BMW Airshell Jacket

[Skywagon]

I recently received and filled out a survey from BMW about BMW clothing. My final comments were if I could find it, I might buy it.

 

Well...with that in mind, I have been shopping for BMW AirShell HighVis Jackets for 2 months. I live in Houston, Texas, the 4th largest city in the US. I have been to the three dealers here. One of them doesn't sell BMW clothing and the other two have basically nothing but t-shirts.

 

I decided to drive to the BMW dealer in Austin, Texas. They don't carry BMW gear either. So help me understand how one would shop for BMW AirShell jackets. I would like to see it, try it on, and make sure I like it before I drop $500 on an internet order.

[Paul In Australia]

Hi

I sympathise. The problem is somewhat the consumers fault. Especially in the states I think.

A dealer stocks expensive equipment, we go and shop at the dealer, try it on, take advice from the dealer and then go and research a cheaper price on the net.

What's the incentive for a dealer to stock accessories when you can buy direct on the net from lots of places at prices lower. Of course the pric is lower, the costs of sale are lower. THIS IS BECOMING A PROBLEM IN A LOT MORE THAN JUST MOTORCYCLE CLOTHING.

Don't pretend to know the answer to the problem but until it is solved dealers can't be expected to stock. At least not the average dealer. The mega dealers who can afford to set up an online site of quality and get quantity sales, will stock, but they are even becoming consolidated pretty quickly.

The internet consumer has caused this, not the dealers.

best regards

paul

[Skywagon]

Paul...agree on the internet issue. I guess my post could have been misleading. I plan to buy from a dealer even if it is more than an internet price. I just can't find one who has it.

 

I am a fairly good mechanic, but I take my bike in for service at the dealer. I try to support them as I am sure it is quite difficult to stay in business without the money the service shop brings in.

[moshe_levy]

Sky-

 

I bought the Airshell impulsively a few months ago. When I got my XPLOR $100 coupon, I had planned to go in and buy a Club 2 jacket to wear off the bike. When I went in, to the last dealer left in NJ mind you, they had the Airshells set up front and center. It was love at first sight.

 

I tried various sizes on, and after finding the right fit, was thrilled. Overall performance is spectacular - I was comfortable down to +45F with the liner in, and this is from a summer jacket! Construction and quality are first rate, as expected at this price. Only the button snaps which hold the liner into the sleeves was suspect - one came loose right away. Luckily, spares are included, but still....

 

By the way, the NP armor feels amazing and the huge size of the back protector is another plus. (Back protectors are mentioned as included in the literature, but didn't come with the jacket, so I complained to the dealer, who had BMW fork over a back protector for me). Overall, I'm ready to give it an A, but first I need to have it for at least a year, and give it some good wear and tear. After that, I'll write a comprehensive review for MCN..

 

I agree 100% with Paul's assessment and have seen this sickening consumer behavior firsthand. They go to the dealer, waste everyone's time trying on everything in the store, then go home and order online to save $10. These same people then complain when the dealer goes bankrupt and they have to drive ever farther for service. Shortsighted and dumb. The cheapest thing on a BMW is most definitely the rider, too often.

 

Go back to your dealer, and ask him to please order some Airshells in the sizes closest to yours. (I'm 5'8" and 160 pounds, and bought a M, if that helps). Assure him you will buy the one that fits, and he can stock the rest - a very fair offer. If he refuses, you at least tried. Then you can move to an internet vendor, many of whom have excellent return policies and will take something back for free exchange if you ordered the wrong size. Either way, the jacket is yours.

 

Trust me, though, you will love this jacket - at least, I do, and I'm not one to usually gush so much about garments.

 

-MKL

[Paul In Australia]

good for you. There should be more of you.

regards

Paul

[AnRSguy]

I picked up my Air Shell today with the $100 off coupon and am looking forward to wearing it.

 

I work in the camera industry and we see this all the time, where a customer fondles a camera, lens etc, asks questions and then goes off and orders it on the internet to save a few dollars.

 

Anyone that is in business hates this. Doctors don't give free advice why do people expect it from retailers of any kind?

