B/S Alert: Exotic Sportbikes

We're starting a new type of commentary with this post: the buyer/seller (B/S) Alert. Specifically, we will use these to convey unacceptable interactions with various business entities in the industry.

Recently, an Öhlins SD-121 happened to come into my possession. The only catch was that it was missing the standard bracket (and bolts and ball joint). Finding replacement parts has been difficult at best.

The "missing piece" from my "big Ö":

Imagine the swell of hope I experienced when I found Exotic Sportbikes whose front page reads, "Exotic Sportbike carries all lines of motorcycle parts, accessories and apparel. We can get you anything you need for your sport bike, even if it's not on our site! [emphasis added]" Furthering my assumption that I found the solution to my problem, I read through their Öhlins steeing damper page which notes, "[Exotic Sportbikes] only sells official Ohlins Steering Dampers with Genuine Ohlins Mounting Kits, not the cheap imitations that some of our unscrupulous competitors sell."

I didn't even realize there were "gray market" Öhlins steering dampers, much less that they were cheap and that one had to be unscrupulous to deal in them. Exotic Sportbikes' page went on to explain the differences, such as, "If your [gray market] Ohlins Steering Damper ever needs repairs the parts can be extremely difficult, if not impossible to get." They even had an entirely separate page explaining "how gray market Ohlins Steering Dampers can be dangerous".

I immediately sent an e-mail describing my situation (with the above picture attached so there wouldn't be any confusion):

To: Sales@ExoticSportbike.com
From: [snipped]
Subject:
Date: Mon, 28 Aug 2006 23:31:31
    -0700

I was looking at your Ohlins
page:

http://...

I have a SD-121 but I am missing
the bracket:

[picture]

I believe the bracket itself is
Ohlins part number 02252-01, but
I am also missing the ball joint,
screws, etc. Is there any chance
I can order one of these full
assemblies through you guys? If
so, how much does one cost?
Thanks!

...

I received a terse response:

From: "Sales@ExoticSportbike"
    <Sales@ExoticSportbike.com>
To: [snipped]
Subject: Re:
Date: Tue, 29 Aug 2006 14:42:51
    -0400

Sorry we do not have it.

I wrote back and pointed out the irony of publishing claims that they could get any part and that one shouldn't buy "gray market" Öhlins steering dampers lest one not be able to get replacement parts when they couldn't actually get replacement parts for my "official" Öhlins steering damper despite them being and "official" reseller. To which I received a short inquiry:

From: Sales@ExoticSportbike.com
Subject: Re: Re:
Date: August 29, 2006 12:08:08
    PDT
To: [snipped]

Did you order the damper from
us? What name was the order
under and I will look it up.

Ride Safe,
Mike

While I always appreciate a reminder to be safe on two wheels, I wasn't sure how the question posed was relevant. If they couldn't get parts, they couldn't get parts.

I don't have much patience for corporations who attempt to scare consumers into paying inflated prices on artificially-limited goods. Especially for those who—when the deception is no longer profitable—are quick to abandon customers who (literally) bought into the fear. While I suspect the copy on their Öhlins pages comes from Parts Unlimited or Öhlins itself, they still proliferate the message and benefit from it.