Why the hate?
 

Tigers,

Just curious the scenario that brought on this forum thread? Did TT try to make things right after you expressed your disappointment? I would hope that if they understood what the problem was, they'd put effort into keeping a customer and fix the problem. It can be more constructive to explain the situation to everyone instead of just ranting that they have terrible customer service.

Just sayin'

Touratech sell (mostly) good expensive kit.

If you don't like the prices, shop elsewhere. It is a free market. No-one is forcing you to buy from TT.

If you are going to trash their product and / or service on an open forum where they are a sponsor of the HUBB, then you need to provide some factual basis for doing so.

TT is a business. They probably don't want to sell more. They want to sell their exact full capacity from their existing suppliers and machinery at the highest possible margin. This is where a laser cut thingy to cure the exploding gearbox issue on the 2012 model KTMW 880 GS replaces capacity for things that save the steering locks on BMW R80GS's. To continue to offer the old parts as though they are stocked then duck and dive is IMHO a serious failing. With engineering type businesses where I've had the same issues of huge demand and too great a step to increase capacity (it's a nice problem) I've always found an honest "we don't make that anymore" or "We'll do it as a special but it'll be 16 weeks" does less damage to the brand.

I hope TT view comments here as feedback rather than "Biting the hand that feeds you". The likes of Grant and Chris Scott created the Ewan and Charlies who buy the combined birdbath/BBQ/Heliograph/sump guard. If the Grants and Chris' here switch back to Army surplus, TT's issues in 2020 won't be too many people with too much money chasing too little laser cutting capacity.


Andy

I have a few bits & pieces from Touratech. I buy at the Hamburg store and they are always very friendly and helpful.

Yes, their stuff tends to be expensive, but often not much more than similar quality goods from other suppliers in UK or Germany.

I don't buy stuff like Garmin GPS devices, (except the non Garmin locking holders, etc). from them - usually check prices on the Internet for a reality check and go with the cheapest most reputable dealers for these standard items.

As said already, you pays your money and makes your choice.

Grey Beard

No one doubts the quality of the stuff being sold. It's the profit margin that most have a problem with. I think I speak for most when I say that the gear sold by this outfit is over-priced. I agree that nearly all of their gear is top quality.

Of course they need to make a profit but if this means inflating prices to ridiculous levels then perhaps they need to have a close look at their fixed overheads (property rental, shareholders dividends etc).

I think this outfit would sell much more if they adjusted their prices to allow the majority to access their products. This would allow specialised items to be lowered in price = profit by turnover as opposed to profit by high prices.

I wouldn't like to see them fail as much of what they offer is not available elsewhere. :thumbup1: But this isn't an excuse to rip people off with sky-high prices.

Perhaps it's unfair of us all to single out this firm because there are plenty of other companies who do the same thing...

My plumber charges £80 a hour! My solicitor £400 a hour, Dentist £200 a hour, Vet £300 an hour.... Far too many so called "experts" are charging ridiculous hourly rates. It will continue until we all refuse to use their services.... Madness! It's a vicious circle. Everyone will need to rip off everyone else just to survive. We ALL need to think again and come up with a fairer way to do business...

Thousands of workers earn just £6 a hour!!!!!!

Surely the problem with that is that by definition the more specialised the item the less likely it is for anyone to achieve high turnover?

Similar discussions from the past:

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...ouratech-37526

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...e-prices-56032

My view: If you don't want to pay the money then don't. There are other vendors too, or you can make your own, or just do without. You'd (or should I say "some might") be surprised how little bling you need.

Merry Christmas from Thailand.
C

I have been shopping mainly in TT factory (Niedereschach) and I do not have any negative comment for the service or support.
I know their parts cost more, but any time I have had any problems, I just went there and got things fixed without any additional cost (new zippers to my tankbag etc).
So only positive comments from my side to Niedereschach guys!

