I have no affiliation to either of the following manufacturers, nor currently any experience with their products. I'm just trying to understand what's behind the pricing.
This morning I found prices for a full set of Stainless Brake hoses for my GL1500 from two different UK manufacturers. These are for apparently identically specified products.
Both Kits Include:
-Four PVC coated, Stainless Steel Braided Brake Hoses to match the OEM lengths.
-Stainless Steel Banjo's
-Stainless Steele Banjo Bolts
-Copper crush washers
-Lifetime manufacturers Warranty
-Made in the UK.
Wezmoto= £80
HEL= £130
Does anyone have enough experience with these manufacturer's products to offer an opinion as to why the HEL ones are 160% the price of the Wezmoto?
Many Thanks in anticipation.
Stainless Brake Hoses UK- Huge Pricing Difference
-
Sadanorakman
- Posts: 446
- Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2017 1:42 pm
- Location: Leicester, ENGLAND
- Motorcycle: 2000 GL1500 SE (Blue)
1991 GL1500 SE (Gold)
-
WingAdmin
- Site Admin
- Posts: 23303
- Joined: Fri Oct 03, 2008 4:16 pm
- Location: Strongsville, OH
- Motorcycle: 2000 GL1500 SE
1982 GL1100A Aspencade (sold)
1989 PC800 (sold)
1998 XV250 Virago (sold)
2012 Suzuki Burgman 400 (wife's!)
2007 Aspen Sentry Trailer - Contact:
Re: Stainless Brake Hoses UK- Huge Pricing Difference
I can't speak to the Wezmoto lines, as I've never even heard of the brand.
On the other hand, I have put HEL lines on every one of my bikes for many years, and have nothing but good things to say about their product. They make a quality product.
On the other hand, I have put HEL lines on every one of my bikes for many years, and have nothing but good things to say about their product. They make a quality product.
-
Good Hondog
- Posts: 206
- Joined: Sun May 14, 2017 6:56 pm
- Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Motorcycle: 1980 GL1100 Interstate
1978 GL1000
Re: Stainless Brake Hoses UK- Huge Pricing Difference
Thanks for bringing these to our attention Sadanorakman. I see the full set for front and rear brakes that Wezmoto shows on their website for my bike. I'm planning on changing the hoses next year on my GL1100 and now I know were I'll be buying mine from. Wezmoto will be my choice on that.
-
Sadanorakman
- Posts: 446
- Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2017 1:42 pm
- Location: Leicester, ENGLAND
- Motorcycle: 2000 GL1500 SE (Blue)
1991 GL1500 SE (Gold)
Re: Stainless Brake Hoses UK- Huge Pricing Difference
Brake Hoses, Perfume, Stockings, and Harleys... You're going to have to read all of the below to find out!
You are welcome 'Good Hondog'. I'm not recommending the Wezmoto Hoses, I was trying to see if anyone knows why there is such a price difference.
I emailed both Wezmoto and HEL, asking each to justify their pricing against the other, kind of: 'HEL, why should I pay this much more £££ for your hoses?', and 'Wezmoto, if yours are as good as HEL's, then how can you sell them so cheaply?'
HEL has not replied to my inquiry (Which may speak volumes in its self), but the owner of Wezmoto did: Wez says they are a 3-employee company, not a 30-employee company... maybe that summarises all I should need to know.
My guess is that Wezmoto have a responsible, small company mentality with a keen control over costs; not having thou$$$ands to sink into advertising and sponsorship to promote their product. Their product quality might quite possibly be on a par with HELs. Who would know without extensive comparative testing?
From reading comments on forums, seems that Wezmoto allegedly manufacture hoses for another major 'Brand', but no mention of whom. Someone mentioned that the Copper crush washers, banjo bolts, and end-sleeves in the Wezmoto kits were the very same ones provided with HEL lines... Whether they are or not, does this truly indicate that Wezmoto makes lines for HEL?... I've no idea, maybe they do, or maybe they just use the same parts manufacturers.
It wouldn't be the first time that the actual manufacturer of a product sees the healthy profit that the 'brands' they supply the product to are making on it, and decide to enter the market-place for themselves.
Perfume, Stockings, and Harleys; What is a product worth?
Certain sources recon that the significant 'smelly' ingredients in a $100 (retail) bottle of perfume, cost only $2. I'm no retail expert, but that allows for a very healthy profit for everyone in the supply chain, along with a massive amount of advertising spend to convince us to 'buy in' to the 'lifestyle choice' that the brand epitomizes. (Harley Davidson anyone?) 'I am what I ride' (I'll claim the copyright on that tagline, although I'm not sure I'd want to be associated with the 'Harley lifestyle').
