Northwest Cycle (todd) Is A Thief!

[JFurr23]

OK, I just want everyone to know that Todd at Northwest Cycles is a thief and if you has any of your parts/money you're at a loss. I am personally out of $1,000 and I know of at least one other that is out of tubes+money due to Todd's lies. If he has cheated you out of any parts or money please post in this thread and I'm going to file a case against him in the state of Texas. Thanks for reading and talk with you all soon! CHEERS.....


PS- Someone has also told me that the shop is closed down....Can anyone confirm this? I'm in South Carolina so I need everyones help.

[DFW_Warrior]

What happened for you to be out $1000 dollars? I'm just wondering here, not pointing fingers. But that is a pretty bold accusation to throw out there without providing any details.

[JFurr23]

He sold me an R1 frame...Sent the R1 frame but never sent the title. I have all the emails saying that he was going to send it but he never did. This was back in November. I had his cell phone number but it's now disconnected and no one ever answer the "shop" phone. These are not accusations this is the truth and it needs to be stopped.

[DFW_Warrior]

These are not accusations this is the truth and it needs to be stopped.

When you don't provide details and just call someone a thief, then they are indeed accusations. I'm not calling you a liar by any means. I was merely just asking for details behind the story. And thank you for doing that.

[JFurr23]

Ok I understand I didn't mean that lost post rudely towards you I was just trying to get my point across. Thanks for your post...I just talked to Judge Dale M Gorczynski in Houston a few minutes ago and the ball is rolling on this suit. I gave Todd enough time to respond to me emails, phones calls, and everything else. Now it's time to see him in court along with everyone else in Houston that he has ripped off.

[Sleepy Weasel]

What city?

[JFurr23]

What city?

Houston

[rhenriksen]

Hm... hope this isn't the case. I asked him to order a front stand for my bike in early December, have not heard anything since. My credit card has already been charged...

[kurt]

Someone wanna help a brother out and take a looksie?

[Earthpilot]

Todd has posted on here under "TLLUVR"
http://www.twtex.com/forums/member.php?u=3979

Have you had the authorities run the VIN# for the frame to see if there are any discrepancies ( theft reports ) on it?



-

[Grover]

I've done business with Todd and that shop.

I dont 'think' hes a thief, but I do have a firm opinion that he has little business knowledge, and has even less organizational skills.

I ordered and paid for a set of new Metzler Tourances EXP's. I got plain ol' Tourances even though I paid for the EXP's which I was told was a little more. I dont think hes a thief, or at least didnt feel he stole from me, but a keen sense of business and handling details is something he grossly lacks. If the doors closed to the shop, it wouldn’t surprise me.

My previous experience there was getting quoted a price on the phone for tires, and after I ordered them, had them installed, the price I was charged was different. I seriously dont believe he would intentionally do that, but do believe the head is firmly in the sand and has no idea how to be organized. I mean... those of you who have been to that shop... look around.... can you tell me its organized? Or merely a reflection of the owner?

Or Perhaps I am naive, he is a thief and he got my money and called me sucker when I walked away. :shrug:

[JFurr23]

Todd has posted on here under "TLLUVR"
http://www.twtex.com/forums/member.php?u=3979

Have you had the authorities run the VIN# for the frame to see if there are any discrepancies ( theft reports ) on it?



-

No I haven't ran the vin # but i need to do that soon. But yes if anyone around the area can go take a look and see if they're open then that would be awesome!

[JFurr23]

Hm... hope this isn't the case. I asked him to order a front stand for my bike in early December, have not heard anything since. My credit card has already been charged...

Well I ordered my frame in Sept. and it's now mid Jan and I still haven't heard from him. Does anyone know if he lives in Houston? I have a number in houston but I'm not sure if that's him or not (it's a home phone number).

[Squidward]

He hasn't been on in a while.

Tlluvr
Last Activity: 11-24-2007 12:24 PM

[JFurr23]

Is anyone on this board a cop or anything that could run the vin # on this frame for me? I hope he's not dumb enough to sell me something that has been reported stolen or anything.

[Grover]

I dont know if the doors are still open or not, but even when I knew he was in business and open, getting someone to answer the phone was a real challenge. The dude didnt even have voice mail or an answering machine. Hello.... welcome to 2008! Business + Phone = someone to answer it, or have vmail.

[Squeaky]

Just a few words of personal experience...

I have done business with Todd and was even offered a job there. It was a small shop with just him and one mechanic (at the time) and he was having a hard time making it all work because he couldn't get good help up front to answer phones and place orders.

There was another thread where David (Cagiva549) went by the shop within the last few weeks to get a tire mounted and there was nobody there.

My best guess is that the business did not survive. He was up against a lot of competition locally and hadn't really made a name for himself yet. His organization was lacking, but his mechanical and people skills were spot on.

I certainly hope this is nothing more than a big misunderstanding. If the shop went under, he may not have had an opportunity to settle loose ends.

Oh - and if I ordered something and GOT it, I wouldn't be calling him a thief. Wait until the VIN is run before you make that kind of accusation. All I can see that's missing is a piece of paper at this point based on what's written above.

