New Jacket time

[MacDoc]

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Forward contracts in usually US dollars and a fraught game these days. I once accidentally made $150k on yen/US dollar contract and if I'd shut down the US operation and taken the win it would have been a better outcome.
Don't know how any global company is weathering this perfect storm of pandemic and war in Ukraine. Glad to be out of it all.

We bought two $500 Scott Gortex four season jackets out of Germany and only attracted duty and tax on one, the other not. I think specific things like a Givi rack etc for your model is less risky. Clothes always a risk as Euro sizing and shape are different.

I do like buying used ...my Joe Rocket mesh which has to be 20 years old now is a 2x and fits better than the 5x Scott. The JR was $50 then ( about a year old ). Replaced the armour but even the velcro is still working and the jacket well used with layers. Melted the main zipper on the damn CB300 unshielded can but got it replaced with a metal one.....good to go. Likely my best purchase over time and with the gortex liner available as a separate buy for not much money ....has been great even when wet.
The jacket gets soggy but I'm dry inside the liner.
There are lots of jackets on Kiji

Motorcycle Jacket | Kijiji in City of Toronto. - Buy, Sell & Save with Canada's #1 Local Classifieds.

Find Motorcycle Jacket in Canada | Visit Kijiji Classifieds to buy, sell, or trade almost anything! New and used items, cars, real estate, jobs, services, vacation rentals and more virtually anywhere in City of Toronto.

www.kijiji.ca

here you go ...match your pretty red ride and it's new...I bought a Honda branded jacket on a similar deal and it's very nice. Looks like a Joe Rocket Honda branding

Kijiji - Buy, Sell & Save with Canada's #1 Local Classifieds

Visit Kijiji Classifieds to buy, sell, or trade almost anything! New and used items, cars, real estate, jobs, services, vacation rentals and more virtually anywhere.

www.kijiji.ca

 

[robertv19]

Eh? I'm not familiar with this brand, did you mean to tag someone else?

Sorry, my bad. It’s @Amazon.

I was working from memory, which is admittedly terrible!

 

[Priller]

This is unsubstantiated, but I've heard that it's a currency hedge game, especially for European/Japanese stock. Distributors set their prices based on the current exchange rate at the beginning of each fiscal year, but build in a margin to account for FX changes over the year. So if the FX rate fluctuates against their favour 12 months from when they set it, they're still moving merchandise at a (albeit lower) profit.

And because we don't have the economies of scale like they do in EU and the US, our distributors have to make their profits on margin not volume.

A good friend works in musical instrument retail for a large chain, and as they double as distributors for a number of large brands, they have to make a call at the beginning of their fiscal year as to where they want to peg the exchange price. As they're smart enough to be aware they operate in a global marketplace with online sales, they go tight enough that occasionally it's slightly cheaper to buy the same model in Canada, as playing it too safe and hedging against the worst possible F/X outcome would just drive their customers to the large online US retailers (Sweetwater, Guitar Center, etc.)

So I guess my point is that 80% seems a bit excessive to cover for exchange fluctuations, and only serves to drive away your customers and lower your volume even further. I'd love nothing more than to support my local shops by actually shopping there, but not at that cost!

Don't get me wrong, I'm not convinced anyone is getting rich in the Canadian motorcycle industry. I just marvel at how deeply broken the system is that you need those kind of markups to make a business viable. Surely there must be a better way than what we have, which serves nobody involved. If they weren't worried about upsetting a distributor, a shop could buy one or two of each size from FC-Moto, markup 50%, still sell for lots cheaper and probably make more profit on each unit. That's crazy. (Come to think of it, there was one shop in Vancouver, Modern Motorcycles, that would do these great deals if you would buy more than one item. I wonder if they were actually doing that, and the bulk discount was their way of circumventing distributor dictated pricing?)

