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Re: Tommies Guides Eastbourne

I'd never heard of them but a 'Google' shows that the owner is active on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/TommiesGuides?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

It doesn't seem to be the size of business that could have many employees who don't know what's going on.

Is it an organisation that doesn't stock but simply buys in when orders arrive ?

Does trading standards still exist in the UK ? If so, how can eBay UK allow the sale of Indian cast-iron girder forks that have had no proper testing or materials analysis ?

Re: Tommies Guides Eastbourne

"Does trading standards still exist in the UK ? If so, how can eBay UK allow the sale of Indian cast-iron girder forks that have had no proper testing or materials analysis ?".

Presumably because they are trading from India and not UK? Unless you were buying to re-sell, Trading Standards would have no remit.

Re: Tommies Guides Eastbourne

Surely eBay UK is a UK-based auction house ?

...There is plenty of action against vinyl £5 Gucci handbags that nobody thinks are real but that might just be because big business is more upset about trademarks rather than a danger to UK consumers.

Re: Tommies Guides Eastbourne

Rik
...There is plenty of action against vinyl £5 Gucci handbags that nobody thinks are real but that might just be because big business is more upset about trademarks rather than a danger to UK consumers.


That might be because Gucci is around to take action against copyright infringment or whatever, BSA not so much.

Remeber that eBay is merely a mediator of the deals and not a reseller in themselves. Its the Indian company who sells directly to you using the eBay web page.

Re: Tommies Guides Eastbourne

But Ebay takes a percentage and allso paypal, about 10per cent in total , not bad when doing in percentage terms very little

email (option): warbikes@gmail.com

Re: Tommies Guides Eastbourne

FerG3
"Does trading standards still exist in the UK ? If so, how can eBay UK allow the sale of Indian cast-iron girder forks that have had no proper testing or materials analysis ?".

Presumably because they are trading from India and not UK? Unless you were buying to re-sell, Trading Standards would have no remit.


No they don't.
And have not done so for a very long time unless the item is marked "Made in England / UK / Scotland"

Because of world free trade regulations, if an item is able to be sold in any signatory country then it has to be able to be sold in all signatory countries.

This is one of the loopholes Chinese & Indian companies use to sell shoddy products all over the world.

Even worse is if the UK government banned the said same girder forks, the factory , wholesaler , importer & retailer are all allowed to sue the government for loss of income on products they have never made.

And this happens daily, but we never see it.
Fake Gucci handbags or FAG bearings is a different matter because the name Gucci & FAG are the IP of those companies.

email (option): bsansw1@tpg.com.au

Re: Tommies Guides Eastbourne

Surely there cant be much demand for the Indian made girder forks in the UK,its hard to find a project after over 70 years that the forks would be missing,all the forks seem to be based on WD models,you can still find M20 girders and parts off them at jumbles and ebay,the forks they make for the 3HW are based on the Webb girders so would be wrong for early and pre war models,how many more 3HWs will turn up in the future?? they don't make the front frames for M20 and 3HW or comlete frames for Norton or WNG,so you would have to find an original frame to fit the girders and all the other repro parts and original parts that you find onto,it would be cheaper to find a restored bike with original parts?

Re: Tommies Guides Eastbourne

Hi Steve

At this point in time there does seem to be lots more M20 front frames left in existence than forks.

And if you have a frame its still pretty easy to buy an engine, gearbox, wheels ect in large lumps and before you know it you are convincing yourself you have a virtually complete project bike worth thousands, and then finding a set of forks becomes essential.

There was a rusty barn find M20 at Shepton last year, a previous owner had taken the forks and replaced them with some odd 30s BSA forks and passed it on, because even in a very rusty state they were the only valuable bit on it.

Also how many machines have a fairly miner prang each year? its not easy or cheap to get a pair of forks straightened these days, so sensibly quite a few owners are sitting on a spare pair as future proofing (not me sadly though).

So its really not surprising that our friends in India have spotted a real demand and have offered us an option, I'm not desperate yet but who knows, one day?

Rob

email (option): robmiller11(a)yahoo.co.uk

Re: Tommies Guides Eastbourne

I know that the Indian made forks appear to be crap, but it seems that there are many people using them. Do we know of any one that has had an accident with them and I don't mean hearsay.

Re: Tommies Guides Eastbourne

by the lord 'arry! does he supply forks as well? don't hold your breath if you order 'em

email (option): woolnough@mchenry.plus.com

Re: Tommies Guides Eastbourne

No forks in stock, I did phone to ask what price and he said 'Fork off'

Re: Tommies Guides Eastbourne

what!!! you managed to contact him?
bet you didn't ask where my book is though.

email (option): woolnough@mchenry.plus.com

Re: Tommies Guides Eastbourne

Ian Clare
I know that the Indian made forks appear to be crap, but it seems that there are many people using them. Do we know of any one that has had an accident with them and I don't mean hearsay.


No, But I know someone who took two weekends of heating & bending to make them strait and another who found his mudguard fouled on the frame after fitting them.
Both of these were sold on evilbay when finished.

email (option): bsansw1@tpg.com.au

Re: Tommies Guides Eastbourne

There's nothing to suggest the Indians have started doing things correctly...

