The Motorcycle Barn, Swanbourne Near MK

[squibb34]

Anyone had dealings with this trader, one Robert Rooney, formerly of Hughenden M40 Motorcycles? Hughenden were at Milton Common, east of Oxford some years back, BMW, then Triumph.

I don't recall any bike trader treating me with such open, almost aggressive disdain ....... ever, even if they thought I was a tyre kicking time wasting dreamer.

He carries some attractive stock, some of which I guess will be sales on commission & operates by appointment only. Last month, I expressed interest in a £16k bike, via his website, after seeing an ad that had limited info & no pictures/video. He responded promptly & promised a picture set in short order. However nothing materialised & when chased tells me he has taken a deposit from someone who 'took the trouble' to visit & view the bike ahead of prep, despite the scant information - fair enough, I've been gazumped I get it, but I was hardly likely to be impressed & told him so politely. Then, instead of what one might normally expect, a vague apology, had to go with the bird in the hand type reply, in the hope that we might be able to business in the future, I get dissed in two emails & given the final fuck off.

OK. I get the message, perhaps the guy's having a bad day at the office. However, in these difficult times it seems a rather strange approach to customer relations in motorcycle retail. Has anyone else had a more positive experience, or is this a trader best avoided?

 

[Nick Marshall]

I have purchased several bikes from Robert Rooney over many years. But nothing over the past 15 years. As I moved away from the area. I don’t usually make an appointment to visit a bike shop. So I have never visited him since the shop closed at Hughenden M40. Then becoming The Bike Barn.

Anyway. He was always polite and professional. He has been in the trade for many years. Previously at On Yer Bike Westcott then before that in Aylesbury probably about 30 years ago.

 

[OnHellas]

Anyone had dealings with this trader, one Robert Rooney, formerly of Hughenden M40 Motorcycles? Hughenden were at Milton Common, east of Oxford some years back, BMW, then Triumph.

I don't recall any bike trader treating me with such open, almost aggressive disdain ....... ever, even if they thought I was a tyre kicking time wasting dreamer.

He carries some attractive stock, some of which I guess will be sales on commission & operates by appointment only. Last month, I expressed interest in a £16k bike, via his website, after seeing an ad that had limited info & no pictures/video. He responded promptly & promised a picture set in short order. However nothing materialised & when chased tells me he has taken a deposit from someone who 'took the trouble' to visit & view the bike ahead of prep, despite the scant information - fair enough, I've been gazumped I get it, but I was hardly likely to be impressed & told him so politely. Then, instead of what one might normally expect, a vague apology, had to go with the bird in the hand type reply, in the hope that we might be able to business in the future, I get dissed in two emails & given the final fuck off.

OK. I get the message, perhaps the guy's having a bad day at the office. However, in these difficult times it seems a rather strange approach to customer relations in motorcycle retail. Has anyone else had a more positive experience, or is this a trader best avoided?

I have never dealt with him so can’t comment on that side of things.
However, you weren’t guzumped. You hadn’t paid a deposit, you hadn’t agreed a deal. He therefore couldn’t have accepted a higher offer from someone else.

Items for sale can obviously be viewed by loads of people at the same time and others may well have been requesting more information etc. someone beat you to it, simple as that.

On his choice of words, maybe he could have chosen wiser. Maybe he’s suffering from ‘retail fatigue’….its a thing, believe me.

In these situations I always try to think that it obviously wasn’t meant to be. There’ll be another bike out there for you somewhere I’m sure.
Ultimately, if you feel that his way of doing things isn’t for you then it’s up to you whether you ever try to deal with him again or not.

Move on, find a shiny bike elsewhere and enjoy it.

 

[Nice 'n' Fat]

Anyone had dealings with this trader, one Robert Rooney, formerly of Hughenden M40 Motorcycles? Hughenden were at Milton Common, east of Oxford some years back, BMW, then Triumph.

I don't recall any bike trader treating me with such open, almost aggressive disdain ....... ever, even if they thought I was a tyre kicking time wasting dreamer.

He carries some attractive stock, some of which I guess will be sales on commission & operates by appointment only. Last month, I expressed interest in a £16k bike, via his website, after seeing an ad that had limited info & no pictures/video. He responded promptly & promised a picture set in short order. However nothing materialised & when chased tells me he has taken a deposit from someone who 'took the trouble' to visit & view the bike ahead of prep, despite the scant information - fair enough, I've been gazumped I get it, but I was hardly likely to be impressed & told him so politely. Then, instead of what one might normally expect, a vague apology, had to go with the bird in the hand type reply, in the hope that we might be able to business in the future, I get dissed in two emails & given the final fuck off.

OK. I get the message, perhaps the guy's having a bad day at the office. However, in these difficult times it seems a rather strange approach to customer relations in motorcycle retail. Has anyone else had a more positive experience, or is this a trader best avoided?

Robert Rooney is a fucking knob who has upset dozens of genuine people over the years

His attitude towards customers and business goes way beyond being a bit cuntish

He loves to play the blame game and never owns a Fuck Up preferring instead to throw employees under the bus

It should be of no surprise that he doesn't represent any of the manufacturers

 

[twizzle]

Robert Rooney is a fucking knob who has upset dozens of genuine people over the years

His attitude towards customers and business goes way beyond being a bit cuntish

He loves to play the blame game and never owns a Fuck Up preferring instead to throw employees under the bus

It should be of no surprise that he doesn't represent any of the manufacturers

And here is the answer!!

