ARAI has to be hurting

[jeb]

As some of you probably already know, ARAI changed their policy this year to say that their helmets can't be sold mail order any more. The official ARAI reason is so that they can be sure each customer is fitted correctly at the store. Not one of the ARAI helmet's I've tried on at a store have come with any kind of fitting help from the clerk other than fetching me the size I asked for.

The speculated reason that this really came about is that ARAI dealers were complaining that they were being undersold by the mail order houses and being forced to deal on the helmets. Can't have competition, after all. The fact that ARAI last year made the mail order houses stop printing the prices in their ads (Shoei did that, too) lends weight to this line of reasoning.

My fear when this happened was that I'd no longer be able to get an ARAI helmet. I'd buy Shoei but the VFX no longer comes in XXL. This has come to pass for me. ARAI MX-Pro is not stocked in my area and the only ARAI dealer in the area is NOT willing to order several helmets just to see if they fit. I used to get them at Bob's as they're about 1.5 hours away from me but I found out yesterday that they won't be carrying them anymore, even in the retail store. Seems Bob doesn't like to be told how to run his business.

And what about the folks who live in remote, 6 hours to a dealer, areas? Screwed. Thanks a lot ARAI. Stupid business move, IMO, especially in the current economy.

I guess the message here is that if you like ARAI helmets, you may want to stock up. They may not be very available soon.

 

[gasgasman]

Arai is just protecting the dealer's interest.
SIDI is doing the same thing with their boots.

 

[Timr]

Jeb,

This is just another bone head move made by Arai. I guess you don't remember the Arai boycott from three years ago. Basically, a law firm representing Arai sent out cease and decist letters and e-mails to all motorcycle websites demanding that all links to Arai's website and Arai logos be removed immediately or face legal action.

So, basically, if you had your own website and you liked Arai helmets, you couldn't paste in a link to Arai's website. Many, many, people were outraged. The tone of the letter was very confrontational, and webmaster of motorcycle sites felt that they had been doing Arai a favor.

It got pretty crazy. Arai claimed that none of those people had asked permision to build the links or use the logo. People then started saying that they would remove Arai logos from their products and remove Arai stickers from their bikes and vehicles.

Oh well, Arai obviously does things differently.

BTW, I've purchase stuff from Bob's before too. Some manufacturers won't allow them to print prices in their catalogs and flyers. However, if you call Bob's they will tell you how to read the prices. They are there, but just in a code sorta way.

 

[nephron]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but couldn't you just call the dealer that's 6 hours away, give them a credit card number over the phone, and have them ship it to you?:think

 

[bsmith]

I can see this in route to the flame forum, rather fast.:p

With that said, I'll just say it is nice to see at least one company siding with the small guy. I see a friends business folding because of the Internet and mail order.
I will say I do use it as an advantage. If I find something cheap, I will go to the check-out, get tax and shipping costs added to the price, print that out, and then go to the shop to ask if they will try and match or come close.
I do what I can to support the local guy.;)

 

[dodgedogjb]

I think we all do our best to support the local shops but there becomes a point when its hard to do. If its only a few bucks cheaper usually the hassle of online ordering and desire to support the local boys is enough to make me go to the local shop. But for instance, I just bought a digital camera and after looking at local shops and on the internet I just couldn't overcome the $175 price difference to support my local shop. I tried to let them match, or even come close and they wouldn't even talk to me about it. I did purchase accessories from a particularly helpful shop though so I felt a little better.

If companies like Arai are going to make it hard to get a good deal on their equipment I think they are gonna see it in their profit margins. Of course they will probalby realize it after they darn near go bankrupt. When I was buying my Arai helmet for my street bike I had to go to 4 different shops just to find all the sizes I needed to try on, and once I found the right size they said the had to order the color scheme I wanted. The salesman said they were so expensive they couldn't afford to keep a lot of them in stock. The buying public shouldn't have to work so hard to purchase a product....it just doesn't make good business sense. But, they do make damn fine helmets so people might jump through the hoops??? Risky on Arai's part if you ask me.

Joel

 

[IDkTm]

I had heard about the Arai thing but this is the first of the SIDI that I've heard. That one upsets me quite a bit. I think Sidi Forces were probably going to be my next boots, but not now. The local shops in my area only usually have a few pairs of alpinestars, always in Black. As far as helmets go, well all they ever stock are HJC's. My local dealers don't stock much variety.

 

[MX-727]

Like you, I wore the Shoei XXL. I found the FLY XXL to fit real well. Used to wear a Bell 7 3/4 or 7 7/8 depending on the model. At least you can get the FLY through the mail.