[wonder91178]

Is anyone on this board a cop or anything that could run the vin # on this frame for me? I hope he's not dumb enough to sell me something that has been reported stolen or anything.
I have a public data account and should be able to run the VIN.

Feel free to send it to me if you want, if I can't pull anything up I'll let you know.

[DFW_Warrior]

Oh - and if I ordered something and GOT it, I wouldn't be calling him a thief. Wait until the VIN is run before you make that kind of accusation. All I can see that's missing is a piece of paper at this point based on what's written above.

That would be the point I was thinking about as well. You DID get your frame. I understand that you still don't have a title, but so far, you've also done nothing on your own to see if it is a legit frame or not. He did not take your money and run. Is this a bum deal, yes, but it is fixable and not as big as you're making this out to be.

[Grover]

[begin hijack]

Where we we get tyres now for as cheap as NW Cycles?
ANyone know of someone who does em as cheap as Todd?

[end hijack]

[Squeaky]

[begin hijack]

Where we we get tyres now for as cheap as NW Cycles?
ANyone know of someone who does em as cheap as Todd?

[end hijack]

[response to hijack]
Patrick at Motorcycles Unlimited does great work and is just a bit farther north. Not sure of his tire prices because the last one I got I had a coupon for, but he's a better deal than a stealership that's for sure. Give him a call (number in one of the top rotating banners on here) and tell him you heard about him from TWT.

Or you could do like Graeme, Chuck and I and just order on the web and have Bill mount them... :mrgreen:
[/response to hijack]

[Calgary-Yogi]

[Thread & Hijack Merge]
Bill was kind enough to do my tires since I could not get a hold of Todd

[JFurr23]

That would be the point I was thinking about as well. You DID get your frame. I understand that you still don't have a title, but so far, you've also done nothing on your own to see if it is a legit frame or not. He did not take your money and run. Is this a bum deal, yes, but it is fixable and not as big as you're making this out to be.

In case you guys did not know you CAN NOT do anything without a title. Just because you were offered a job there doesn't mean that "he's a great guy and blah blah blah". A frame is pointless without "a piece of paper" called a title. Lets say I sell you your bike and I do not give you the title. You can't ride your bike or do anything just because you can not register it and ride it LEGALLY. This is why I'm pissed and this is why he is a theif.......

And yes I have does things on my end. I have given him chance after after chance. You would be pissed if you were me. You tell me how I can get a title to my frame then I will not call him a theif. Until then...You get the drift....

[Hood Ornament]

That would be the point I was thinking about as well. You DID get your frame. I understand that you still don't have a title, but so far, you've also done nothing on your own to see if it is a legit frame or not. He did not take your money and run. Is this a bum deal, yes, but it is fixable and not as big as you're making this out to be.

A frame without a title is a worthless piece of metal.

[JFurr23]

A frame without a title is a worthless piece of metal.

Thank you hood.....You're exactly right:clap:

[Squeaky]

Actually, the last bike I bought I almost didn't get a title for. It took four months to get. Annoying - yes. Robbed? uh, no. My option without a title from the seller would be to apply for a bonded title. Apparently there are places that will do it for you with very little effort and/or time. Not sure of the cost.

I just hope that if you sue for and receive a full refund you GIVE BACK the frame since at that point you hadn't bought it.

As for the job offer - I couldn't take it but what I was trying to say by that is that he had a hard time finding a good employee to handle things like phone calls, quotes, and ordering. That made it difficult for him to do what he does best - wrench on bikes. He had to play all the roles and he might have cracked under the pressure and decided to get out of the biz. He even cought one person telling customers he "couldn't get" certain parts because she didn't want to bother ordering them. She was fired on the spot.

[Squeaky]

This is just an afterthought... prior to purchasing the frame, were you told the title would come with it?

[scar04]

Could it be done with a lost title? You could call the tax office and ask em to do a title search/issue a new title to you. just kinda cogitating aloud here

[wonder91178]

My option without a title from the seller would be to apply for a bonded title.
John and I had to get a bonded title for his KX250....it was about $100-ish from the County Tax/Assessor's office.

















I have already offered to check the VIN for you though, unless you were really just wanting to rant.

[JFurr23]

This is just an afterthought... prior to purchasing the frame, were you told the title would come with it?

Yea Todd told me that it was a clean and clear title and it WOULD be included with the sale. I just do not understand why he would send the frame and not the title. That's why I would like to run the Vin.

[JFurr23]

John and I had to get a bonded title for his KX250....it was about $100-ish from the County Tax/Assessor's office.

What is a bonded title?

[wonder91178]

What is a bonded title?
Check out 1 - 3 on this page.

http://www.lawrenceautotitle.com/FAQ1.htm#Q1

or here...and scroll down to Lost title papers (unknown owner)...

http://www.dmv.org/tx-texas/title-transfers.php

My husband didn't have the title for his KX and the guy he bought it from was "supposed" to send it to him but moved out of state, so we went to the sub-courthouse in our county and they helped us with the bonded title so that he could sell the bike to someone else.

[DFW_Warrior]

And yes I have does things on my end. I have given him chance after after chance. You would be pissed if you were me. You tell me how I can get a title to my frame then I will not call him a theif. Until then...You get the drift....


