I just called Champion about putting their reverse gear on my bike. What I asked is will their kit work on a Backer DD6 Ken I think was his name is a total idiot and knows nothing about customer service.
He said their 6-speed kit would not fit a 5-speed case I KNOW THIS! I said I understand this but what about the 5-speed kit. He said it would not and I asked why and he had NO CLUE why. I could understand him saying I am not sure he did not even know what a Backer DD6 is so how the heck does he now it will not work. He got real nasty and said I will be happy to sell you one but you can not return it even if it was not installed. Well they just lost a good $2K of business and I will recommend all to stay the hell away.
Any one here ever dealt with them and have any problems?
What the hell is a Backer DD6? Some sort of chinese copy or rip-off of the Baker DD6? Where did you get this Backer DD6 and why did you think Champion would have heard of it?
Regarding the Baker DD6, for those who don't know, it's an aftermarket 6-speed gearset engineered to fit into 6 different Harley-Davidson models using 14 different configurations. Baker Drivetrain also makes a half dozen or more other gearsets besides the DD6 for a variety of Harleys. These include the DD5 (5-speed gearset), OD6 (6-speed with overdrive), DD6RV (6-speeds with reverse), DD7 (7-speed), the Frankentranny (don't ask), and others.
If the OP had asked the customer service rep at Champion which of Champion's five different reverse gear aftermarket add-on thingamajings was compatible with which of the 14 aftermarket add-on contraptions made by some other manufacturer, I would have been shocked -- SHOCKED -- that the rep did not know this bit of information which is obviously a core selling point for a mainstream high-volume modification such as this. Yes, truly he must be a "total idiot."
I told him Baker DD6 ON THE PHONE It does not stick out any more then a stock transmission. It was a builders kit and uses the stock case! If he did not know what a Baker DD6 is then how the heck does he know if it will or will not fit and if he knows why the heck could he tell me why not? The original cover where the clutch cable goes into is the stock one and under the cover looks just like the stock one so why would it not fit? He is the jerk that got snotty with me and yes I gave him more back. I have installed his reverse of coarse for the last time and have a good idea about it.
I have had the DD6 installed for over 2 years.
I ran a business for 13 years and NEVER tread a possible customer that way. No problem I will file about 5 complaints and I know it will not do much but I will cause him some hassle. 🙂 Happy to say I saw the real champion so called custoerm service before I bought from them. It is his $2,000 or more he lost and I am glade. Why did ye say if I buy one and do not even instal it that I could not return it???? What a jerk. 🙂
We are a dealer for Champion sidecars, They have told me in the past that while they have never in house installed one on the Baker many other people have and that they will work. I have not installed one my self to know, I know in the case of the 5 speed reverse kits the only issue we had was that the case bolts were 1/4 inch to long which was not an issue at all to fix, we just cut them down 1/4 inch.
Jay G
DMC sidecars
www.dmcsidecars.com
866-638-1793
Thank you for your input why the heck did Ken not know? If I had a customer ask me I would say let me do some checking and I will get back to you or at least I do not know. It was evident the way he talked and how he talked he did not know!!!!! Guess that is why he got upset as he did not know and if he told me that it would be find. When he did not know what a Baker DD6 is all so tells he does not know! Sure puts a sour taste in my mouth if he tells these type of stories what other stories is he tell and running people off? Does any one here know Ken or who he is? With his treatment of customers they are sure turning some away. But now it is to late as I will not BUY any thing from Champion which is there lost and I will let others my experience. Then he told me if I bought one even if I did not instal it he would not take it back. What others do is up to them and is fine with me.
Thanks
Jeff
Seems I am not the only that thinks there service is terrible I have gotten PMs not only on this forum but others of people that feel the same. I have seen poor customer service be the down fall of a many small business.
I got a reply to my BBB complaint and they said they got rid of Ken wise move. I even called and asked for him but they said he no longer works for Champion. Just wonder how much money they lost over him? I know they lost around $2500 from me. I am amazed how many PMs I got from others on 3 different sites how up set people where with Champion you recon all was created by Ken?
SO, I wonder how much Champion is committed to rebuilding it's goodwill. Disgruntled prospects/customers might take the time to find out. What could it hurt? Just saying...
