Huggers

[TerryM]

Thank you JayGee.

You will forgive me if I find common ground in the debit column of my bank balance difficult to cross.

The sort of bikers you and I get along with do not do that to us, and I think someone has to challenge them.

 

[Desert Biker]

TerryM !!!! Mate !!! Take a chill pill.

Good old fashioned market forces will decide the success of the gold plated high tech huggy things.

Bike jewellery is outside the bounds of common sense and normal value perceptions anyway.
If we really want the gadget/screen/ huggy/ chip/can shiny thing for our beloved steeds, we will gladly pay through the nose in droves.
As proved by 1200 sales figures for a start!!!!! and why a niche player like Touratech does ever increasing biz.

U.K. is called Ttreasure Island buy the bike/ car purveyors of the world cos as a nation we are daft enough to pay the prices.

Excersize your freedom of choice mate. and take it or leave it.
All enterprises deserve a chance, and it will die or fly based on all the usual criteria.
Can you get them in gold or what......how much.?????!!!!

 

[(RIP) Shenzi]

I am having difficulty understanding the fairly hostile reaction to the points raised by TerryM. Maybe if more people raised similar points it would reduce the whinging about 'Rip off Britain'

 

[Desert Biker]

Not sure anybody is getting 'hostile'. Just healthy debate!!!

Its not too difficult mate. If you think something is too expensive, dont buy it.!!!! easy.

 

[JayGee]

Not sure anybody is getting 'hostile'. Just healthy debate!!!

...

Quite so, no hostility intended. I just think that costs are not the only criteria when a seller decides on a price and mainly it is what will the market bear or pay. Certainly weight and quantity of raw materials are usually only a small factor. I wouldn't pay £200 for a hugger so I don't buy the only one available at the moment (there will be others) £200 maybe a reasonable price given the low volume of sales and potential small batch production process but I don't know so I don't criticise the seller. Not everything that costs a lot is a rip-off. Give the guys who make these expensive bits of kit the benefit of the doubt, at least they went out, designed and made a hugger when none were available.

 

[Dutchman]

A considered response....

An interesting debate......many thanks for all the free publicity guys......we've registered a nice increase in sales since this thread started......cheers

I'm not going to publicly or privately discuss our pricing policy, but suffice it to say, we are a non-profit making company who have designed and then commissioned the manufacture of a small range of accessories for the R1200GS & K1200S. Our products are made entirely in the United Kingdom by market leading specialists in their respective fields and as they are made in relatively small batches, our costs may not be as low as might be desirable.

Since we began in May it has surprised us as to the overwhelming public demand for our products, so much so, that we are currently struggling to keep up!!

Since October 1st we've had to bear the additional burden of becoming VAT registered, which, of course, we have to pass on to the customer.

Interestingly, nobody who has actually purchased our products has responded to this thread and equally not one of our customers here or abroad has taken advantage of our unconditional 'money back guarantee'.

As far as being another example of 'Rip off Britain' is concerned........nothing could be further from the truth.....over 70% of our orders come from overseas, and quite significantly it's the domestic customers who don't bother to take advantage of our special offers & various Club discount offers.

Fortunately we live in a free market economy and as several people have already said, we will fly or die depending on how much product we sell.

Currently we are flying and have no intention of dying......our aim is to provide the best product on the market rather than specify it down to a price.

We welcome the introduction of competitor products, and having seen some of them at Intermot last month, we remain confident that we will continue to offer the very best value for money.

Once again, thanks for the debate everyone, must go to process all those new orders!!

Cheers

Dutch

 

[TerryM]

Thanks Shenzi,

I do not understand the less than enthusiastic support from the consumer side either. But then the net is an anonymous place and affiliations are opaque. And perhaps people in the UK enjoy paying high prices. Certainly I found a totally different attitude to pricing when I lived in the continental EU for 12 years. People knew what the pricing norms were, a good example is housing where continentals calculate the price to buy, or rent ,based on floor area. Brits tend to talk about "x" bedrooms of unspecified dimensions.