Like stated before, get a bonded title and be done with it. Chock this up to a lesson of why you don't buy frames over the internet. And so far all you've done is sit around and do nothing. You even have someone on here offering to run the title for you.....well???

I'm not really a betting man, but I think it's going to be a pretty fair shot to assume that the frame you got had a salvaged title with it. I'm not sure, but it would be a pretty fair guess. R1 frames with clean and clear titles aren't exactly an abundant resource. I wish you the best of luck in getting the title for the frame you did receive.

[Squeaky]

R1 frames with clean and clear titles aren't exactly an abundant resource. I wish you the best of luck in getting the title for the frame you did receive.

Or if you don't care to spend the time or money to get a title, try selling it as an untitled track frame. Lots of folks track out a bike and never need a title.

[kurt]

Or file a small claims suit against him in your state. The frame should have come with a title if that was the agreement. I understand your frustration.

[Hood Ornament]

Or if you don't care to spend the time or money to get a title, try selling it as an untitled track frame. Lots of folks track out a bike and never need a title.

Until the cops show up at the track asking to see a title/proof of ownership. They do this on occasion looking for stolen bikes/parts at CMRA races. BTW, for non street legal dirt bikes you're supposed to keep the MSO/Title with you when transporting the bike. A buddy of mine got stopped coming back from Gilmer and got hassled because he didn't have the title to his dirt bike that was in the back of his truck.

[msnyder755]

Yea Todd told me that it was a clean and clear title and it WOULD be included with the sale. I just do not understand why he would send the frame and not the title. That's why I would like to run the Vin.


just a thought here...you did make sure it was not stuck to the shipping container or in the packing material before you threw it away didn't you?

[treysmagna]

Has anyone actually talked to this guy? He has two of my dirt bikes and I went by his shop last week and it was closed on Saturday. DIdnt think much about it, but I called him several times over the last week and no answer. Guess I will go by there again tomorrow

[daveg]

NW Cycles is a great place. I've bought 3 sets of tires from him.. always prepaid.. and they've always shown up and been a great price.

He's a stand up guy with a small overworked shop.

[treysmagna]

I am not accusing him of anything. I have had no reason to doubt his honesty or work. Just would like to talk to the guy about my bikes, status, and how much I owe him. I will give him the benefit of the doubt until proven other wise

[flb_78]

just a thought here...you did make sure it was not stuck to the shipping container or in the packing material before you threw it away didn't you?

That'd be my luck!! Or it would of been in the packing list on the side and went unnoticed!!!:doh:

[rad3766]

A frame without a title is a worthless piece of metal.

Uh, a stand for the mailbox? table frame? make the kids a hobby horse?

[DwayneInfo]

I see where it has been suggested to get a bonded title. Unless I read this wrong the original poster is in South Carolina, do they have bonded titles or accept them from Texas? Was the frame ever even titled in Texas? I say run the VIN first then you will have a better idea of your followup options.

[JFurr23]

Here in south carolina we do not have bonded titles which sucks for me. I started a small claims case again him today. The title was not in the box nor attacted to the frame (I ripped through the box like 10 times looking for it). I think I answered all the questions there.

As for the guy with his dirt bikes at Todd's "shop"....Let me know what happens when you go by there tomorrow. I hope you're not in the same boat as I am! Update us as soon as you can!!!

[treysmagna]

Here in south carolina we do not have bonded titles which sucks for me. I started a small claims case again him today. The title was not in the box nor attacted to the frame (I ripped through the box like 10 times looking for it). I think I answered all the questions there.

As for the guy with his dirt bikes at Todd's "shop"....Let me know what happens when you go by there tomorrow. I hope you're not in the same boat as I am! Update us as soon as you can!!!


I will do it. Probably get by there around noon or after since I am working night shift tonight

[wonder91178]

Here in south carolina we do not have bonded titles which sucks for me. I started a small claims case again him today. The title was not in the box nor attacted to the frame (I ripped through the box like 10 times looking for it). I think I answered all the questions there.

As for the guy with his dirt bikes at Todd's "shop"....Let me know what happens when you go by there tomorrow. I hope you're not in the same boat as I am! Update us as soon as you can!!!
Not mine, I offered to run the VIN for you twice, at least through my public data account.....so I take it you came here just to gripe?

[Grover]

Not mine, I offered to run the VIN for you twice, at least through my public data account.....so I take it you came here just to gripe?

Yeah... I dont get it Jfurr!

You mention theft, VIN Numbers, want to check it out... Judges and Small Claims courts and police etc... but here are folks willing to run the VIN for you and you act as if they never offered any help or ignore the offer?

My question is... do you even care about the legitimacy of the VIN or do you just want a title and take Todd to court?

At least address this community about their willingness to help you... now your story is beginning to sound strange. :shrug:

[JFurr23]

Not mine, I offered to run the VIN for you twice, at least through my public data account.....so I take it you came here just to gripe?

I'm actually working a night shift too and I do not get to leave for "lunch" until 12 so I will send the vin then. I ment to bring it with me but I forgot it. And no guys and gals I'm not here to gripe I'm just here to get the word out about a guy that could possibly ripped people off. So please dont assume I'm here to gripe.....Someone works a night shift also to pay bills....me

[Squeaky]

Just a thought, but I wonder if something *bad* happened? Todd is a rider too, you know. If he took a bad spill, his family would be more concerned about him than his shop. Just sayin.

