Buying gear from Europe

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oioioi said:
Ok.
In that case I think I am "safe"
549 EUR is approx $877 CAD.
Good deal compared to approx $1200 plus HST CAD

I'll have to visit the store and see it in person.
Might be coming home with a super cool souvenir.
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Nice. I have a C5, it's fantastic.

Schuberth made a mis-step releasing the C4, it was rife with problems, which is unusual for a Schuberth helmet. Biggest issue was the chin bar prone to break off! :oops: Also minor niggles like the helmet not venting properly, poor fitment of the pinlock to the shield causing misting problems, etc.

Most of the issues were addressed with the C4 Pro. Wife has one and she really likes it. The C5 is back to the same Schuberth quality that they're known for. You'll love it!
 
Lightcycle said:
Nice. I have a C5, it's fantastic.

Schuberth made a mis-step releasing the C4, it was rife with problems, which is unusual for a Schuberth helmet. Biggest issue was the chin bar prone to break off! :oops: Also minor niggles like the helmet not venting problem, poor fitment of the pinlock to the shield causing misting problems, etc.

Most of the problems were fixed with the C4 Pro. Wife has one and she really likes it. The C5 is back to the same Schuberth quality that they're known for. You'll love it!
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I'll give them your name so the commission of the sale goes to you.

I was considering the E2 which is a C5 with a break (removable).
But unless it's on sale like the C5, I'll just go with the C5.
I really like the white and globe map design.
 
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oioioi said:
I really like the white and globe map design.
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Nice!

I got the Eclipse colorway:

c5-X2.jpg
 
So… for reasons I won’t share until later I had to buy a jacket in Italy this summer…. I was really really impressed with the variety, the level of knowledgeable service, and the great prices, so I ended up spending $880 CAD and got two pairs of Spidi pants and a Spidi jacket.

I got the Spidi Charged Pants in Anthracite because they were light weight and Italy was in a heat wave. $299 + tax = $340 CAD at Fortnine. I paid $192. Saved about $150.

I got the Spidi Jfit armored jeans because I figured that would be better for Canada, and I liked the price. $349 + tax = $395 CAD at Fortnine. I paid $225 CAD. Saved $170.

I honestly don’t know the jacket I bought but… I was pretty happy with the price, and I think what I saved vs the F9 prices, the jacket felt like it was basically a freebie.

Part of why I got these prices for so cheap was because I was buying so much. Part was because I was riding across Italy and the guy seemed to like my story. Maybe part of it was I was paying cash, who knows.

The best part really was the service and how seriously they take gear there. It’s not an afterthought. It’s not something they don’t really know that much about. It’s definitely something that they are all-in on.
 
adri said:
So… for reasons I won’t share until later I had to buy a jacket in Italy this summer…. I was really really impressed with the variety, the level of knowledgeable service, and the great prices, so I ended up spending $880 CAD and got two pairs of Spidi pants and a Spidi jacket.

I got the Spidi Charged Pants in Anthracite because they were light weight and Italy was in a heat wave. $299 + tax = $340 CAD at Fortnine. I paid $192. Saved about $150.

I got the Spidi Jfit armored jeans because I figured that would be better for Canada, and I liked the price. $349 + tax = $395 CAD at Fortnine. I paid $225 CAD. Saved $170.

I honestly don’t know the jacket I bought but… I was pretty happy with the price, and I think what I saved vs the F9 prices, the jacket felt like it was basically a freebie.

Part of why I got these prices for so cheap was because I was buying so much. Part was because I was riding across Italy and the guy seemed to like my story. Maybe part of it was I was paying cash, who knows.

The best part really was the service and how seriously they take gear there. It’s not an afterthought. It’s not something they don’t really know that much about. It’s definitely something that they are all-in on.
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Interesting.
Is it just the stores/staff that take gear seriously? Or do riders also take the ATGATT approach.

While visiting Greece, I hardly saw anyone wearing any gear. Helmets are pretty much the only piece of gear and some locals didn't even bother with that.