If the measure of how good the forks are is.. 'Has anyone had a catastrophic failure leading to an accident yet?' then the answer may well be 'No' but it would be ridiculous to then assume the forks are fine...

Material specs, production methods, dimensional accuracy, quality control and in the case of the spring at least, heat treatment also have to be taken into account..

Trevors post illustrates that nothing has changed and the Indians are still knocking out the same old rubbish...To think otherwise in the case of these forks would just be a triumph of optimism over logic... ...Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

Re: Tommies Guides Eastbourne

I was just curious as I'd met a chap who had a set on his BSA who said he'd had no problems with them.

Re: Tommies Guides Eastbourne

I had an (M20) set here which had all the paint blasted off them specifically for me to check them over...I thought the (visible) standard of workmanship was appalling..Not, in my opinion, up to a reasonable minimum...

I guess it's just down to what you are prepared to accept and use and whether you are prepared to take a risk with your well being if there actually is a serious failure..

As no two items are generally the same it is possible someone will get lucky....yet equally possible someone will not...

With my background in manufacture I can't accept products made to such a low standard, as I apply my own manufacturing criteria to anything I'm looking at from whatever source...

I'll never fit a set of these forks to any bike of mine but that's just my view on the matter...It may be that the forks are very crudely made but ultimately functional...I hope that is the case....Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

Re: Tommies Guides Eastbourne

On the other hand.

The Indian Enfield (I still can't bring myself to call them "Royal") also has forks which are made in India, I realise they are tele's but how is the quality/safety record with them?

Rob

email (option): robmiller11(a)yahoo.co.uk

Re: Tommies Guides Eastbourne

Yes, but Royal Enfield are part of the Eicher Group..A very large engineering concern that are involved in a number of industries as well as making the over 200,000 bikes a year that are manufactured under the Enfield name..

A far cry from the M'hatan' M'coat back street motorcycle spares emporium that probably manufactures the forks etc....Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

Re: Tommies Guides Eastbourne

Yeah, the Enfields are great motorcycles in many ways!

I also have some interests and insights into the scooter scene and "asian restoration" is a well known concept there. They knock together any old parts that they can find, paint it up and sell them on Ebay to unknowing westeners who think they are making a bargain bying a "fully restored, original" Vespa or Lambretta (but mostly Vespa). I have seen pictures of main bearings shimmed into the cases with strips of beer can...

There is a continuing debate as to whether this is fraud or if it just a different ideas of what quality to be expected. Most people in Indonesia, Thailand or India probably can't even imagine they way that a scooter is used here. Or rather how it isn't, how it is more of a showpiece than a means of transportation.
I don't know, maybe a similar thing can be said about the Indian M20 forks? "As long as they don't break they're ok" kinda thinking?

/s

Re: Tommies Guides Eastbourne

Some years back didn't Royal Enfield India sell a retro Bullet fitted with girders, or is my memory playing up.

Re: Tommies Guides Eastbourne

well the search for this vendor certainly created a discussion, love it!. anyway update, got real mean with the delightful young lady who answered the phone at Tommies Books? this morning, felt quite mean for getting mean with her 'twasnt her fault, explained I had located both addresses, the alleged shop and the registered premises and in fact had examined both on google earth, after now 6 contacts I expected a reply, investigation was once my living!
whadda you know? got an email this P.M from the vendor stating he could not source the book from his normal suppliers, what a surprise?. anyway seem to have found another so ordered this, we shall see.so beware kind regards

email (option): woolnough@mchenry.plus.com

Re: Tommies Guides Eastbourne

more update, book arrived today from a different vendor,[3days not bad!] hardback and in very good condition, ex Hampshire county council so probably library, not quite what I expected but most interesting and worth keeping on the bookshelf. kind regards

email (option): woolnough@mchenry.plus.com

Re: Tommies Guides Eastbourne

I found this thread whilst searching for "Tommies Guides".

I ordered a book from them over a month ago. I gave my credit card details and received an order confirmation. No payment was taken from my card by Tommies Guides.

Three weeks later, no book but there is an unauthorised payment on my credit card (to some online video service, which has links to some "specialist video" sites). Mastercard investigate, my card is cancelled and a replacement issued.

I politely contacted Tommies Guides to inform them that when they finally send the book, I would need to give them new credit card details, as the old card is cancelled. No reply received.

After some surfing, I find that their site is down and the owner, Ryan Gearing, seems to have disappeared in to a thick cloud of mustard gas.

If anyone has any information about this company, it would be gladly received.

Re: Tommies Guides Eastbourne

ah a thickening plot! the premises I identified at 44a Dudley Road Eastbourne was a small but presentable lock up behind no 44, the registered premises seem to be a multitude of similar busines in a rather upmarket set of Victorian type converted town houses, he had a few other branches to his business as well as books I you can negotiate all the obstacles placed before you it may be worth contacting Eastboune [Sussex] trading standards, they will probably only record the incident but this is probably more than the police will do should you bother them!kind regards

ps I have just google Ryan Gearing makes interesting reading!

email (option): woolnough@mchenry.plus.com

Re: Tommies Guides Eastbourne

Fancy C.V.... ...Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

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