Topic: How many of you Ducati and Harley owners....

[Raul CB750K1]

... own and wear a Ducati and Harley helmet too?

The other day I met a guy with a Ducati monster who wore a Ducati jacket and helmet. It is cool with the jacket, but the helmet?

That's when it dawned on me that 100% of Ducati helmet or Harley helmet owners are also Ducati and Harley bike owners. The opposite is not true.

The same goes with BMW. Most of the BMW owners I know only wear BMW apparel and helmets.

Honda sells Honda helmets but I still haven't seen any sport bike owner wearing a Honda helmet. They generally wear Arai, Shoei, AGV, X-Lite, you know, those sponsored by the MotoGP riders.


Talk about brand loyalty....

[my78k]

I am all for brand loyalty but only in situations where the product is part of the maker's core business.

Something tells me Shoei and Arai spend more on R and D specific to helmets than any motorcycle manufacturer does.

As with Harley....well who cares about R and D and best product when you are wearing a half helmet that won't work in a crash anyways???

Dennis

[tsflstb]

Pretty sure they're just re-branded AGV or HJC helmets.
 
I bet there's a lot more profit in gear than in bikes.  The harley place near me is probably a 40,000 square foot showroom.  Maybe 1/3 of that is bikes, the other 2/3 rds is helmets, t-shirts, vests, and some accessories.

I think a lot of folks buying new bikes go ahead and buy gear at the dealership the same time - rolling it into their loan and payment.

[CBGhia]

I rode my Ducati Monster for 6 years.  I was on a Ducati Monster forum that is probably bigger than this one and I knew almost no one who had a Ducati helmet.  A few people had the Ducati jackets, but most bought what looked good or was comfortable rather than "branded" crap. 

[bunghole]

I ride a Harley, but I can't stand Harley branded "accessories".  I feel like a total poser if I am wearing Harley boots or a jacket or anything.  I do have a few t-shirts that were gifts.

In fact, I don't really like branded anything.  I'm not getting paid by any of these companies, so why should they get free advertising.

I even de-badged my Toyota Tacoma 

[UnCrash]

I'm with Bunghole (I can't believe that I just said that)

I don't wear branded stuff.  Except my stupid Joe Rocket jacked.  As soon as Heffay gets the patches in I'm replacing the stupid Joe Rocket patches on the jacket with the SOHC4 forum patches.

I'll advertise for this site anyday.,...  But for Joe Rocket?  sheesh....

[Raul CB750K1]

I also have some Harley T-shirts and I also find stupid to do free advertising for corporations. I just didn't debadge my car or bike because still people will know which one it is.

BMW helmets are manufactured by -if I'm not wrong- Schuberth. They have a very good reputation. The question that lingers in my mind is: why a biker would never think about buying a BMW or Schuberth helmet, but will buy one when he owns a BMW?

As it has been said, only a few Ducati riders wear a Ducati helmet, but the three Ducati helmets I've seen were worn by Ducati riders. Oddly enough, I see many Monster riders wearing Momo helmets. I guess that if you ride italian, you have to set yourself apart from the "crotch rocket" crowd, and it goes up to the helmet.

What about "Arlen Ness" gear? It seems good quality, but I would never wear gear that could relate me with the chopper crowd.


Motorcycling is probably the least logical activity -let's say "hobby"- ever performed by the human race.

[DammitDan]

I've found most of the official Harley gear to be absolute crap.  Ever looked at one of their jackets?  $400 for a patent leather "riding" jacket that won't last 10 feet in a slide.  $500 for a "racing" jacket that feels like it's about as thick as your everyday fingernail.

That's why my brother in law calls 'em "swipes".  They get all their stuff from the same place; first they swipe their credit card for the bike, then they swipe their card for the official helmet and jacket and boots, then they swipe their card for the official leather wallet with embossed emblem and protector chain, etc. etc.

[75modrat]

Two buddies of mine (they are brothers) both ride Duc's. They both have sweet riding jackets that say "Ducati" on them. However, they found a cool site that you measure yourself and send them the dimensions and they make a jacket custom fit for you. Some are based on Ducati racing team jackets and what not. I think they only paid about $200 or so and they were not actually affiliated with Ducati in any way. If they made a cool Honda one I would buy it. But the two models they have are covered in so much crap I wouldn't dare put it on. The Duc ones though are very well designed and styled (not over done).

