Forking by Frank going out of business
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- jabcb
- Moto GP
- Posts: 4251
- Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 4:32 pm
- Country: USA
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: 69 T350 thru 75 GT750
- Location: southwestern Pennsylvania
Forking by Frank going out of business
Per the GS forum, the owner is serious ill & the company is now liquidating raw material.
http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/sh ... p?t=215448
http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/sh ... p?t=215448
BAS (Bike Acquisition Syndrome) - too many bikes but have room for more
Suzuki:
GT750 2x75
GT550 72 & 75
GT380 72
T500 69 project & 73 project
T350 69 & 71
Honda 85 CB650SC & 86 CB700SC
09 Triumph Bonneville SE
Suzuki:
GT750 2x75
GT550 72 & 75
GT380 72
T500 69 project & 73 project
T350 69 & 71
Honda 85 CB650SC & 86 CB700SC
09 Triumph Bonneville SE
- RING_DING
- To the on ramp
- Posts: 447
- Joined: Thu Apr 21, 2011 5:32 am
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- Suzuki 2-Strokes: 1974 GT750 B-4 (JDM), 1975 GT750M
- Location: North Carolina
Re: Forking by Frank going out of business
That is a real shame. Need some young blood to step in and carry on the tradition.
1973 Suzuki GT750K with Sidecar - Bonneville 2020
- mike1161
- On the main road
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- Suzuki 2-Strokes: 1970 T350, 2012 Triumph Thruxton
- Location: Palm Harbor, FL
Re: Forking by Frank going out of business
Wow, that is really a bummer. I just got a set of tubes from them last December, for my T350. They were perfect, and a really decent price. It's going to be a lot harder to get re-pros of old fork tubes now I guess....
Current bikes: 1970 Suzuki T350, 2012 Thruxton
Previous bikes: '71 Honda CL350, '82 Yamaha 550 Seca, '86 Yamaha RD350, '88 Suzuki RG500 Gamma, '86 Suzuki VS700, '75 Kawasaki Mach II (S3), '12 Triumph Bonneville T100, '08 Triumph Daytona 675 SE
Previous bikes: '71 Honda CL350, '82 Yamaha 550 Seca, '86 Yamaha RD350, '88 Suzuki RG500 Gamma, '86 Suzuki VS700, '75 Kawasaki Mach II (S3), '12 Triumph Bonneville T100, '08 Triumph Daytona 675 SE
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- Around the block
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- Suzuki 2-Strokes: TS100 TS125 TM125 RM125
- Location: Chicago, IL area
Re: Forking by Frank going out of business
I live 20 minutes from Frank's, so I picked up all my tubes there. Never had one problem with fit or finish. Mary did pretty good there and knew her stuff, but her age has to be 75-80. She lived right next door to the business, and ran a cat shelter there. I saw 5 feet high pallets of cat food stacked in the machine shop. You cannot believe the smell when you opened the door and came inside. Sad-I knew this day was coming.
I expected that one of the machinists working for her would step up and keep it going. Think about it- nobody else anywhere offers new replacement tubes for any vintage motorcycle, or can make them to order. This really sucks for anybody who restores bikes- what are we going to do?
I hope Mary gets better and can return.
I expected that one of the machinists working for her would step up and keep it going. Think about it- nobody else anywhere offers new replacement tubes for any vintage motorcycle, or can make them to order. This really sucks for anybody who restores bikes- what are we going to do?
I hope Mary gets better and can return.
- jabcb
- Moto GP
- Posts: 4251
- Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 4:32 pm
- Country: USA
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: 69 T350 thru 75 GT750
- Location: southwestern Pennsylvania
Re: Forking by Frank going out of business
Good news. Mary is back at work & the company is still in business.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=9606&start=13
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=9606&start=13
BAS (Bike Acquisition Syndrome) - too many bikes but have room for more
Suzuki:
GT750 2x75
GT550 72 & 75
GT380 72
T500 69 project & 73 project
T350 69 & 71
Honda 85 CB650SC & 86 CB700SC
09 Triumph Bonneville SE
Suzuki:
GT750 2x75
GT550 72 & 75
GT380 72
T500 69 project & 73 project
T350 69 & 71
Honda 85 CB650SC & 86 CB700SC
09 Triumph Bonneville SE
-
- Around the block
- Posts: 64
- Joined: Wed Jul 03, 2013 3:59 pm
- Country: USA
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: TS100 TS125 TM125 RM125
- Location: Chicago, IL area
Re: Forking by Frank going out of business
That is great news! The GS Forum incorrect statement about them "liquidating raw material" really had me believing that the business was done.