I guess for me one bad employee does not make a whole company bad. My protocol for running into an employee that appears to not be meeting my needs is to ask for a supervisor. Everyone has a boss. Usually a supervisor is in their position due to being a quality employee. If that fails to get me what I want then it's the owner or manager I need to speak to.
I would not base my rationale on whether or not I would buy from this company on what you have just told me. As what you told me is that the company removed the offending person. That says a lot for them. Kind of like Jack-in-the-Box - where was the safest place to eat after they got nailed for poorly made burgers? They were -
Just my .02
Champion must be doing something right, they went from sidecars to trikes and June of this year purchased Lehman Trikes, the one time largest tike company in the world. It's not a healthy thing when you have a disgruntled customer, but in this case no sale took place, hence no customer. I find it interesting that someone would take the time and energy to complain on a national/world forum about such a trivial matter. Most prudent people will make an effort in doing their " Do Diligence " and in this processes may come up against just such an employ. I've talked to many uninformed representatives working for company's my entire life. I shrug em off and keep on moving so that I can accomplish whatever it is I'm trying to figure out. Is it me or is the world producing more and more people that have nothing better to do than complain about the smallest things in life.
In closing, if Champion was such a bad company to do buisness with they wouldn't have grown and become one of the largest most successful sidecar, trike company's going. I saw the post and thought I would rebuttal for Champion not that they need it, but I at one time was part of the Sidecar and Trike manufacturing world.
Johnny Sweet,
jsweet450@yahoo.com
Like California Sidecar Company (Where Champion got it's start by liberating some of their personell and technology) Champion is no longer interested in the sidecar business. The Baby boomers and GenX's seem more interested in Tricycles these days and that is where the lucrative business is. They've made another smart business choice that matches the times. CSC has suspended all sidecar production.
We are dinosaurs. The "In Crowd" wants tricycles.
DFFD
Lonnie
Hack'n - 9/27/2012 12:57 PM We are dinosaurs. The "In Crowd" wants tricycles. DFFD Lonnie
But I am a happy one, could also be a short lived fad,
hey to each their own
Johnny Sweet - 9/27/2012 12:18 PM
Champion must be doing something right, they went from sidecars to trikes and June of this year purchased Lehman Trikes, the one time largest tike company in the world. It's not a healthy thing when you have a disgruntled customer, but in this case no sale took place, hence no customer. I find it interesting that someone would take the time and energy to complain on a national/world forum about such a trivial matter. Most prudent people will make an effort in doing their " Do Diligence " and in this processes may come up against just such an employ. I've talked to many uninformed representatives working for company's my entire life. I shrug em off and keep on moving so that I can accomplish whatever it is I'm trying to figure out. Is it me or is the world producing more and more people that have nothing better to do than complain about the smallest things in life.
In closing, if Champion was such a bad company to do buisness with they wouldn't have grown and become one of the largest most successful sidecar, trike company's going. I saw the post and thought I would rebuttal for Champion not that they need it, but I at one time was part of the Sidecar and Trike manufacturing world.
Johnny Sweet,
jsweet450@yahoo.com
It is their fault I did not become a customer. If the agent for the company gets rude and does not know what they are talking about why would I buy from them? I have had MANY others PM me not only on this forum but others with the same problems with Champion so I am FAR from the only one! I guess I took my time to post here for the same reason you took time to replied to it. Either way the guy does not work their and all I asked was an apology which I never got which is not much to get someones business. 😉
I was just starting to deal w/ Champion about a side car for my future Elctra Glide and they seemd a tad pushy for my taste. Not to mention a bit pricey. There are plenty of other places out there for you, best of luck w/ the reverse kit when you find one and I may need the name of the place you got it from anyway w/ my side car.
I'm with Chuck and Lonnie, may be a dinosaur but at least I'm a happy one. Friends have trikes that definitely look nice, but for me the sidecar is a much better fit with my personality. Don't mind being "different" and glad to be part of this like minded group. Still find it interesting that anytime a group of bikes get together it is the sidecars that people want to see, walking past the trikes, rockets and most everything else.
