No reply from Alton is it just me??

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My Alton starter has stripped the teeth for the gear driven by the electric motor which then drives the shaft with the nylon shear pins an chain. I have sent them a message on their website an email to the after sales department and another email to the lady who i contacted the first time i had problems with it back in 2013. This was a week ago and no reply from Alton as yet.

Does someone have a recently used Email address for them as it may just be the one i have is no longer in use.
Here in damp old England we are have the driest weather for decades with near record temperatures (for us) an my bikes in bits. I want to buy parts an fix it before normal English returns.
 
You probablyhave thought of contacting one of their approved UK dealers to see if they can help.. Have you tried ringing them ?
No reply from Alton is it just me??
 
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My Alton starter has stripped the teeth for the gear driven by the electric motor which then drives the shaft with the nylon shear pins an chain. I have sent them a message on their website an email to the after sales department and another email to the lady who i contacted the first time i had problems with it back in 2013. This was a week ago and no reply from Alton as yet.

Does someone have a recently used Email address for them as it may just be the one i have is no longer in use.
Here in damp old England we are have the driest weather for decades with near record temperatures (for us) an my bikes in bits. I want to buy parts an fix it before normal English returns.

France mainly goes on holiday from the 14th July....Bastille day! It being now the 1st of August some may be thinking of returning to work, some will be enjoying similar weather in France for a bit longer.....
 
Yes Oldmikew i have thought of contacting an approved supplier but when the Ekit failed last time (this is third failure I've had) i was told to contact them directly.
I've also thought there my be some national holiday an as i remember from previous dealings (which were not like this time) they don't work Tuesday for some reason.
All in all its becoming quite frustrating as the rest of the bike is fine an works dependably. If it were a cheap part i would understand but it isn't an no other thing has cost so much on it's own or been such trouble.
 
My Alton starter has stripped the teeth for the gear driven by the electric motor which then drives the shaft with the nylon shear pins an chain. I have sent them a message on their website an email to the after sales department and another email to the lady who i contacted the first time i had problems with it back in 2013. This was a week ago and no reply from Alton as yet.

Does someone have a recently used Email address for them as it may just be the one i have is no longer in use.
Here in damp old England we are have the driest weather for decades with near record temperatures (for us) an my bikes in bits. I want to buy parts an fix it before normal English returns.
My Alton starter has stripped the teeth for the gear driven by the electric motor which then drives the shaft with the nylon shear pins an chain. I have sent them a message on their website an email to the after sales department and another email to the lady who i contacted the first time i had problems with it back in 2013. This was a week ago and no reply from Alton as yet.

Does someone have a recently used Email address for them as it may just be the one i have is no longer in use.
Here in damp old England we are have the driest weather for decades with near record temperatures (for us) an my bikes in bits. I want to buy parts an fix it before normal English returns.
Toppy I just had this happen in June. I called them in within 8 days I had the new parts sitting on my desk with no charge - they covered parts and shipping. I would call, my guess is it is Holiday season and they may be out. I emailed them first several times and didn't get a response, 1 call and it was solved.
 
The gear in question failed on mine, contacted the seller Colin Craig of Loch Ness restoration and it took two months for my parts to arrive in 2013. In the meantime stripped the Alton off the bike and it has never been refitted , amateur hour from all concerned!
 
Paul at Alton has been very helpful to me prior to buying and answered a fitting question within an hour or two. As mentioned above France has block holiday periods. Most businesses close down for that period. The contact on their website has always worked for me. As far as I know they speak English, the phone number is on the contact page. Frustrating I admit, hope you get it sorted soon.
 
Peter, can’t you just nail it back together with a none functioning starter and rely on the kick start for the short term?

Seems a shame to be missing out on this unusually prime riding weather here!
 
The gear will strip again, there is no protection against backfires other than the nylon shear pins which should fail first but have not in your case, so you have an ignition issue you need to sort. Likely you have a MK3 Boyer which advances the timing when it is fed a low voltage and increases the load on the starter, if that is the case either go for a MK4 Boyer or a Pazon. Or you could just have the ignition set too advanced from the crank indicator scale being out, check the scale and retime to corrected scale.
 