As for competition reducing the price, this will happen just as slowly as the sellers can arrange it, so it is up to us to apply market pressure sooner rather than later. Or am I mistaken, and will such comments reduce the market forces in favour of lower prices.

To suggest that these price levels are reasonable, even on a small volume production basis, verges on the naive. In any event our UK market retail sellers are often just buying from EU or other third parties and putting on a hefty mark up for adding little or no value.

Go to the German websites and compare pricing. Quite often it seems that only the Euro sign has changed to GBP when the goods are shipped across the channel.

For the masochists out there perhaps we can set up a on line sales outlet for a highly esteemed rebranding operation(Ostritch-Motorrad-Teile.co.uk perhaps) guaranteed to sell generic aftermarket components at the highest retail values on the planet. Then even those who paid GBP200 for a hugger can boast that they got a good deal.

Sorry, just my small joke.

 

[david thorpe]

Bugger

Hi folks

Bugger Hugger Mugger,
I'd no idea I'd cause such a spat when I asked what I thought was a simple question
Sorry; but thanks for the useful info

contrite David

 

[Dutchman]

Re: Bugger

Hi folks

Bugger Hugger Mugger,
I'd no idea I'd cause such a spat when I asked what I thought was a simple question
Sorry; but thanks for the useful info

contrite David

No need to be contrite, David........your thread has done us a massive favour.......so much so, that if you'd care to PM/e-mail me, we can discuss your reward!!

Cheers

Dutch

 

[Panzer Patrol]

Being one of Dutchman's customers (GPS mount) here is my 10p worth. Firstly the GPS mount is a superb bit of kit, supplied by Dutchman in record speed at a fair price, a wonderful service and a very happy customer.
The downside, is hugger related. I fully support Dutchman and what the guys are doing. I know just how much work it takes to launch new stuff like this. I was going to buy one of Dutchman's huggers, but I had a sharp intake of breath at the price. I thought about it, and decided, nope! I dont want to spend that kind of money on a hugger, dont care how good it is or what it is made of. I just want something to keep the crap off the back of the bike. So I will wait till someone comes up with a one at a price I want to pay. I think that is fair enough. If someone wants to pay that kind of money then, again fair enough, its their choice.
What amuses me is TerryM's sometimes vitriolic diatribe. Chill out pal, there's no tanks in the street! Having said that, TerryM does make the board worth reading again

 

[The Machine Cat]

Being one of Dutchman's customers (GPS mount) here is my 10p worth. Firstly the GPS mount is a superb bit of kit, supplied by Dutchman in record speed at a fair price, a wonderful service and a very happy customer...

I do hope that Philippe (a french fellow) will get his replacement unit (hugger) quickly as I want to see the debuggued product on a bike before putting a dime in something that expensive. BTW, at that price and from a would be customer, the "not for profit" story did not go too well

 

[Dutchman]

I do hope that Philippe (a french fellow) will get his replacement unit (hugger) quickly as I want to see the debuggued product on a bike before putting a dime in something that expensive. BTW, at that price and from a would be customer, the "not for profit" story did not go too well

Sorry to correct you, but Phillipe has a small problem with his front fender, not the hugger. We have honoured our guarantee and are sending him a replacement which will be shipped to France with the rear hugger he has also ordered.

Cheers

Dutch

 

[TerryM]

Being one of Dutchman's customers (GPS mount) here is my 10p worth. Firstly the GPS mount is a superb bit of kit, supplied by Dutchman in record speed at a fair price, a wonderful service and a very happy customer.
The downside, is hugger related. I fully support Dutchman and what the guys are doing. I know just how much work it takes to launch new stuff like this. I was going to buy one of Dutchman's huggers, but I had a sharp intake of breath at the price. I thought about it, and decided, nope! I dont want to spend that kind of money on a hugger, dont care how good it is or what it is made of. I just want something to keep the crap off the back of the bike. So I will wait till someone comes up with a one at a price I want to pay. I think that is fair enough. If someone wants to pay that kind of money then, again fair enough, its their choice.
What amuses me is TerryM's sometimes vitriolic diatribe. Chill out pal, there's no tanks in the street! Having said that, TerryM does make the board worth reading again

No tanks necessary when robbery by carbon fibre is so effective.

