I was thinking of something yesterday whilst looking at a set of Oz racing wheel. The listed price is 2200 inc of vat. However, the listed price november 2012 was only 1700. Thats a 30% increase in less than 1.5yrs. This led me to the below A full Akra for a 1098r/1098/848 was around 2300 3 years ago, 1900 5 years ago, and now the panigale akra retails at 3300? Thats around a 15% increase year on year. Thats not even mentioning lightec rearsets which i purchase for 330 2 years ago and now they are ridiculous money. I know ducati is a premium brand and as such has a premium added to the related R&D. However, in actual fact, since all the same gen bikes mostly use the same bits - doesn't that spread the R&D cost relatively thin? There are huge bunch of 848s sold. Does anyone have the total numbers of 1098/848/1198 range sold to date in comparison to a 07-current cbr600rr? Now the question is not only ducati related - but things have increased 15% on many products(even R&G crash bungs) year on year. Why is this? Is it because material costs have increased that much on a yearly basis? Or are they trying to increase profit margin? Or is it because bike riders are a minority and not much competition going on and they think we have to bite (which we do)? Just saying - even a full akrapovic evo for r6 has increase from 1200 to 1500 last year and from that to 1800 now. And on a related note - GBP has not weaked and infact strengthened slightly in the last 2 years against the eur. Why are things getting so much more expensive?
Upward cost of raw materials, manufacturing and shipping will no doubt reflect the RRP of many things.
Even with the pressure of a developing world the raw material costs of things is not a large percentage of the final retail price. Therefore i doubt very much if this is the reason for such rises.
Where do you think they make their profits?! Quality certainly isnt improving, and while people are still scared to buy direct from China (eg a set of wheels for my trackbike new are £700 +tax) we will continue to get same Chinese built product under another brand for £2300
Where do you get your wheels for 700+tax? Can you PM me the details? Btw, are you in cartagena next few days? As for profits, the question is using oz racing wheels as an example. Did they decide that they can charge 500 more from between nov 2012 and Jan 2014 because they wanted more profit (which is greed)? As for Akrapovic charging 3300 for an exhaust, I think a full evo system for an r1 uses more material but costs less by far. And tbh, not exactly that many r1's have been sold in comparison to the 1199 and now 899 series.
How much has your weekly grocery bill gone up over the last couple of years? I'm betting it's roughly the same amount. It's tough being human these days:frown:
Lol, unfortunately I dont know. A question for the missus which i will undoubtly ask tonight. And also where the cuts will come from Althought to be fair - my local take away has risen from 5.50 to 5.70 in the last 3 years.
Right there figaro. I know late last year my mate with a 2005 gsxr 1000 was looking for an Akrapovic system. With in a week of talking to a supplier the price went up 20% or something like that. Same pipe he saw days earlier but the supplier said they were emailed new prices effective immediatly. Does make you think. He called a different supplier too and was told the same.
Search gsxr 1000 wheels there are a few China based seller doing front whell brand new under £200 delivered, altho tax likley due If I do Cartagena, likley to be end of year and trying to get a mate bring his DD bike so I can have a crack on that
It's a common misconception that products get cheaper during a recession, manufacturers expect to sell less of each item, so charge more for the same, to maintain margins, always have, always will.