RIP Rick Mayer Seats and my pan and money

[krglorioso]

Last November, I'd sent my '04 Stone's spare OEM seat and $435 to Rick Mayer Seats, hoping for fine work to offset the disappointment of the OEM perch.  I received a call from them around December 1, saying the seat was scheduled for a January 6 completion.  That was fine with me.

I have heard nothing since and phone calls requesting an update in February and March went unanswered. 

Now it appears that RMS has gone belly-up and the business' assets have been moved away, according to one of the neighbor businesses quoted in a BMW owners site.  There have been rumors of this happening "due to a divorce" but apparently the business has had problems since the early 2000s, unbeknownst to me when I sent them the seat.  Well, fools rush in.

I am going to hope that in some remote hollow, Ricky is continuing to fill back orders and some day the UPS driver will deliver the seat of my dreams to me, but at my age I have no business deluding myself with absurd fantasies.

Hope springs eternal, tho, and if indeed Ricky comes through, I shall not hesitate to post to this thread and announce the welcome surprise. 

Meanwhile, Dusty has informed me of a gold strike in Western Oklahoma and I'm getting ready to make a sizable investment.

Ralph

[Carlo DeSantis]

Sorry to hear of your misfortune, but I'm not completely surprised.  Rick's customer relations seem to have been contentious at best ever since he got into the business.  I've heard at least as many negative comments as positive ones over the years.

Fingers crossed for the unlikely happy surprise :)

Best,

Carlo

[kingoffleece]

That really stinks.  His brother Rocky does great work with none of the issues Rick has/had.

[Johncolleary]

Rocky is still in business and doing nice work.  He is in Ventura Ca. I am going up to his place to have my friend's seat done.  I know a lot of people that confuse Rocky with Rick. He was telling me that it has affected his business.

[Tobit]

Sorry to hear about that.  I had a somewhat similar experience years back when I sent my LMIV heads to an advertiser in the MGNOC newsletter.  The exhaust guides were shot and dripping oil down the valve stems.  Talked with the shop owner, was assured it was a quick and easy job so I sent the heads.  Two months later, no heads.  A few more weeks, after many calls in which I was told they're just about to ship, letters and even a conversation with F. Wedge, I let the owner know I was about to drive down (6 hours) and see what was going on.

I got my heads back.  I was gutted.  They were covered in grinding paste, the guides looked like someone cut off the bar stock freehand with a hacksaw, one valve was stuck halfway open and the others creaked mightily and bound up when pushing on them.  Never heard from the shop again.

I sent them straight to Manfred Hecht and a short time later received what looked like brand new heads, relieved, CC'd, polished, new guides, springs and valves.  Cost twice as much, but lesson learned.

Tobit

[sturgeon]

That's too bad, in a way. I had one of Rick's seats for several years on one of my bikes, and thought it was fantastic. Although I was aware at the time of his reputation for occasionally being a bit of a dick, my experience with his business was all positive. And I thought the end product was great. I guess his reputed bad attitude finally jumped up and bit him in the ass. It seems like a lot of the custom seat guys are going the way of EBR.

[Triple Jim]

I've seen a few other cases in which paying up front for long lead items went bad.  When I build 2-stroke expansion chambers, the lead time can be long.  I don't take money until the chambers are ready to ship.  I think it's much safer that way for everyone involved.

[Lannis]

Last November, I'd sent my '04 Stone's spare OEM seat and $435 to Rick Mayer Seats, hoping for fine work to offset the disappointment of the OEM perch.  I received a call from them around December 1, saying the seat was scheduled for a January 6 completion.  That was fine with me.

I have heard nothing since and phone calls requesting an update in February and March went unanswered. 

Now it appears that RMS has gone belly-up and the business' assets have been moved away, according to one of the neighbor businesses quoted in a BMW owners site.  There have been rumors of this happening "due to a divorce" but apparently the business has had problems since the early 2000s, unbeknownst to me when I sent them the seat.  Well, fools rush in.

Ralph

Same sort of thing happened to me in the 80's.  A rip-off artist masquerading as a Harley-Davidson dealer in Madison Heights, Virginia named "Dennis Schultz" took my money for some accessory lights (about $200) for the new Harley I had bought from him on a Thursday.   On Saturday, when I went by the shop, it was empty and boarded up.   The hairdresser lady next door said that trucks had been there all night loading up stuff.   Last I heard of him, he was in Pennsylvania, probably pulling the wool off of some other trusting souls.