[wonder91178]

I'm actually working a night shift too and I do not get to leave for "lunch" until 12 so I will send the vin then. I ment to bring it with me but I forgot it. And no guys and gals I'm not here to gripe I'm just here to get the word out about a guy that could possibly ripped people off. So please dont assume I'm here to gripe.....Someone works a night shift also to pay bills....me
I understand, my husband works 2nd shift.

I wouldn't "get the word out" as you put it until you know. I'd hate to see you slandering this guy without confirming anything and not knowing if something happened to him.

[JFurr23]

Alrighty Kim I sent you a PM with the VIN. Thanks for all of your help. I really appreciate it!

[JFurr23]

Just a thought, but I wonder if something *bad* happened? Todd is a rider too, you know. If he took a bad spill, his family would be more concerned about him than his shop. Just sayin.

I hope thats not the case.......

[Tourmeister]

Squeaky, no mention of anything on Moto Houston? Surely someone knows what has happened to him.

[BexarWolf]

:popcorn:

This is better than a soap opera. Run the vin already! Inquiring minds need to be fed!

[wonder91178]

Alrighty Kim I sent you a PM with the VIN. Thanks for all of your help. I really appreciate it!
Not a prob, I have your info and replied to your PM, if you have an e-mail address I can send the results to, that would work best :-)

[sharkey]

Or file a small claims suit against him in your state. The frame should have come with a title if that was the agreement. I understand your frustration.

Best advice I've read. Sure you can make it a track bike or go to the tax assessor's office for a new title but that ain't the point. If he was promised a frame w/ a clean title for a certain amount, that is exactly what he should get.

I'd also call the BBB and file a complaint as well so other cyclists in TX or wherever won't have a problem in the future. If you can verify VIN and it's stolen or has a slavaged title, that's a whole other can of worms and a call to the AG's office might be in order.

[JFurr23]

I'd also call the BBB and file a complaint as well so other cyclists in TX or wherever won't have a problem in the future. If you can verify VIN and it's stolen or has a slavaged title, that's a whole other can of worms and a call to the AG's office might be in order.

Here you go Skarkey this was back in November. They also emailed me and said that they could not get a hold of him and to start a file against him in small claims court. I managed to delete that email somehow along this trip though.


BBB OF METROPOLITAN HOUSTON
1333 W. Loop South Ste. 1200, Houston, TX 77027
713-868-9500 FAX 713-867-4947 info@bbbhou.org
www.bbbhou.org info@weslaco.bbb.org

November 19, 2007

Mr. John Furr
Myrtle Beach, SC 29579

RE: 22068077 - Northwest Cycles

This is your confirmation email / mailing that your complaint has been received and that it has been forwarded to the company you filed on........

We have received your complaint and have forwarded it to the business in question. The company has 30 days to respond to your complaint to the BBB in writing. As soon as we receive a response from the business, it will be copied and sent to you for review and feedback.

We accept and process complaints on both members and non-members. Non-member companies are not required to reply to nor resolve your complaint. We encourage both you and the company to remain in direct communication during and after the Bureaus complaint process.

If the company has not replied back to the Bureau within the next 25 days, we will contact you by email or mail to advise you of the status. You may check the status of your complaint by emailing info@bbbhou.org or calling our complaint status message line at 713.341.6167, or by faxing us at 713.867.4947. You may receive notices or emails from various staff members but we do ask that any and all communication be to or dedicated status line or email status@bbbhou.org only and that they all be sent to the attention of the Dispute Resolution Department. Do not send replies and/or other emails to individual staff members please. We request this so we may quickly answer your emails and calls by routing them to one place only. No one person will be assigned to your complaint. You will have an entire team dedicated to working on your complaint during our process. All communication regarding your complaint does need to be in writing only due to the volume of complaints we process. Do not send replies and/or other emails to individual staff members please.

We thank you for taking the time to write to the Bureau and we do sincerely hope that we will be able to assist you in getting your issues addressed and resolved as quickly as possible. You may read more about our complaint process at www.bbbhou.org/complain_moreinfo.html

Regards,

The Dispute Resolution Department
The Better Business Bureau

[wonder91178]

Got your info sent.....just an FYI, I noticed that the address attached to this frame had several other vehicles (cars, not bikes) attached to it and other owner names as well.

[JFurr23]

So basically since there is a lean with a bank I'm S.O.L and I have a motorcycle frame that I can do nothing with? Wow, this is fun.

[wonder91178]

Sorry man, it looked like everything attached to the address had liens on them. Let us know what happens.

[NX2000]

I'm not sure that that means the lein still exists. I could be wrong but I think once the bank releases the lein the title has to be updated for the state's information to reflect that. Might be worth checking into.

[kurt]

I'd let him clear it up in court rather than chase lien holders or previous owners. If he wants to resolve it prior to court, so much the better. Court just seems like the cleanest option at this point.

[meznok]

i had good results getting tires from todd. have not been there in a few months though. i could find tires online a litle cheaper but with install he was always a better deal.

