If the belts are made in the UK, that's even more of an insult... Wish I had a business with a profit margin like that! :Cigar:
Since the 'genuine' belts are Ducati branded, I suspect that the manufacturer doesn't set the prices. Just look at the price of similar, non-Ducati branded belts from the same manufacturer and you'll see where the profit is going...
Oem does not necessarily mean superior quality and equally, aftermarket does not necessarily mean inferior quality. Chris Kelley of California Cycleworks is a good guy. In the days when SSs were more current, he he was pretty much "Mr SS" and was a regular presence and contributor on the SS Yahoo forum. He built up his business originally around the Ducati SS but in recent years has now spread his wings into all things Ducati. Chris has put his hard won reputation behind his ExactFit line of aftermarket Ducati parts and accessories and his belts are specced to be at least as good as Gates belts, he would argue better. His belts may not be that well known in the UK but they are known and respected in the US and are stocked by major dealers who also have a reputation to lose if they were to supply inferior products. I have a set in my 999 and I fully expect them to give several years of service. Herewith YouTube videos of how precisely Exactfit belts are made: Here is another less scientific video testing the relative strength of oem belts, Chris's belts and another make, using a fork-lift...
Thanks Old rider! I never meant to dis oem belts. I know people can be loyal and at times that's a good thing. However, when loyalty is seen as a way to take advantage of the customer I take issue. Almost everyone I know who does their own belts are using aftermarket CA Cycleworks. Their website even suggests International customers getting someone you know in the US to buy them and send them to you. Avoids the direct billing and tax stuff hopefully. Luckily, the belts are made in the US so with free trade agreement, I just pay Canadian tax and exchange when crossing the border. Works out to about $70CAN (35BP) per belt.
Or the overhead of running a business in the UK! Pricing across the globe varies enormously, with many manufacturers taking more margin in some countries than others. Remember the grey imports vehicles in their day, getting the same product 30% cheaper if you purchased it in the Netherlands and personal imported. I recall you could buy a Rover (don't snigger) 216 £2K cheaper after import duties than the same UK spec model from your local Rover Stealer. As Ducati don't make the belts they are slapping at least 50% on top of the price of the OEM manufacturer, so there are non branded belts of similar quality at a lower cost.
A business opportunity for someone on that side of the pond... CA Cycleworks may be looking for dealers! ompus:
I can tell you that they are looking for a European importer/distributor, as well as dealers. I really wish someone would take it on, then we could all benefit...
Of course but don't forget that fifty dollars per belt is the retail price. Trade is rather less than that and the importers price is even less. At the moment there is a saving to be made even with personal shipping costs plus VAT etc. Bulk shipping should bring the price down to an even more reasonable level.
And you also have to factor in exchange rate fluxuation. £ to $ is not so bad, but € to $q has lost 20% since December.
If I were to walk into the local Ducati dealer, belts for my 749 would be about $140 CAD each 'out the door' (after 15% HST taxes). With today's exchange rate at 2:1 BP to CAD, 70BP. Ordering Cycleworks belts saves me about 50%. But, a few of us always order together. Shipping is the same if you order 2 belts or 6.
We have to pay double what you pay for Ducati/Gates belts and they are allegedly made in the UK! We can't get around paying VAT and import duty but shipping from California to the UK is very expensive, so bulk shipping would give a significant saving. A customer but not official importer of CaCycleworks offered to order me some belts along with other stuff they were ordering and estimated a cost of 70.00 gbp. Half the cost of oem for us but double what you are paying for ExactFit.
I was curious so I went to Cycleworks website and did an order for 4 belts and put in a random post code for Glasgow. Shipping estimate was $60US. What would the VAT rate be?
The VAT rate is 20% Also, we have to pay import duty and if the import duty is not pre-determined, the imported items get diverted to customs and they send them to a local post office, where we have to go and collect them, having paid them the import duty plus an extra handling charge to cover the shipping from the customs to our local post office. The handling charge is not less than 8 GBP great huh??
Jeezus!! I shipped some vintage Mercedes parts to a fellow in Norway and his story was similar if not worse...
My brother in law lives in Vancouver. I'm sure he wouldn't mind getting some and sending them over marked as a gift. I'm there in August too if you can wait that long?
That's a really kind offer, it really is but I actually have some ExactFit belts in there that only went in last summer. Sorry if I gave the wrong impression but I was talking in general terms about how great it would be if someone could take on importing ExactFit belts to the UK and Europe. Next time though!
Don't think you will pay import duty on that value but you will have to pay 20% vat and perhaps a handling fee too.
