Powersportsmax Shipping Experience
 

Hey guys. I ordered a Templar X from Powersportsmax on Nov. 4 and I thought I would share my experience with shipping. I have read several posts from people that have not been able to track their order during shipment. R&L transport was the trucking company that Powersportsmax used for my order. I think R&L does just about all of the shipping for them. Powersportsmax was great about keeping me informed as to the status of my order while it was being processed through their warehouse. The day my bike was shipped Powersportsmax sent me an email with all of my order information including who the shipper was and a tracking number. They also listed a website that I could use to track my order. (www.gorlc.com). This site seemed hard to navigate so I copied the tracking number and went directly to the R&L site. There I was able to see exactly when my order was picked up and a projected delivery date. While I was there I got a pop up on my IPhone suggesting I track my order using AfterShip. It was free so I downloaded it. So far this seems to be very cool. AfterShip gives me the ability to track where my order is on a map. I have only been using this app but a few hours. But I think it is tracking my order in real time. I am going to try and include a pic of the actual map and beacon.
I just wanted to share my experience with you guys in hopes that it will help others with future orders. Tracking Freight shipments can sometimes be frustrating. Especially when you get no information during transport.

That is cool. I recall reading the tracking updates to see where it was as well.. it was amazing how within a week of placing the order i had the bike. It seems though that the delivered product varies with regards to condition depending on luck. Mine came in perfect condition, wrapped and packed great but not everyone shares that experience. its just luck of the draw. hopefully yours arrives in perfect condition as well

I didn’t catch the aftership app notice. What I can say is I tried the main R+L link in the email and it detected I was on my phone and asked if I wanted to use the mobile version of their app tool. I said yes/ok and it loaded a mobile web page and instantly the first box on the screen was paste in your order tracking number. I did that and instantly updated. Mine says expect a deliver on Nov 11. I told them I have no real preference of black or orange. They said they would send black. Fingers crossed for both of us on condition upon arrival.

I had the same experience with Powersportsmax. Bike was delivered in excellent condition a week after placing my order and I've since put 2,000 trouble-free miles on it. Very happy with my purchase!

It is amazing. Super fast. You are right. It is pretty much luck as to what condition it arrives in. I really wish that shipping companies would use more care in handling freight. Accidents happen. But I’m afraid most of the time it’s just lack of motivation to do things right. Thank you!

After looking back at AfterShip. It’s not tracking in real time. It makes you think it is because the location of the last pickup Point is blinking on the map. But it’s still good tracking info. I have a Nov. 15 arrival date. Good luck to you too! Thanks.

That’s great to hear! So far my experience with them has been great.

It is not real time. It’s more like post office tracking. I didn’t get any updates after it shipped until today. At 8am it arrived in Dallas. However it still has the delivery date set for Friday so my best guess it’s been unloaded (forklift?) and will get loaded (forklift?) on a separate truck on Friday for delivery.

I called R&L this evening for the heck of it. And the operator was able to tell me that mine will arrive in Memphis tonight at 10. That’s only 140 miles from the house. But my delivery date still say’s Tuesday the 15th. Hoping they might get it out to me by Friday. Praying for good forklift drivers. ;)

Yes and great news there. I just did the tracking again and to my surprise at 2am it is was updated to “transporting to destination terminal” so at least two more estimated forklift operations involved.

Awesome! Let me know when they deliver yours and if they gave you a call before delivery. I wouldn't be surprised if they aren’t early. When I talked to the R&L person yesterday. I asked if the driver would give me call on the day of delivery. She said, probably not. They would just leave it if no one was home. I’m going to say that will pretty much nullify the refused shipment option if it’s damaged too bad. I’m going to call the Memphis terminal today and see if they can tell me what day they will be delivering. I’m going to try and be there if I absolutely can.

I rang through this morning. They told me they won't know the driver at the delivery terminal until some time on the day of the delivery. I also got the information that they won't call ahead and that they will just leave the delivery if no one is home.

I called the Birmingham, AL terminal and they said that I should receive my freight on Monday. Which is a day before the initial delivery date of Tuesday. I asked again if I would get a call before delivery. She said normally no, but she could make a note for the driver to call me 1 hour before delivery and he would call. So we will see. I have to say, everyone I have spoken to at R&L has been very nice and accommodating. If my bike comes in good shape I will have to give this whole process 5 stars.

I definitely got a heads-up phone call (R&L driver called me) about 30 minutes before delivery time. The is the Kansas city office, but I got the impression that this is standard practice at all R&L depot's. I am surprised to hear this isn't the case:wtf:

The first bike (5 speed) had crate frame damage and oil spilled on it. Minor scratches to front fender in mounting area (invisible). The 6 speed crate arrived in perfect condition.

