British Motorcycle Gear - BMW R1200GS Forum : R1200 GS Forums
 

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1 (permalink)  
Old 10-Feb-2009, 11:32 AM (730)
Schtum's Avatar
Free Genie
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
Posts: 286
Send a message via MSN to Schtum Send a message via Skype™ to Schtum
Default British Motorcycle Gear

Some of you may already be familiar with British Motorcycle Gear. For those who aren't, they now produce and market in the US the range of clothing which Belstaff marketed in the UK before the name was sold by Phoenix NW to the Italian design house which now uses it to market overpriced designer clothing to rock musicians, beautiful people and Milanese scooter riders.

I've recently had some very positive dealings with BMG. I first met the MD, Paul Brooks, in his sales tent in the infield at the Laguna Seca Moto GP in 2005. At that point I asked him why, although he was marketing the Belstaff Adventure Jacket in the USA, he wasn't carrying the Adventure Pants. Paul said that he didn't think there was a demand for them in the USA. I suggested to him that I thought there probably was a market for them there and I also thought they'd still sell in the UK and the rest of Europe.

Subsequently, Paul registered on Adventure Rider and began to get feedback that suggested that US riders would like the Adventure Pants. It was at that point that I renewed our acquaintance and began a sporadic dialogue with Paul via PM. That led to me hooking him up with a friend in the business and them sharing some designs which might eventually make it onto the US and UK markets under the BMG label.

While I was in California and Oregon last year, Paul asked me if I knew anyone who had a pair of the Adventure Pants which he could borrow with a view to using them as a stepping stone to a new and improved design. At that point I'd just completed a couple of days riding in San Francisco and was on my way to Eugene, Oregon to ride some more. I had taken my Belstaff Adventure Pants with me and was wearing them to ride in. Incidentally, I had a relatively low speed crash in the San Francisco Bay Area hills which left my Adventure Jacket and Pants without a mark on them. I therefore offered to send the Pants to Paul in San Diego when I got back to San Francisco and before SWMBO and I flew home. He in turn sent a UPS box to a friend in the Bay Area.

Paul said that once he'd sent my pants off to China for the factory to use in making prototypes and had them returned, he'd send them back to me and as a thank you gesture he'd happily send me a jacket from the BMG range. Unfortunately, I'm a bit bigger than I remembered and the first BMG Montana jacket that arrived here in Scotland, all the way from San Diego, was just too small. Paul said he was happy to ship me another one and that I should just pass on the first one at cost to some other deserving soul. So now, I'm wearing a very fine BMG Montana leather jacket at every opportunity.

Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago and another UPS box arrives in my local Post Office, containing........my old Belstaff Adventure Pants in a condition indistinguishable from when I last rode in them in Oregon. Paul has also said that when the new Adventure Pants are available, he'll send me a pair of those as well.

BMG are getting themselves a reputation for excellent customer service over on Adv Rider and it's no surprise. In this day and age, the companies which provided excellent customer service and trade with integrity stand out from the rest only too clearly. In all my recent dealings with Paul and BMG they've impressed me as a company who major on excellent customer service and live up to their word. I hope that even with the recently less advantageous exchange rate, BMG clothing will continue to represent good value to us here in UK. I know people who have, for example, bought the BMG Thermosport Gloves from the US and have been very happy with them. On the basis of my recent experiences I can only suggest that if you need some new kit, you should check out what BMG have to offer.

Attached pics: 1 Me in Adventure Jacket. 2 Me, on the right of the pic, in Belstaff Adventure Pants on the verandah of Alice's Restaurant on Skyline Blvd, San Francisco. 3 The new BMG Adventure Pants.
Attached Images
   
__________________
"A map is not the territory it represents, but if correct, it has a similar structure to the territory, which accounts for its usefulness".
Alfred Korzybski

Last edited by Schtum; 10-Feb-2009 at 03:58 PM (915).
Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
Advertisement
 
  #2 (permalink)  
Old 12-Feb-2009, 03:58 PM (915)
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: South Cheshire, England
Posts: 31
Default

So where in Britain can I buy British Motorcycle gear?
Reply With Quote
  #3 (permalink)  
Old 13-Feb-2009, 11:02 AM (709)
Schtum's Avatar
Free Genie
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
Posts: 286
Send a message via MSN to Schtum Send a message via Skype™ to Schtum
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bear View Post
So where in Britain can I buy British Motorcycle gear?
Your presupposition illustrates an obvious irony. You can't buy British Motorcycle Gear in Britain.

