Buying a Rukka jacket from Germany

[wust588]

Have today been looking at a Rukka Argo Pro-shell jacket, and subsequently find that I can get the exact same jacket from Germany for up to £300 less.
What's the catch?
It seems too good to be true.
Has anybody on here bought from Germany without trouble?
I wonder how I would make use of the warranty if I had to.
Thanks for any help.

 

[Nutty]

I regularly buy stuff for my bikes from Germany. There aren't any catches, we just get ripped off in the UK.

 

[adventuredon]

ditto here. The guys in the UK shop insist you have to post it back in case of a claim (they would prefewr my business and fair to them, but it means I can go up a jacket for the same money).
I have an e mail to fc moto and bikerland oustanding asking this exact question. Will post the reply when I get it. I have read however, that the uk distributor/agent? has done things in the past where jackets came off e bay or were bought second hand. Not sure what proof they require? Original receipt could be from a cousin's gift and hence not available.......Please post if repairs etc can be done via postal credit or through UK if you know. Cheers


.

Have today been looking at a Rukka Argo Pro-shell jacket, and subsequently find that I can get the exact same jacket from Germany for up to £300 less.
What's the catch?
It seems too good to be true.
Has anybody on here bought from Germany without trouble?
I wonder how I would make use of the warranty if I had to.
Thanks for any help.

 

[Bounce]

I regularly buy stuff for my bikes from Germany. There aren't any catches, we just get ripped off in the UK.

Wholly agree with this....

I've bought gear from Biker Land and saved plenty of dough, even with the shipping costs included.

 

[Edward]

Have today been looking at a Rukka Argo Pro-shell jacket, and subsequently find that I can get the exact same jacket from Germany for up to £300 less.
What's the catch?
It seems too good to be true.
Has anybody on here bought from Germany without trouble?
I wonder how I would make use of the warranty if I had to.
Thanks for any help.

If you do buy from Germany I hope there is no trouble with the warranty, you may well need it. I bought an Armadillo jacket here in the IOM from an official dealer and they have replaced it under warranty four times. First one leaked, second one came apart and the next two turned purple. The current one is also turning purple but is three months out of warranty. Many on here will disagree, I'm sure, but I would suggest it is a vastly overpriced product whose excellent warranty is better than the goods.

 

[deangsadv]

The turning purple is nothing to do with Rukka it's a goretex problem, I have Rukka proshell pants turning purple, Held proshell jacket turning purple and a Mountain Hardware proshell walking jacket also turning purple. The only thing they have in common is they buy there material from goretex. It's a good job I like purple.

 

[adventuredon]

I am leaning towards the argo if I buy overseas, failing that my budget then means its the Mark or the one above (not performance shell though) jacket from the uk

If you do buy from Germany I hope there is no trouble with the warranty, you may well need it. I bought an Armadillo jacket here in the IOM from an official dealer and they have replaced it under warranty four times. First one leaked, second one came apart and the next two turned purple. The current one is also turning purple but is three months out of warranty. Many on here will disagree, I'm sure, but I would suggest it is a vastly overpriced product whose excellent warranty is better than the goods.

 

[Edward]

The turning purple is nothing to do with Rukka it's a goretex problem, I have Rukka proshell pants turning purple, Held proshell jacket turning purple and a Mountain Hardware proshell walking jacket also turning purple. The only thing they have in common is they buy there material from goretex. It's a good job I like purple.

Of course it's to do with Rukka, they chose the material to manufacture the jacket from. I bought a black Rukka jacket because I wanted a black Rukka jacket not a purple one. If had been nothing to do with Rukka they would not have replaced it four times.

 

[richardbd]

I bought Rukka Merlin from biker land and had to return it 18 months later when parts of it faded. Bikerland's customer service was absolutely faultless. When I contacted them, they emailed me a pre-paid label; I sent the jacket to them; they sent it to rukka; they replaced the damaged panel and returned it, looking like new.

Would have no hesitation either using Bikerland again or choosing Rukka...

 

[deangsadv]

Of course it's to do with Rukka, they chose the material to manufacture the jacket from. I bought a black Rukka jacket because I wanted a black Rukka jacket not a purple one. If had been nothing to do with Rukka they would not have replaced it four times.

They'll have just charged it back to goretex, thus appearing to have excellent customer service.

 

[Silver-Surfer]

I have bought stuff from Biker Land and they are great. My first Rukka gear turned brown (not purple) after 4 years and 350 days and was replaced under warranty (its a five year warranty) and Biker Land did it all for me and they were great.

Cheers

SS

 

[jonnyp]

I've not had such a great experience buying in Germany!!!

I go there a couple of times a year for work and pleasure and have been doing so for many years. I understand Germans and like them so, when I needed to buy new gear a couple of years ago, going to one of the German stores looked like an easy route to get a great deal. Ordering was easy, delivery was quick and cheap.

Two years on and under warranty, I've had to return the trousers from a matching set as they have split.

That was September. I'm now emailing and phoning almost every day and all I'm getting is fobbed off with crap. I've even offered to drive over and discuss this with them face to face but they say, "oh no, that is not necessary!!!"

I've now started phoning the manufacturer who wants to help but says it's down to the store. The manufacturer says, as both the jacket and trousers were purchased as a matching set which now can not be replaced like for like, both parts should have been returned as a set for replacement. The shop on the other hand think only the trousers need to be replaced and can't seem to understand the situation. All they will offer is a credit to use in their store. Which I'm just supposed to waste! And I'm left with a jacket I can't get trousers to match so I need to buy a full new set. This, I won't be doing in Germany!

