H&S Motorcycles closes its doors

A Carson City motorcycle shop that had been the subject of complaints to city, state and business agencies is now closed.

H&S Motorcycles, 5480 Highway 50 East, closed earlier this month. The Carson City Sheriff's Department had been called out there at least twice in August when several people both times went to the business demanding refunds or their items returned.

Dissatisfied customers complained of being charged for poor service or not being allowed to pick up their vehicles.

Steven Jones, who opened the store in March 2005, was not available for comment Monday. His father and store mechanic, Hershel Jones, confirmed the store was closed but would not comment further.

He did say, however, that he taped his home address, 209 Sandstone Drive, to the door of the store so people could contact him if they had any complaints.

Many do.

The Northern Nevada Better Business Bureau, for instance, has received 15 complaints about the store and lists it as having an "unsatisfactory record." Though the bureau doesn't list details about complaints, it said the problems had to do with repair, delivery, contract, customer service, guarantee/warranty and refund/exchange issues.

The Nevada Consumer Affairs Division said it had received seven complaints about the business, six of them unresolved.

Carson City government received 13 calls about the business and seven written complaints in the past few months. Kevin McCoy, the city's code enforcement officer, said this was more than usual for a business during a short time period.

The city sheriff's department was called several times this year by individuals or groups who had complaints about the business. One report on Aug. 7 said eight "upset" customers were waiting outside the store.

Several people, such as April Finley, have reported losing over $1,000.

Finley said that in April she paid $1,500 cash for an all-terrain vehicle she bought for her 11-year-old son. After that, she said, she waited three weeks for the vehicle to be delivered. When she did get it, she said, it had a smaller engine than she had ordered.

It broke down soon after that, according to Finley.

She said now that the business is closed, it might be harder to bring a lawsuit against the business, something she and others are planning to do.

"I'm really upset because I saved this money a long time and I'm single mom," she said.

Others, like Lennoe Quillinan, said they have accepted their losses because they don't think they could do anything about what happened, especially after H&S closed.

Quillinan said her family was cheated out of $100 worth of services the shop promised but never did on a motorcycle. Getting the money back, she said, "was pretty much a lost cause."

Another customer, Michelle Gavin, said she would "tell the world to stay away" from the business, but has given up on ever getting back her $800 motorcycle.

After taking the bike in for repairs in May, Gavin said she called the business over 30 times as well as the police.

Quillinan said she looks at her experience as a lesson.

She added, however, "it was closure to see them shut down."

• Contact reporter Dave Frank at dfrank@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1212.