 

 

At least you tried. We are lucky in the DC area to have three dealers that stock lots of gear, parts and bikes. I spend money at all three. If we don't do this there will be no local retail shops (ok, that will never happen) but look at how many local camera stores have closed over the last 10 years, for a miriad of reasons, but some certainly because the locals decided to look and then buy online.

 

 

[smiller]

How in the world do we think we know why dealers do not carry any particular item? It could be those horrible, thoughtless consumers who don't want to pay list or it could simply be that the dealer doesn't sell enough of the stuff to be worth the inventory costs. And in the latter case why would it be any consumer's responsibility to order it through a dealer who adds no value and charges full price?

 

Now if the dealer carries an inventory then this adds value then it's fair to pay something for that, but if they choose not to carry an item then I personally wouldn't feel any inclination to place an order through them vs. any other outlet.

[betty]

I agree with all the above posts. When my wife and I were shopping at the local BMW dealer for gear they did not have her size and were somewhat reluctant to order it for her to try-she is small and here in SWFL people are anything but small. They were afraid that they would be stuck with the pants if they did not fit her. It took quite a bit of discussion before they decided to order them. Fortunately they did fit and we bought them. I would not purchase this type of gear via the internet

[moshe_levy]

How in the world do we think we know why dealers do not carry any particular item? It could be those horrible, thoughtless consumers who don't want to pay list or it could simply be that the dealer doesn't sell enough of the stuff to be worth the inventory costs. And in the latter case why would it be any consumer's responsibility to order it through a dealer who adds no value and charges full price?

 

This is quite a philosophical discussion we're going to have, which may hijack the thread. Your point misses mine. I did not say that pricing should be ignored by the consumer - I did say it should not be the only factor, if that consumer wants real service.

 

I wrote an article on this in May 2003 or so. I still have a version of it online, here http://www.mklsportster.com/xlindyarticle.htm This piece is my point, which I believe is valid more than ever today. Value added isn't just at the sale that day, but in the entire history with the customer. If I bring my meat from Sam's Club into a restaurant, and tell the chef there to make me a hamburger with it, I will save on that ONE meal. I will lose the restaurant eventually. One day, when I want a real meal, the restaurant won't be there anymore. What are my savings worth then?

 

Anyone who disagrees ought to spend a week in sales, building relationships and putting up with the BS of making a sale. Then watch as the guy walks out the door and buys from a discount warehouse to save $5 on a $1000 purchase. I've seen it at my dealer, on helmets and gear. Saved $5 on a $1000 purchase, after the salesperson spent hours with him. This most certainly is, to use your word, "thoughtless" about the eventual consequences of such behavior.

 

-MKL

[smiller]

Well we're not really in that much disagreement I think. As I said, customers should expect to pay extra for added value when it is present. But I don't think they should subsidize a business that doesn't have a workable business model. If a business can't or won't compete in an open marketplace then that's not a problem their customers can solve.

[AnRSguy]

Rarely can any retailer carry every item in stock, they can however have a positive attitude with regards to Customer Service and try their level best to make a sale. Sometimes that requires a special order. To make excuses why they don't want to order something is not Customer Service and drives many customers away.

 

A business must be profitable. Maybe dealers don't carry items because "once" before, they didn't sell. Times change. Order it, if the customer doesn't take it, reduce the price a bit and it will sell, to someone.

[Costa]

Gulfcoast BMW have 2 hanging in the wall.I was there erlyer today,and if I.m not misteken 1 it might be black and green.Call them 713 944-7951

[mbelectric]

Gulfcoast BMW have 2 hanging in the wall.I was there erlyer today,and if I.m not misteken 1 it might be black and green.Call them 713 944-7951

 

You are mistaken, try this link for a view.

 

http://www.ascycles.com/detail.aspx?ID=48292

 

If it's anything like my venting machine jacket, or for that matter anything else BMW (apparel), I'm sure it's a winner.

 

MB>

[Costa]

Gulfcoast BMW have 2 hanging in the wall.I was there erlyer today,and if I.m not misteken 1 it might be black and green.Call them 713 944-7951

 

You are mistaken, try this link for a view.