Portugal seems to be better with ATGATT.
More like ATGSomeTimes.
 
oioioi said:
Interesting.
Is it just the stores/staff that take gear seriously? Or do riders also take the ATGATT approach.

While visiting Greece, I hardly saw anyone wearing any gear. Helmets are pretty much the only piece of gear and some locals didn't even bother with that.

Portugal seems to be better with ATGATT.
More like ATGSomeTimes.
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Every rider I saw in Poland was 100% geared up.

Zero squids.

I’m sure they’re out there…I just didn’t see a single one in a month of travel.
 
Last year I bought a Knox armoured hoodie from Knox directly. This year I bought Knox gloves from Motohut in BC. Pricing was close enough and I wanted to support a Cdn company. I will buy from them again.
 
oioioi said:
Interesting.
Is it just the stores/staff that take gear seriously? Or do riders also take the ATGATT approach.

While visiting Greece, I hardly saw anyone wearing any gear. Helmets are pretty much the only piece of gear and some locals didn't even bother with that.

Portugal seems to be better with ATGATT.
More like ATGSomeTimes.
Click to expand...
My experience in Italy is there's a sharp divide between urban riders (mostly on some variant of scooter) and big bike riders who ride for pleasure, not necessity. The urban riders are very much NOTGATT, with the exception of an unstrapped helmet, as that's the minimum under the law. To be fair, though, in the bigger cities it's rare to be going much faster than 50 most of the time, typically much slower as you filter, so gear is a little less critical.

My favourite is watching them manage helmets on Italian TV, as they try to make sure everyone wears helmets despite the logistics occasionally not making sense. Helmets will occasionally appear out of nowhere, a bit like Grand Theft Auto...

From 'Nero a Meta', about as GATT as it gets in Rome:

1753280167439.jpeg
 
Lightcycle said:
Nice!

I got the Eclipse colorway:

c5-X2.jpg
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@Lightcycle
What comm system are you using with this helmet?
Are you using the built in factory speakers or did you replace with your own cardo system?
 
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oioioi said:
@Lightcycle
What comm system are you using with this helmet?
Are you saying the built in factory speakers or did you replace with your own cardo system?
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I replaced it with the Cardo.

Seems a waste to rip out the pre-installed speakers and wiring. They should have offered some kind of adapter so you can reuse the speakers/microphone with any kind of aftermarket comms system instead of forcing users to use their proprietary Schuberth clip on units (which are actually Sena and Cardo tech under the covers anyway).
 
Lightcycle said:
I replaced it with the Cardo.

Seems a waste to rip out the pre-installed speakers and wiring. They should have offered some kind of adapter so you can reuse the speakers/microphone with any kind of aftermarket comms system instead of forcing users to use their proprietary Schuberth clip on units (which are actually Sena and Cardo tech under the covers anyway).
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It is a waste and unfortunate that the compatible cargo is around the same price as a complete new set with speakers.

I had the SC Edge unit in my hand. It has the Schubert's and Cardo branding on the box and the unit itself.
There is only 1 wire that plugs into the pack in the back. This has the connection from boom mic and the two speaker. All 3 combined Into 1 tiny cable connector. Smaller than a 3.5 headphone jack.
 
I will give integrated comms one advantage - if your helmet ever hits the ground, the nestled unit has a much higher chance of survival. I was very lucky with my old helmet so my Cardo just has some cosmetic imperfections now. I try not to look at it too closely any more, and using voice commands instead of touching it helps.
 
oioioi said:
Is it just the stores/staff that take gear seriously? Or do riders also take the ATGATT approach.
Click to expand...

Great question. Bit of a tail of two riders to be honest.

@Priller absolutely nailed his description of the typical rider in Italy. On a scooter, half or 3/4 helmet, t-shirt, shorts or a skirt, maybe even sandals. Gloves are very optional, wild to me because, even when I squid here (for the same reasons he mentioned), I'll ride in flip flops on my Vespa in Toronto a lot, but never not in gloves. Mindblowing.

But then you have the motociclisti, the motorcyclists. These aren't people just commuting and zipping around on scooters. These are the passionate ones, and they're invested.