My father was an apprentice knitting machine mechanic... one company he worked for put the very same stockings from the same manufacturing batch in two different packages; one aimed at the housewife, and the other at the monied-lady... the latter sold for three times the price of the first, and I'm sure that Mrs posh thought she was buying a much superior product because of this! Maybe if Wezmoto charged more for their hoses, then potential buyers wouldn't be asking themselves 'are these possibly too cheap to be any good?' ...it's a difficult one to judge.
Whilst the quality of the materials and parts between these two manufacturers can be identical, how does the consistency of assembly and quality control stand up? Maybe one of these two manufacturers performs more rigorous testing than the other, and maybe one is ISO inspected and accredited and the other is not (but does that mean they are actually any better?)... I've not bothered to dig any deeper on this one. Larger firms tend to chase quality accreditation, and have the budget to do so, just like larger companies have larger promotional and sponsorship budgets available to them.
So if you're still reading this, I have decided to give the Wezmoto lines a go for myself, but not on my Harley whilst wearing stockings and perfume. (I DON'T have a Harley by the way). I will still not know if they are as good as HEL Lines, because I have never owned any HEL lines, nor Goodrich, or Venhill, but I'm hoping I will be spending my money wisely.
Cheers!
You are welcome 'Good Hondog'. I'm not recommending the Wezmoto Hoses, I was trying to see if anyone knows why there is such a price difference.
I emailed both Wezmoto and HEL, asking each to justify their pricing against the other, kind of: 'HEL, why should I pay this much more £££ for your hoses?', and 'Wezmoto, if yours are as good as HEL's, then how can you sell them so cheaply?'
HEL has not replied to my inquiry (Which may speak volumes in its self), but the owner of Wezmoto did: Wez says they are a 3-employee company, not a 30-employee company... maybe that summarises all I should need to know.
My guess is that Wezmoto have a responsible, small company mentality with a keen control over costs; not having thou$$$ands to sink into advertising and sponsorship to promote their product. Their product quality might quite possibly be on a par with HELs. Who would know without extensive comparative testing?
From reading comments on forums, seems that Wezmoto allegedly manufacture hoses for another major 'Brand', but no mention of whom. Someone mentioned that the Copper crush washers, banjo bolts, and end-sleeves in the Wezmoto kits were the very same ones provided with HEL lines... Whether they are or not, does this truly indicate that Wezmoto makes lines for HEL?... I've no idea, maybe they do, or maybe they just use the same parts manufacturers.
It wouldn't be the first time that the actual manufacturer of a product sees the healthy profit that the 'brands' they supply the product to are making on it, and decide to enter the market-place for themselves.
Perfume, Stockings, and Harleys; What is a product worth?
Certain sources recon that the significant 'smelly' ingredients in a $100 (retail) bottle of perfume, cost only $2. I'm no retail expert, but that allows for a very healthy profit for everyone in the supply chain, along with a massive amount of advertising spend to convince us to 'buy in' to the 'lifestyle choice' that the brand epitomizes. (Harley Davidson anyone?) 'I am what I ride' (I'll claim the copyright on that tagline, although I'm not sure I'd want to be associated with the 'Harley lifestyle').
My father was an apprentice knitting machine mechanic... one company he worked for put the very same stockings from the same manufacturing batch in two different packages; one aimed at the housewife, and the other at the monied-lady... the latter sold for three times the price of the first, and I'm sure that Mrs posh thought she was buying a much superior product because of this! Maybe if Wezmoto charged more for their hoses, then potential buyers wouldn't be asking themselves 'are these possibly too cheap to be any good?' ...it's a difficult one to judge.
Whilst the quality of the materials and parts between these two manufacturers can be identical, how does the consistency of assembly and quality control stand up? Maybe one of these two manufacturers performs more rigorous testing than the other, and maybe one is ISO inspected and accredited and the other is not (but does that mean they are actually any better?)... I've not bothered to dig any deeper on this one. Larger firms tend to chase quality accreditation, and have the budget to do so, just like larger companies have larger promotional and sponsorship budgets available to them.
So if you're still reading this, I have decided to give the Wezmoto lines a go for myself, but not on my Harley whilst wearing stockings and perfume. (I DON'T have a Harley by the way). I will still not know if they are as good as HEL Lines, because I have never owned any HEL lines, nor Goodrich, or Venhill, but I'm hoping I will be spending my money wisely.
Cheers!