To import bike gear or not?

[The Stranger:Me]

I find this thread very interesting for another reason.

In my experience customers rarely tell you what they want or expect and rarely volunteer feedback. When I do get open and honest feedback, whether it is good or bad I treat it as gold. This is the best stuff you can get. There are a few things I won’t do. I won’t argue with my customers and I won’t tell them they are wrong.
I will listen carefully; take on board what they say and try very hard to improve on where they perceive my deficiencies to lie.

All I seem to get from this thread from the dealers is more of what we are used to i.e. this is what you are going to get and you are going to like it - oh and you bastards, you should be buying from us!

So come on dealers, what are you going to do with this opportunity that has been presented here? How are you going to go about improving our (i.e. your customers) perception of you?

[Robert Taylor]

I really see little point getting into specifics of each industry. Through my work I have come into contact with many many industries. My experience is that they all face a unique set of problems.



How about the auto (car) industry?
They have far more models, more colours and more parts.
Parts and issues can span many decades.
Their parts are larger and more numerous requiring more space to store them and greater holding costs.
Yet I find parts are significatnly more readily available for cars than bikes.
My son has a jap import 4WD Nissan Primera. I don't believe they were ever released over here, either way they are pretty rare. It has had an engine transplant from another model import wreck. Despite needing many parts to build/rebuild this car, the only one we have had to wait for is a single engine mount. And that was here ex Japan in 5 days.
Not 7 weeks like the ER6.

Yes indeed every industry does have its unique set of problems. But in all fairness when you quote the auto industry you are talking a much larger economy of scale and a much much higher ratio of customers per specific model. This argument can go round and round but the fact remains that stockholding very large inventories of parts is not as simple as some would like to believe. CS363 has described it very accurately. If every single part was stocked the end prices would rise significantly due to the cost of holding it with extended real estate space, low stock turn due to a low number of consumers and a MUCH higher percentage of dead stock, write offs. Simply, this would further accelerate offshore purchases. No distributor would willingly commit such economic suicide. We have 4 million people, not 40 million!
I started posting on this thread because I have worked in all sectors of the industry and often I see many distributors of product unfairly maligned by arguments that are not in command of all the facts. A debate where all parties give even consideration to all arguments ( and to do so with good manners and temperament ) is a good debate. But alas, it is so often a human failing that many will hear only what they want to hear.

[slopster]

I tend to think if I can buy a single product in from ebay for myself and do it for half the price that it is sold for locally there is no way I'm buying locally. If the local shops can't match these prices maybe they should be aiming more for the service side of industry. I'm quite happy to pay someone to do something I'm not capable of doing myself. And theres always things that everyone will buy locally. Small stuff you don't want to wait 3 weeks for and things like new bikes.

[Robert Taylor]

I tend to think if I can buy a single product in from ebay for myself and do it for half the price that it is sold for locally there is no way I'm buying locally. If the local shops can't match these prices maybe they should be aiming more for the service side of industry. I'm quite happy to pay someone to do something I'm not capable of doing myself. And theres always things that everyone will buy locally. Small stuff you don't want to wait 3 weeks for and things like new bikes.

Looking at the big picture of what is actually good for the country as a whole an exchange rate of between 50 to 60 cents US per $1 NZ is best. Good for our exporters who are employers, also good for our domestic businesses who are also employers.

[TLDV8]

I have supported NZ retailers since 1976... $1000 for a Spidi jacket ?? ... Arai helmet for over $1000 ?? etc etc TL parts that cost near the same as when the exchange rate was NZ 41 cents on the US dollar... Suzuki NZ means bent over for parts.

The flip side is Aussie based,there was no way i was going to pay $899 for a Arai XD 3 when i could buy one from the US for $478.
My Belstaff Adventure jacket arrived last week,excellent quality by all accounts,perfect fit,not available here that i could find.
Spending for the last two weeks or so around $3000,only oil and a filter purchased locally.
DR650 that cost NZ$10700 ? had to put it in for its first service which was an oil change for AU$195,sump plug and oil filter cover still covered in dirt when i got it back,i then proceeded to clean those area's and change the oil and filter myself followed by a valve clearance check etc etc as per the first service in the manual .!!!!
It is not a charity either side of the fence,retailer or customer.

[TLDV8]

Maybe i should add,although in Australia i am still supporting NZ retailers one way or another.

Big thanks to Mike (98TLS) for posting out a set of not available here Buzzetti tyre levers.

[Robert Taylor]

Maybe i should add,although in Australia i am still supporting NZ retailers one way or another.

Big thanks to Mike (98TLS) for posting out a set of not available here Buzzetti tyre levers.

And thankyou for that! The remaining parts to complete construction of your DR650 shock are winging their way from Sweden as we speak.
I must make a point here, I have a gentlemans agreement with the Aussie Ohlins distributor to not parasite into his market and vice versa. It was only because Steve was unable to build a shock for you that I agreed to sell it into Australia. Thats an old fashioned ethic and I am proud of it.
You also make a point about bad service, as you well realise that happens everywhere on the globe and is roughly concurrent with an overall lowering of societys standards. Some people may poo poo me for saying that but boy ''aint it the truth''.

[Stormer]

Right...
www.lifestyle-imports.co.nz
Supporting NZ dealers...I emailed enquiring about the availability of their leather pants with sliders...
Three days later and no replies.
If this was a yank site, then the next day (given the time diff.) I would have had a reply.
I`m just gonna go to Jeffery Chandell leathers 10 mins south of here and get him to make me up a pair...sliders or not.

[YellowDog]

I imported my bike and got a better spec at around a $5k saving. If you are importing genuine stuff that has a significant saving, then it is a great idea. If however you are only saving a couple of bucks, it aint worth the hassle and I would rather give the money to NZers.

Also importing foney crap, especially clothing, is not cheap. It is a waste of money.

[cs363]

Right...
www.lifestyle-imports.co.nz
Supporting NZ dealers...I emailed enquiring about the availability of their leather pants with sliders...
Three days later and no replies.
If this was a yank site, then the next day (given the time diff.) I would have had a reply.
I`m just gonna go to Jeffery Chandell leathers 10 mins south of here and get him to make me up a pair...sliders or not.

Apples with apples.... that's not a dealer, just someone who built/paid for a website and sells a bit of stuff from home - to quote their website "As this is a home based business, visiting the showroom is by appointment only. To make a time and for directions, please contact Rick on 027 278 7813"
To me it just looks like some private guy that is importing some crappy Pakistani boots etc....Don't think I'd be shopping there...

[silver55]

Maybe not quite the same sort of protective gear, but,.......Krank Dirt Wear for mountain bikers is a home based business (in Hanmer Springs) and operates in a very similar way to "lifestyle-imports". Their gear is all first rate, and I've made a home visit by appointment. Good stuff and nice people.
Just because someone is running a business from home doesn't mean it's "crappy".

[ynot slow]

I have boots from Lifestyle Imports,very reasonable price and comfort fit.I grabbed these as after purchasing my jacket,pants,gloves and helmet,I was running short of $$$,keep feet warm and dry(although never been in torrential rain)during wet weather.They are cheap yes,but fit for me is great,comfy,and can't complain,mind you I don't profess to being heavy duty rough on my boots.For $150 can't go wrong,even if they did shit out after say 2 yrs,which they haven't.