Avoid Happy-trail.com

[Lapchik]

Short version: long wait times, bad communication, sent damaged parts that were missing pieces. From reading other people's reviews, it's a common occurrence.

This is the review I am going to leave in various places:

A very unpleasant experience. BEWARE: VERY SLOW, INACCURATE PRODUCT DESCRIPTIONS, AND OFTEN HARD TO COMMUNICATE WITH. Google search the company and read what is on the forums like ADVrider. Half of them show lack of communication and ridiculous wait times. Their standard response to reviews and complaints is "we were upfront with our wait times" or anything to that effect, is simply not true. There is nothing on their website saying it will take months to ship. They list items as in stock, but they are actually build to order. Then it is outsourced to a powder coater, which is used as a reason for not shipping, if they even have a product to ship you at all. I ordered a set of saddlebags and a mounting rack for a 2022 CB500X on October 15, 2023. I had to do a credit card chargeback on January 18, 2024 to get any sort of meaningful communication going on. When I ordered, most of their catalog was listed as in stock. Mid January almost everything is listed as out of stock. Here is the whole timeline for my order and their updates. Ordered 10/15/23, confirmation the next day with ship date of 12/1. Funds paid out 10/16. 12/1 get automated shipping update email, now 12/22 [47 days after order, to ship 68 days after]. 12/22 email sent asking about update, get automated update email showing 1/5/24 as ship date [68 days since order, to ship 82 days after] 1/5/24 sent email asking for update, get automated email update new shipping date 1/12 [82 days since order, to ship 89 days after]. 1/9 I get a response email from customer service "very close, we will get it". [86 days since order] 1/16 sent email asking for update, because it's 4 days past last estimated shipping date [93 days since order]. Called, no answer, left message and sent another email 1/18 telling them to refund me. Initiated credit card chargeback and filed BBB complaint. [95 days since order]. 1/19 responded with "it's out to powder, it will ship next week" and did not address the credit card charge dispute. 1/31/24 [108 days after initial order] I sent an email asking if they were still going to ship it or not, and they sent back a picture of the finished items in their possession. They said if I reordered [chargeback cancelled the order] it would ship today if there was time or tomorrow. I could not reorder because everything was still listed as out of stock on their website. Sent an email back saying if they made it available on the website or sent me an invoice I would still purchase it. 9pm got a PayPal invoice for the items and paid for it, again [credit card from initial order had been refunded]. Shipping label created on 2/1, [109 days after initial order]. I think it shipped out on 2/1, because I had them at my door on 2/3 [111 days after initial order]. When it arrived, two of the four saddlebag latches were bent, and I could not use them until I bent the lock loop tabs back out. One was ok and the other broke. I emailed about it with pictures in the early afternoon, and they responded and offered to send two replacements [on a Saturday, and within about an hour....which was strange seeing the previous struggles]. I went to install it on 2/4, and found that the tool trays/mounting plates were not installed when these racks were made, two washers were missing, one bolt was missing, and the bolt for the exhaust bracket they sent was the same size as oem [too short]. Sent an email and they responded right away with many apologies, excuses, and a small refund. I took the refund because I just want to be done dealing with them. Kory's Rides on YouTube for future updates and long term product reviews.

[Lapchik]

[Lapchik]

[Lapchik]

Yeah, they said they were "moving to a new location" in an email I got from them. That seems to be a cover for selling everything and closing the shop.

There are two locations listed if you search them on Google, 7577 W Lemhi St and 4545 W Chinden Blvd. and both are in Boise, Idaho. Lemhi is the current location and auction site, Chinden must be the old one since it's shown as a battery store October of last year on street view.

I looked through the auction listings, and it is noted as a liquidation. You don't sell new-ish welders, or large metal working equipment like press brakes just to move locations. That big equipment they have listed doesn't really wear out, and it's insanely expensive to purchase new. All signs point to collapse. At least I got my stuff while they had mostly given up, before they totally gave up.

[Sleddog]

I had very similar experience with HT over 10 years ago. I did let it be known back then, evidently not loud enough. I eventually went to Mosko Moto bags & mounts. Absolutely no complaints with them.
With your skills you could start a small business & grow it into something. It’s all about good customer service. Something lacking in today’s business environment.

[Lapchik]

If I had the space, I certainly could. There isn't anything all that special about the happy trails products. It's mostly off the shelf components for locks and latches, and the bags are just bent sheet. The only benefit to buying vs building was that I didn't have to prototype anything and I didn't have to find a powder-coater to do a one off product for me. I've done some racks in the past, but it usually takes one or two donations to the pile of failed dreams before you have a decent product.