Custom Motorcycle Parts, The China Threat
We all know that after quite a few years of exuberance, our V-Twin after-market industry has slowed down and that at the same time, coincidence or not, Asia produced motorcycle parts have invaded our showrooms and found their place on our American motorcycles. In reaction to this invasion, Team America is the theme of a collective ad campaign regrouping major American manufacturers and running now in motorcycle magazines. It aims at convincing bikers to only purchase American Made Products.
If I agree with any endeavor supporting the economy of my country, I think that this campaign doesn’t address clearly enough a couple of essential points. First, let me ask you. What are the 2 main reasons why, as a biker, you buy an American motorcycle part? Probably because it is of superior quality, of its beautiful design and because deep inside it makes you feel good to own the genuine part (by the same token rewarding financially the original inventor/designer/manufacturer). In the copy of the Team America ads I didn’t see anywhere any justification given to buy American. Why? This campaign is signed by a group of the best American companies of our industry. So, why don’t they promote their creativity, their engineering as the main justifications of buying their products?
Let me tell you right away: I am in favor of free trade. The relative costs, benefits of free trade are debated since centuries by governments and trade groups. Nearly all economists support the proposition that free trade is a net gain to both trading partners and that the gains from free trade outweigh the losses. Practically it means that if there is a superior genuine foreign product at a reasonable price, I don’t feel guilty to buy it. Nor you. And it can be whatever you buy: motorcycle part, TV, car, etc. So, can an American manufacturer convince you to blindly buy its products because they are made in America? I don’t think so. The real issue affecting negatively most of us in the industry is not free trade, the fair competition from foreign corporations trying to outsmart us. It is the unfair competition from low cost labor Asian countries whose business is to steal our designs & engineering, repackaging everything in knock-off products to be sold back to our clients in the US.
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Chrome Motorcycle Parts For Your Bike
ou have seen them, the people with the really shiny and great looking bike. You have always wondered how you can get a great looking bike kike that. The answer is simple, Chrome.
When you decide that you want your own motorcycle, you may not have the funds to go with a chrome body or even any chrome motorcycle parts as all. That’s ok, because now you can add them to that drab looking bike.
A great option for adding chrome motorcycle parts to your ride is to take some of the accent pieces on your bike and simply buy them in a chrome finish. This will be an easy way to get a great looking bike without having to put out a tone of money in the end. You can add that great looking shine to the motorcycle and have it done in a weekend, if you want to. So it really is an easy thing to add.
If you are into really having a chrome finish on your motorcycle parts, then you may need to think about having the parts dipped. This can be done once the motorcycle has been stripped and the parts are ready to go. This may not be as easy as it sounds but if you are willing to take the time to work on it, you will have a great looking finish on your motorcycle.