I was surprised too. I was expecting a call and wanted to put the office number or drivers number in my phone to make sure it comes up on the display so I know to take the call right away.


Let's hope the deliver goes better than my eBay carb jet kit. I got text notification from USPS they delivered my jets to my mailbox. I went to my mailbox after getting the message and only two letters and no jet kit package. Now I have forms in with USPS and all the run around having to contact the seller on eBay to let them know that USPS likely lost or mis-delivered the order. Someone will get carb jets today, lets hope they don't decide to keep them or toss the mail in the trash thinking its junk mail or not their mail.

I called the Birmingham depot today and asked the operator to attach a message for the driver delivering my bike to call me 1 hour before delivery. I’ll see if that happens.
TP that sucks about your jets man! Check with all the neighbors. The mailman might have dropped them in their box.

Just some more powersportsmax and r+l experience. They sent an automated email that the shipment is at the destination terminal. They provided once more the shipment tracing number along with a contact number to schedule a delivery. I called the contact number provided but in my particular case there was no scheduling of the delivery what they did was look up the driver and informed me that my stop is #8 on the drivers schedule and gave me an estimated time the driver may show up. They asked if I wanted the driver to call before so I accepted and provided my number.

I now just got an automated email from R+L stating out for delivery. So far both powersportsmax and R+L freight carriers seem to be very on the ball with communications.

ETA on the day of arrival is very helpful. Im going to try to get that too. I’m trying to get it so I can just leave work and be there for delivery instead of taking off the whole day. That’s some good info Texas Pete! Thanks once again man!

No call yet and its an hour past the estimate window R+L gave me this morning speaking to them on the phone.


But good news the carb jets showed up in my mailbox a day after the USPS sent me a text message saying they had delivered it to my mailbox. A friend of mine in FW suggest that USPS is scanning in packages at the post office and marking them delivered before they actually go out for delivery with the postman to boost their numbers with Amazon et al handling other companies deliveries for them under contract.

Two hours after the R+L provided delivery time window, we have a delivery!


The biggest initial damage was the wooden pallet itself!
Whoever built it just butted up two small pieces of wood
instead of a single piece and decided to nail it together
thinking it would be structural! :hehe:


Attachment 27796




The metal frame itself was in excellent condition. There
was a single bent frame diagonal brace in the front where
after removing the black plastic wrap the cardboard was
pressed in as something gave it a good bash in the front.


I quickly moved the electrical harness and light aside and
noticed the forks are already pre-installed for packing in
the shipping box. The right hand side one has a tiny bit of metal
showing where something rubbed during the bash but nothing
looked dented or serious.

Attachment 27797




The right hand side of the bike looks really nice. No initial damage
found in a fast cursory inspection in the failing light.


Attachment 27799




The left side initially looked good. But the light had
failed by this point and the garage light wasn't good.


It took me a while but I finally noticed the left plastic
under the seat had a big chunk taken out of it.


If this and the small scuff on the right front fork is all
the damage there is then I am very happy with the
state the bike arrived in! -- I was so worried not knowing
if I would win the freight lottery or not.


Attachment 27800

Attachment 27801

Great man! I think there is 1 bolt on each side of the seat right above the 250. Take them out and push the seat towards the back a few inches and it should come right off. Not the bolt holding the rack on but the one that’s behind it. Congratulations man. It looks great!

Yeah. They already have the triple tree, front forks and front brake caliper installed. Cool. You might want to make sure all those bolts have locktite and torqued good. They might already have that done. I can’t really tell how bad that gouge is on the side. But they might send you another number piece if you hit ‘em up. Just saying.

While I wait for my front axle tool to arrive to remove the forks from the shipping frame I decided to do a more detailed inspection for damage on the front of the bike.

The shipping box had a large hole in the front so initially I thought I would see damage to the front of the bike.

I did find more damage than initially discovered, nothing major, just more to add to the tally.

In short there is more damage to the forks from the front impact than I found at first. I moved all the dangling wires and bagged parts away from the left front fork and found a much larger impact and finish removed down to bare metal.

Wondering if any mounting bracket facing forward took impact damage I got out the measuring tape and inspected the front mount for what looks to be the headlight. It has recieved impact damage and from comparing the measurments it looked like the left side got hit both backwards towards the body of the bike and upwards towards the top of the forks at the same time.


I will inspect the wires and parts that were dangling in the front of the forks for damage next.

I did a lot of searching around the engine and the transmission looking for where they stamped the VIN number. I did not find it yet.


I did however find that the plastic air intake manifold that attaches to the engine appears to have a rubbery stretchy gasket like material hanging out of it, torn?