As far as I'm concerned, what happened to you (and me) is exactly the same as Mayer or Schultz walking past your car, seeing $435 laying on the seat, and reaching in and taking it, saying "I know Ralph, I'll pay him back some day" and then never speaking to you again.   It's just raw theft, regardless of "intentions" ....

Lannis

[menzies]

I had a similar situation with Seth Laam out in Redding CA. He altered the seat the exact way I told him not to, I then returned it to him and had a phone conversation of how I wanted it redone and now he will not answer my email or return phone calls, this was about a year ago so I chalked it up for experience. I will now only use Russell or Sargent's. 

[Spuddy]

Condolences.  I'd been hemming and hawing for a year or so on my Quota seat after hearing of the bad press in BMW forums and on WG.  It's a shame, Rick did a fine job on my DR650.  I think I'm glad I gambled on Rich's for my Stelvio seat.  We shall see in a few days...

Spuddy

[cjoles]

Well, this confirms a sneaking suspicion I had.  Over the winter I tried to reach out to Rick via email and telephone to make arrangements for a recover of a saddle he had already done for me a few years back.  Never heard back after trying every few days for about a month.  Decided then to do a cheap repair on my own and not gamble on sending it out "unannounced".  Sure glad I did.  I've read the reviews, both good and bad, and tend to chalk most of what I read up to typical interweb complaining but I guess not this time.  Sorry to hear about your situation.

[Sheepdog]

I had a similar experience with him in '02. The seat did finally arrive, but with many detail flaws. It was very comfortable, but after waiting for months I had to finish it myself. There was no way I was going to send it back to him. I've used Sargent ever since...

[twhitaker]

I have a Rich Maund seat on my California that I'm happy with. Wonder if he is still doing them?

[rboe]

I had a similar situation with Seth Laam out in Redding CA. He altered the seat the exact way I told him not to, I then returned it to him and had a phone conversation of how I wanted it redone and now he will not answer my email or return phone calls, this was about a year ago so I chalked it up for experience. I will now only use Russell or Sargent's. 

Same here. Seat is a good seat, customer service leaves a lot to be desired.

[Rotten Ralph]

As far as I'm concerned, what happened to you (and me) is exactly the same as Mayer or Schultz walking past your car, seeing $435 laying on the seat, and reaching in and taking it, saying "I know Ralph, I'll pay him back some day" and then never speaking to you again.   It's just raw theft, regardless of "intentions" ....

Lannis

Hey! Don't drag me into this. :D

Had a Rick Mayer on my Norge and really liked it. Dealing with him was fine but I did hear of others who had communication problems.

We had a Harley dealer here do a similar thing. Monday morning and the shop was closed, inventory gone. The employees didn't even know.
Repair motorcycles were returned but not sure about deposits and paid items that weren't picked up.
Worst part is he wasn't a bad dealer overall - just got into too much debt. :(

[jackson]

I purchased three seats (maybe four; can't remember exactly) from his father many years ago.  Never a problem and the turnaround time was good.  Russell bought the patents that Mayer held for the way that he built a seat and the boys each struck out with their own company and their own specific technique for building a seat.  I didn't buy a custom seat for quite a while but by the time I needed one, I was warned to stay away from Rick's company due to his poor customer relations and long wait times.  This was quite a few years ago and I wound up buying the seat from Russell since they were using the same method that Mayer Sr. used.  I've bought a couple more since then and each time, from Russell.  I never heard any complaints about Rocky but I've seen a couple of his seats and they were not as well finished as the original Mayer seats or the Russell seats that I've owned.  In between all of this, I've bought a couple of Corbin seats but they never fit my butt like the original Mayer (now, Russell) designed seats.

[Bill Havins]

Sorry this happened, Ralph.  I would offer you my spare '98 EV seat pan, but it does you no good.  Crud!  Hate to hear this happened to you, and I hate to see this fellow "soiled" his name.

[dilligaf]

Dusty never said anything to me.  WTF Dusty?   ::(  :BEER:
Matt

[sidecarnutz]

I have a Rich Maund seat on my California that I'm happy with. Wonder if he is still doing them?

I'm still alive and have a business license.  ;) But not getting much done the past few years since becoming diabetic. Hands hurt from arthritis too. Being cared for by the VA means the condition gets neglected. I'm getting wore out. I still do a trickle of work, but mostly its the Ural stuff I have done for some years now. I lost one of my foam suppliers and can't find one particular foam I commonly need to do seats anymore.
And please don't tell me "Just get it off the internet!" I have wasted money on some really shitty foam that way. >:(

I'm thinking of letting my business license expire next year and calling it quits after 20 years in the seat business.

