Spotted this via Facebook

https://www.alpentourer.eu/alpentour...venz-anmelden/

Same article at Niedereschach: 400 Arbeitsplätze bedroht: Touratech in Niedereschach meldet Insolvenz an

And at multiple other German language websites.

TT is a major HU supporter and sponsor.

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Fair amount of quaking in boots going on since yesterday evening over at UKGSer.

The world is coming to an end.

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"For sheer delight there is nothing like altitude; it gives one the thrill of adventure
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Their products must have been priced too low....

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In the end everything will be fine. If its not fine its not the end....

insolvency? with their sky high prices and cheap materials they use for products??? obviously their salaries were also way too high
nobody gonna cry, that's for sure.

This isn't the end IMHO. The boys over at the GS club have spending power.

Question is, when somone buys the name will it be more lazer cut image stuff at higher prices with even poorer service or a return to kit thats actually better? I suspect the former has more potential but like any fashion product is fickle. The fancy office and cafe seems a mad thing to do in the internet age.

I feel for the workers who won't share the sentiment of good riddance. Its all going to be more serious for them than some man child worrying where his next tank mounted ash tray will come from.

Andy

I don’t want to get into discussing the necessity of buying the products that TT sells, other than to say I’m on record as describing is as “overpriced tat”. But there seems to be a big market for TT’s products, so it needs to be satisfied.

When TT does relaunch I would definitely suggest/ remind them of 2 things:

1. Make products that work straight out of the box and don’t break right away e.g. I had to modify a alli gps TT mount with a hacksaw to make the oem Garmin powerlead fit into the Garmin device. 2 things broke on my TT tank bag on an easy gravel road in the Stans: the zipper and the mounts onto the bike

2. What probably annoys most people in the UK: Because of the franchise arrangement between TT HQ in Germany and TT UK, stuff costs more on the UK website (ex p and p) than on the Germany website (ex p and p). In the age of the www and 24/7 worldwide ecommerce, it’s ridiculous to have to order stuff from Germany and get it sent to a friend’s German address who then forward it on to England, all still cheaper and more quickly than trying to order it from TT UK. TT Germany refuses to post to the UK.

The postage would be even cheaper (and let’s not forget the environment if all those trees weren’t chopped down) if the customer didn’t have to pay to receive a huge paper catalog they never asked for.

I feel for the 400 workers and hope they don’t lose their jobs.

PS. I was speaking to some motorcycle friends a while ago who had just started selling motorcycle accessories and clothing online. My comment of “What, so you’re selling stuff that is proven to work and you have in stock so it can be delivered to anywhere in the world in 72 hours?” Their reply didn’t disagree with my assertion.

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Received my first ever marketing (= spam) email from TT this morning. Are the subject of this thread and this email connected?

Also unsubscribed from their mailing list that I was never, until now, subscribed to.

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If they are connected it either adds a reason why they are in trouble (an over simplistic approach) or makes you think they are starting to think about the recovery.

Brand recovery is a tough one. Skoda laughing at themselves worked, but I can't think of another that's really worked.

I don't suppose the e-mail said anything new like "guaranteed same price across Europe", "all items in stock" or " three year no quibble guarantee"?

The other way is just to wait and let your existing customers support the recovery. The G310R actually got me in a BMW showroom for the first time in 13 years. I didn't buy one, but it was less of the suited reptile trying to tell me anything under a litre is for girls than I remember, so a massive improvement in how I'd rate them just by waiting long enough for bad memories to fade.

Andy

I've kept a copy of the TT catalogue in the boot of my car for years. It gets used as a pad between the jack and the bodywork so I don't scratch the paint. Recently though its had competition from the Wickes and Screwfix catalogues.

At least I occasionally buy stuff from Wickes and Screwfix but I've never bought anything from TT as I've never owned a bike they make parts for and the general purpose stuff is overpriced. If I'm going to buy mail order I might as well buy from a cheaper source.

Overpriced only works if its overpriced and convenient i.e. bottled water at the festival I've just come back from - £2.00 / bottle on site or 65p for the same bottle at Tesco's but they're three miles away. You trade a bit of money for a lot of convenience, something I've never been able to do with TT.

Anyone know the reason for their problems - the real reason that is. Is it just the tough times we live in or their flawed marketing strategy has now reached the end of someone else's money? Or maybe the phoenix will rise again leaving its debts in the ashes. Whatever the reason you have to feel some sympathy if 400 people are facing redundancy.

I like your turn of phrase "Suited reptile". I can envisage his appearance and attitude!

No mention of anything to do with equal EU pricing, stock levels or warranties. No mention of their insolvency situation either, to put a customer's mind at rest that they'll receive the gear they've paid for.

Skoda's rebranding strapline was "The car that Volkswagen approved". I'm unable to make any suggestions for a new TT slogan.

I really do hope those 400 workers don't suffer for the mistakes of their bosses.

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I'm no marketing expert but if they'd used concrete Which is much cheaper than all those expensive laser cut metals they wouldn't be in this mess. And those ukgsers would have ended up with a lot more weight for a lot less money. Win win!
did I think that then accidentally type it!

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have fun with your helmet!

Herbert Schwarz, one of the TT founders has put out a video on social media, saying the business problem come from 2016 where the new hall (distribution centre? ) being built had major delays (= cost overruns ) and there were also software issues that caused production and distribution delays.

For the moment, production will continue as it was. There's now a new MD in charge (I presume put there by the banks) who will endeavour to get the accounts back into the black. Just like Brian Johnson taking over from Bon Scott?

Saw this price comparison on a TT thread on a different forum:

Trick brake and gear levers: 287gbp plus postage at TT
https://shop.touratech.co.uk/ac-schn...nd-rninet.html

and

14.76gbp including postage from China at
Billet Pivot Clutch Brake Lever For Honda CRF250L CRF250M 2012-2016 Motorcycle

A 20th of the price! Maybe a time now to enter the real world of product pricing? Manufacture in China and rebadge for sale online only in Europe at the same price for all? Sadly if I were working at TT Germany, I'd be dusting down my CV/resume.

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Excuse me, I'm aYorkshireman

HOW MUCH!?!

I don't envy them. A Gucci bag trumps ASDA/Walmart/Netto, not because it maybe lasts longer but because people can bring themselves to think it is a work of art, an icon. I struggle to see how a gearlever can do this even away from the "spend it on petrol" community we have here and amongst a shall we say more Starbucks friendly crowd.

I think the shipping department need to learn about bringing stuff from China thats thrir highest quality and the design department need to draw something no one has thought of.

Andy

Just spotted this press release from Nick Plumb, the TT UK head honcho, released yesterday:

https://www.adventurebikerider.com/t...y-application/

That's a relief then!

Fun to read the s at the bottom of the article too...

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Oh, that's all right then, it's nothing serious, only insolvency. They'll soon overcome that little setback and be back to business as usual.

How serious do commercial f*ck-ups have to be before a company actually shuts its doors for good. This kind of revolving door bankruptcy where your sins are left behind and you come out with a clean slate seems to be more a management technique for overcoming previous bad decisions or an opportunity to make awkward adjustments without taking the blame. "Sorry you're all being made redundant, it's nothing to do with me, the bank forced it on me as a condition of the restructuring". "You can of course apply for the many exciting retail positions we'll have available shortly. Send in your CVs and we'll have a look".

Makes me wonder whether TT UK might have to be sending their corporate CV over to Germany when the Phoenix rises.