[Calgary-Yogi]

Just a thought here. I know that the business phones are not working but has anybody tried to send an email to Todd, he might still be using his email account.

[treysmagna]

I went by there today and there was a note in the window. Said to call Ross at Land Cycles at 204 Bayou Dr. 281-452-1177. I called and both of my bikes are there. He said Todd was given three weeks to move out becuase he lost his lease. I was told he tried contacting every one and if he couldnt your bike is at Land Cycles. I cant believe that he couldnt contact me, but that is all I know

[Cagiva 549]

If the loan has been paid off the title would have been signed by the lien holder and returned to the owner . The state will still show a lien on the title unless the owner applies for a new title , $ 38 bucs to the state for application fee . call the lien holder and ask them if it is paid off . If it is apply for a lost title , the lien holder will release it and all this is over with . SEYA

[JFurr23]

I just called and talk to some guy at the number listed above and he said he knew Todd personally and he would see what he could do for me. Lets cross our fingers.....

[Squeaky]

Thieves don't leave a forwarding number... just sayin...

[JFurr23]

Thieves don't leave a forwarding number... just sayin...

ha...if you say so....i guess you rode your bike today while mine sat in the same spot it's been since Sept....just saying.....:ponder:

[Gryphin]

sucks to hear all this bashing on a guy that gave the best deals on tires in houston!

if anything i think he had a biz going right there on tires alone!

ill stay updated on this post and see where it goes

[kurt]

Thieves don't leave a forwarding number... just sayin...

Misrepresentation is theft in my book. Selling something you can't produce or legally transfer and taking money for it qualifies to me. I'm sure he's a nice guy, but closing his business in this manner doesn't speak well for his intentions. Phone calls to close unfinished business and a pick up time for vehicles is the very least he could do.

[Hood Ornament]

Misrepresentation is theft in my book. Selling something you can't produce or legally transfer and taking money for it qualifies to me. I'm sure he's a nice guy, but closing his business in this manner doesn't speak well for his intentions. Phone calls to close unfinished business and a pick up time for vehicles is the very least he could do.

+1

[SRADkneedragger]

OK I held off on this for a while.
#1 The sale was "Frame AND Title" anything less constitutes at the very least misrepresentation or poor ethics at worst delivering 1/2 of what you sold is theft.(Granted there appear to be extenuating circumstances)
#2 A frame without a Title is scrap pure and simple. In this case there APPEARS to be a lien on the original bike. This means that IF Furgler uses this frame to build a bike and some how the Repoman finds out,,, guess what its gone!
#3 its basically illegal to sell a frame without documentation.
#4 No documentation? Guess what it can be impounded Pending proof of ownership!
#5 Get a "New Title" UH no! Go track down previous owner make contact pray everythings legit and that he doesn't try to screw you over, or ask for more $$$.
#6 "Get a BONDED Title"hahahahahahahahahahahah
OK first NO ONE is going to tell you how to do this or help you and in some instances such as here they may even tell you NO! Secondly now you need to find someone to underwrite the bond(your gonna need some help here)
Next this is where it gets interesting. IF someone who previously owned the bike/frame/motor still has his original title he can lay legal claim to the vehicle!:shock: It gets impounded and is held until everyone goes before the Judge with ALL of their documentation.
Oh and lastly did I mention that a bonded Title is
WORTHLESS yes it allows you to register inspect and insure the vehicle but now the resale just went to ohhh about uhhhm ZERO!
#7 if you want to further complicate things,,,, what Furgler is trying to do is illegal! The DMV says that you must bring BOTH titles from BOTH preexisting vehicles any documentation present them have the vehicle inspected then both Titles will be taken and a NEW one ISSUED you will then be given a stamped metal plate with THE NEW VIN# issued by the State of Texas and the vehicle will use THAT# not the one stamped on the frame. Yes I know all of this first hand(My STRONG personal advice here is do the frame swap and tell no one!)

Now my 2 cents worth is this:
If I had made a deal to purchase a frame AND documentation and received only the frame I would be pretty upset. I mean as far as riding the bike on the street it's of no use and as far as GETTING a mechanics lien/Bonded Title/Tracking down the original owner,,,, well that was not the deal that was agreed upon and not what I paid for. I would exhaust every possible avenue to try to rectify the situation and then I would take legal action AND take steps to A warn others and B encourage others with problems to join me in either a civil or criminal case.
As a final note:
I sold several items on the net last year and within days of the sale my life turned upside down(My father had heart surgery, wifes grandmother died grandfather died 2 weeks later, them Marie found a lump in her breast that we had to travel to Dallas to check) needless to say the last thing on my mind was a few hundred $$$$ in motorcycle parts. Everyone was upset and thought they had been ripped off. Once I got home and the dust settled I sent out EMails and parts a few days later and everything was fine.
SO before a gross character assassination happens I think every avenue should be tried and exhausted.
Good luck Mr Furgler I hope things work out for you.
SRAD

[JFurr23]

Wow thanks SRAD and at least someone (or a few) people around here understand why i'm very upset. I'm not here to **** people off or anything else....I just want people to be aware so this does not happen to them. Thanks for the support and it makes me feel a lot better!

[rad3766]

Thieves don't leave a forwarding number... just sayin...

thank you 'becca.

