A simple solution would be to not buy the stuff, you don't need most of it and the rest has alternative suppliers.

Try these guys:

https://sites.google.com/site/pooratrek/home



Andy

They won't respond to a mail like that. I wouldn't in any case.

Alternatively you could try the Belgian TT distributor, he speaks dutch and probably will ship to FR or NL as he's a good guy... just an idea...

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I don't know how TT have setup the whole thing, but it looks like franchises, and they dictate the minimum price - price wise I think the UK is the most expensive.

I've had both good and bad experience in regards to how they treat their customers; it looks like it's only in Germany it's possible to spare parts like half a pannier rack (but that might have changed in the last few years).

One have to give it to TT, they have figured out how to convince all adv. bike riders (or hopefuls) that you're not a real man (or woman) if you haven't spend all your savings in buying bling from them. They have useful stuff, but also a large amount of useless stuff..

As for seats; Kahedo's own branded seats are mostly cheaper (and better), and they do sell seat directly to end customers.


Casper

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I´m sure the folks at TT Germany would have found a solution if you would have asked. Whilst I have occasionally not been exceptionally impressed by their stuff (at other occasions I have), I have always during the last six years found the TT staff by mail, by phone and in person (be it at their store at HQ or at bike fairs) very friendly and solution-/service-oriented. I have dealt with them on a high number of occasions to equip my Africa Twin, my KTM 1190 Adv R and my wife´s Transalp.

You will have to understand and accept that their business model is to have distributors in certain countries which they most certainly have to protect due to contractual obligations, through which they do regular business, which is everything but odd (French specialties such as payment are well known to any traveller trying to purchase gas from a gas station outside daytime Monday through Friday without a French payment card); but it would utterly surprise me if I would not be able to receive help for e.g. urgent spare parts and accessories from my local German or the local national TT shop if I am on the road abroad. Should your Dutch TT distributor prove to be unhelpful (I cannot see from the Dutch website nor from Google Maps that at the TT Netherlands address the TT distributor is in fact (only) a BMW dealer) - I am surprised you did purchase from the German website although TT offers a Dutch website for its Dutch operations anyways - a call into TT HQ would most certainly have helped. Have you ever contacted TT France regarding their ability to serve you in English?

Regards
Chris

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I hear your frustration !

I thought the EU was all about free trade for people in Europe but Touratech seem to have their own rules.

If I want Touratech stuff by mail order I have to buy from Touratech UK - but then it pains me to look at the UK pricing vs other countries.......

One bit of good news, however, is that some Touratech stuff is available via your friendly local KTM dealer - and it can be quite a bit cheaper !

For instance the alloy pannier boxes are (from memory) about £30 or £40 cheaper (each) than if you buy from Touratech. But if you want a lock set for the boxes they are way cheaper from Touratech !

It's worth shopping around !

As Walter mentioned it's a franchise. The EU is a Tax union (and many other things) which means that you only pay value added taxes in the country where you buy the product. But the manufacture is not bound by any laws to sell to you...


Casper

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I only wonder : "what is the EU stands for? What does EU means ?" In this case !

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"where the traveller goes, nobody knows ! "

It's worse up here, price for an IMO:

Germany: 449€
UK: 617€
Norway: 781€

It would have been cheaper for me to order the part to a hotell in Kiel, bring my gf with a cruiseship to Kiel and spend a night at the hotell then to buy it in Norway.
I even had to wait more then a month for the part, it was in stock in Germany...

Anyway, I wrote a mail to TT and got no answer.

Hi Guus, Sorry to hear you are having so much trouble with TT. I have no involvement with them as you know, but we did meet up with Yvon Bodelot down in the Aveyron last September if you remember. Yvon is the TT franchise owner in France, based at Orange, actually not too far from Montpellier. ( 100Kms) ZAC Porte sud 356 r Roussanne BP 124 84104 ORANGE Cedex. Yvon@touratech.fr. I am sure he would be delighted to hear your complaint!! ( he speaks excellent English).

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Personally I'd rather hit my head hard with a hammer than buy anything from this lot. I have experienced the problem myself and promised to NEVER use them again in the future. I know 4 others who were ripped off by this company (paying way over the odds for what they needed).

My advice is to research the internet to locate what you need. It's often possible to find what you need at a fraction of the price demanded by this bunch.

No one minds a retailer making a reasonable profit what we don't like is being ripped off!

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I have been many times in Norway. But I'm completely surprised to her this. This is not only the difference in VAT anymore.

I will write my solution later in this thread.

I've not read all of this thread.. My two pence worth though...

I fit A LOT of TT stuff to customers bikes... It's mostly CRAP. Really poor fit and quality. And OUTRAGEOUSLY priced. It's mostly completely unnecessary too.

Selling protection for things that don't need protecting and in some cases, they make the component MORE vulnerable.

Their fasteners are always cheap and poor quality and not thought out for their application. Tiny cheese headed hex bolts etc. That's the stuff which isn't held together by zip ties...Bodgetastic....

The only thing more annoying than fitted TT parts is removing them to do BASIC maintenance. They don't care. They just want to sell cheap, pressed aluminium to idiots.


I think the only thing that is worse than the crap they sell is their customer service....


Just to be fair and balanced, their GPS brackets are pretty good. I had once for my Garmin 2610 and it lasted well... But it's brain-deaded design meant it destroyed the power cable...

My advice to anyone flicking though a TT catalogue would be to consider what you want it for.. Then google for something which will be half the price and twice the quality..

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Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

I try to explain TT that their business models dosn't fit their costumers who travel outside their own country. And this is quit silly for travels who wants to buy TT stuff to travel.....

I got a response today. Later in this treat I will write the solution.

And it's not a specific French problem!!!! It's a world wide problem.

Last Year I called TT Germany and they explained me that I need to order in France. I explaind my trouble with the French Language and way of payment. They could send it to Andorra for me, just 320 KM driving to pick up my stuff. So I ordered at the German website and used an adress in Germany to ship the product. Then this friend ships them to me. It's double work.

Thanks for the tip.

I just called them and ordered a complete black version and wider +50mm. I don't like the TT version who has a big gray part at the back with TT on it. Now I need to ship my seat to them. It cost 300,00 and 20,00 for shipping. This way again it getting a better product for less and straight form the manufactur.

Good deal!!