 

[Le singe]

Interesting thread comments on profit margins.
As someone who used to have parts manufactured,from pistons to silencers,even with small batches of around 10 units,at least 2/3 of the retail price was profit.
Similarly,purchasing parts direct from the manufacturer rather than in a branded box or packet, had large margins.
For instance cambelts,price from manufacturer,£3:00,retail £26:00.
Guess cosmetic parts are an exception......

 

[The Machine Cat]

Sorry to correct you, but Phillipe has a small problem with his front fender, not the hugger. We have honoured our guarantee and are sending him a replacement which will be shipped to France with the rear hugger he has also ordered.

Cheers

Dutch

To give the full picture, he told me that you and your company have been very helpful on that matter.

I am sorry to use him as a guinea pig (désolé phil hehe) but I sure want to see the whole thing set up on his bike before jumping into the fray...

It is darn expensive.

 

[Deleted Member G]

I've got one of Dutchmans GPS mounts and a Carbon fibre mudguard. Very happy with them, the Mudguard keep's the engine and exhaust much cleaner.
I would like a hugger as would MM but that's £400
Can't decide whether too buy or not

 

[TerryM]

I've got one of Dutchmans GPS mounts and a Carbon fibre mudguard. Very happy with them, the Mudguard keep's the engine and exhaust much cleaner.
I would like a hugger as would MM but that's £400
Can't decide whether too buy or not

Lots of water and two minute brushing for gbp400????????

 

[Deleted Member G]

Lots of water and two minute brushing for gbp400

Gosh, Makes the Hugger seem like a good buy!

 

[TerryM]

Interesting thread comments on profit margins.
As someone who used to have parts manufactured,from pistons to silencers,even with small batches of around 10 units,at least 2/3 of the retail price was profit.
Similarly,purchasing parts direct from the manufacturer rather than in a branded box or packet, had large margins.
For instance cambelts,price from manufacturer,£3:00,retail £26:00.
Guess cosmetic parts are an exception......

Very interesting that someone else with direct experience should join the fun! Must have been a Ducati parts supplier.
Most people seem to have no idea of the real value of the parts they buy for their bike, and we can hardly expect the rip off artists to own up. But what really worries me is the number of strong supporters who tell us how great it is to be overcharged.
Should we be concerned about alias email addresses and how the market is being orchestrated?

And am I mistaken, or did the moderator not recently decide to put these commercial people in their own box??? What happened to that mate.

This same phenomena is active in the USA where prices are usually more competitiuve, but understanding is often even lower than in the UK. The way to sort these people out is to just keep on naming them as rip off artists,and of course showing the logic, and if they, as some claim, find the publicity sells more kit then we know just what an odd world THEY occupy.

So, dear moderator, what are you doing about this influential discussion market with the implicit endorsement for rip off. Are they, the commercially self interested, to be allowed to bring their interests into our lives without a clear health warning?
It seems that a separate section explicitly subject to the laws of the retail market is required.

 

[CoolCarbon]

Once again TerryM makes some interesting comments on here...

Some of which I find a wee bit odd, is he implying that there is something illegal going on here?.....

Quote:-

"Should we be concerned about alias email addresses and how the market is being orchestrated?"

As for "Rip-Off", in order to be Ripped off, you need to buy something....I don't believe you have.....and if any customer of Motorrad Concepts receive their purchase and then feel that they had been " Ripped Off", we would refund their monies without question.....

As for you suggesting what the Moderators should and should not be doing......maybe being a Forum Sponsor would give you a bit more clout and put you in a better position to question their motives or actions!

I have been, for a long time, long before Motorrad Concepts was even thought of...

CC