[SRADkneedragger]

OH there is one other thing I neglected to mention.
If the title still show a lien, that doesn't make it so. The problem here is that the original lienholder would have signed the release of lien attached abusiness card and a ph#. Then when the Title is renewed to reflect the release or when the vehicle is sold it is changed in the computer. IF the ORIGINAL Title has been lost or misplaced you are going to have to track down the lienholder(harder than you think because loans are often sold to new lienholders without the name of the lienholder be changed on the front of the Title) Prove that YOU own the vehicle and then PROVE the loan is paidoff and then have them sign the duplicate Title to release the lien give you a business card and a contact ph#. So again what we are talking about is alot of work which was NOT what you were sold.
I really think at this point (4 pages) someone who is local would make an effort to help settle this. It only takes a little time to track the guy down Zabasearch or PublicData make a few phone calls maybe go by the dealership and ask them how to get in touch with him. Drive by the guys house and tell him about this thread and ask him if he has the title. Surely someone in Houston or a few people in Houston could help solve this problem. If this guy is as nice as many are saying then maybe its just a case of being in a bind and having unfinished business.

[NUTT]

Thieves don't leave a forwarding number... just sayin...

Yeah they do.

1-800-829-1040

[scar04]

Yeah they do.

1-800-829-1040

Wise guy.

Their not so much thieves as they are shake down experts.

[JFurr23]

I just talked to Ross over at Land Cycles and he was a great guy and seemed to care about what I had going on. I'm not sure where he is located but I would recommend him just because of the help with relaying my message to Todd. Just thought I would update everyone.....

[Grover]

Dont want to put a dim light on your hopes... but how has this guy stacked up so far.

1.) Sound Business - (Neg)

2.) Trustworthy (Mixed bag)

3.) Organized (Neg)

4.) Thorough (Neg)

5.) Committed (Neg)

Now, if he sold you a frame so many months ago, judging by the organizational skills of his shop and office, I'd venture a guess that hes not going to be able to walk over to a file cabinet, grab with one labeled R1 Frame (Sold) and be able to extract out an overlooked Title.
Ummmm....

I really liked the shop, and wish he was still around. Now tyres are going to cost me more. He was the only one I've bought tires from. *sniff sniff

[smeghead]

To everybody flying off the handle, let me introduce you to Hanlon's Razor:

"Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity."

I don't know Todd nor have I frequented his shop, but have heard about his shop from DaveG. Todd is likely only guilty of being a bad businessman. He probably didn't do his homework on the title and/or lien holder and now that he has lost his lease he has bigger fish to fry.

That said. An untitled frame is not scrap. Nor is it illegal to buy or sell it. It is unethical and in some cases illegal to sell just a frame and title as a complete bike - note: Ebay will delist your auction if it is brought to their attention that you try to sell a frame and title. Also, a bonded title is not worthless.

JFurr: unless you have stolen goods of your own that you are trying to title wash, look into a bonded title. The process is not hard or expensive (but it can be a drawn out process if you do it via mail). I do not know South Carolina's laws, but here is how it works in Texas:

- go to the DOT, try to title the bike, get rejected - they will give you a letter of rejection you can use to start the bonded title process

- get a written appraisal for your bike (usually the local moto shop will be a setup as an appraiser)

- take the rejection letter and the appraisal to an underwriter (usually a local insurance agent will do this) and buy a bond for the appraised value of the bike. As a part of their process they will check the VIN for theft and will verify there are no outstanding liens. Rates are typically $100 for the first $1000 of value and somewhere between $10-$50 for each additional $1000 of value (depending on how good an deal you get on the bond). Typically you can get a bond for pretty much any bike for under $200.

- take the letter, appraisal, and bond to the DOT. They will then issue you a bonded title. You can now license, register, ride *AND* sell the bike. If the bike does not show up stolen for 3 years, then voila - they mail you a regular title - end of story.

So as long as you do not have stolen goods yourself that you are trying to title wash by switching the title out, then hooray - you shouldn't have a problem, other than that you wasted $1000 on a scheme to title your bike that in most states would have been illegal anyway.

Your other option is a somewhat painful process that involves titling a custom creation. Basically you say you built the bike from parts and you have to get it safety certified, appraised, and blah blah blah - much more of a pain than a bonded title.

Good luck.

-smeg

[kurt]

Kind of hard to do from the east coast though. He still hasn't receive what he paid for. This guy needs to finish his business transaction.

[JFurr23]

Thanks for the info but this would have been a lot easier if he would have mailed me what he promissed me. Also, I have NEVER and will NEVER have STOLEN property on my hands. I'm a strong christan and theft is not what i'm a part of......

[sharkey]

Kind of hard to do from the east coast though. He still hasn't receive what he paid for. This guy needs to finish his business transaction.

+1

If he is just a "bad businessman", he can send the title now - 4 months late.

To me, there are 3 reasons he didn't send it:
he forgot - easily fixed by sending it after the second request
he never had it
frame was acquired thru less than honest means.

Maybe I'm flying off the handle from the assumption but don't think I am.

[D'artagnan]

Thanks for the info but this would have been a lot easier if he would have mailed me what he promissed me. Also, I have NEVER and will NEVER have STOLEN property on my hands. I'm a strong christan and theft is not what i'm a part of......