Honda branding

View attachment 55690

Kijiji - Buy, Sell & Save with Canada's #1 Local Classifieds

Visit Kijiji Classifieds to buy, sell, or trade almost anything! New and used items, cars, real estate, jobs, services, vacation rentals and more virtually anywhere.

www.kijiji.ca

Those bad boys go for a lot more than that over on the RC51 Facebook pages, especially if that one is in as good condition as it looks (M size might be less in demand than L, we are talking about the US). The connotation with Nicky Hayden winning the AMA championship on his Woody RC51 is strong enough to drive prices up, especially for those collectors who have the Nicky Hayden Special Edition.

 

[mimico_polak]

Thanks for the suggestions as always everyone. I'll have to check out the sizing for @shanekingsley's jacket either today or tomorrow. But he's quite taller than I am!

I'll also look at the EU option as the MIL is flying out next week for 5 weeks to Poland.

I like the Honda jacket @MacDoc, love the white/blue colour...almost Polish flag colours! LoL

 

[Amazon]

Sorry, my bad. It’s @Amazon.

I was working from memory, which is admittedly terrible!

I got to ride with Gryphon gear all last year and will be again this year. Obviously I'm a bit biased because they are one of my race sponsors, but I do like the fact that they are a local (Orillia) company. They seem to have the fit and quality dialed in and are more mid range price, not questionably cheap, but also not going to break the bank.

Here's an article/review by Canada Moto Guide Tested! Gryphon Vancouver jacket, Indy pants

 

[Jayell]

I've an Olympia Air Glide 3, size L, for sale. In good shape, $100 for GTAM members.

Olympia AirGlide 3 Motorcycle Jacket, men's size L

For sale: Olympia AirGlide 3 motorcycle jacket, men's size L. Here's a perfect three season, three layer mesh riding jacket! Wear the jacket itself when the going gets hot, then add the other two layers when the temperature drops or rain is...

www.gtamotorcycle.com

 

[Lightcycle]

Playing it too safe and hedging against the worst possible F/X outcome would just drive their customers to the large online US retailers (Sweetwater, Guitar Center, etc.)

So I guess my point is that 80% seems a bit excessive to cover for exchange fluctuations, and only serves to drive away your customers and lower your volume even further. I'd love nothing more than to support my local shops by actually shopping there, but not at that cost!

Don't get me wrong, I'm not convinced anyone is getting rich in the Canadian motorcycle industry. I just marvel at how deeply broken the system is that you need those kind of markups to make a business viable. Surely there must be a better way than what we have, which serves nobody involved.

Canada a is a pretty difficult market to service for any national corporation. You've got a sparse population spread over a huge geographic region.

The 80% markup is excessive but the Euro online retailers don't pay import and shipping charges, the onus is on the customer, whereas the Canadian supply chain eats the cost of duty and most of them offer free nationwide shipping, which they've got to build into the price somehow.

But yes, I agree, even after all those costs, it's still cheaper for Canadian customers to shop online.

 

[mimico_polak]

I've an Olympia Air Glide 3, size L, for sale. In good shape, $100 for GTAM members.

Olympia AirGlide 3 Motorcycle Jacket, men's size L

For sale: Olympia AirGlide 3 motorcycle jacket, men's size L. Here's a perfect three season, three layer mesh riding jacket! Wear the jacket itself when the going gets hot, then add the other two layers when the temperature drops or rain is...

www.gtamotorcycle.com

View attachment 55697

Damnit! I'd snap that mofo today.

Tried @shanekingsley size L Olympia and it's just a little too big and long in the arms. If it's the same sizing then no dice, but if it fits tighter then it should be good.

Where you located?

 

[shanekingsley]

Damnit! I'd snap that mofo today.

Tried @shanekingsley size L Olympia and it's just a little too big and long in the arms. If it's the same sizing then no dice, but if it fits tighter then it should be good.

Where you located?

I've had a number of Olympia jackets over the years and I personally think all the large ones will be too long for you, because I find their sizing to be pretty consistent across their various models. Probably a medium will fit you perfect, but that Airglide is an excellent jacket for what you are looking for.

