In My Digital Mailbox

cyrilhuzeemailboxI told you before. In my position, I get all the time unusual or weird emails and requests. Below an example. Flattering, but still a strange email, this one coming from Germany. Should I reply or not, risking to offend the sender in both cases. What would your answer? I am curious to know.

“Hi Cyril. Your custom bikes are really the best. In the next lines I would like to ask you for help. We are two designers, a graphic designer and an engineer. We are going to open a custom bike shop for Harleys in Bremen, Northern Germany. In this area we have two Harley dealers. But they make no custom bikes. Until today, we have done small jobs in our garage. But from January 2015 we start with our shop.

We have two questions. First: we have no reference images on custom bikes because we are beginners. Can you give us 6 pictures of your custom Harleys and 6 pictures from your custom parts, which we can use for our Web site? Second: Do you have a suggestion, how should we call our shop. With kind regards from Germany.” Zare.

19 Responses to “In My Digital Mailbox”


  1. 1 Rodent Dec 9th, 2014 at 9:37 am

    Too stupid for words. They could google all the information. They can’t figure that out, they ain’t going to be real competent builders.

  2. 2 Zipper Dec 9th, 2014 at 9:41 am

    Go to your local book store and buy a few magazines on custom bikes and parts or go on line.
    Sugestions for names. Fatherland Cycles, Perfect Peoples Bike Shop,or Breman Custom Cycle.
    Actually Breman Custom Cycles makes the most sense. They could copy the whole OCC theme and change the logo on their ball caps to BCC, instant success. .Z

  3. 3 stsn Dec 9th, 2014 at 9:59 am

    Cyril, I often think you have a lot of patience with the public. This nails it!

  4. 4 Boss Hawg Dec 9th, 2014 at 10:22 am

    Good Morning Cyril

    You have tons of loyal readers and I am one of them. Not a morning or evening goes by that I miss reading your BLOG.

    Sort of like my mattress stores, others (Big Box) copy but can’t compete and flip on a dime with new product offerings, let alone the proven ones we carry also at a better price or value.

    Keep up all the great work/news and I look forward to running into you at Willies Tropical Tattoo or another venue while at Biketoberfest, My Friend.

    If I can help in any way, just drop me an email please.

    Boss Hawg

  5. 5 Tobias Dec 9th, 2014 at 12:05 pm

    It sounds like there is a loss in translation. The letter sounds reasonable until they get to the part about the photos and name. You might want to get some clarification on that. Maybe they are just looking to carry some of Cyril’s parts and want some media material?

  6. 6 Kroeter Dec 9th, 2014 at 3:08 pm

    You should reply and encourage them with their business. We see a lot of small shops going out of business, if someone wants to get into it more power to them. However, they shouldn’t use your pictures or any others without permission. I would tell them no, if they have done jobs in the past they should have their own images. If not, it’s up to their designers to get creative. There’s dozens of websites they can use for inspiration.

  7. 7 Bill Dec 9th, 2014 at 4:26 pm

    Run, Cyril, run!

  8. 8 Highrider Dec 9th, 2014 at 6:42 pm

    Send the letter to the US Senate, I am sure they will cough up some BS in foreign aid for these 2

  9. 9 Zenaldo Dec 9th, 2014 at 11:29 pm

    I hope theyre better builders than they are marketing guys…good luck guys…

  10. 10 Boomer Dec 10th, 2014 at 5:37 am

    Gotta start somewhere I suppose…

  11. 11 Georgia Boy Dec 10th, 2014 at 7:05 am

    Rodent Dec 9th, 2014 at 9:37 am Too stupid for words. They could google all the information. They can’t figure that out, they ain’t going to be real competent builders.

    One is an engineer, the other is a graphic designer. They submitted their email in a second language.

    From this you surmise they are “too stupid for words” and “ain’t going to real competent bulders”?

    I’ve determined a few things about you myself.

  12. 12 Stephen Dec 10th, 2014 at 7:25 am

    I tend to agree with Tobias, I think something got lost in translation. Working in a second language that you’re not real sure of can be tough and some things come out all wrong. Just ask my mother in law, I managed to call her horse s..t in front of the whole family. At least my father in law saw the funny side and when he stopped laughing he told me I just did what every son in law wants to do but could not get away with.

  13. 13 Harold Mutter Dec 10th, 2014 at 7:38 am

    Nun, sagete Georgia Boy ist Nagetier ein idiot.

  14. 14 Chuck C. Dec 10th, 2014 at 9:19 am

    Charge them a fee nothing should be free it took you years to get the information that you have.

  15. 15 Roadkill Dec 10th, 2014 at 10:36 am

    +Remind them that you’re a Nigerian prince, and have them send their banking information so you can send them some start-up funding…

  16. 16 Max Frisson Dec 10th, 2014 at 3:47 pm

    For just 1000EU I would be willing to send Zare the secret to making a small fortune in the custom motorcycle business.

    start with a large one…….

  17. 17 paparay Dec 10th, 2014 at 6:53 pm

    how about calling it Hans and Franz knucklehead cycles

  18. 18 Pop Dec 12th, 2014 at 6:08 am

    So we pretty much agree that on its surface the request is silly. Beyond that though, if true, is a couple of kids that want to be motorcycle guys.

    I wouldn’t give them what they asked for but I would not ignore the fact that the motorcycle world is shrinking and new blood is worth cultivating.

    I appreciate that CH asks for opinions but I’m pretty sure that nothing I bring to the table is news to him.

  19. 19 nicker Dec 13th, 2014 at 4:18 pm

    Apparently not all opinions were actually acceptable…..

    -nicker-

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Cyril Huze