Frank

[CBGhia]

would you care to share this web site?   

[75modrat]

i'll see if I can dig it up or ask my buddy.

[Gordon]

I think a lot of folks buying new bikes go ahead and buy gear at the dealership the same time - rolling it into their loan and payment.

Hit the nail on the head right there. 

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

I have a silver Harley helmet that matches the black and silver color of my Harley. Picked it up when I bought the bike. No loan just a check from the insurance company. I detest shopping! It was there and the right color. I wear it when riding my 750F too. It's made by AGV and is a nice helmet. I don't do Harley any more favors than I have to considering they don't do me any favors. Yes, I have a small collection of Harley dealer T shirts. The quality is excellent. My leather jacket is the old police jacket style non Harley jacket that I picked up at Wall Drugs in S.D. for $100. A deal I couldn't resist. I don't play the Harley game. I just ride a bike Harley made.

[Steve F]

I'm with Bunghole (I can't believe that I just said that)

I don't wear branded stuff.  Except my stupid Joe Rocket jacked.  As soon as Heffay gets the patches in I'm replacing the stupid Joe Rocket patches on the jacket with the SOHC4 forum patches.

I'll advertise for this site anyday.,...  But for Joe Rocket?  sheesh....

I'd like to buy a Joe Rocket jacket, but the stupid name plastered all over it keeps me away...sounds like a cartoon character, kinda like "Speed Racer" ooooooooooooooooh!  How stupid is the Joe Rocket name 

[DarkRider]

Im looking at the new Joe Rocket Phoenix jacket but im glad it comes in all black including the insignias so they arent really that noticable..

[super pasty white guy]

Needed a mesh jacket for summer and the phoenix was on a pretty good sale (~$90) at new enough.

As soon as I pulled it out of the box I started debating removing the huge rocket logo on the back.  Spent a lot of time looking for a leather jacket without logos embossed all the way up the sleeves and can't believe that I missed that giant logo.  If it were reflective, then I'd have reason to justify leaving it...

Ever read pattern recognition by william gibson? 

spwg

[GroovieGhoulie]

Bought a Vanson jacket and they normally come with huge "Vanson" logos plastered all over them.  I special ordered it without the logos for no extra cost.

I took my Shoei helmet and "debadged" the front with my fingernail and some rubbing alcohol.  I left the small logo on the rear because it's rather inconspicuous.

I think it's effing lame how manufacturers of gear force you to become rolling billboards for the product.  If anyone asks who made my helmet or jacket, I will gladly tell them and will likely "endorse it" if its quality gear, but I don't like the huge logos plastered all over myself.

[kghost]

Guess I'm the one balancing the universe....

I have a Harley helmet ( a branded AGV actually ) and no harley.

Its a long story involving a now ex wife, a birthday, and a gift certificate...

Cosmic Karma must love my harley dealership because the girlfriend did exactly the same thing 5 yrs later...another gift certificate and another AGV from the local harley dealer....(not branded this time) 

[DammitDan]

My brother in law has a harley full-face that my sister wears when they ride.  And he doesn't have a Harley....

But his Dad does, and he stole it from him cause his Dad never used it.

[754]

Knew a guy had a 500-4, had a Harley half Helmet.. found it new at a Honda dealer of all places..

 I think they rode that 500 2 up at least twice to Sturgis.. 1300 miles 1 way..

[Joel]

I wouldn't mind free advertising for companies if they gave me their stuff to wear.  Problem is, most of the time they plaster their logos all over it and then charge you to buy it from them.   

[Raul CB750K1]

I wouldn't mind free advertising for companies if they gave me their stuff to wear.  Problem is, most of the time they plaster their logos all over it and then charge you to buy it from them.   

But just for one reason: many people is not buying the product: is buying the brand. The biggest appeal of a Hilfiger polo T-shirt is the Hilfiger logo; the T-shirt has nothing special that haven't been seen before.

From my experience, Dainese, Alpinestars, Shoei, Arai, Gaerne, are all brands with a high "social recognition". The quality is really not much higher -or maybe not really higher- than other brands, but the brand image is. The brand image cost an extra, that is people pay X for the apparel, and an extra for the brand. If the brand is not clearly visible, it is like if they have been cheated.