Hey guys, I wanted to post an update on my build and the pipe fiasco I told you all about.
George contacted me a couple of days ago about the pipe. It seems he never received my original text with the four photos of the pipe problems (he was switching to an iphone at that time and thinks that may have something to do with it). Okay, so when I didn't hear from him for a couple of weeks after I sent the text, I should have called him, and I didn't. that's a lick on me, not him. I'm reminded that just because you hit "send" on an email, that doesn't mean the person on the other end received it!
Anyway, he heard from another customer, who ordered two KX 250 Dynoport pipes, but received one 250 and one 450 pipe, and George wondered if I had received the other 250 pipe by mistake. When he texted me yesterday, I told him about how my pipe was stamped MPS KX 500/450, but that it fit really badly. I also directed him to my thread on here to see the pics and catch up on my story. He did, and contacted me again and offered to refund my money for the pipe and take it back. I told him Steve had cut it and modifief it and I was happy with it, now that it was moddified and that it fit great.
I sort of busted on Rich (and George) about that pipe, but I told George Rich at Dynoport wasn't doing him or his customers any favors. Rich refused to listen to anything I had to say about the pipe not fitting correctly. He only cared about the stamp on it and said that if it was stamped 450, then it was the correct pipe and the problem was with George and his design. I don't think that's very professional or customer oriented, as I stated earlier on here. Rich doesn't seem to care much about his reputation either, since he didn't want to do anything to make me happy, only to sick me back on George. If he'd only listened to my situation, he may have figured out he really did send the wrong pipe.
Yes, I'm upset about the pipe and that it cost me a total of $600.00 to get it right. I think anyone would agree that's outrageous. But, I also want to give George credit for contacting me as soon as he realized something wasn't right and offering to give me a refund and make this all right, without me even asking.
At this point, I'm still overall happy with the job on my frame and George's interactions with me, especially when I read some of the other comments people have made about him. It seems to me from looking at the photos others have posted of George's work from several years ago, compared to the quality of my frame, he is doing much better quality work. And he has been very professional and responsive to my questions and issues, when he knew about them.
My final judgment on the fit and finish will come when I get the bike completed race it. As I told George this morning, the proof is in the performance. I'll post a race report and post some pics of the final finished product and you guys can judge for yourselves.