Aftermarket Stuff that is Just to Expensive...

[T7RAID]

Greetings all, 

I don't intend to or want this to thread to become pure Hate on certain products. However, I would like to get feedback on some of the more pricey or downright ridiculous upgrades out there, or just general chat about them. I understand this is subjective to one's opinions, but given that the T7 is anywhere from 11-16k USD brand new (including the way cooler world raid models that the US doesn't get for some reason ), I think most of us can agree on stuff that is just downright absurd.

 

Lone Rider seems to make great stuff, and I have never owned anything from them but do intend in getting their "ultimate top case" in the future. Apart from this, they just released their "Moto Lights" which I had receiving emails about the launch of for the last week or two. In my mind, looking at some of their other products and looking at a company like Denali or Baja, I figured these Moto Lights would be in the ballpark of $400. They currently have a special on them for $869... and that's 25% off the intended price of $1164. Who here is spending this much on lighting? Again, I do not wish to bash any product or company, Lone Rider SEEMS to make some top of the line stuff. But I am curious to hear the genuine consensus of other T7 riders around the world of what they are actually willing to spend on a given component or mod. If anyone has ordered these lights in particular or plan on it, please keep us updated. As, in my opinion, absurdly overpriced as they are, they do appear very cool and I look forward to unbiased reviews out there!

[Jesse]

The lights are 599.00 the other offered kits have MotoCAN modules to integrate into the CAN system and come with specific mounts for certain bikes those cost 869.oo on presale. Toys can be expensive. 

[roygilbo]

Reasonable discussion to have... 

[random1781]

I think prices were less obvious before because people didn't flinch at expensive doodads after buying a $25k GS, but since the low cost adv bikes are pretty hot now, that difference is really apparent.

 

Separately, it does seem like a few companies are testing the limits of pricing, but overall I think the "adv" market is the Gucci market, so I'm not sure I can blame them. You can probably add Bluetooth to crashbars, call them the world's smartest crashbars, and a profitable number if people would buy them.

 

I think there are more dark marketing techniques that are working their way into this market, like with these lights. Sure, you can buy just the lights like @Jesse said, but, from the bottom of the website: "The MotoCAN is required to use and customize all MotoLight features." so you're basically forced into a bundle if you want to use them as advertised.

 

Also that MotoCAN looks suspiciously like an ezcan. My guess is that this is a rebranded ezcan, similar to Denali's cansmart.

[Jesse]

 The market has many aftermarket options and price ranges, such as eBay, Amazon, etc. I installed and wired in a cheap light from Amazon, taking a gamble on" cost-effective". It's been two years, and it's still good.  Lots of options for almost all aftermarket farkels with varied price ranges.  Find lights or whatever product within the range you are comfortable spending. 

[Montesa_VR]

Interesting issue to raise, T7RAID. 

But I think you are asking three questions. The first one is how much money does it make sense to spend on accessories for a budget priced adventure bike?

 

The  second one is are the accessory manufacturers  being honest, fair, and ethical in the asking prices of their products? 

 

And finally, are premium priced accessories  enough superior to the junk on Ali Express or Ebay to justify their premium prices?

 

To be honest, I don't worry about number two. Is the company established, do they have a good reputation, do they stand behind their products? If all those things are true and they have something I want and I can afford it, I just don't care about their profit margin. Nobody is forcing me to buy their stuff. It's not like they're selling insulin.

 

So let's go back to the first question. I bought a T7 because it's something I've wanted since 1969 -- a big dirt bike that's comfortable on the highway. It has unrivaled reliability, the engine makes all the right sounds and none of the wrong ones, and the power is down low where I want it. There isn't a $15,000 or a $20,000 motorcycle out there that is any closer to what I want than the T7.  So I don't mind spending some money customizing it 

 

So number three, your "ridiculous" or "absurd" accessory prices. The first two modifications I bought probably fit your description. One is the HP Corse high exhaust. I like the way it looks, I like how quiet it is, I like the quality of the manufacturing, I like how easy it was to install, I like that I don't have to worry about my frame or swingarm any more in a tipover, and if I had it to do over again I would still buy it over the many cheaper alternatives.

 

The other ridiculously, absurdly priced accessory I bought is the Touratech tall comfort seat. I narrowed it down to the Seat Comfort tall comfort seat, a custom seat from Renazco, or the Touratech. You can't tell anything about a seat before you do a 500 mile day, but my early experience is positive. I passed on the Seat Comfort because the reviews were meh and I slightly preferred the look of the Touratech. My experience with it so far is that is a superior product in line with its price.

 

Now, about lights. I have no experience with Lone Rider, and I am NOT an early adopter. I absolutely would not like to be part of their beta testing program for a brand new product. So I wouldn't buy their lights now even if they were a bargain. I would really like to buy a spotlight for deer, but I want something that plugs seamlessly into my existing wiring without a bunch of positaps, and I want it to come on with the high beam switch, and if you find something like that please let me know.