 

[jeb]

Originally posted by nephron
Correct me if I'm wrong, but couldn't you just call the dealer that's 6 hours away, give them a credit card number over the phone, and have them ship it to you?:think

As I said in my post, Arai is no longer allowing mail ordering of their helmets, period. So officially, no, you can't call the shop 6 hours away and have them ship it. If you know someone in the shop well, they may be willing to risk their ability to carry Arai and send you one but John Q. Public is screwed.

 

[jeb]

I was up at Bob's yesterday. The manager told me that once the current inventory is gone, that's it for Arai.

Timr,
I hadn't heard about the links and logos thing. Thanks for the info. Another dumb move. Why would they NOT want the free advertising? Amazing! They're going to protect themselves right out of business, IMO.

I'm sorry to hear that Sidi is going that route, too.

As far as protecting the local dealer, that's a different issue, at least for me. All of my local dealers don't carry any inventory, have no expertise and charge 100% of MSRP on what little they do carry. I wouldn't miss them one bit. I'd love to have a decent shop nearby but the reality is I don't so mail order is the norm. My local KTM dealer still has parts on backorder from 98 for me! I got them somewhere else back in 98 but I left them on order just to see. I ask him about them every now and then.

 

[Coach in ND]

Arai wasn't thinking about the future when they came up with this plan. First off, Arai helmets are very highend, both street and dirt. Cheaper helmets in the under $200.00 range out sell the high end market 10 to 1. Not to say that Arai's aren't great lid's, I've had a couple in the past, but why would a local dealer wan't to stock them if he's only going to sell a couple a year. If he only has 3 helmets on the shelf what are the chances he going to have your size and color in stock......about .02%. It's pretty stupid of him to waste shelf space on those Arai's that might sell.

It's pretty common for a company not to let mailorder houses advertise anything but full retail prices for there products. Fox, Thor, AXO and Oakley have done it for years. Hell you have to have permission from Oakley to put there products on sale in your store or you run the risk of loosing them. The company's don't like there stuff advertised below retail because they think it makes there stuff look cheap. The typical "if it's expensive it must be good stuff" thinking of alot of people!!

I see both sides of the big dealer, little local dealer problem. I have worked for them both and realize the situation pretty well. Sure you can get a great deal at a huge retailer/ mail order house but it's hard to get great service or advice at one (unless you can go right to the store and talk to the salespeople like Jeb does). I would much rather spend a little more at a local well stocked dealership, with salesman who ride and race as much as I do. It's good to support the local guy who supports the sport in your area if there is one. We only have one or two here in ND and the support from the local riding community has been great. If you stock the right stuff, have great people working for you, and have a good amount of local riders the big guys won't drive you out of business.

Coach

 

[justql]

We live in a Global econmy. It is idiotic for a company to think that this will not hurt them significantly. They did not do it to help the little guy. The true reason might not ever be known. I suspect it was an attempt to push the market in that direction. To make all of the companies move that way would help them gain the upper hand. In the long run they'll pay dearly for it.

 

[gasgasman]

Like all high end products, people will find a way to get them.

 

[TR]

Buying a Helmet by mail order ? Having been buying helmets for over 30 years I can tell you that I try them all on before I buy. I usually buy the helmet which fits best. And sometime it is not the brand I prefer. Helmets are like shoes. You really need to try before you buy. Is there such a thing as a standard head shape ?

my 2 cents.

 

[WorldWideRacer]

I am one of the people getting screwed, along with everyone else who is overseas in the military.

Yes, I can go down to the local dealer here in Japan, and pay about 25% higher cost than any of you in the US, due to the cost of living here. Most of the military members would try on the helmets locally, and order them from Chaparral or any other mail-order place. Since the military covers the postal charges from the US to the military base we are on, the cost would be the same as it is for any other person in the Continental US.

Gee, thanks Arai. I was thinking about getting one of those helmets but that OGK down the street look, feels, and is priced SO much better and offers equal protection...:p

 

[jeb]

Originally posted by TR
Buying a Helmet by mail order ? Having been buying helmets for over 30 years I can tell you that I try them all on before I buy. I usually buy the helmet which fits best. And sometime it is not the brand I prefer. Helmets are like shoes. You really need to try before you buy. Is there such a thing as a standard head shape ?

my 2 cents.

That's a good point if you don't for sure know your size but I own two Arai VX-pro's now in XXL. Both fit great. I think I'm safe to assume that I could order one through the mail in the same size and have it fit me. Short sighted of Arai not to be able to see that part of the market, too, IMO.