A counterfeiter’s work is never done

(Originality and quality involves much time, money and effort. Plagiarism is the opposite.)

Counterfeit products are usually an everyday topic of humour rather than serious conversation – we think we’ve heard all the “Chinese-copy” jokes and horror stories, but in reality, we most definitely haven’t. Of course, counterfeit products are just that, something that happens to other people who buy a bargain, until you or someone you know becomes an unwitting victim to this vast and growing “trade.”

Despite combined EU and international anti-counterfeit forces conducting high-profile investigations into transnational counterfeiting, it’s a prolific, money-making ‘business’ of which the offenders have no regard for original product designers and manufacturers, and most definitely not the satisfaction and, more importantly, the safety of the end purchaser. We could also include the wellbeing of the people used and abused to produce counterfeit products. Slave labour has been well-documented in the news over the years.

Counterfeiting knows no boundaries. Clothing, watches, expensive perfumes and electronic goods are recognised targets for illegal copying. Automotive products are just as common and this very much includes motorcycle products, even legitimate aftermarket products such as Evotech Performance motorcycle accessories.

Mobile and home computers are a great portal for a retail experience hit – nigh on unlimited access to the great wide world and just about everything that is available to buy can be found and bought in seconds. The problem is, what you are buying may not necessarily be the real deal.

Everyday, more and more copies of Evotech Performance products are appearing on even recognised retail websites. They may not all be branded exactly as “Evotech Performance” or indeed carry our registered logo, but small detail designs that only we include in our design and fabrication stages can be found on most counterfeit EP Radiator Guards, EP Crash Protectors etc. There are other giveaways that underline blatant copying of our renown motorcycle accessories, but we keep them to our ourselves for litigation purposes.

As mentioned earlier, counterfeit parts may be cheaper, but we’ve found many where fabrication and finish quality is considerably less than even some of our competitors. There are also safety issues – Evotech Performance utilises years of fabrication and technical skill, plus development knowledge from supporting key racing teams before testing a product prior to release to market. A cheap copy using inferior materials and dubious manufacturing techniques without proper R&D is always going to raise safety issues.

By Evotech Performance on 15 March 2021