Not trying to be smart but I changed the whole ignition from a Boyer system. New Pazon Surefire, new coils, new leads, including caps and coils. I have to say at the moment found that the motor fires as soon as the motor turns. I hope it stays that way!
 
France innit. So either on holiday, or strike...
Hi Eddie,
Here in France people like to take vacations in August, so company are generally closed for two or three weeks.
As I live in Bordeaux which is very touristic city I can tell you that many, many of your fellow brits are not at work at the moment as they are absolutely everywhere! Which is a very good thing in my book.
On the other hand I just try to avoid any business with British companies during Christmas period and up to well into January as many are closed because people like vacations in the UK as well.
Oh, and try to find a shop or a store open after five o'clock in Blighty. Good luck! In France shops are open till height and the really big ones till nine or even ten. See? We do work as much as you. At least!
About the strikes, you know it's in the genes, the French are revolutionary people and when the government try to impose unfair laws, people get down in the street and express themselves.
You should try this!;)
Cheers.
Eric in la douce France.
 
Hi Eddie,
Here in France people like to take vacations in August, so company are generally closed for two or three weeks.
As I live in Bordeaux which is very touristic city I can tell you that many, many of your fellow brits are not at work at the moment as they are absolutely everywhere! Which is a very good thing in my book.
On the other hand I just try to avoid any business with British companies during Christmas period and up to well into January as many are closed because people like vacations in the UK as well.
Oh, and try to find a shop or a store open after five o'clock in Blighty. Good luck! In France shops are open till height and the really big ones till nine or even ten. See? We do work as much as you. At least!
About the strikes, you know it's in the genes, the French are revolutionary people and when the government try to impose unfair laws, people get down in the street and express themselves.
You should try this!;)
Cheers.
Eric in la douce France.
It really is like comparing apples and oranges in France it's normal for a two hour dinner break in England it would normally be 1 hour or maybe 1/2 hour
Where I work we have a 10minuite tea break in the morning and 25 minutes in the afternoon
Not sure what type of shops you are referring to in France that stay open until 8pm or 9pm do you mean all shops? That'd be great as long as you are not a shop worker!!
The way the French people stand up to their government is something to be admired imo
I'm not sure what english businesses you are referring to that shut down over Christmas /January ?? But I wish I worked for them!
I do find things in France frustrating , having to wait when shops are closed for two hours/petrol stations that you have to leave your passport behind the counter before you can fill up etc
 
It really is like comparing apples and oranges in France it's normal for a two hour dinner break in England it would normally be 1 hour or maybe 1/2 hour
Where I work we have a 10minuite tea break in the morning and 25 minutes in the afternoon
Not sure what type of shops you are referring to in France that stay open until 8pm or 9pm do you mean all shops? That'd be great as long as you are not a shop worker!!
The way the French people stand up to their government is something to be admired imo
I'm not sure what english businesses you are referring to that shut down over Christmas /January ?? But I wish I worked for them!
I do find things in France frustrating , having to wait when shops are closed for two hours/petrol stations that you have to leave your passport behind the counter before you can fill up etc

1, I have never been asked to leave a passport behind a counter in France for refueling, regardless of where the vehicle was registered! In any case most stations have a card pump these days. (Now in the US, I have been asked many times to pay before pumping!)
2, You can buy freshly baked bread at 7am or 7pm! Or go to the supermarket at most times of the day just as you can elsewhere, but not at night like in the US or UK.
3, Shop opening hours are different to UK, but tend to be rather more practical, generally allowing those who work to also shop! A lot of supermarkets are now open right through lunch, but not all.
And in tourist areas opening times very often allow those out at dinner in the evening to also promenade and shop! I never experienced that in the UK.
4, 2 hour lunch breaks are rare for working people, even when I was fortunate enough to be entertained in executive dining rooms, we would be back in our meeting rooms working within an hour! (with the wonderful exception of lunch on the Dassault boat moored on the Seine!) In my experience it is also rare for French managers to leave work before 7pm regardless of the time the shop floor is closed.

I worked with French and other European aerospace companies in the past, I found the intensity didn't change a lot until you went to Greece or Portugal.