 

 

[Hibobb]

On 9/17/2024 at 1:58 PM, T7RAID said:

pricey or downright ridiculous upgrades

I am as guilty as the next guy... Spending stupid amount of money on things that will never make me faster or a better rider.

The stock T7 plain-jane model is a great do-anything bike. 90% of us will never exceed it's limits.

If we got extra money to piss away on gadgets, their are guys lined up to take it...

$1,200 Baja Headlights?? Maybe two or three people on this site ride fast at night in off-road conditions.

Where I live their are lots of whitetail deer, so I try not to ride at night but if I do, I ride slower... saves me $1,200

[Windblown]

Thoughts in no particular order:

 

ADV tax - Yep, something is worth what someone will pay for it and ADV riders have at least historically been a bit more flush than average. In general put the term ADV on it and you can bump the price 25% or more. Tire manufacturers aren't immune -  Look at the price difference of a typical ADV/DS type tire from the same manufacturer in a 140/80-18 size versus a 150/80-18.  Why the huge difference? A large part of it is the 150/80-18s get used on ADV bikes. 

 

Diminishing returns - Amazon no name LED turn signals, $16.00 a pair. Brand name LED turn signals $60-$80 a pair. A discriminating buyer may appreciate the higher priced pair.  I on the other hand have become a turn signal cheap skate.   I buy cheap and if they get torn off the bike who cares?   I am however a bit of a suspension addict.  I dump money into motorcycle suspensions like it was an investment, not an expense.  It doesn't get me and the bike anywhere the stock suspension can't go for the most part. It just gets me where I'm going a bit quicker, with a bigger smile, makes me do dumber stuff, and lightens the wallet.   

 

One thing to always remember:  No one makes us buy anything extra for our motorcycles. Speak with your wallet. 

[Stagger Lee]

2 hours ago, Windblown said:

I dump money into motorcycle suspensions like it was an investment,

Too funny

 

2 hours ago, Windblown said:

and lightens the wallet. 

and the bike rider combo at the same time, a win win

[random1781]

I think we all understand the cost-durability-features triangle where you can generally optimize two of the three.

 

What frustrates me is when companies capitalize on confusion or lack of knowledge. I feel like electronics are the peak of this, especially with a bike like the T7 which has a reputation for being a stupid simple bike in terms of electronics. Rather than create a cheap harness kinda like this, a subset of manufacturers are selling these unnecessarily over-engineered products not because they're the best fit for the bike but because it grossly increases their profit margins. What's crazier is that, according to posts here and elsewhere, they're actually buggy. You know, when you shop at somewhere with "high end" stuff like Touratech, you know exactly what you're getting. These upstart brands that dive straight in to the high-end price range with a bunch of slick marketing should always be treated with a raised eyebrow.

 

And yeah, I know that this is part of how business works. I suppose we've been somewhat spoiled with a significant number of good brands and products targeting this bike.

[DT675]

On 9/18/2024 at 12:10 PM, Jesse said:

 The market has many aftermarket options and price ranges, such as eBay, Amazon, etc. I installed and wired in a cheap light from Amazon, taking a gamble on" cost-effective". It's been two years, and it's still good.  Lots of options for almost all aftermarket farkels with varied price ranges.  Find lights or whatever product within the range you are comfortable spending. 

Me too.  $65 for my super bright lights going on 3 years now. And as someone mentioned, if they get ripped off and destroyed I could care less. 

[DT675]

20 hours ago, Windblown said:

Thoughts in no particular order:

 

ADV tax - Yep, something is worth what someone will pay for it and ADV riders have at least historically been a bit more flush than average. In general put the term ADV on it and you can bump the price 25% or more. Tire manufacturers aren't immune -  Look at the price difference of a typical ADV/DS type tire from the same manufacturer in a 140/80-18 size versus a 150/80-18.  Why the huge difference? A large part of it is the 150/80-18s get used on ADV bikes. 

 

Diminishing returns - Amazon no name LED turn signals, $16.00 a pair. Brand name LED turn signals $60-$80 a pair. A discriminating buyer may appreciate the higher priced pair.  I on the other hand have become a turn signal cheap skate.   I buy cheap and if they get torn off the bike who cares?   I am however a bit of a suspension addict.  I dump money into motorcycle suspensions like it was an investment, not an expense.  It doesn't get me and the bike anywhere the stock suspension can't go for the most part. It just gets me where I'm going a bit quicker, with a bigger smile, makes me do dumber stuff, and lightens the wallet.   

 

One thing to always remember:  No one makes us buy anything extra for our motorcycles. Speak with your wallet. 

Well put.  Suspension 1st, everything else next...  

[Hibobb]

I place tires first. Even a slow-poke like me benefited noticeably with the right tires for the task.