I'm not going to mention at this stage the shop or the make but it's not Rukka but I would consider it as good and almost as expensive.

I would say, buyer beware!

I have noticed several UK shops offering to price match the Germans, they will look at the offer price in euro, take a reasonable exchange rate and add carriage so it may cost you just a little more but you will get UK supplied kit which will be supported by the main UK agent /distributor.

 

[dancerdave]

I bought a Rukka jacket from FC Moto and so far I'm very pleased with it. Postage to UK was about £7 and took less than a week. The jacket was half the price I could get one here for. I can't comment on the warranty issues as I haven't had any problems yet.

 

[wust588]

Thanks for the replies.
I did in fact email Biker land this evening and have already had a reply from a Mario Fuchs, saying that the warranty would be with Rukka Germany.
A returns system is in place for any warranty issues, if needed.
I think the saving of £300 is worth the hassle of returning the jacket if I had a problem in the future.

 

[alecg]

My knowledge of this subject is limited, but have looked into one this myself. There is of course the old European Market Warranty argument, as a common market we should have a common policy. This unfortunately is not showing to be the case with Rukka as the markets are separate as each country has dealer/importer, unlike say Honda UK being part of Honda Europe for the old grey imports. The only floor that I have been able to identify is that you probably won't be able to access a loan jacket while yours is away being repaired/replaced should that be needed, however you would still have full access to Rukka's normal warranty standards so long as you return it to point of purchase. Finally looking at buying a Granite of sub £300.

 

[Deleted account 230818001]

I've bought from both "Bikerland" & "FC moto" but recently just provided a link from the relevant pages on both their websites to "Motolegends" who happily agreed to match the prices quoted.

So I managed to get European prices from a British supplier, best if both worlds

 

[pieterv]

I have bought from FC Moto twice. Fist time no issues with the product, and I was happy because of the very good price.

Second time around there was an issue (gloves with one finger much too wide), I noticed this on my first ride. On contacting FC Moto I was told that it now was a used product, and therefore they would not offer a refund or exchange. Instead it would need to be returned to the manufacturer for their decision. I objected to this and they never offered a reply to that email.

Not happy with the service.

 

[adventuredon]

please tell us which UK dealers so we can approach them

I've not had such a great experience buying in Germany!!!

I go there a couple of times a year for work and pleasure and have been doing so for many years. I understand Germans and like them so, when I needed to buy new gear a couple of years ago, going to one of the German stores looked like an easy route to get a great deal. Ordering was easy, delivery was quick and cheap.

Two years on and under warranty, I've had to return the trousers from a matching set as they have split.

That was September. I'm now emailing and phoning almost every day and all I'm getting is fobbed off with crap. I've even offered to drive over and discuss this with them face to face but they say, "oh no, that is not necessary!!!"

I've now started phoning the manufacturer who wants to help but says it's down to the store. The manufacturer says, as both the jacket and trousers were purchased as a matching set which now can not be replaced like for like, both parts should have been returned as a set for replacement. The shop on the other hand think only the trousers need to be replaced and can't seem to understand the situation. All they will offer is a credit to use in their store. Which I'm just supposed to waste! And I'm left with a jacket I can't get trousers to match so I need to buy a full new set. This, I won't be doing in Germany!

I'm not going to mention at this stage the shop or the make but it's not Rukka but I would consider it as good and almost as expensive.

I would say, buyer beware!

I have noticed several UK shops offering to price match the Germans, they will look at the offer price in euro, take a reasonable exchange rate and add carriage so it may cost you just a little more but you will get UK supplied kit which will be supported by the main UK agent /distributor.

 

[adventuredon]

I emailed both german companies, both agreed that the jacket must be returned to them and they will send to Rukka. : fc moto and bikerland.
FC moto will only honour warranty if you post to them at your expense.
Bikerland will pay for postage to them for 2 years and then you pay. And if you need a replacement jacket, they will charge 20 euros for postage and require a 100 euro deposit while yours is being repaired.
I called Tranam in the UK as some people have stated they get it repaired etc through e bay ....they will only let you send the jacket through them if you can prove proof of purchase (and i think that is fair) P o Purchase will state which outlet supplied you. Gifts from uncles etc, will not be honoured unless proof of purchase can be shown to be in the UK. Anyone fancy lending us EU shoppers a receipt to ........##

If the receipt is for when you bought it in EU at some point, you need to get the warranty from that source. Basically, if one buys from EU, the warranty is through that shop. So , bikerland is 200 odd cheaper - how many times postage is that versus the high UK price.? I find it easier to do the deal here, but funds mean I will probably shop overseas and get a jacket higher up. Surely Ill save on return postage if RUKKA is that good...mmm

My knowledge of this subject is limited, but have looked into one this myself. There is of course the old European Market Warranty argument, as a common market we should have a common policy. This unfortunately is not showing to be the case with Rukka as the markets are separate as each country has dealer/importer, unlike say Honda UK being part of Honda Europe for the old grey imports. The only floor that I have been able to identify is that you probably won't be able to access a loan jacket while yours is away being repaired/replaced should that be needed, however you would still have full access to Rukka's normal warranty standards so long as you return it to point of purchase. Finally looking at buying a Granite of sub £300.

 

[jonnyp]

please tell us which UK dealers so we can approach them

Moto legends are one - see the overseas price match on this page.

http://www.motolegends.com/Info/price-beat.html

I'm sure I have also seen a similar offer on another Rukka dealers site.

If you are planning to buy current items which are on the Rukka site, I think most dealers would try to match the prices offered in Germany. Why wouldn't they especially if, they have stock!