[Lannis]

I'm still alive and have a business license.  ;) But not getting much done the past few years since becoming diabetic. Hands hurt from arthritis too. Being cared for by the VA means the condition gets neglected. I'm getting wore out. I still do a trickle of work, but mostly its the Ural stuff I have done for some years now. I lost one of my foam suppliers and can't find one particular foam I commonly need to do seats anymore.
And please don't tell me "Just get it off the internet!" I have wasted money on some really shitty foam that way. >:(

I'm thinking of letting my business license expire next year and calling it quits after 20 years in the seat business.

Rich -

Sorry to hear about the health issues.    The seats you made for me were top-notch, I'm sorry that future riders won't be able to experience "their ass thanking them"!

Lannis

[twhitaker]

Rich -

Sorry to hear about the health issues.    The seats you made for me were top-notch, I'm sorry that future riders won't be able to experience "their ass thanking them"!

Lannis

 :+1

[bpreynolds]

As far as I'm concerned, what happened to you (and me) is exactly the same as Mayer or Schultz walking past your car, seeing $435 laying on the seat, and reaching in and taking it, saying "I know Ralph, I'll pay him back some day" and then never speaking to you again.   It's just raw theft, regardless of "intentions" ....

Lannis

 :+1  :+1
No other way I can see it either.

[roadscum]

Sorry to hear of your health issues. sorry to hear that you have ignored those that sent deposits to you.....

Paul

[roadscum]

Sorry to hear of your health issues. sorry to hear that you have ignored those that sent deposits to you.....

Paul

[Kent in Upstate NY]

Sorry to hear of your health issues. sorry to hear that you have ignored those that sent deposits to you.....

Paul

Rich Maund aka Sidecarnutz, is not Rick Mayer, subject of this thread.

[Abbienormal]

I have a Rick Mayer seat on my Honda PC800 and think it is great. Dealing with him, not so much. Was told 6 weeks on the build. I called about 7 weeks later to see how it was going and was told it would be done if he didn't have to answer the phone answering when it would be done.
Sent my Norge seat to Bill Mayer for a redo. Now not everybody can be satisfied all the time but the seat was totally uncomfortable. I called and stated so and what I thought was wrong. He said send it back. Got it back with almost no changes. He said send it back. I already had almost $100 in shipping so it went on eBay and I took a $400 bath.
Almost scared to try another seat recovering company as I lose my pan.  I put a Corbin on the R1200GS I had and it was much better than stock.  Not great but acceptable. Looking at the new one for the 1400 I may have to spring.

Rudy

[mphcycles]

Sorry to hear about that.  I had a somewhat similar experience years back when I sent my LMIV heads to an advertiser in the MGNOC newsletter.  The exhaust guides were shot and dripping oil down the valve stems.  Talked with the shop owner, was assured it was a quick and easy job so I sent the heads.  Two months later, no heads.  A few more weeks, after many calls in which I was told they're just about to ship, letters and even a conversation with F. Wedge, I let the owner know I was about to drive down (6 hours) and see what was going on.

I got my heads back.  I was gutted.  They were covered in grinding paste, the guides looked like someone cut off the bar stock freehand with a hacksaw, one valve was stuck halfway open and the others creaked mightily and bound up when pushing on them.  Never heard from the shop again.

I sent them straight to Manfred Hecht and a short time later received what looked like brand new heads, relieved, CC'd, polished, new guides, springs and valves.  Cost twice as much, but lesson learned.

Tobit

If you ever need head work again, one of the best in the USA is right there in Memphis, Leo Goff at Memphis Motor works.

[Lannis]

Sorry to hear of your health issues. sorry to hear that you have ignored those that sent deposits to you.....

Paul

Wrong guy!    Between Mayer, Mayer, Mayer, Rich's Seats, and Rich Maund, the seat world can be confusing.   

Besides, we can catch hold of Rich Maund at the next Guzzi rally if we want him for anything.... !

Lannis

[johnr]

Rocky is still in business and doing nice work.  He is in Ventura Ca. I am going up to his place to have my friend's seat done.  I know a lot of people that confuse Rocky with Rick. He was telling me that it has affected his business.

I wonder if he can mayhap lay his hands on the OPs seat and money?

[Lannis]

I wonder if he can mayhap lay his hands on the OPs seat and money?

Wrong guy again.  "RICK" Mayer is the one with the OP's seat and money.  "ROCKY" Mayer is his estranged brother .....

Lannis