Rider's choice for first set of gear

[stormcat]

It's just so weird. I've been in there probably 20+ times and never gotten attitude. And half the time I even end up hanging out chatting with whomever is behind the counter for a while after I buy whatever I went in there to get. They've always been so friendly to me.

[rafiki911]

It's just so weird. I've been in there probably 20+ times and never gotten attitude. And half the time I even end up hanging out chatting with whomever is behind the counter for a while after I buy whatever I went in there to get. They've always been so friendly to me.

Well maybe if they treated all their customers like that we wouldn't be here chatting about it right

[ride2rideagain]

Why do ppl always rant about it on the Internet after the fact. If the guy is being a dick or giving you attitude call him out on it.

There becomes a time when it's not worth buying some of the lower end gear from the other places. You pay for what you get means a lot when motorcycling gear is concerned.

Buying the cheap joe rocket stuff in year one, means you'll be replacing it with the higher end stuff by year 3.
Save the initial purchase cost and buy the good stuff right away.

People are ranting about it after the fact because it is the Review section. People are posting their experiences in the place....so others know about it. Had I seen this thread, I would have had to deal with......

......my experience shopping there. I went in for my first jacket, great prices as some sale was going on. John showed me around and tried to talk me into the high-end stuff but I knew my budget and even knew the jacket I wanted, so that didn't work. I don't see my jacket as lower end, it's a $350 Icon but it's no $700 Dainese jacket. So here we are trying on the sizes and John insists I try on the S, even though I felt the M was tight enough and fit well. So, I stuff myself into the small, it felt tight but John said it'll open up. So I asked him if I can mount one of the two Ducati's there to see how it felt in riding position and he said no. Said they belonged to someone...but assured me that I am a S. Then I asked him for an all black and he brings me one that's black with some silver in it. I asked him if he had that in all black, as I recall seeing a picture during my research, and he said that was the black one. So I make the purchase and get home, stuff myself back in it, mount my bike and it's a mission to get a decent riding position in that thing, and a mission so impossible, even Tom Cruise couldn't tuck in that jacket.

Following day, I head out to GP to get another opinion. Two sales people helped me fit in the same jacket, told me that the M fits me perfectly and let me mount one of the many bikes there. They also had an all black in stock...it's called the Stealth. So I am more than willing to buy here, just had to make sure RC will accepts returns. Call RC, RC says they will provide store credit. I ask them if they have the Stealth in M in stock as that's what I wanted in exchange. The guy said no but it'll be in tomorrow. RC is quite the drive for me so I called in again the following day, different guy answers, I ask him for the jacket in stealth size M....he says yup, come on in....so I head there and guess what....they did not have it. They did not even have the black and silver one in M. Being upset, I ask who answered the phone and told me it's in stock less than two hours ago and the two sales people there start playing the blame game and they said they're not sure and that the new guy had just left for a coffee break so it may be him and what not. I ask for a full refund and they refuse. Offered store credit again...so I just waited another week and went in and exchanged for the black and silver one in M when they got it in stock (they did not order the stealth one that I wanted and said it would be a month). It said goodbye to the place for good.

I did not receive the attitude that people speak of. He did try to talk me to the high end stuff but did not respond rudely when I said I was looking for the specific Icon jacket. But, the guy did sell me a wrong size, then someone there lied to me about the right size and color being in stock which costed me an extra trip there. That's enough for me to not go there again, regardless of their sales and discounts and stock on Dainese stuff that students cant afford anyways.

Many places across the GTA have the same stuff for comparable prices and better service. If the price is higher at these places, tell them and most will match or come close to it, which is enough for me to go there.

End rant. Hopefully people see this and consider not going there.

[PLau]

lol hey man, I would never pay full price for gear, I rather get last years stuff for way cheaper. Happy hunting. Under $300 you can do at Royal now if you wanted to with out waiting for the show.

Either way, I have to wait till spring to ride.. So... why not right? If I cant find what I want at the show, I'll prolly have backup options

[slowbird]

It's definitly worth the drive to go out to GP Bikes rather than Riders Choice.

Their staff is very friendly and you don't get any of that "Holier than thou" BS attitude from Johnny McNoManners at RC.

[2live&ride]

It's definitly worth the drive to go out to GP Bikes rather than Riders Choice.

Their staff is very friendly and you don't get any of that "Holier than thou" BS attitude from Johnny McNoManners at RC.

Any gear I bought, I bought from GP Bikes, always great service and a very patient staff.
I bought my Shoei from there and they were asking a 100$ more than RC, I simply asked Jeff if he could match the price and he didn't hesitate.

I had an encounter with RC at the show last year and he (John) came across aggressive, which def. turned me off from the place.