Today, in retirement, I live in Normandy, exactly for the reduced pace of life that people enjoy outside of work.

It isn't all sweetness and light, but I feel it is easy to adjust to most things, except perhaps to the the bureacracy, that as a visitor you won't need to interact with. But even French people will tell you about difficulties there. And in fact I have dealt with some really helpful and pleasant people, it helps to smile and open in French, almost no matter how bad your French is!

In the UK I have had many extended Christmas holidays that I really didn't want because the company prefered to close for 2 weeks in December/January....very annoying...

working in Italy for 8 years I had to take a month off in August, whether I wanted to or not, absolutely brilliant because it was too hot to work anyway! It is pretty much like that in parts of France, but as I said before, it tends to start on Bastile Day...probably just when the OP tried to contact Alton....poor timing and a slight lack of awareness.

As for that experience personaly I think it is no different to my experience with Elextrex World in the UK, trying to get information for their self generating ignition system! Small suppliers can be a pain like that the whole world over, because the person needed toanswer your query is busy answering someone elses, and when they are on holiday there is no cover.
 
Thank you Eddie, I don't pretend to be a gentleman anyway.
Baz, my lunch break is 1/2 hour.
2 hours breaks are normal for shop workers who keep shops open late to allow other workers to shop after work. But it's becoming rather rare, most stay open all day.
Some shops closes during lunch time, people are supposed to lunch during this time, not to shop anyway! Sounds practical to me.
I refer to any motorcycle businesses in the UK, ever tried to order parts in December or January? Now I know, I don't even try anymore.
Your story with the passport is a first for me, never heard anything like this before, maybe it was a special treatment for you.
Thanks for your comments Steve, it proves that one should only speak only when one knows.
Sorry for getting so far from the original topic but I'm a bit tired with constant criticism toward France from some here and there, in the end I really wonder why so many Brits are coming for touring or to live in France. And I'm also tired when some idiots do the same in reverse on French forums. I love my country but I'm also an Anglophile.
PS/ I have Paul Hamon's personal phone number, I'd be glad to help and call him if needed.
 
Thank you Eddie, I don't pretend to be a gentleman anyway.
Baz, my lunch break is 1/2 hour.
2 hours breaks are normal for shop workers who keep shops open late to allow other workers to shop after work. But it's becoming rather rare, most stay open all day.
Some shops closes during lunch time, people are supposed to lunch during this time, not to shop anyway! Sounds practical to me.
I refer to any motorcycle businesses in the UK, ever tried to order parts in December or January? Now I know, I don't even try anymore.
Your story with the passport is a first for me, never heard anything like this before, maybe it was a special treatment for you.
Thanks for your comments Steve, it proves that one should only speak only when one knows.
Sorry for getting so far from the original topic but I'm a bit tired with constant criticism toward France from some here and there, in the end I really wonder why so many Brits are coming for touring or to live in France. And I'm also tired when some idiots do the same in reverse on French forums. I love my country but I'm also an Anglophile.
PS/ I have Paul Hamon's personal phone number, I'd be glad to help and call him if needed.
The garage where I had to leave my passport was on the motorway services
On my way from Calais to bussiere poitevine ,they wouldn't let me or anyone else have fuel unless you left your card/passport in a cubby hole with your pump number on it
Luckily a French woman explained to me what I needed to do
 
Well I suggested for two reasons.. they maybe able to confirm that you have the right contact details 2 they may have a failed unit kicking around from earlier design and it might be possible to make a servicible unit from the two
It is very very frustrating for you and I sympathise . I have had the shock absorber fail on mine . What really amazes me is that it is all so well engineered and yet there are problems. Beverly the contact woman does usually get straight back . Now as a precaution I usually do the first cold start with the kick starter. Probably quite uneccesary .


Yes Oldmikew i have thought of contacting an approved supplier but when the Ekit failed last time (this is third failure I've had) i was told to contact them directly.
I've also thought there my be some national holiday an as i remember from previous dealings (which were not like this time) they don't work Tuesday for some reason.
All in all its becoming quite frustrating as the rest of the bike is fine an works dependably. If it were a cheap part i would understand but it isn't an no other thing has cost so much on it's own or been such trouble.
 
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