Five Flags Motorbikes this company sells junk at exorbitant prices Pensacola, Florida

The attached emails expose the real truth.  The real truth is, we hand-delivered a working product to Mr. John Michael Collins (AKA Jack Collins) that had a 90 day warranty.  Although it is impossible to validate Mr.Collins claim of minimal use, it is a matter of record (by his own admission) that he failed to contact us (for any reason) for more that a year following the delivery.  When we failed to respond to his initial email as promptly as he wished, Mr. Collins emailed threats of reporting us to the Better Business Bureau, Attorney General,  Federal Trade Commission.  Knowing that we had done nothing wrong, we replied that we do not respond well to threats.  Further, we said that if he wished for our cooperation, he should try another approach.  Despite his threatening email, we also gave you specific instructions on how to fix your problem.
 
On March 16, 2010, Mr. Collins replied apologetically and said that he had erred as to the tone of his previous email.  Additionally, Mr.Collins said that he would try our suggested repair (only to unfairly blast us in this public forum on March 25, 2010).
 
In closing, It is our position that Mr. Collin's statements in ths Rip-Off Report were intentional, unfounded and are damaging to our reputation and revenues.  If any problems actually did occur during the 90 Day Warranty period, we were never made aware of them, nor were we afforded the opportunity to correct them.  His rant on this forum fails to admit that he waited more than a year following the delivery to email us the very 1st time about any problem.  Further, Mr. Collins made no mention as to the troubleshooting and repair advise that we willfully provided in the attached email.  We WILL prove that his complaint was written to mislead readers into thinking that we refused to respond to emails about problems and failed to provide any customer support after the sale.  He intentionally mislead readers into thinking that he was having problems with a BRAND NEW $600 Bike after only 10 hours of use.  Even the claim of "less than 10 hours of operation" on the bike is exaggerated to mislead customers compared to the 50 hours that he previously claimed in the attached email.  The court will likely consider this as "Lying by omission".  We WILL show that we have always dealt fairly with Mr. Collins DESPITE his threats and attacks on our integrity.  The omission of his full name from the posting (while listing our company name, address, website & phone number) will not protect him.  I have been assured that proving the origin of the posting is a mere formality.  He is merely a vindictive liar.  Please afford us the courtesy of reading our actual correspondence emails below.
 
Frank Cadem
Five Flags Motorbikes
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On Tue, Feb 24, 2009 at 11:18 AM,  <FCadem@aol.com> wrote:

Jack,

The warehouse in Michigan sent you bike here (Pensacola) instead of shipping
it to Tallahassee.  Due to the delay and confusion, we will deliver the bike
to you fully assembled at no additional charge.  Would Wednesday (25th)
evening (7:30 pm or so) work?  If not, we can work the delivery in around
your schedule.

Frank
Five Flags Motorbikes
Phone (850) 941-2080
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On Tue, Feb 24, 2009 at 8:10 PM, John Collins <jackcollins77@gmail.com> wrote:
 
Wed. 25th at 7:30 p.m. would be perfect. If you need to verify by
phone my phone number is 850-694-4363. Thanks!
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Date: Sat, 6 Mar 2010 18:57:30 -0500
Subject: Re: gas cruiser bike -- J.M. Collins, Tallahassee
From: John Collins <jackcollins77@gmail.com>
To: FCadem@aol.com

The gas cruiser bike I purchased from you a little over a year ago has stopped working. It has not been ridden more than 100 miles. The engine still runs and moves the chain, but the chain does not spin the rear wheel. Any suggestions on how i can fix it?
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Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 10:18:13 -0500
Subject: Better Business Bureau, Federal Trade Commission
From: John Collins <jackcollins77@gmail.com>
To: fcadem@aol.com

Unless I get a response from you about the motorized bicycle I will file complaints with:
the Florida Attorney General's office:
http://myfloridalegal.com/Contact.nsf/Contact?OpenForm&Section=Economic_Crimes
...also, the Federal Trade Commission:
https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/
and the West Florida Better Business Bureau:
https://odr.bbb.org/odrweb/public/getstarted.aspx