 

http://www.ascycles.com/detail.aspx?ID=48292

 

If it's anything like my venting machine jacket, or for that matter anything else BMW (apparel), I'm sure it's a winner.

 

MB>

Almost 100% sure.

[Costa]

Gulfcoast BMW have 2 hanging in the wall.I was there erlyer today,and if I.m not misteken 1 it might be black and green.Call them 713 944-7951

 

You are mistaken, try this link for a view.

 

http://www.ascycles.com/detail.aspx?ID=48292

 

If it's anything like my venting machine jacket, or for that matter anything else BMW (apparel), I'm sure it's a winner.

 

MB>

My miststake for the color,looking at the catalog it was yellow.I was also looking at hiviz Olympia gear also and I might made a mistake.

[Skywagon]

Thanks CoCo...I will ride down there tomorrow around 11am and see if they have it. If not maybe as suggested by someone else here they will order it. I am hoping to use my $100 BMW coupon which expires tomorrow....

[Paul In Australia]

How in the world do we think we know why dealers do not carry any particular item? It could be those horrible, thoughtless consumers who don't want to pay list or it could simply be that the dealer doesn't sell enough of the stuff to be worth the inventory costs. And in the latter case why would it be any consumer's responsibility to order it through a dealer who adds no value and charges full price?

 

Now if the dealer carries an inventory then this adds value then it's fair to pay something for that, but if they choose not to carry an item then I personally wouldn't feel any inclination to place an order through them vs. any other outlet.

 

Hi Smiller

I think your reply is a little too black and white. Some of us are involved in retail and branded retail. Thats why the comments were made. If you ask a dealer, I am pretty sure the reasons expressed in regard to servicing and price shopping are very valid.

The fact is the consumer can have an affect that is detrimental to himself. Don't purchase from a dealer, eventually no dealer and then we can all whinge the other services from a dealer like warranty service aren't available. The easy way around this problem is for the manufacturer to only allow sales at a min price ( apple is a past master at legally doing this), or only allowing Full service dealerships to sell their total product line. You may find the manufacturers are forced into this style of marketing to maintain a dealer network. Once again the consumer decision is the one factor that will affect the outcome.

The issue is more complex when you consider the cost of stocking expensive items such as BMW clothing etc. If you want to buy online, buy online just don't milk your local dealers knowledge ( his business in other words) to do it. Just not ethical really.

But as I said this not a problem confined to just Motorcycles. On line consumerism is changing the way we purchase. Thats fine, just don't whinge if the service offered also changes, probably to something you don't like.

regards

Paul

[smiller]

If you want to buy online, buy online just don't milk your local dealers knowledge ( his business in other words) to do it.

Once again (third time I think), agreed. I was never arguing against that point.

 

But as I said this not a problem confined to just Motorcycles.

Certainly not, just ask any retailer what they think about Amazon.com, and then any consumer... I think you'll get two very different views. Retailing is changing. I don't think anyone is sure into what, but regardless that evolution/change is inevitable. The businesses that learn how to adapt will proper and those that don't will suffer, and that is inevitable as well.

[AnRSguy]

And it's not just the difference in the retail price. Another advantage to buying on-line is, generally, no sales tax. Most states have a Use Tax that you are supposed to pay with your Income Taxes, yeah right, like anyone is going to do that.

 

A national sales tax could solve that problem but that will never happen either. The other way is for the states to eliminate their sales tax altogether and raise your income tax, property tax etc to make up for the lost revenue. This could help local retailers compete but I am holding my breath for that to happen too. States have lost $100s millions because of people shopping on-line, it's not just the retailers that are suffering. MA raised it's sales tax from 5% to 6.25% to offset losses, now people will drive 2 hours to NH to not pay.

 

It's a new world out there and everyone is going to have to adapt.

[moshe_levy]

So on a jacket like this, if I pay NJ sales tax, I'm out about $30. If I pay for shipping from buying online, I'm out about $20.

 

I see the point you were making, but if we get back to this specific example: Am I going to go into a dealership, try on their inventory, talk to the salesperson and otherwise engage the employees, and then go home to order online to save $10? No. But that's just me.

