Recommendation sought

Hi all,

Has anybody on the forum bought a bike from Flashback Enterprises Inc, Imlay City, Michigan USA? I’m just looking for assurance, or otherwise, that they’re good to deal with, particularly if you’ve bought a bike from them and you live in the UK.

Thanks in advance.

Deano said:

Hi all,

Has anybody on the forum bought a bike from Flashback Enterprises Inc, Imlay City, Michigan USA? I’m just looking for assurance, or otherwise, that they’re good to deal with, particularly if you’ve bought a bike from them and you live in the UK.

Thanks in advance.

Click to expand...

Don't know about buying a bike, but have bought a lot of parts from them with better than usual service. Their descriptions are very honest.

I cannot advise re that company, not being familiar with them BUT I did have a very bad experience with a very well known purveyor of Brittbikes here in the US so I advise caution with buying without being able to physically examine/test a possible purchase.

In my case, I was advised that the '74 Commando Roadster was "ready to be ridden out the door across country. It's in perfect mechanical condition and the engine was recently overhauled." I accepted that and bought the bike over the phone. It was delivered promptly and in excellent cosmetic condition. From there on - nothing but a mess. Among the things I discovered:

1. No oil in the front forks - a tar-like substance which may once have been oil in one fork and only rust in the other.

2. Bike wouldn't start - pale yellow spark at plugs - electrical connections corroded/rusted. Clearly, it couldn't have been started and ridden "out the door."

3. One rear shock had the rod separated from the piston internally so no shock absorbing at all on one side.

4. Once started, LOTS of oil smoke from exhaust. Later discovered rocker spindles were installed backwards, allowing excess oil into the rocker boxes.

5. Slide on one of the Amals would not consistently return to idle position due to warped carb body. All carb mating surfaces on both carbs were badly warped due to extreme over-tightening of the fasteners.

6. Vacuum leaks while running due to open cracks in the carb balance hose.

These are just the things that I recall off the top of my head; there were more. Basically the bike was totally unsafe and unrideable (Heck, un-startable) despite claims of its superb mechanical condition. Obviously, it depends on what you expect. If you are buying a known basket case or bike that you KNOW will require restoring and is priced accordingly, that's fine. But if you are buying/paying for what you expect to be a bike you can "immediately ride across country," be careful with sight unseen!

It took a lot of work and several thousand dollars to make this alleged "ready to ride" Norton ready (and safe) to ride.

Deano said:

Hi all,

Has anybody on the forum bought a bike from Flashback Enterprises Inc, Imlay City, Michigan USA? I’m just looking for assurance, or otherwise, that they’re good to deal with, particularly if you’ve bought a bike from them and you live in the UK.

Thanks in advance.

Click to expand...

No bikes but lots of parts. Everything has been fine. They mostly part bikes out. They are not experts on the things they sell, but seem fair and honest.

+1 on parts buying- honest description - good service . If any among you are the one that won the e bay auction for the 56 Dommie 99 cylinders congratulations- wished I had bid a lot more !

I echo the comments about parts. Seem like decent guys.

Beach said:

Don't know about buying a bike, but have bought a lot of parts from them with better than usual service. Their descriptions are very honest.

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Hello from Germany,
I have to say the very same. I bought cyl.- heads, cyl.- barrels etc. The descriptions of the parts were spot on and the parts just as described. Of course also the prices suited exactly my pockets. Certainly, a complete bike is a different matter. I'd say, give him a chance.
Best Regards
Klaus

Deano

Is there any chance you can get someone to look over the bike for you?

I have only ever bought one bike 'sight unseen' and would never do this again no matter how tempting.

It's fine if you can afford to take the risk of having to spend additional money to fix all problems they don't tell you about.

If the bike starts easily, gears select (no jumping out of gears, no kickstart moving involuntarily), doesn't smoke and has some good history and evidence of work this will go some way to reduce the risk. But someone needs to actually see and check the bike I reckon.

All imho

Andy

Thanks to everyone for their replies, it's much appreciated. All comments have been digested and taken as good advice. I'm also pleased that nobody has detailed a bad experience with this particular seller...

Over the last few years I've bought a Vincent in Australia, a BSA Super Rocket in Texas, a Norton 650ss in Ontario and a Maico 490 also in Ontario.
All were bought 'sight unseen' then shipped to me with various methods. All were supposed to be in very good to excellent condition.
The shocker is, they all were at least as good as advertised. The Norton and BSA were actually better than advertised.
Maybe I should quit while I'm ahead!

Glen

Deano said:

Thanks to everyone for their replies, it's much appreciated. All comments have been digested and taken as good advice. I'm also pleased that nobody has detailed a bad experience with this particular seller...

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I have bought parts off that seller also over a long period with no problems.

At the end of the day they buy with the aim to make a profit being a business and without X Ray vision a complete bike is a risk at best unless you know its history down to the crankshaft (should it be rebuilt)

Any doubt, find someone knowledgeable to at least look at the bike, there is no going back once you send the 'check, even more so with 'shiny exterior bikes (Like that BSA on the site now that sets off quite a few alarm bells) in general.
Good luck with any decision but tread carefully.

I live near Detroit which is a couple hours away from imlay city. I am no expert but I am mechanically and emotionally invested in a 74 mk2a that I acquired last year. I am willing to take a ride and check it out if that will help you.

Saber, thank you for the very kind offer, that’s well above & beyond the call of duty.!

But I have now hopefully completed enough due diligence to give me the confidence I was looking for to deal with these guys. The bike would be a project in any case, so it was more about whether or not they were a legitimate business than the condition of the bike itself & in that respect all seems fine.

Thanks also to everyone else who’s replied to my post. It all helps to build a picture...