If your average rider here is just wearing whatever piece of foam came with their jacket, that's not the case in Italy. Firstly, the jacket has nothing built in, just an empty sleeve, because you pay for your protection separately. I noticed the number of full on back protectors per capita was much higher than it is here, while I guess the cheaper guys like me, go for an insert.

Even then, the back protecting inserts along with the rest of the armor is some stuff that's super soft and malleable, but apparently hardens on impact. It's also velcro adjustable, so you can have the armor higher or lower, as opposed to the one-size-fits-all approach we see from a lot of the stuff we get here.

All in all, it was a pretty cool experience buying gear over there, especially after selling gear here. There were no vague statements, no "this one is good, this one is better". They even have a saddle complete with handlebar in the middle of the gear floor, so you can sit on "a bike" and see how the gear feels on you when you're in a riding position.

Here's a little clip (in Italian) of the guy and the place I bought from:


I went out with the Ducati Club of Salerno for Go Karting, pizza, and beers, and I noticed that the ones that took their bikes, they came in proper gear... But the Ducatisti might be a little more extra than your average. Really great people.
 
So my souvenir wouldn't fit into my carry-on luggage.
No problem.

No charge for a WEAR-ON luggage.


IS THIS FLIGHT OVER YET???? 😫😫😫
1753620468308.png
 
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You've made the system your ***** lol

This is the bag I've used as my carry on for my helmet for the last 3 trips, six flights now:


I also bring one of these on my trips for when we want to carry a helmet or some stuff around because it weighs nothing and folds down to nothing. Could also be used as a carry on:

ROCKBROS Motorcycle Helmet Bag Helmet Backpack Large Capacity Waterproof Lightweight Storage Bag with Reflective Stripe Model For Motorcycle Dirt Bike Motocross Bicycle Racing ATV : Amazon.ca: Automotive

ROCKBROS Motorcycle Helmet Bag Helmet Backpack Large Capacity Waterproof Lightweight Storage Bag with Reflective Stripe Model For Motorcycle Dirt Bike Motocross Bicycle Racing ATV : Amazon.ca: Automotive
www.amazon.ca
 
oioioi said:
549 EUR is approx $877 CAD.
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If that is the price at the shop, it includes VAT as anything does in Europe. You can get the VAT back but it is usually a pain to do so going through one of those "rip-off" VAT refund stations at the airport.
 
MCT said:
If that is the price at the shop, it includes VAT as anything does in Europe. You can get the VAT back but it is usually a pain to do so going through one of those "rip-off" VAT refund stations at the airport.
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With the CC conversion, it worked out the be $902 CAD.

I was late to think about the VAT return. I attempted it at the airport but the process needs to be started at the time of purchase.

I am not exactly sure what it is, but I believe the seller needs to fill out some form and enter your passport number into some system. Only then you can continue the process at the airport.
I was late with this and did not complete the first step. I even called the shop where I purchased the helmet to see if they can issue me the no tax sale form but they could not. Also, the refund MUST be done at the airport and cannot be completed via mail.

Too bad, as I could have saved another 102 EUR.

I'll know better for next time.
 
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oioioi said:
I am not exactly sure what it is, but I believe the seller needs to fill out some form and enter your passport number into some system. Only then you can continue the process at the airport.
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It has been at least two decades since I last bought a helmet at Hein Gerike or Louis, but I do remember them filling out a form that I took with me.
 
oioioi said:
With the CC conversion, it worked out the be $902 CAD.

I was late to think about the VAT return. I attempted it at the airport but the process needs to be started at the time of purchase.

I am not exactly sure what it is, but I believe the seller needs to fill out some form and enter your passport number into some system. Only then you can continue the process at the airport.
I was late with this and did not complete the first step. I even called the shop where I purchased the helmet to see if they can issue me the no tax sale form but they could not. Also, the refund MUST be done at the airport and cannot be completed via mail.

Too bad, as I could have saved another 102 EUR.

I'll know better for next time.
Click to expand...

Woah, what is this all about? Someone fill me in? Sounds like I'm leaving money on the table every year :(
 
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