Triumphrat

KH_Durham_UK

Hi, later this year I'll be visiting New York & Boston and was hoping to use the exchange rate to get a bit of a saving on some new gear sooo can anyone point me at a shop?
I'll be looking for stuff like Alpinestar boots etc.

SCbonneville

KH, I'm not sure about in the NY/Boston areas but I know down here in the South, I have never seen any shop outfitted with kit the likes as I've seen advertised in the UK bike mags I subscribe too.

I'd love to have a store that carried full lines of riding gear. But on this side of the pond, "riding gear" is usually seen as engineer boots, denim jeans and a harley shirt...usually sleeveless.. And dealers can't afford to have racks of unsold apparel hanging around.

My dealer (small town guy) is great about getting me anything I want and at a fair price. But I went through a long and drawn out ordeal (NOT his fault) getting two mesh jackets for my daughters that fit correctly.

Even though I measured them and used their fit chart, when it was all over, what started out as measuring a womens size 8 turned into getting womens size 14 with a stop at womens 12 in between... Write it down to thick, fluffy liners...

Good luck and have a great trip.



[ This message was edited by: SCbonneville on 2007-06-27 16:38 ]

KH_Durham_UK

Ah thanks for that I did wonder if that might be the case as I'd looked for stuff at Daytona and found very little, can't understand the attitude to gear in the USA considering your medical system?

Baltobonneville

The only really well-stocked store I've found in my area is the local BMW dealership, one of the largest in the country. Then there are the Harley stores, but that's something else altogether. It's slim pickings at most of the other dealerships.

I'm guessing that Americans buy more over the internet. Our shipping costs are inexpensive relative to costs in Europe, service is generally reliable, credit cards carry built-in legal protection against fraud and problems, and there are some legal loopholes that allow most orders to avoid paying any sales tax at all, which generally offsets the shipping cost. (Sales tax varies by state, from nothing to nearly 10%.)

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Marty
2005 Bonneville Blue 790cc, AI removed, Staintunes, Unifilter, no snorkel, 120/40/Thrux needle/1 shim/3 turns, fly screen, tacho, D9 gauge panel, center stand, Ikon 7610s, Hagon fork springs, gaiters, Pirelli Sport Demons, 3 seats.