With that being said, anytime I walk into a store, I know exactly what I'm looking for and If I'm looking for an item that only RC has in stock, I could care less about the service as long as I'm getting what I want.

[ride2rideagain]

With that being said, anytime I walk into a store, I know exactly what I'm looking for and If I'm looking for an item that only RC has in stock, I could care less about the service as long as I'm getting what I want.

That is how it should be among experienced riders as we know more and can research what we want and find out which product delivers to our needs best. But it's the new riders that have the problems. I was new looking for a jacket, researched and went in knowing exactly what I wanted but still got abused in terms of sizing and fitment. Imagine I went in trying to buy a helmet, I could've gone in looking specifically for a Shoei Qwest with budget in mind but, being new, could've been easily persuaded by the sales person to get an X-12 because "that's the one that fit my head." Would've walked out with a lot lighter wallet when if I had gone to GP, they would've made me try a few brands to get the perfect fit on my head with budget in mind.

Considering mine and many other experiences at RC, they would've tried to squash my budget and try to sell me something from their store even if it wasn't the best for me. New riders need to be aware of this.

Also, there's nothing that only RC carries. I am sure you can get at least one other shop to order the same part for the same price. RC will not be getting my business unless I see improvement in the customer service and relations.

[rafiki911]

Exactly, lots of time and good to check out a lot of options

Either way, I have to wait till spring to ride.. So... why not right? If I cant find what I want at the show, I'll prolly have backup options

[stormcat]

So I asked him if I can mount one of the two Ducati's there to see how it felt in riding position and he said no.

Again, weird. When I was 1-piece suit shopping, they told me to get on the bike on the showroom floor to see how the suits felt when tucked. I spent a lot of time on that bike until I found the perfect suit.

And when I was shopping, I had forgotten my compression UA so they opened up packages of their P.U.G brand for me to use. That was really nice of them.

[rbjeepthing]

Again, weird. When I was 1-piece suit shopping, they told me to get on the bike on the showroom floor to see how the suits felt when tucked. I spent a lot of time on that bike until I found the perfect suit.

And when I was shopping, I had forgotten my compression UA so they opened up packages of their P.U.G brand for me to use. That was really nice of them.

What gender are you?

[rafiki911]

I don't think gender plays a part here, as I'm am a female as well and so was my friend who got treated porely as well.

What gender are you?

[2live&ride]

What gender are you?

She's a she... maybe she's hot!?

[rbjeepthing]

Thought that might play a role but I guess not

[stormcat]

I'm not saying Rafiki isn't a nice person, and she very well might be lovely to be around, but maybe I've been treated differently because I went in there with a different disposition and expectation surrounding gear quality and what I would end up spending? I'm just throwing that out there as a possibility...

[rafiki911]

If you say so, already had a good experience with them and I expected the same. I gave them the benifit of doubt and went again after the crapy experience. I'm always in a good mood when going to buy or check out gear, so not sure what different disposition you're getting at.

Edit:Not sure if you're assesment is helping their cause at all since the disposition of the customer or lack there of knowledge should not change the shopping experience. Good customer service should be given all the time. Even if you're dealing with returns or any problem. Shows a lack of professionalism if you are doing otherwise.

[stormcat]

I'm just grasping at straws here.

[rafiki911]

lol we get it they are nice to you

I'm just grasping at straws here.

[KawasakiGal]

Ive personally purchased some of their "high end" products and have experienced the less then satisfactory customer service. IN fact I have been in there when they were discussing the GTAM threads that should never have been discussed in front of a customer or customers (extremely unprofessional/tacky), I've owned my own business as well and this isnt a way that is going to stem more customers or return customers....If they have a product that is on a good sale that I cant find anywhere else I will buy it, however with that being said, it is the last place I go and or would recommend based on my experience. I dont appreciate being a customer that you take less then an interest in when cashing out no less then 500 bucks when I am in there.

Jenn

[stormcat]

^That was my experience at GP Bikes with some greasy louse in the main floor parts department. He started bad mouthing other shops and their gear selection when I complained that GP Bikes carried next to nothing in women's gloves and boots. The guy wouldn't shut up, either. I ended up just walking away from him while he continued to yabber on relentlessly, dissing every other shop. He even named shop owner names at that. His behaviour was deplorable.

[rafiki911]

lol damn it why can't all shops be awesome????

^That was my experience at GP Bikes with some greasy louse in the main floor parts department. He started bad mouthing other shops and their gear selection when I complained that GP Bikes carried next to nothing in women's gloves and boots. The guy wouldn't shut up, either. I ended up just walking away from him while he continued to yabber on relentlessly, dissing every other shop. He even named shop owner names at that. His behaviour was deplorable.