[DT675]

Your not wrong, especially when wanting to go from smoothies to knobbys.  However for me, prior to getting my suspension done I was determined to replace my tires with a little more off-road orientated tire.  Then I got my suspension done and no longer had the itch to do that as the bike tracked noticeably better over rough terrain.  It kinda felt like getting a suspension AND tire upgrade at the same time 

[random1781]

You can do almost anything with any bike. The details just dictate how fast you can do it. Or how painful it might be!

[john_aero]

Issue is the online world. Before we compared bikes to our riding buddies.

 

Now you go online and there is endless threads on bikes been ripped back to nothing and build to be race bikes, full on enduro machines.

 

Dont get me wrong i like to mod my bikes, however i try to do mods that will help me in a crash or prevent further damage. Only comfort mod i have is a seat cover.

 

Suspension is the biggest cost, but i got a discount on my 2022 model so the balance covered the suspension upgrade. This is an area i always do on a bike, I am not a good enough rider to even push a bike hard but i find suspension helps me ride safer and stop safer in an emergency.

 

I do find it funny that some people complain about price of a helmet but spend loads on bling.

 

As for the mark up, yes some places charge a lot for simple cheap parts just beacuse there is a logo on it. I have seen others who put a lot of engineering effort in and thats what your paying for is the design and pre work.

 

I have no issue with and i buy Ali or Wish parts so long as are generic or non structural parts. I dotn buy dear parts from them as if i am spending a lot on something i want seller backup. I have had hit and miss results, items like indicators i have has 50/50 results. Some were good and others just awful and were nto visible. 

 

LED spots i usually buy online and find they are good and acceptable, build my own brackets and loom. However i have never bought the top line ones so cant compare them to brand names. If i was serious about night off road riding then maybe i would upgrade but its not an area i need to look at. I do rember been very envious of my mate on night on his vfr800 with headlights that gave out as mush light as a car did.

 

One item i find has gone mad is luggage, i remeber the days on the Horizons Unlimited forum where we used make luggage from ammo cans and some made them from sheets of alu as the branded ones were crazy dear. Soft luggage i feel has gone the same way, some are just crazzy money and i cant justufy the price. One of the lads i know even made a U bag from a pair of goretex army trousers, sewed the legs closed and added pair zips, this was €80 and few hours work.

 

Bling is exactly that, Bling, we all fall to the marketing wank. I remeber talking to a Husaberg dealer who had all the bling and he said thats where he gets good mark up from. the supplier want people to buy the extras that dont make any diference but look cool. All these anodised parts that just look nice but have zero effect.

 

So for me i look at a bike, i read all the reviews online and make a shopping list of items i want. Then prioritise them and work thoguh as i can afford. Tenere is first one i left suspension to the end as i wasnt sure on what to go for.

 

I still have my list, i have other items that in time i will buy when money allows or when i brake something. 

 

 

 

 

However some of use like to be hands on, to me taking the bike apart, rebuilding it to my own spec is as much fun as riding it. I have a few machine tools enroute and plan do some of my own ideas. So lot is down to personal choice. i know a rider who never put anything on a stock bike bar a phoen holder and he can out ride and out stop most people i know. All down to skill and confidence.

 

Camel adv is one shop i have respect and lot of time for, his ideas are new, tested and considering time in design and research very affordable.  He is also very open about his items, he makes it very clear where he get the end cans for his exhausts and its why can keep prices low. 

 

So yes bling on bikes is like a clothes shop, do you buy tesco jeans or branded ones. Me i dont care about name or brand, i buy what works and whats best value

Edited September 21 by john_aero

[random1781]

8 hours ago, john_aero said:

I have a few machine tools enroute and plan do some of my own ideas.

Looking forward to seeing what you come up with!

[random1781]

Let's also not forget Yamaha's business model. If you think $99 is too much for a printed manual, you can always choose the 30-day ebook option at a cost of only $0.60 a day.

 

[Hollybrook]

I find Yamaha's approach to manuals a bit outdated, but when compared to Ducati and BMW, we are lucky to have them in the first place! 

[electric_monk]

On 9/19/2024 at 3:55 AM, Windblown said:

One thing to always remember:  No one makes us buy anything extra for our motorcycles. Speak with your wallet. 

As true as this is, there are too many who look down on those of us who don't.

 

@john_aero I have a feeling that we may have met at a GSer's Fish dash at some point

Edited September 22 by electric_monk

[john_aero]

1 hour ago, electric_monk said:

As true as this is, there are too many who look down on those of us who don't.

 

@john_aero I have a feeling that we may have met at a GSer's Fish dash at some point

Last one was Dungarvin

 

i have another lined up on ukgser for october

[electric_monk]

On 9/22/2024 at 5:11 PM, john_aero said:

Last one was Dungarvin

 

i have another lined up on ukgser for october

Just spotted it there now John, I'll be in the Picos so i'll look out for the next one.

[sunndog]

Soft luggage pricing for off road use is my pet hate. 

I'd be more worried about the fancy luggage hitting the ground than the bike!

 

It feels the same as work boots costing four figures.