Guess you can't believe everything you read on the interwebs...who knew?
Guess you can't believe everything you read on the interwebs...who knew?
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- Around the block
- Posts: 64
- Joined: Wed Jul 03, 2013 3:59 pm
- Country: USA
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: TS100 TS125 TM125 RM125
- Location: Chicago, IL area
Re: Forking by Frank going out of business
I just visited Frank's two weeks ago to pick up a set of tubes, and can report that Mary is very much still in business.
Boy, was this thread title/subject incorrect.
Boy, was this thread title/subject incorrect.
- jabcb
- Moto GP
- Posts: 4251
- Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 4:32 pm
- Country: USA
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: 69 T350 thru 75 GT750
- Location: southwestern Pennsylvania
Re: Forking by Frank going out of business
The rumor may have been initially correct.
The response to the rumor that they were closing may have convinced Mary to stay open.
So maybe the rumor was a good thing.
The response to the rumor that they were closing may have convinced Mary to stay open.
So maybe the rumor was a good thing.
BAS (Bike Acquisition Syndrome) - too many bikes but have room for more
Suzuki:
GT750 2x75
GT550 72 & 75
GT380 72
T500 69 project & 73 project
T350 69 & 71
Honda 85 CB650SC & 86 CB700SC
09 Triumph Bonneville SE
Suzuki:
GT750 2x75
GT550 72 & 75
GT380 72
T500 69 project & 73 project
T350 69 & 71
Honda 85 CB650SC & 86 CB700SC
09 Triumph Bonneville SE
- jeff kushner
- On the main road
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- Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2014 6:09 am
- Country: USA
- Suzuki 2-Strokes: none
- Location: North of Annapolis Md
Re: Forking by Frank going out of business
To squash a incorrect rumor that I know to be wrong.....I spoke with them in March of this year after checking with John (Amish john) Lutz. I called and spoke with Bill who told me that since they did not have the pattern for the Kaw S1C I was building this past Spring, to send him one fork upper. I spoke with him on a Weds, sent it on Thur and received two beautiful and correct fork upper legs back on Saturday of the same week!
They provided fantastic service and the legs of course fit perfectly too!
I had not used them since 197? ......that's a long time to be in a business where so many come and go but I'm glad that I renewed my ties to them...top drawer!
jeff
PS...look for " franks maintenance and engineering"
They provided fantastic service and the legs of course fit perfectly too!
I had not used them since 197? ......that's a long time to be in a business where so many come and go but I'm glad that I renewed my ties to them...top drawer!
jeff
PS...look for " franks maintenance and engineering"
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Present: VStrom 1000 K7, Stock: '74 RD350,’75 GT550,'76 CB400F, '75 H2(purple), Modded: ‘75 GT550 restored & ported, '82 Yamaha 650Turbo running 18PSI,'74 H2B carbs-pipes-ported, project list:'72 & 2-'75 H1's, '82 Yamaha XV920, 74 GT750
- Alan H
- Moto GP
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Re: Forking by Frank going out of business
Unfortunately, most of today's young blood can only work a mobile phone with faceplant or whatever it's called.RING_DING wrote:That is a real shame. Need some young blood to step in and carry on the tradition.
Not enough engineers nowadays, and not many want to learn the trade as it involves something called 'work' which isn't taught or understood much anymore.
Think of how stupid the average person is, then realise that half of them are more stupid than that.
Re: Forking by Frank going out of business
Bill just made me fork tubes for my 74 GT750. Used my old ones as a pattern. Had the 73 and 75 and later tubes on the shelf. Guess no one ever asked for the L model previously. It is a one year only part. Anyway, they turned out great and the turnaround was fantastic. They do great work at a reasonable price.