I know what you mean. It's really frustrating to hear from customers,
on a regular basis, about the problems they have had during the time I was not selling Blueflame pipes and "Mr. X" was. That move really fu&%@# up the USA market. There are so many stories floating around out there that people don't know what to believe. I'm working at geting my new website up (
www.BlueflameUSA.com) and getting things back on track and business as usual. Guys posting photos of cracked cans but not putting the
whole story out there hasn't helped either.
I don't fault anyone for this. If I bought a can and it split, I'd be deeply disappointed to say the least. But I wish they put as much effort into telling everyone that it was replaced free of charge and in some instances, replaced
AND refunded the difference. The average new guy not familiar to the brand has to think it's a shit pipe when he sees something like that. What they don't know is that it's only happened in very specific instances, to wit:
1) 99.9% have been the EVO
3 (three sided cans) and only in the very thin titanium sleeve. Also key to the problem is the strapless design (such as the 03/04 R6). It's never happened to the carbon fiber because all Blueflame carbon fiber cans have a titanium substrate and combined with th carbon fiber are plenty strong. It's never happened to the stainless steel but the EVO
3 doesn't come in stainless steel so thats a bit of a moot point.
3) All cans are being replaced free of charge. Blueflame pipes come with a life time warranty.
4) The EVO
3 has since been re-designed and now has a titanium sleeve that is nearly twice as thick as before, and has an internal stainless steel spreader.
5) Countless EVO (oval) cans have been sold and are bullet proof. Many of you own them and can attest to that. Only
ONE EVO (oval)has ever had a problem with cracking and it was the thin sleeved plain titanium. Moreover, it didn't have the spreader installed in it (factory mistake) but again, being replaced free of charge.
In short, the 1st genereation EVO
3 in titanium and in
strapless configurations has been the problem. Blueflame has clearly stood behind their life time warranty without hesitation. Anyone who bought a can from me, got the dollar difference back in they swithed to the oval can (this is what was offered before the EVO
3 was re-designed).
In short, there have been some set backs with the brand. The manufaturer has done their part by replacing the defective cans and re-engineering them. Now I have get get the USA market straightened out. People have to know where to get them and most importantly, know that they can trust their USA dealer. Thats exactly what I'm going to do.