But you are certainly quick to call others a thief (See line one of your first post). You may be right, but you could also be wrong. From what I have heard of him up til now, he seems like a nice guy. It looks like he's not the best businessman on the block, but that does not make him a thief. He certainly seems to desrve a couple of good dope-slaps for not contacting his customers, but until the facts are in, I personally will withhold judgement. Perhaps you can do the same.

It seems a good "christian" opening line to your first post might have said somehting like, "Does anyone know what's going on with Todd at NW cycles? I bought a frame from him, but the title is missing. I can't seem to get a hold of him".....

$1000 is a lot of money. You've got a lot of nice people here tryin to help you out. I hope this has a happy ending for you and Todd.

[DFW_Warrior]

Okay good, he's a thief, a crook, a vandal, or whatever you want to call him. He stole $1000 from you and you got nothing.. Now that is settled, you can either, A. get a bonded title and move on with your life with a minimal amount of hassle. Or B. go get you an attorney and sue the pants off of a guy you can't find. Then you'll maybe get your money back, and have to give the frame back.

Oh yeah, but that could take well over 6 months to accomplish. If it were me, I'd just do what I can to make the bike streetable and be done with it. Chances are, you're not too worried about resale anyway since you're needing a new frame for a sport bike. I'd say the odds were good that it was trashed and the insurance man wanted to total it out. So it's not like resale was there to begin with.

Yep, he's a crook, thief, liar, cheat, Republican or Democrat, whatever you want to call him. Now I'd just try to get my bike in ridable condition sooner rather than later. Again, that's just me.

[D'artagnan]

I first started hanging out on ADV. I found the TWTex site several months later. One thing that struck me from the beginning on both sites was the “camaraderie” among the riders. When one rider had a problem, the rest banded together to help. Go read about the response to Tourmeister’s get-off. Look up DaleB’s story at ADV. Check out the story of Coon@?? after Katrina pummeled New Orleans. There are many others. The stories are not hard to find.

I read several posts on this board talking about what a great guy Todd was when he was selling tires cheap and mounting free. A VERY brief search showed threads with these titles:

“Free Tire Installation @ NW Cycles”
“Thanks to Todd at NW Cycles”
“Get Your Exhaust gas Analyzed Free @ NW Cycles”
“Northwest Cycles” (with a thumbs up next to it)
“Good place for tire changes” (guess who is one of the recommended places?)

Everyone singing Todd’s praises. Now, things have obviously gone wrong for Todd. Sounds like he went broke changing your tires and analyzing your exhaust for free. If he has done wrong, I’m sure he will take his lumps. But until we know, shouldn’t we show more concern and less derision for one of our own?

[smeghead]

+1

If he is just a "bad businessman", he can send the title now - 4 months late.

To me, there are 3 reasons he didn't send it:
he forgot - easily fixed by sending it after the second request
he never had it
frame was acquired thru less than honest means.

Maybe I'm flying off the handle from the assumption but don't think I am.

How is this +1? Texas should not even be involved in titling Jfurr's bike in SC. $1k is an expensive mistake to make, but buying a title and frame from another state over the internet so you can swap the frame to title your own bike - that can be categorized as nothing but a mistake. First off, it is a major pain in the rear - it would take days less time and effort and a fair bit less $ to aquire a legal title than it would to swap frames and *then* title.

JF: this is not a dig on you - I am sure you just want your bike legally on the road, (been there, done that, got more than one of the t-shirts) it is just the crappy truth. Whatever happens with the frame and title, just go the bonded route and get a few pounds of bugs in your teeth. It'll help with your disposition as you deal with this issue separately.

Also sharkey - in the likely explanations above you forgot the most likely: that Todd is being pursued by creditors and is flat broke, and has to move his disorganized shop someplace he hasn't found yet and Jfurr's $1k frame is a drop in the bucket in comparison to losing his livelihood and shop and self worth. (if the guy can't pay his lease to keep his shop open, he likely hasn't got a pot to *EDITED for overzealous Censors* go Pee pee in */EDITED*)

[sharkey]

How is this +1? Texas should not even be involved in titling Jfurr's bike in SC. $1k is an expensive mistake to make, but buying a title and frame from another state over the internet so you swap the frame to title your own bike can be categorized as nothing but a mistake. First of it is a major pain in the rear - it would take days less time and effort and a fair bit less $ to aquire a legal title than it would to swap frames and *then* title.

JF: this is not a dig on you - I am sure you just want your bike legally on the road, (been there, done that, got more than one of the t-shirts) it is just the crappy truth. Whatever happens with the frame and title, just go the bonded route and get a few pounds of bugs in your teeth. It'll help with your disposition as you deal with this issue separately.

