire with an acceptable life saving manufacture date.

Tom

That's a fair statement.

 

[tt48]

Well, I don't think I'd be happy if I got a 3 year old tire, but they don't really "expire" like a perishable product after 5 years. In fact, there are no real standards concerning non medical product expiry dates and most dates really refer to freshness or optimal taste standards the manufacturer decides on. It fact, many food products are perfectly sound past their so called expiry date.

It's really not accurate to say the vendor would not take a hit on this as you probably expecting them to pay for shipping back to them and then they have to pay for the shipping of a newer tire to you. I'd just ride on it and don't worry about it.

Also a fair statement, ReSTored!

 

[Bush]

You have to assume that when the tire is made at the factory and then sits in their warehouse until a wholesaler orders more stock, where it sits until a dealer orders the tire, this could span several months of time in itself. I think you will be lucky to get any tire that is within one year of the date of manufacture.

 

[tt48]

You have to assume that when the tire is made at the factory and then sits in their warehouse until a wholesaler orders more stock, where it sits until a dealer orders the tire, this could span several months of time in itself. I think you will be lucky to get any tire that is within one year of the date of manufacture.

I have been spoiled by luck, then. The last two tires I have purchased for the ST were both within one year of the manufacture date when mounted. I take it that is not common? That's kind of where my baseline got set...

 

[Bush]

I have been spoiled by luck, then. The last two tires I have purchased for the ST were both within one year of the manufacture date when mounted. I take it that is not common? That's kind of where my baseline got set...

Hold onto those horseshoes then!

After 8 sets of tires over the years, I've never had any that weren't well over a year old when bought. Been a strictly Metzeler fan, so maybe they aren't as popular as others and sit on shelves longer, but I've never had any worries of them being too old, even riding on them longer than 5 years since manufacture, like the set I have on now, the bike having seen far fewer miles in recent years.

 

[tt48]

Thank you all for your insights and wisdom. I will polish my horseshoes!