In view of the fact that the product you sold me lasted less than 50 hours (10 hours in his complaint) I think a full refund is reasonable. If you do not respond I will pursue every legal option available to me to obtain redress of what I am sure any fair-minded person would agree is a just grievance.
John Collins
Tallahassee FL
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From: FCadem@aol.com
Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 14:13:21 EST
Subject: Fwd: Better Business Bureau, Federal Trade Commission
To: jackcollins77@gmail.com

Mr. Collins,
 
I am sorry that it took 6 days for me to respond to your initial email dated March 6th, but we get so many emails daily it is difficult to respond promptly sometimes.  If you demand immediate responses, we suggest that you call our office rather than email us.  Also, although we believe strongly in customer service, there are a few things that you need to get straight before you approach Five Flags for further assistance..
 
First, please understand that we don't respond well to threats.  You will never gain our cooperation with threats.  If this approach continues, you are definitely on your own.
 
Secondly, We don't cheat anyone.  I find it utterly amazing that you keep the bike for over a year without any contact and then you decide to send threatening emails that seem to suggest that we have cheated you. 
 
And finally, for you to suggest that you deserve a full refund is absurd.  We have always (for 15 years) had a 90 day warranty (not Guarantee) that you are far outside of.  Irregardless of your unsubstantiated claims of minimal use, the bike is definitely considered used and is not under any warranty or guarantee.  By your own admission, you have had the bike for over one year now.  The warranty and return policies have remained unchanged and are available within the left-hand menu on every page of the website www.FiveFlagsMotorbikes.com .
 
Despite your approach, I will respond to say that your problem appears to be a damaged freewheel within the center of the large red motor-driven wheel sprocket.  It is not engaging and turning the wheel as it should when the engine is given throttle.  This freewheel can be replaced by bolting a 16 tooth BMX freewheel sprocket to the large motor driven sprocket in place of the damaged freewheel sprocket.  This will require removal of the rear wheel and then the removal of the pedal-driven freewheel sprocket and finally the removal of the large motor-driven freewheel sprocket.  Replace the damaged freewheel within the center of the large red motor-driven sprocket by bolting it in place just as the original freewheel was.  Although they appear to be quite different, it will bolt in place perfectly in place of the original freewheel. The replacement BMX freewheel sprocket is available at most bike shops for $10-$13.  If you are able, it would save money for you to remove the rear wheel yourself and take it to the bike shop and have them remove the freewheels.  Have the bike shop call us (as you should have done) if they have any questions.
 
Sincerely,
 
Frank Cadem
Five Flags Motorbikes
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Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 10:22:57 -0400
Subject: Re: Better Business Bureau, Federal Trade Commission
From: John Collins <jackcollins77@gmail.com>
To: FCadem@aol.com

Thanks for the advice. I apologize for the tone of my previous letter, I'm usually pretty good about re-reading and re-considering before I hit "send" but erred with my last email to you. I'll try what you suggest and hope for the best. If all else fails, I can always just take the motor off and use it as a regular bicycle.
 
----John Collins
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Rip-Off Report Posted: Thursday, March 25, 2010

I spent 600 dollars with Five Flags Motorbikes on a gas-powered motorized bicycle they advertised as a reliable mode of transportation. After less than ten hours of operation part of the drive system broke. I emailed them and got no response. I emailed again, saying that if they did not respond I would pursue other means of getting satisfaction (Better Business Bureau, etc.) They then wrote back saying they received such a high volume of emails (probably from other people they cheated) that it was better to try to reach them by phone. They also expressed outrage that I had "threatened" them and scoffed at my request for a refund. I was going to write back and ask for a partial refund but based on their initial response decided it would be a waste of time, and that my time would be better spent trying to expose these charlatans for what they are -- cheaters who sell junk for lots of money. They should be run out of business.