Attachment 27822

Man I hate it TP. Probably a forklift fork. Who knows. Think you might can bend the headlight brackets back right with a rubber hammer or maybe a pipe to pry them with? I don’t know man. It’s a good thing the headlight assembly wasn’t already mounted. It would have probably been in pieces. I can’t really make out what’s going on with the intake. Is the plastic cracked and part of the gasket pushed out? Or is some of the gasket twisted and pushed out? If it’s the gasket. You might want to take it off and inspect. A leak there can suck. Good luck bro. Let me know how it goes. Expecting mine tomorrow or Tuesday.

It is what it is. I was going to just run the bike as it through break in and only then pull the carb and look at grinding the break off bolts off and rejetting. But now I have to pull the tank and carb off early just to make sure the full intake gasket seal is there and not missing on a portion of the manifold. Ah well gives me a chance to get familiar with the bike and access all the bolts for a personal PDI job.


EDIT: FYI my air intake filter came oiled. After pulling the battery and putting it on a charger and tender I pressed the filter in and my finger came away coated in oil.

As far as the fork blemishes, my guess is that they will offer a credit for any blemish/scratch related issues - they did this when i had fork cap and exhaust scratches during shipment of my former Titan DLX

This is exactly what happened. I got an email from them today, they are offering $30 credit if I find some place locally to take care of the finish damage on the forks.

Bike got delivered today. I got lucky! Not even a scratch on the box!

:thanks:


Timing got to me though, I didn't have anyone chime in so I went to the trouble of full disassembly. I pulled the fuel tank, disconnected the choke lever cable, fished the entire choke cable out (until I learn how they properly connect and disconnect from the carburetor body it was safer to undo the other end). And I pulled the carburetor and then went to town pulling off the air intake manifold.


All that work for naught, it is the style you see on ATVs etc., not the top of my list of favorite types. They try to have that rubber in the middle form a kind of seal. The next guy with excess mold flashing still attached will at least be informed.


Attachment 27834

I see some orange under that plastic Hap!

I’m gonna get it unwrapped and put together tomorrow after work hopefully. It didn’t get here until after 6. The last thing on the truck. But so far I’m happy! Did you get your intake sorted?

Intake is still off the bike. Carburetor is in the vice. I only have stone dremel bits and they only polish more than grind the bolts. New bits on order but they arrive next Saturday.

I still have to unwrap my bike finish assembly and make sure everything’s peachy. But I’ve got to say Powersportsmax has exceeded my expectations. From day one, the ordering process was easy. Payment process is easy and safe. They provided step by step information on their site of I think every move they made with my order in house. When it got loaded on the truck they gave me a tracking number and a link to the shippers (R&L)website. From there I was able track my orders progress myself to each hub. And Maxpro sent me emails alerting me every time my tracking results were updated from beginning to end. I called R&L once with a question about delivery and I got a real person that was very nice and not only answered my question. But volunteered to let me know the approximate time my order would be delivered and inserted a note for the driver to call me one hour before he would be here. And he actually called! Even maneuvered that giant truck and trailer as close to the house as he could get it and used a powered walk behind fork lift thing to get it under my carport. He was nice as hell too! It’s been a good experience to this point. Now I’m ready to enjoy this bike. I wish it would warm up just a little. I’m from Mississippi so I can’t take much cold especially with a windchill.

They are good. They are obviously showing that they are serious and want to be in the business.

Hey TP. Does this look familiar? Attachment 27839

That looks familiar. I took a look at the new assembly video as well a week ago. From what I remember the front wheel was installed on the bottom of the shipping frame. What I received the wheel was zip tied to the top of the shipping frame. I also noticed in the video that they pulled the handlebar clamps out of a smaller cardboard box. Mine came already installed. I also noticed my left side passenger footpeg was missing. In the video I am sure the never install it and it came pre installed. This caused initial confusion. It turns out they were in the cardboard box that in the video the handlebar clamps were in. The must have removed them so the wheel could be at the top of the shipping frame and not hit the pets in transit since they were removed. But if course the wheel can now slide forward and the rotor must have been facing inwards and bumps into the side panel during transportation.

That new video might be a cut and paste job. Cut out the steps in the beginning of the old video and paste a bit of new video on the front end but it still seems to not mach exactly the way I received mine.

Yep. They need to rethink the new front wheel placement in packaging. It’s tough on the left side shroud. I do appreciate the extra assembly they started doing though. Everything is nice and tight. Looks like I’ll be into the weekend getting everything together and like I want it. It’s a nice bike. Hell of a deal. I think.

Yes. Take your time and dial it in. It’s heading into winter temperatures here so no rush.