Ordering a helmet internationally?

[Dogboy900]

Pull your head in Fraser, and don't use mod & rockers as an example they were trying to standout from the pack, not by being a travelling collage of colours....black with chrome studs & patches isn't a chunder of graphics. And motorcycling once was the domain of the rich then became the transport of the common man and black, brown or harris tweed was the colour of choice
All the extremes now are fuelled by racer image & the advertising from sponsors and it's just transgressed over to the road with riders wanting to portray their track heros...shame most try but can't.
Safety~wise the travelling kaleidoscopes these days blend in more than they standout from their surroundings, old joe bloggs in his tin-top..."what was that?, I think I saw something, think it was!...oh shit a f@#ken bike!"

I know you've got your Lucky Strike replica thing going on with your bike & matching leathers but at least you can follow up the image by being able to ride well. And the power rangers nowadays looking worse than harley riders that look like they've been through a leather shredder

From what I read there you are pretty much agreeing with him. Its just your sense of fashion is offended by race replica gear and leans more towards the black leather look. The plain black leathers and matt black helmet is also a fashion choice.

I agree with OAB. Bikes are and always will be a statment of sorts, fashion or otherwise. If someone wants a helmet that is different from whats on offer where is the problem with that?

[Erelyes]

Because he has already made a convenience of a shop by trying one on. With no intention to support local business that employs local people and recirculates its eaernings back into local communities

How do you know he hasn't already spent $xxx's on gear with the same shop? How do you know he didn't buy his bike there?

They can't do the design he was after... seems pretty simple to me.

[swbarnett]

Of course, there is a resentment to any form of taxation.

I have no problem with tax. What I object to is the over complitation of the tax system. Remove all taxes except imcome tax and just wait for the administration costs to go through the floor.

[Robert Taylor]

How do you know he hasn't already spent $xxx's on gear with the same shop? How do you know he didn't buy his bike there?

They can't do the design he was after... seems pretty simple to me.

Im articulating the very real thing that happens where people go into clothing stores etc ( not just motorcycle shops ) with the express intention of establishing size only and no intention whatsoever of purchasing locally. This guy may be more sincere than that but this immoral practice is commonplace

And Ive already responded about limited choices.

As for tax it should be on EVERYTHING irrespective of value and where purchased. From time to time I personally purchase the odd thing offshore ( when I cannot get it locally ) Id be more than happy to pay clearances and gst on every purchase.

[onearmedbandit]

Pull your head in Fraser, and don't use mod & rockers as an example
I know you've got your Lucky Strike replica thing going on with your bike & matching leathers but at least you can follow up the image by being able to ride well. And the power rangers nowadays looking worse than harley riders that look like they've been through a leather shredder

Yeah bit out of line, had a shit night. And maybe my comparison wasn't right, I wasn't around then, I can only go by what I've seen. And it appeared to me that image has always been a part of motorcycling, it's own fashion as such. Funny I hadn't actually thought about myself regarding the fashion thing, I just wear what I like and don't really give two fucks what anyone thinks.

[boman]

Hi Everyone, just signed up to this forum after getting my learners and buying my first bike, now I'm looking to buy a helmet.

Specifically this one:

http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/s...Speed_R_Helmet

I'm considering the white version, as unfortunately in NZ it's only sold in black or with a graphic. I've tried one on in store and it fits great.
I've just got a few questions about how good an idea it is to buy from overseas.

- Is it safe in terms of how helmets are handled? I know if you drop it in a store, it's basically yours, so am wondering if it's ok to trust international shipping and couriers with helmets.
- Will it be just as safe and legal? i.e. I'm assuming it'd be exactly the same helmet, not a 'US version' or anything with different requirements.
- From what I've read online it looks like GST is the only charge I could get as it comes through customs, but are there any other taxes I'd be likely to have to pay for a motorcycle helmet?

Cheers.

I have bought bike stuff , off shore. But only if it is not sold in NZ.

I could have saved 25% by buying my Arai, out of the USA. But I didn't. I bought ex Hamilton. No regrets. After sales service is superb, and It fits . No problems.

A vent broke, within 2 months of purchase. Fixed under warranty. I would have had issues, had I bought it ex USA.

[AllanB]

Bikes have always had a visual appeal to me. Shit you could build the best bike in the world and if it was not visually appealing to me I'd not own it ...........

[swbarnett]

As for tax it should be on EVERYTHING irrespective of value and where purchased. From time to time I personally purchase the odd thing offshore ( when I cannot get it locally ) Id be more than happy to pay clearances and gst on every purchase.

Agreed. The other, also perfectly fair, option is to have no tax on purchases at all.

[T.W.R]

From what I read there you are pretty much agreeing with him. Its just your sense of fashion is offended by race replica gear and leans more towards the black leather look. The plain black leathers and matt black helmet is also a fashion choice.

I agree with OAB. Bikes are and always will be a statment of sorts, fashion or otherwise. If someone wants a helmet that is different from whats on offer where is the problem with that?

Not really agreeing as such as Mods & Rockers were essentially the 1st forms of pommy motorcycle gangs but their bling & patches were just affiliation displays to which areas they came from and it was all based on Black .
Black is the fashion colour that never goes out of fashion, and yeah thats what I wear and always have helmet colours have changed over the years but not dramatically.
Race replica gear doesn't offend me just amuses me because as I said most can't follow up their image with their abilities on a bike; There's a time & place for everything and if you want to race go to the track

Helmets with a collage of colour blend in to their backgrounds especially in urban & city street environments mixing well with shop displays, the multitude of colours of anything along the streets etc & quite often the only part 1st seen by other road users is the bikers helmet appearing through a glimpse through other vehicles parked & moving.
Safest colours are plain & solid, yellow being the highest visually.

