Anybody hear of Ruroc Helmets?

"Like, sure Scoob... take the whole bag of Scooby snacks!"

"Ru rock Raggy!"

 

True.

 

The "Fidlock" is....interesting. Not sure I'd trust it for a helmet fastener, but I can see the appeal.

 

Ha!
Currently the big three US powersports distributors are Tucker, Western Powersports, and Parts Unlimited. In Canada you have Motovan, Parts Canada, Kimpex, Fullbore, and Importation Thibault. Both countries have small distributors and here I can think of MTA, JD Walter, and Advantage. And, sure there's more of them but let's move forward.

These companies are always interested in most new product(s) at competitive price points. From my experience if you want to get a distribution deal with any of these you need to have a long term business plan, adequate manufacturing capacity, a marketing plan, a marketing budget, a sales staff, a product that meets US or Canadian safety standards (if applicable), and fantastic liability insurance. If you miss any one of these you'll get passed by in a New York minute.

 

Just thinking about the Bluetooth thing. One of our tracks up here it’s impossible to get accurate information regarding the gap for the riders in front or behind you unless you’ve got a spotter and radio communication to the other side of the track to your pit board holder. I wonder if having BT connected to your phone and an open call to pit wall would be too distracting. Only thing they are allowed to say is your gap, other than that STFU.

 

I dont write a product off because it's a new company, lower price, etc. I check to see if it meets safety standards, look for reviews, ask for 1st hand experience, then make a decision for myself. If we write off all new companies because they are new, we wont get any infusion of new products and options. Lack of competition allows the status quo to bleed you dry because they can, you're stuck. Even companies with outstanding products normally introduce themselves with a low price in order to gain traction, make their name known, sell units and build a customer base. Then price slowly rises as their recognition does. I remember when under armour was in Walmart dirt cheap. Now they are a major name brand. I'm sure you can identify MC products that took the same approach. Does the helmet meet DOT, Snell, ECE requirements? If so that's a good base and I'd consider them. I dont know jack about this company, but that's my line of thinking and why I got a smoking deal on some Metzeler Compk slicks that I absolutley love. If I wrote them off because they aren't Pirelli (owned by), Dunlop, Bridgestone, etc... I'd have missed out on a great product. Same with my $15 case savers that worked perfectly when I mangled a bike. Motor still purred like a kitten. New Sedici suit that feels just as good as an AVG that I bought second hand. A buddy crash tested same suit and it held up great. Lower price or smaller brand doesn't mean its shit. And yes there is a lot of cheap shit out there too.

 

Every time I see discussions of new helmet manufacturers I think of the Flaming Lips song, You Can Be My Head.
I’m all for trying stuff until it’s my head. I did my undergraduate final work on head injuries and it still weighs so much in my racing mentality. It’s tough without your head making sense.

 

Ruroc spelled backwards is Corur, so they have that going for them.

 

The company is known for snowboard and ski helmets. I have seen on youtube vids a lot of negatives about the Atlas. People put down cash on them two years in advance and they are just now getting them. Based on the reviews they lack QC. Poor customer service also. No I have not seen one personally, and yes I know it is just utube. Quick search and you decide.

 

But does she want to talk to you?

 

I thought most all race orgs banned voice communication, and IMHO for good reason.

IIRC, there was quite the thread on the Beeb dedicated to a racer who was found to be doing just that and it hit 7th gear pretty quickly.........

 

Over the years I'm monotonous with buying brand helmets but I've had Shoei, Arai and Bell and never been disappointed with fit or comfort and the names just speak for themselves with quality and safety. If they don't offer a paint job that pleases you get a fucking air brush Bro but don't use your noggin for a crash test for some iffy shit. Be safe out there.

 

OK I’ll spill the beans because I’m bored. Teknic’s parent company was Specialty Sport Limited and owned by 3 partners. PU had the exclusive for Teknic & Cold Wave snow gear in the US and Motovan had the same in Canada. While I was there, we/me tripled the Teknic business with PU and Motovan in three years. But even with those sales increases I found they didn’t want to listen to any new ideas so I left. In the meantime, Pirelli offered me a better gig so I went back to tires.

Around 2001 Teknic decides to add Motorcycle Stuff as a Teknic distributor, and I think they added Marshall Dist. for Cold Wave (snow gear) about that same time. And then a short time later PU is no longer selling Teknic or CW? Then Motorcycle Stuff goes out of business and I think Tucker Rocky picked Teknic up? Then T/R drops/leaves Teknic and I guess then the 3 guys decided to go dealer direct? Around this same time Marshall Dist. was going out of business and then Cold Wave snow gear loses distribution? Then I think they sold whatever Teknic that was left to Revzilla?

I see that Dainese, Klim, Sidi, and Rev-it have survived without being sold by a large distributor and are selling dealer and or consumer direct, so it’s possible. The clothing business is tough because it’s hard to have the correct size or color in stock all of the time. To do it right you have to have a huge inventory here and that means a large amount of money sitting on the shelves and maybe that’s why Teknic folded? Currently the former owners of Teknic are now Philko (www.philkoinc.com) and are manufacturing private label m/c clothing for a few OEMs and others like Icon, Fox, Moose, and Rev-it.

 

Yep, I'd almost kill for a new pair of Violator 2 gloves... Loved those damn things!