 

[squibb34]

And here is the answer!!

Certainly mirrors my experience - just surprised I have never come across the guy in my travels previously.

Still, it serves as a cautionary tale for other forum members.

 

[Rob R]

Anyone had dealings with this trader, one Robert Rooney, formerly of Hughenden M40 Motorcycles? Hughenden were at Milton Common, east of Oxford some years back, BMW, then Triumph.

I don't recall any bike trader treating me with such open, almost aggressive disdain ....... ever, even if they thought I was a tyre kicking time wasting dreamer.

He carries some attractive stock, some of which I guess will be sales on commission & operates by appointment only. Last month, I expressed interest in a £16k bike, via his website, after seeing an ad that had limited info & no pictures/video. He responded promptly & promised a picture set in short order. However nothing materialised & when chased tells me he has taken a deposit from someone who 'took the trouble' to visit & view the bike ahead of prep, despite the scant information - fair enough, I've been gazumped I get it, but I was hardly likely to be impressed & told him so politely. Then, instead of what one might normally expect, a vague apology, had to go with the bird in the hand type reply, in the hope that we might be able to business in the future, I get dissed in two emails & given the final fuck off.

OK. I get the message, perhaps the guy's having a bad day at the office. However, in these difficult times it seems a rather strange approach to customer relations in motorcycle retail. Has anyone else had a more positive experience, or is this a trader best avoided?

 

[Rob R]

Robert Rooney is a fucking knob who has upset dozens of genuine people over the years

His attitude towards customers and business goes way beyond being a bit cuntish

He loves to play the blame game and never owns a Fuck Up preferring instead to throw employees under the bus

It should be of no surprise that he doesn't represent any of the manufacturers

I suggest you remove these derogatory comments immediately. You purchased a bike 20 years ago which had a manufacturer fault and you were fully refunded. I have been in the motorcycle trade for forty years and there is only one nasty customer I can remember I hate and can you guess who it is? You win that prize.

 

[squibb34]

I suggest you remove these derogatory comments immediately. You purchased a bike 20 years ago which had a manufacturer fault and you were fully refunded. I have been in the motorcycle trade for forty years and there is only one nasty customer I can remember I hate and can you guess who it is? You win that prize.

Q.E.D?

 

[Nice 'n' Fat]

I suggest you remove these derogatory comments immediately. You purchased a bike 20 years ago which had a manufacturer fault and you were fully refunded. I have been in the motorcycle trade for forty years and there is only one nasty customer I can remember I hate and can you guess who it is? You win that prize.

Cheers Robert. That is very kind of you. You have my address so please stick the award to me in the post

For the record. There was never any doubt that my motorcycle had a manufacturing defect from day 1 which made it all the more shocking when you accused me of deliberately causing the damage

The 'service' thereafter I received from Hughenden M40 was laughable

I remember you telling me in your office about how problems can always materialize, but, as you said, "it's how you deal with these problems that's the really important part".

Sadly however, you forgot that in my case .

It was good of Nick Marshall to guide you here, although quite how you allowed him to ride around on my old Rocket III for over six months, whilst it was still registered to me, was as you can imagine a BIG surprise. That surprise only usurped by the £80 fine I received from DVLA for not changing the keeper details. In a way this did me a favour as it really focused my attention to never letting any dealer, deal with the change of ownership paperwork on any vehicle I've traded in since, regardless of how honest and professional they seem at the time.

Still. I suppose if some bikes accidently go out to customers without the correct paperwork being in place, it keeps the amount of owners down on the V5C when you trade it onto the next customer?

I wouldn't know for sure but I'm imagining this is how it works as in my 30 years in the motor trade, I've only ever worked for big reputable companies in which something like this would be a sackable offence

Still, keep it rubber side down !

Paul

 

[Poncherello]

Bullseye !!

Welcome to the forum Rob, we’ve never met

 

[Bem]

Welcome RR, a great start to your GSers membership.

 

[Rob R]

Cheers Robert. That is very kind of you. You have my address so please stick the award to me in the post

For the record. There was never any doubt that my motorcycle had a manufacturing defect from day 1 which made it all the more shocking when you accused me of deliberately causing the damage

The 'service' thereafter I received from Hughenden M40 was laughable

I remember you telling me in your office about how problems can always materialize, but, as you said, "it's how you deal with these problems that's the really important part".

Sadly however, you forgot that in my case .

It was good of Nick Marshall to guide you here, although quite how you allowed him to ride around on my old Rocket III for over six months, whilst it was still registered to me, was as you can imagine a BIG surprise. That surprise only usurped by the £80 fine I received from DVLA for not changing the keeper details. In a way this did me a favour as it really focused my attention to never letting any dealer, deal with the change of ownership paperwork on any vehicle I've traded in since, regardless of how honest and professional they seem at the time.

Still. I suppose if some bikes accidently go out to customers without the correct paperwork being in place, it keeps the amount of owners down on the V5C when you trade it onto the next customer?

I wouldn't know for sure but I'm imagining this is how it works as in my 30 years in the motor trade, I've only ever worked for big reputable companies in which something like this would be a sackable offence

Still, keep it rubber side down !

Paul

I cannot believe your mum still lets you on a computer.
I would give you an award but it would only get covered in poo.

 

[Poncherello]

I think this has gone far enough. It is clearly a competitor of Rob , created a fake account, making sure not one GSer ever uses him for a bike. Whoever it is, stop now! It’s not funny!