You can, however, purchase from the website and BMG will ship to the UK.
__________________
"A map is not the territory it represents, but if correct, it has a similar structure to the territory, which accounts for its usefulness".
Alfred Korzybski

Last edited by Schtum; 13-Feb-2009 at 11:05 AM (711).
Reply With Quote
  #4 (permalink)  
Old 15-Feb-2009, 01:57 PM (831)
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: South Cheshire, England
Posts: 31
Default

Since I can't try clothing on via a website I'll give it a miss. A pity as my present Belstaffs do a reasonable job of keeping me warm and dry.
Reply With Quote
  #5 (permalink)  
Old 21-Jun-2009, 02:45 PM (823)
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: USA
Posts: 3
Send a message via ICQ to HogiabBab
Default British Motorcycle Gear

Dont forget Clarington Cycle in the east end They have treated me very well over the past 3 years that I have dealt with them.

Clarington Cycle
2376 Taunton Rd.
Hampton, ON
L0B 1J0
905 263 4184


No, I am not affiliated with Clarington Cycle in any way, Im just very happy with the service I have gotten there.
__________________
online gtalk
Reply With Quote
  #6 (permalink)  
Old 21-Jun-2009, 07:31 PM (021)
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 5
Default Belstaff?

I may have another model, but I bought a Belstaff Jacket while in Sturgis a couple of years ago that looks exactly like the one in the picture. I have never been wetter in the rain or colder in the cold than when wearing that jacket.
That prompted me to go on a search for good gear at a great price.

I wear a windproof, waterproof highly visible jacket made for EMT workers that costs about $100.00, I wear gloves from Northern Face that are also windproof and waterproof, I bought a pair of BMW pants and BMW boots on sale and together it is the most versatile set of year round riding gear I've ever had, from Driving Rain to riding in the Mid 20's and snow in the mountains above Copper Canyon in Mexico this stuff works at a reasonable price.
If anyone is interested in websites for the Gloves and Jackets let me know.

Jeff
Reply With Quote
  #7 (permalink)  
Old 22-Jun-2009, 10:37 AM (651)
Schtum's Avatar
Free Genie
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
Posts: 286
Send a message via MSN to Schtum Send a message via Skype™ to Schtum
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by flattracker View Post
I may have another model, but I bought a Belstaff Jacket while in Sturgis a couple of years ago that looks exactly like the one in the picture. I have never been wetter in the rain or colder in the cold than when wearing that jacket.
Understandably so since the Belstaff Adventure makes no claims to be waterproof unless you use the waterproof overjacket which comes with it. Also, its intended use it 3 season at best and it contains no insulation material.

Quote:
I wear a windproof, waterproof highly visible jacket made for EMT workers that costs about $100.00,
How does this perform in abrasion tests and does it contain CE approved body armour?

Quote:
I wear gloves from Northern Face that are also windproof and waterproof,
I suspect, however, that they offer little in the way of crash protection.
__________________
"A map is not the territory it represents, but if correct, it has a similar structure to the territory, which accounts for its usefulness".
Alfred Korzybski
Reply With Quote
  #8 (permalink)  
Old 23-Aug-2011, 11:02 PM (168)
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 1
Default

This is an interesting discussion. thank you for sharing
Reply With Quote
  #9 (permalink)  
Old 16-Nov-2011, 02:29 AM (353)
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 1
Default

good idea ! thanks so much !
Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
Advertisement
 
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On



Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.3
Copyright ©2000 - 2012, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Search Engine Friendly URLs by vBSEO 3.5.2
Portions Copyright © 2006-2007 by H. Marc Lewis