 

[mimico_polak]

I've had a number of Olympia jackets over the years and I personally think all the large ones will be too long for you, because I find their sizing to be pretty consistent across their various models. Probably a medium will fit you perfect, but that Airglide is an excellent jacket for what you are looking for.

Damn. And the one I linked earlier is already sold.

 

[shanekingsley]

No big deal - they come up for sale often.
Here's one:

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and this one is pretty nice:

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[Jayell]

Damnit! I'd snap that mofo today.

Tried @shanekingsley size L Olympia and it's just a little too big and long in the arms. If it's the same sizing then no dice, but if it fits tighter then it should be good.

Where you located?

Eat a few double burgers with extra bacon and cheese, then come on out to Pickering, buddy!

 

[mimico_polak]

No big deal - they come up for sale often.
Here's one:

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and this one is pretty nice:

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That women's package is def a good deal. Will shoot them a message...I'm not ashamed to wear women's size if it fits.

EDIT: Good deal because there is no liner for either the jacket or the pants.

 

[mimico_polak]

Huge shoutout to @Georg3__ for helping me score this practically brand new OLYMPIA in KW



Size M for $100. Fits like a glove.

 

[Mad Mike]

Klim

Yup klim. Think about it for a minute.. you'll have the thing 10+ years, that's well under the cost of an oil change on a yearly basis.

Aside from being top quality comfort, protection, materials and workmanship- you will look a lot more stylishly adventurous wearing a Klim jacket.

As for color, I swear by the lighter colors now. I'll never buy another black MC jacket- even the best vented Klim is hot in black.

 

[Mad Mike]

My Klim gear made me weep when I bought it because of the cost. It’s now 7 years later and it still looks like new, doesn’t leak and I can’t see myself changing it anytime soon.

I’ve never had an Aerostich but from what I read I suspect they are made the same way.

Klim has several levels of clothing. I have the badlands jacket and pants but probably would have been fine with the model one down too. I wash it by hanging it on my garage door and spraying it with a hose and scrubbing it down with a brush. Rinse it and air dry it. I’m scared it will break the washing machine if I put it in as it’s a bit heavy.

I had an Olympia jacket before this. It leaked on me and the outer layer also soaked when it rained. It did the job but the Klim just laughs at any weather. Loads of vents in the Klim.

I used to supply Aerostich with technical textiles, their craftsmanship and quality oversight is as good as it gets. They had very high standards for their materials too. I'd be happy to own anything they make (except their zoot suits... onky like that type of garment for sledding).

 

[MacDoc]

I'll never buy another black MC jacket- even the best vented Klim is hot in black.

and invisible at dusk and in fog. The light colours show the road dirt but rather the viz and here in tropical heat helps to keep cool.

 

[mimico_polak]

and invisible at dusk and in fog. The light colours show the road dirt but rather the viz and here in tropical heat helps to keep cool.

As for color, I swear by the lighter colors now. I'll never buy another black MC jacket- even the best vented Klim is hot in black.

The jacket I bought looked WAY more lighter in the photos in the ad then in person. It's like a dark grey/brown colour.

I'll give it a whirl on the Solstice Ride and if it's way too hot I'll start putting pennies away for a nice and light coloured KLIM for next season.

 

[MacDoc]

You can put some reflective tape on it....very thin and flexible and crazy visible.

https://www.amazon.ca/APT-Intensity-Reflective-Tape-Conspicuity/dp/B08QXN35W4/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3HOWSHZNKNLB0&keywords=reflective+tape&qid=1655694522&sprefix=reflective%2Caps%2C312&sr=8-2

EVERYTHING is way too hot at those forecast highs.

 

[Relax]

Klim

Klim is also at the top of my list, but I'll probably never be able to own one because their sizing doesn't fit me at all, as is the case with most "American cut" styles. So I'm usually stuck with the European cuts that come in a much wider range of sizes and increments. Scorpion has been an exception, and also at a bargain price. My XDR Commander adventure jacket is still going strong for more than 10 years, and I just got their Vortex Air mesh jacket for a little over $220 from GP when they were on sale at the same time as their no tax event.

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