Also sharkey - in the likely explanations above you forgot the most likely: that Todd is being pursued by creditors and is flat broke, and has to move his disorganized shop someplace he hasn't found yet and Jfurr's $1k frame is a drop in the bucket in comparison to losing his livelihood and shop and self worth. (if the guy can't pay his lease to keep his shop open, he likely hasn't got a pot to *EDITED for overzealous Censors* go Pee pee in */EDITED*)


Well first of all, you're missing the main point. A frame and clean title were advertised for sale. He paid the agreed price and didn't receive the title. The title does have value. Would you have paid that same amount
for just the frame?
Apparently JR tried to contact him and was unable to. As for Texas not being responsible for titling in SC, well duh.
The fact is many people buy vehicles out of state and get the title and then retitle it in their own state. It's a pretty simple procedure.
If creditors are after him, it's still pretty simple to mail a title to a guy you did business with or at least call and explain the situation. He did neither which leads me to believe he doesn't have the title. Could I be wrong? Sure, people tell me I'm wrong all the time but that doesn't mean their right. :doh:
That's how it's +1.

[Larry_77084]

Even if he had gotten the title with the frame wouldn't he have to jump through some hoops to title a bike with a mis-matched frame and engine numbers?

:ponder::shrug:

[DFW_Warrior]

The fact is many people buy vehicles out of state and get the title and then retitle it in their own state. It's a pretty simple procedure.

Yeah, but most people that are trying to buy just frames to vehicles or motorcycles are usually trying to either title wash (like Unique Performance did), or out-con an insurance man after a wreck where a bike was totaled. So it's not like he was trying to just buy a nice gently used R1 from TX.

Something doesn't smell right about this thread and I'm sticking to my gut feeling. I don't see why someone from SC would locate and buy a frame from a little shop in Houston. Sight unseen, which to me executes really bad decision making skills since most naked frames come off of wrecked bikes that haven't been reported to insurance. To me it just seems like someone not on the up and up, made a deal with someone else that wasn't entirely on the up and up, and bad things resulted from it.

So may I ask what happened to the original R1 frame to make it unusable?

[smeghead]

Well first of all, you're missing the main point. A frame and clean title were advertised for sale. He paid the agreed price and didn't receive the title. The title does have value. Would you have paid that same amount for just the frame?
Apparently JR tried to contact him and was unable to. As for Texas not being responsible for titling in SC, well duh.
The fact is many people buy vehicles out of state and get the title and then retitle it in their own state. It's a pretty simple procedure.
If creditors are after him, it's still pretty simple to mail a title to a guy you did business with or at least call and explain the situation. He did neither which leads me to believe he doesn't have the title. Could I be wrong? Sure, people tell me I'm wrong all the time but that doesn't mean their right. :doh:
That's how it's +1.

Buying a vehicle out of state is one thing. Buying a frame and title out of state to title wash another vehicle is quite another. Texas and a Texas title should *never* have been part of the transaction. How to unwind a partially complete essentially illegal deal should be dealt with *separately* from getting JFurr's bike back on the road.

You are quick to bash someone in a situation you know nothing about.

Since I don't live in Houston and can't try to get in touch with Todd to help the situation, this is my last post on the thread. Good Luck JFurr (and Todd)

Rubber side down

-smeg

[JFurr23]

This thread is getting totally out of hand and ridiculous guys/girls. I did not start this post to bash EACH OTHER on our opinions. Sure we all do not agree with going on...some of you see where I'm coming from and some just want to stick up for Todd. So be it and from now on lets just post pointers on how to help in this situation. There is NO NEED to be bashing each other....we are all riders not enemies. Thanks......

Also, I've been buying bikes and reselling them since I was 18. There is nothing illegal about my business and dealings. Todd posted this item for sale and I bought it from him (Frame AND title). Some of you say "title wash"...no I'm not "title washing" anything. I buy wreck bikes from my local insurance company's and INVEST money in them for a profit. Say what you want but this is my hobby and it earns me a few extra spending bucks.......

[DFW_Warrior]

Ahhh... things are becoming oh so much clearer now....

Yeah... you're right, you're not title washing. Oh yeah, for those not familiar with the term... here you go.

Taken from... http://www.fraudguides.com/auto-title-washing.asp

Title Washing Scams
Vehicle documentation laws across the country lack uniformity resulting in a practice known as title washing which allows cars to lose their salvaged or flood-damaged branding.
Imagine that you own car dealership stuck with a lot full of flood-damaged vehicles. This is exactly what happened to many new and used car dealers following hurricane Katrina. When you include the cars and trucks owned by individuals throughout the Gulf states estimates of losses approach 500,000 vehicles. Would you knowingly purchase one of these vehicles? Few would and that's led to an increase in a practice called "title washing". This is done to hide the history of a vehicle that's been salvaged. Salvage titles are assigned to cars that are deemed a total loss by insurance companies. This is also referred to as "branding" a vehicle. This doesn't mean the car can't be driven but vehicles branded with salvage titles have lower market values and are difficult to sell.

How Title Washing is Done
Title washing allows dealers and individuals to remove salvage branding from car titles to minimize their losses. Titles are washed by transfering a salvaged vehicle to a state that doesn't recognize the brand. When the state issues a new title, it may no longer show that it had been salavaged. If not, the seller will move it from state to state until the branding is gone. When it is, the vehicle's history will have been "washed" clean.

Yep, sucks to be you. But you got what was coming to you. Thanks for giving me my evening chuckle.

[dixonduke]

:popcorn:

[kurt]

And so it ends....

[Tourmeister]

I think Jfurr has gotten all the "advice" he needs. The rest of the back and forth is useless.