Where would you buy your gear and accessories?

[Bryn]

Online or offline?

I'm interested in where the average bike rider goes to buy their accessories and gear, do you stay at home and buy it cheap off the net, or do you get out to the high street and pay a bit extra to have it there and then?

I've noticed how expensive some of the clothing etc. is in dedicated motorcycle shops, and I've also noticed that the gear I see in these shops can be brought for a lot cheaper online. So, where do you shop?

[africajim]

You may find this offensive but in my defence, I am Scottish,,,, but,,,, I try on stuff at bike shops or dedicated bike gear stores to get the correct size then,,,,, order it online cheaper!

[Treadtrader]

Allways found bike shop prices to be a bit over the top.
The internet and sites like fleebay are very good for better prices.
Hein gericke list returns and seconds on their fleebay site, but seem to attract very enthusiastic bidding?
Jims method of trying before buying is a popular way of getting a bargain that fits.
Last jacket i bought was from JTS http://www.jtsbikerclothing.com/html/factory_shop.shtml
Went to their shop in Leicestershire and found a £125 jacket on the seconds rail for £50, result, good gear aswell.
Bike shows can produce bargain buys, but you need to decide whats a bargain and whats cheap tat bought in for the show.

[snaphappy]

HeinGericke has been mentioned and there's another two similar over here, Louis-Motorrad they've been around for 70 years and seem the strongest and Polo-Motorrad, between the three they have cornered the market both online and in their many stores, I tend to stick with Louis as their store is nearest.
Might get cheaper somewhere else but they have sales and discounts sometimes offering store club members up to 25% off. When I need something expensive like clothing I wait for a voucher or sale, service stuff I'll either collect or have delivered on a 4 week invoice.
Louis have up to 50% off jackets at the mo' cant get better than that.
http://www.louis.de/_20e8af677546841d3a ... hp?lang=en

polo are only in German but with Bable you can get the jist
https://www.polo-motorrad.com/

[scouse]

I use a mixed source , I prefer to be able to try stuff on first to see if it will fit... no manufacturer ever seems to keep to the same "body shape" for more than three consecutive years.

So I go to shows and shops to try on kit , then search out the best deals elsewhere if the price isn't right at the time.

[irishtiger]

Try to get new kit over the winter months when sales on gear are down. And if in a shop make an offer even if there is a price tag, Money in the bank is better that hanging on a rail so its surprising the discount you can get. I will always try to support my local bike shops has these are the guys we usually turn to when things go wrong.

[MidnightSerenity]

africajim wrote:

You may find this offensive but in my defence, I am Scottish,,,, but,,,, I try on stuff at bike shops or dedicated bike gear stores to get the correct size then,,,,, order it online cheaper!

I'm curious AJ, why would that be offensive?? Makes perfect practical sense to me!!!

[davsato]

fleabay isnt the bargain hunters paradise it once was, pay £45 for something you can get in a shop for £50 but pay £10 postage, some bargain a lot of people cant add up these days. and bike show stall holders either sell new stuff at the same rate or barely cheaper than shops that offer warrantys or increasingly sell utter tat that comes out year after year in the hope that eighties purple dayglo block patterns and white and pink boots will come back into fashion. and still charge way too much for it.
i think the reason could be that pitch costs have gone up so much. there were several stalls at the bmf show with signs that said 'these are show prices, dont ask for further discounts' as pitches had gone up so much this year, they can only pass the costs onto customers and the real cost of showgrounds greed is that shows will be cancelled due o lack of interest.
we already pay a fortune just to go to these shows, add in the cost of getting there and it may well be cheaper shopping on your doorstep at rrp

[LargeWayRound]

I have bought trousers from JTS (online) before and just placed another order today ..

http://www.jtsbikerclothing.com

Nice stuff for the NON average size person ..

All the local shops have nothing over a XL for clothes.

[Treadtrader]

Spot on there LWR.
I have a pal of 6'2" and 21 stone.
He went to JTS and bought off the shelf gear.
They had stuff too big for him!