It’s widely known that motorsport isn’t cheap to participate in. That’s why if offers on safety equipment (similarly to anything else in life) seem too good to be true, they most likely are.
We’re not talking about 5% off a pair of fireproof shoes or 10% off a bucket seat here and there from official retailers such as ourselves, instead, we’re on about fake products you can find on other online platforms. Fake products usually have a huge reduction in price compared to the RRP of the official model from authorised dealers, which is often 50% or greater.
In one of the many car groups we follow, a member sent us the following video of their fake steering wheel that was purchased through an unofficial platform.
We were all shocked when we saw what was happening to this wheel. A steering wheel should have no structural defect like the one that bends in the video. Never before had we seen something like this until we were sent this clip, so we absolutely had to share it with everyone so that the dangers of fake products can be exposed.
Fake products are often replicated in China, where production costs are minimal and copyright laws are as well, meaning that lookalike products can be manufactured with cheap materials that don’t conform to any specific standards. At a glace, they can look nearly identical to their official versions, however, these fake products are highly dangerous when used in motorsport as they can prove fatal in an accident since they are not manufactured with any safety requirements in mind.
Since this video, we provided our customer with a genuine OMP steering wheel from the official OMP 2018 catalogue. Now they have an official model manufactured to OMP’s high standards, the steering wheel is much safer.
This isn’t the first time we’ve encountered fake products. A while back, we assisted the BBC’s Fake Britain in spotting fake harnesses, so for more on that, watch the full clip from the show!
To avoid any issues and maximise your safety, always get your safety equipment brand-new from licensed distributors like us here at GSM Performance, regardless of whether it’s a helmet, steering wheel, seat, harness or something else. When you’re participating in high-speed action, safety is the number one priority!
If you’re unsure if your current gear is correct, we’ll check it over and get you sorted with something safer! Contact us today for professional advice, quotes and more to keep you safe behind the wheel.