Yeah bit out of line, had a shit night. And maybe my comparison wasn't right, I wasn't around then, I can only go by what I've seen. And it appeared to me that image has always been a part of motorcycling, it's own fashion as such. Funny I hadn't actually thought about myself regarding the fashion thing, I just wear what I like and don't really give two fucks what anyone thinks.

No offence taken
Motorcycling isn't really a fashion image it's what the non-motorcycling public view us as, we're different riding big high powered dual gyroscopes they can't get their heads around...were dangerous, or the bikes are dangerous & we enjoy them...leaves old Joe P scratchin . Film & media depiction hasn't helped either.

Marketing has made motorcycling image concious, once upon a time we were humble and happy to wear black or other basic plain colours, but just like magpies we're drawn to bright shiny things...so marketing comes along & pitches make it flash and it'll sell and 'vanity thy sole is man' we thrive on looking good towards others.

Your image hasn't changed for a few years and that's what makes you you & got the goods to back it up. There's plenty of johnny come latelys that try similar but make a piss poor attempt.

[Gremlin]

Well, my recent experience (ie, finished it today) was wanting a fluro yellow Nolan N104. Aside from the fact that very few places actually have the fluro yellow, and it's not a line item in NZ, I got my dealer to run it up to the importer. Apparently, he has to order 6 of a unit, ie, 6x small, 6x medium etc. He doesn't think he can sell that, so won't bring it in. Fair enough, I understand his position.

On the other hand, I could order a single unit from overseas of what I want, and if I didn't know the whole story, complain the NZ distributor is a lazy bugger. Sure, he's missing out on a sale, but what is he supposed to do with the other 5?

[Robert Taylor]

Well, my recent experience (ie, finished it today) was wanting a fluro yellow Nolan N104. Aside from the fact that very few places actually have the fluro yellow, and it's not a line item in NZ, I got my dealer to run it up to the importer. Apparently, he has to order 6 of a unit, ie, 6x small, 6x medium etc. He doesn't think he can sell that, so won't bring it in. Fair enough, I understand his position.

On the other hand, I could order a single unit from overseas of what I want, and if I didn't know the whole story, complain the NZ distributor is a lazy bugger. Sure, he's missing out on a sale, but what is he supposed to do with the other 5?

Absolutely correct. As we very much do not have ''economy of scale'' in such a small country such problems as this for a distributor are magnified. I dont expect many to understand or want to understand these and other issues, and frankly the emotive bagging of distributors displays a total lack of understanding of the realities of this part of business.

[swbarnett]

Absolutely correct. As we very much do not have ''economy of scale'' in such a small country such problems as this for a distributor are magnified.

The most important thing to any business is the good will of the customer. I would think that a lot of good will would be gained if, instead of throwing up their hands in frustration, an importer were to order one of the required item from said web site and pas it on to the customer. Even if there's no financial gain for the importer or retailer it will quite likely keep the customer coming back.

[Robert Taylor]

The most important thing to any business is the good will of the customer. I would think that a lot of good will would be gained if, instead of throwing up their hands in frustration, an importer were to order one of the required item from said web site and pas it on to the customer. Even if there's no financial gain for the importer or retailer it will quite likely keep the customer coming back.

All good businesses exercise goodwill with their best customers anyway without recourse to having to prostitute themselves. The need to make a fair and reasonable profit ( and Im not getting into an argument about preceived massive margins ) is paramount just to recover overheads alone.

[swbarnett]

All good businesses exercise goodwill with their best customers anyway without recourse to having to prostitute themselves. The need to make a fair and reasonable profit ( and Im not getting into an argument about preceived massive margins ) is paramount just to recover overheads alone.

If it's no skin of your nose and it keeps a customer happy then why not? Even if it's just saying to them that "no, we can't import it but you can get one from xyz web site instead". It's just the same as a retailer directing the customer to a competitor for a product they don't stock. If you've ever seen "Mirical on 34th Street" you'll know what I mean.

The profit will be made on other things the happy customer is more inclined to buy from you because you went the extra mile for them.

[SS90]

Im articulating the very real thing that happens where people go into clothing stores etc ( not just motorcycle shops ) with the express intention of establishing size only and no intention whatsoever of purchasing locally. This guy may be more sincere than that but this immoral practice is commonplace

And Ive already responded about limited choices.

As for tax it should be on EVERYTHING irrespective of value and where purchased. From time to time I personally purchase the odd thing offshore ( when I cannot get it locally ) Id be more than happy to pay clearances and gst on every purchase.

I am noticing this happening less and less nowadays (although still too often to be acceptable).

Accesories sales people have (by necessity) become more savvy in dealings with customers.

While sales isn't my immediate area, time to time I answer the phone where a customer actually ask if they can come in, try a helmet, so they can order the correct size online.... And seem genuinely put out and surprised when I give definate no.

There has become a sense of right to use a bike shops resources for free, as, well, the internet is free isn't it?

I have seen even in the last 5 years attitudes becoming more realistic( in regards to expectations )...... Simply because (worldwide) bike shops have closed down (and continue to do so) and (logical thinking reasonable people) have deduced the reason for this.

The internet is here to stay, but the opportunistic fly by night "businesses" that populate it aren't.