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2588
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8/15/2006
Location
SWFL, FL
US
Fantasy
617th
Edited Date/Time
1/23/2012 1:42pm
or the power of advertisers and the control of the press. This is an old story inside the industry but not that HFL has featured it, have fun, and everyone to his own opinion, that's call freedom 
http://hellforleathermagazine.com/2010/07/leaked-docs-show-motorcyclist.html#more
http://hellforleathermagazine.com/2010/07/leaked-docs-show-motorcyclist.html#more
The Shop
I just don't understand, if you are the best and truly do the best thing in the world (as jaeckle fact seems to prove it
It's not about "we pull out because your magazine wrote facts about helmet safety", it's "fire that journalist that keep on trying to write facts and spell the truth or we remove our money", mmmh, me think there is something not right somewhere...
When something like that happen and a brand is not happy with what has been write, usually they are allowed to reply, with facts and their side. Trying to muzzle the press is rather... proving the press was right...
Talking about the magazine meaning nothing in the world of MX... just for your educated knowledge I guess you remember that there is no "motocross-specific" helmet testing, especially at SNELL, it's all road-specific tests. So somewhere that magazine and its features on helmet safety, do make sense for your head.
Edit: oldfart, I didn't mean to quote your post specifically.
Lot's of "he said, she said" and then some more "I didn't say that, or I didn't MEAN to say that."
It looks more to me like Motorcyclist Mag decided it was time for Ford to go so they played all the angles they could to make it peaceful. So Ford "leaked" some emails out to show where he'd been black balled by the helmet manufacturers. Even the editor's emails stated in one place that they never threatened, and in another that it was only one.
I say the guys this write up are talking about are just like most people that post here and change their stories to fit the circumstances depending on who's asking the questions.
Maybe they did or would threaten to pull ad dollars. So what, I'm sure other companies do the same.
Please read things properly too, it's not the quality of their products that is in question but their safety rating strategy in the US (only) and the fact that they blindly supported SNELL even when the latter was proven wrong. It is the marketing value of that little $0.40 sticker on the back of the helmet that help you add an extra $50 to $70 to the price of a helmet. I understand the monetary reason for them to try to get this to go away.
Don Maeda has made a few people unhappy with TWMX at time and had plenty threats from advertisers, including another helmet company and its distributor, but Don, as well as others would have done, stuck to his principals and ethic. Yes, he probably lost some advertising dollars but there money always look the same, wherever it's coming from.
and the funny thing is that this same crowd praised Don for his integrity and sticking it to the big money
I support the right of media outlets to produce and publish any content they deem worthy (within the law, of course). I also support the advertisers right to spend (or not spend) their dollars where they deem worthy. That's not control of the press by dollars, that's just a realism in business. Bite the hand that feeds, but do so at your own risk.
I think it's bad form for Shenzi to create this thread now that he works for AGV. He's obviously trying to throw Arai and Shoei under the bus. It speaks volumes when you have to trash your competitors in an attempt to make yourself look better. I won't be buying an AGV helmet now, even if they are great.
Pit Row
My point here wasn't about Arai or Shoei but rather about big dollar controlling information. Things we all, all the time, bitch about. I am though and will never hide it, not a fan of the SNELL rating, especially for off-road helmets. I have never hidden that. I have also never hidden my laugh when I hear people say "this is the best in the world", "this is the safest in the world", "this is the fastest in the world you can buy" an on and on. Reminds me of those "Best Ribs in The world" ads on the side of the road, create facts through word of mouth. Pretty simple but efficient.
It is interesting that you say it will help make AGV look better? Where does that make AGV look better? It would be so simple if it was about AGV only.
It is actually pretty simple minded to see things like that. You know Arai and Shoei have been throwing other brands under the bus for the last 20 years in this country, or at least some of their representatives (like the guy who walked into a New Orleans shop in the last months and said "you can crash twice with our helmet, not with the others", or the othr guy of one of these company who said that all the MotoGP riders they have use SNELL rated helmets, LOL, Why say stuff like that.
Arai and Shoei produce some of the best helmets in our industry, no doubt, and are some of the more respected companies but all major helmet brands in this industry produce the same level of helmets, whether the public's perception or word-of-mouth can understand that or not, it's another issue; but we all go for the same goal, as much safety as feasible, building to exceed as many standards as possible. We, all major helmet manufacturers, do it.
Am I throwing them under the bus for supposedly trying to muzzle a journalist? Yes for sure if they did it, for 2 brands as respected and established as that. I think it's cheap. If the guy is a cook or so wrong, just get others journalists to write a counter editorial, get them facts and scientific proofs and let them go at him, make him look like a fool, prove him wrong. The fact that the guy got let go is just a bit surprising.
And the media outlet who launched the story also criticized one of our helmets recently, still, we didn't cut their allocation of products or told them to muzzle up. Just saying.
So, yes, I should have refrained form having a personal opinion, because I am employed by another company for sure, but I like moto forums and I like discussing things and I will express my personal opinion. The company that employs me is a very strong competitor to Alpinestars and still I have ever refrained myself to express my opinion that their neck-braces are a better products than others, we compete strongly with Sidi and Gaerne too and I am still a fan of their MX boots and never refrained from saying it.
We are all entitled to our own opinion. This was an interesting article in an industry where the majority has been wanting to preserve more freedom of the press and veracity.
When you don't disclose any possible conflicts of interest, then it is discovered that there is in fact a conflict of interest that wasn't disclosed it makes you look like an unethical prick. However, you have no responsibility to me or anyone else that reads this board. What I have to remember with you (and I am sure many others will do and have done the same), is that there is always an angle with you and you are spinning or shaping opinion somehow, typically in an attempt for financial gain.
As Bubbles would say, "That's greasy."
the print magazine business is a miserable mess right now and it is safe to say all motorcycle books are closer to advertorials than anything. who do you think has more power? The group publisher who brings in the money or brian catterson, a journalist who hopes to hold onto his job as his staffers and budgets get cut, cut again and cut, well, yet again! Its nasty out there...........
disclaimer: cat seems like a real good guy and is ok from my book as he is from long island, ny...
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