This thread is great for TT it's giving them lots of free advertisement, and if anybody’s seen Austin Vince slagging them off and getting paid for it I don't think they'll be worried by this.

Teedee

Equipping the Bike - What's the best gear?

This is the title of this Forum, this entire thread does fall under this title so i'm going to move it over to the HU Bar where it rightly belongs. Discussions/arguments like this always procedd better when there is drink involved.
Now where is the popcorn....

Does this make sense or what ???doh

Touratech
 

Hola todos,

it has been funny reading this thread, and of course I have my comments.

First of all, I have never bought anything from Touratech, so I cant tell you if the products are good, and this also means I can not tell you if the products are expensive.

So, *Tigers are cool* I can tell one thing: you can travel without there parts.

BUT: to complain about a company on a forum like this:

is not right, tell your story and and than we will all understand what went wrong and what can be learned out of it. So ... please tell us why you got that upset !!!

What Adam said made me very happy (I met him in BsAs a couple of month ago)

This Touratech spirit we need and for me this gave a very positive understanding about the company. So, maybe next time I earn some money I go shopping on there website.

Than some of words of *Kentfallen*


are so true, that I have to quote him and give my comment out this.

Yes, *Kentfallen* or Nick, you understand very well what is going on, your words come out of my heart. Thank you for this.

BUT:

Billions of people earn less than 1 USD a hour !!!!!

So, one more thing and than I go for dinner:

*electric_monk* is moderator here, and he moved this thread to the HUBB bar section.

for me this is censorship, nobody will read/find this thread anymore in a couple of month if it is in HUBB bar, but if it would be in Equipping the Bike section more people would still read it ...

Anyway he is the moderator, and who am I to tell him what to do.

So my final words are:

Long live the Touratech USA Seattle shop for helping out Adam !!!

Happy New Year !! And dont drink so much here in the HUBB bar.

Saludos de Salta

Mika

The strength of a Brand
 

Touratech Decal protection fork BMW R 1200 GS Adventure | eBay

3m film at my local hardware/stationary outlet is £5.99 for 2m, call it £3.00 per pair of forks. This is ten times the price. Can it be ten times better? Someone must think so. The value is in making the purchaser believe he got something ten times better. He's paying not to worry about the purchase.

Price is just price and is set by what the consumer will pay. It has no relationship to value unless the consumer fully understands the product. In this case a non-technical person could believe this film is somehow different to the 3M stuff. (which it might be). The cutting to size has to be value added.

Is the brand is weakened by some us realising the 3M film from Staples can't be that different? Only if a potential buyer is ready for the information. Some will want the comfort of "motorcycle specific" stuff. As we are in the bar now, dare I mention Harley branding? Technically, as a motorcycle it isn't top ten. No engineering test of time getting A-B or fuel used would rate it. As a brand giving the specific consumer the feeling they want, be it simplicity or a certain exhaust note it's number one.

As for the price of plumbers the choice is yours. Get a guy in who charges £10 an hour and take the risk he's clueless. Your choice. The alternative is false restrictions where we pick our plumbers and dentists based not on their ability to build up a list of clients who'll pay by doing a good job, but on what they want to do. If every job pays £10 an hour regardless of skills and training you'll have a queue of unemployed beer tasters at the dole office and the only ones volunteering to be dentists will be the ones who'll enjoy your pain. Try Soviet era plumbing, the retro feel isn't what most of us are looking for!

Andy

Is Tigers_Are_Cool really Austin Vince on the publicity wagon again? We will soon know if 'Tigers' next thread is 'All tents and riding gear sucks' and Ponchos and overalls are the way to go.:innocent:

To mika, who remarked about this post going to the 'bar' I once again say, look who is paying for an advert at the Top right hand side of the page, 'Don't allow the hand who feeds you get bitten'

Well it's still a form of rather clumsy censorship. This thread is pretty well balanced, not one sided. Hopefully Touratech would accept that.

Grey Beard