 

-MKL

[Skywagon]

So...Today I went into the local BMW Shop and ordered my new Air High Vis Jacket. The total bill came to $510 and I used my BMW $100 coupon for a final price to me of $410. It will be here early next week.

 

I'll let you know what I think about it, but if it is like most of the reviews I have read, it will be a might fine jacket.

[Costa]

Skywagon,that XL they had at Gulfcoast BMW din't fit you?

[Skywagon]

It was gone. They told me somebody bought it 10 minutes before me.

[Costa]

It was gone. They told me somebody bought it 10 minutes before me.

 

I was there at noon and I told the sale lady that someone from this forum was coming to buy it and she told me ok,if I I knew that it was gone be sold that fast I would have told her to keep it aside since they know me there.Well at list you gone get one next week...I thing I'll order one too since I like it a lot better then the Olympia that is somewhat similar and only $200 more.....By theway Happy New Year...

[racer7]

My local BMW dealer typically has very little BMW gear on hand except boots and some gloves. They usually have a lot of Rev'it and other decent gear at much better prices. I have bought gloves and a Rev it jacket there.

 

This year with the holiday season sale they brought in a whole lot more BMW stuff. I hope they sold it. Yes it is good gear but good value is very questionable, even at sale prices. North of $$400 for a jacket is expensive and some BMW gear goes way up from that.

 

Don't prefer to web order and will buy what I try at a dealer because established fit matters. But it is rare to find anything in my ordinary XL size in stock- stuff gets sold and not reordered probably due to order size discounts or seasonality. And it is also typical that dealers want to be paid ahead for ordering an item not tried and for which fit is unknown. That removes any potential dealer added value and adds inconvenience of repeat trips to a not very close location. The web saves that wasted time for the same risk in those cases.

 

I'm glad there are good dealers but in my case I don't need any except to order parts. They are too sparse and distant to be of much use to me - nearest being 130 miles from my current Wilmington NC location. I think smart dealers learn to compete at web sales, also, but many can't even maintain their own website well. I have had parts shipped from several that can and those sales could have gone to a closer NC dealer if there was one, especially if they had smart parts guys who got stuff in quickly and didn't always want to be paid ahead. In at least one dealership, their (very young) parts guy only had experience with Japanese bikes and had to be walked through everything that didn't jump off the screen immediately.

[Skywagon]

The High Vis Airshell arrived Saturday. I took it for a ride this morning. The temperature was about 52 degrees with lite winds. I had a short sleve polo shirt underneath. It comes with a windproof liner which is removeable. I wore it with the liner. It was plenty of jacket for that temperature. My guess is it would be enough jacket down into the low 40's and much lower with the gerbings jacket liner.

 

The fit is very good. It is a very simple jacket with only two pockets. It is a short jacket and has zippers at the bottom for attachment to BMW pants (which I don't own - yet ) With the airmesh construction, I am hoping it mangages the Houston summer The jacket is well made. My only complaint is around the neck. It is rough. Perhaps it will be a bit softer over time.

 

 

[moshe_levy]

Sky-

 

It gets softer over time. I wore it down to 45 and below with the liner and no heated gear - incredible, really, for a summer mesh jacket. I'm anxious to see how cool it is in the summer, and how it compares in the extreme heat to my usual Firstgear meshtex.

 

-MKL

[Costa]

The High Vis Airshell arrived Saturday. I took it for a ride this morning. The temperature was about 52 degrees with lite winds. I had a short sleve polo shirt underneath. It comes with a windproof liner which is removeable. I wore it with the liner. It was plenty of jacket for that temperature. My guess is it would be enough jacket down into the low 40's and much lower with the gerbings jacket liner.

 

The fit is very good. It is a very simple jacket with only two pockets. It is a short jacket and has zippers at the bottom for attachment to BMW pants (which I don't own - yet ) With the airmesh construction, I am hoping it mangages the Houston summer The jacket is well made. My only complaint is around the neck. It is rough. Perhaps it will be a bit softer over time.

 

 

Skywagon,thanks for posting about the jacket because I'm intresting to get one.

As for BMW pants I have one extra 40 or 42 waist that I'll be probobly put it up for sale when I made my mind,if you wear that size let me know.....