California Motorcycles Avis 

I bought a part for my old evo, a fuel tank sending unit. Nobody had this thing in stock (it's a v-twin reproduction) and I had bought one from other online vendors only to have my money returned saying they were no longer available

Then I saw one on the Califoirnia Motorcycles website. I looked at the site, AI video of the "shop", stock images, no info on the company really Address is a warehouse in Florida and an overseas phone number. I wasn't going to order but then I saw they had an eBay. store and the same part was listed. Their ebay feedback was ok, not great -- decided to take a chance.

Immediately my credit card company emailed me and notified me that the company was outside the US. I though this was going to end in a dispute.

Next day, I got a tracking number. Ok, they're sending SOMETHING, probably not what I ordered.

Two days later -- I get a box -- from Ted Cycle (V-Twin mfg). Sure enough, it was the sending unit I ordered.

So scammy looking website, they are a drop-ship company (they take the money, then have the product sent from the distributor), but they delivered what I paid for and shipped very fast. When nobody else would.

I recently ordered a part from California Motorcycles. Unfortunately, the part arrived damaged. When I contacted them to arrange a return, I was told that I would need to pay for the return shipping myself.

This policy makes no sense to me—when you purchase something brand new and it arrives defective or damaged, the seller should stand behind their product and cover the cost of making it right.

After checking online, I noticed I wasn’t the only one with this issue. Other customers reported the same thing: being forced to pay shipping to return damaged or incorrect items. California Motorcycles already has low reviews elsewhere, and now I understand why.

I would caution anyone considering a purchase from this company to be aware of their return practices.

Sure wish I had read the previous review before I ordered.
I ordered a set of chrome forks for my ride, ordering in plenty of time to ride to Sturgis.
Got my order in a timely manner (in USA), rookie mistake I installed without much inspection.... but the forks were assembled wrong and mangled..... I'm talking the seals were upside down, one had the washer on TOP of the seal, and the rim of the lower looked like they put said seals in with a framing hammer.
Not wanting to ride 800 miles 1-way on my old, blown out forks I ordered new seals and bought more fork oil to replace. The seats were so trashed that I couldn't get the new seals to seat. I contacted company again (I had contacted them regarding the issue and was told that "new seals should fix the problem") to request a return label and refund and was given an address to send them to, but on my own dime($75) with the promise that the return shipping cost would be refunded as well..... I can no longer get a response from the company, have no refund and am out a few hundred $ more than my initial $1000 purchase....

Placed an order for a set of exhaust pipes with California Motorcycles only to discover too late, that they are drop shippers.

My buying "experience" with these people went like this.

After ordering and paying for the pipes, they were delayed for a week because these people who specialise in shipping around the world had incorrectly completed the Customs forms.
When the pipes arrived, I saw they had sent me the wrong ones, on being informed, they gave me an address to return them to - at my expense (£85.00) and told to mark the box "Fao Warranty Department" and given no other instructions. So I returned them after marking the box as directed.

When the pipes arrived back in Spain, they were held by Spanish Customs for tax payment. The shipping "experts" at California Motorcycles apparently don't have the faintest idea how to deal with their own customs laws.

However as California Motorcycles exported the pipes in the first place, you would think they would have no trouble speaking to Customs in their own town and resolving the matter, especially as they had failed to supply me with any information how to send returned goods back.

But no. They refused to intervene, presumably being too lazy or too incompetent to deal with their own Customs people and told me that as the package hadn't reached them, they would not refund me and it was all my fault.

Well California Motorcycles, welcome to Section 75 of the Consumer Act. (Google for full details.) As they hadn't supplied me with what I ordered, Visa refunded me in full. The very helpful lady at the Visa dispute centre told me that they (Visa) would simply take the money back from California Motorcycles bank account.

So, if you are tempted to buy from this outfit, bear in mind the following. If you ask them whether they have an item in stock, they will only send you a link to it on their website, they will not give you a yes or no answer, because as drop shippers they have zero stock. If you ask a question these people consider "awkward" they will simply ignore your e mail, and finally, if there is a foul up at their end, they will offer you no help, expect you to pay to cover their incompetence and use every excuse why they will not refund you.

But if, despite my experience you are still determined that you should buy from them, ensure you use a credit card and that way, when this crew mess up and refuse to refund you, you'll be refunded by Visa or Mastercard.