Firstly let me apologise if this post seems a bit self-serving!
As the UK agent and distibutor for Ilmberger I think that I might have a little insight into this subject.
One of the problems is that a lot of people selling parts these days ( and this particularly applies to carbon fibre) source their parts from different places and different manufacturers. This often means that they do not have any control over the manufacturing process and therefore quality can, and does, change. A prime example is Ducati Performance.
Here comes the self-serving bit!!
A lot of the parts that I import and sell are the parts that DP used to sell, until they changed their supplier. They are made by the same people in the same factory (MS Productions) using the same methods as before. Obviously I keep a check on the competition and in my opinion most of the parts being sold as DP at the moment are considerably inferior to the ones that they used to sell.
It is an easy comparison for me to do. I just compare my product with one of theirs. Three recent ones I compared (at a main dealer)were 999 fairing flaps, Multistrada hugger and 998/996/916/748 hugger. Fit and finish are not even similar and as for price.............!
I am told that DP have e-mailed all the dealers to say that they are no longer supplying huggers or airtubes for the 998/996/916/748 range. The rumour is that they have had so many problems with the fit and quality that they have decided that it is no longer worth the trouble. That means that any that are at the dealers will be from the products that caused the trouble
Anyhow on a lighter note: the original post in this thread mentioned price.
Yesterday the Web Team were sent a list of the items that I have in the 'END OF SEASON SALE'. I sent it to them in the hope that there might be some way of having them post (or allow me to post) it onto the forum to give DSC members a chance before I mail shot the dealers.
Another self-serving bit!!
Then you really could get the best quality at the lowest price. Up to 51% off (and that is off MY prices - let alone off the normal DP prices)