When did Momo steering wheels get so shi&*tty?
 

I just bought a 370 mm Momo Prototipo and the material they call leather might as well be straight up plastic cuz that's what it feels like. I'll probably keep it and send off to get recovered.

Where did you get it from? I've seen Chinese knockoffs in MOMO boxes with MOMO lettering, stamps and horn buttons. The same goes for Nardi knockoffs. Instead of real cowhide leather, they are made with vinyl aka vegan leather.

Ebay. All of the packaging looks legit is there another way to tell? Could be knockoff!

The packaging always looks legit.
In the bike world, counterfeit stuff comes with all of the correct instruction sheets, labeling etc. Has for a long time.

Anything from ebay that's a high end brand has a high chance of being counterfeit. The same goes for ordering items from Amazon that are from small sellers. Especially if the stuff seems like a "really good deal." And the Chinese have counterfeiting down to an art/science. It would not surprise me if some counterfeits in China are made on the same assembly line as the real deal, but using cheaper parts, hence the boxes that seem perfect.

Was it stupid cheap? I bought a "Nardi" off the T just to see what it was like. $40 later, it looked real, in a "Nardi" box, but felt a little light. Definitely vinyl and not real leather. Stitching was nicely done. It could fool someone who has never seen or felt a real Nardi, but if you had the real thing, you would know right away. The same would go for their fake Momos.

Is there a date stamped onto the bottom spoke?

I bought a Prototipo from PP (2019) so not fake. Hate it. Took it off after a a few months. Didn’t like the feel of the leather either. Replaced it with a 380mm Montecarlo. Feels a little better. Looks better. Way more comfortable. Is better.

This reminds me I need to sell the Prototipo

I wasn't too enthused about my Proto, too. IIRC, the Prototipo rim was a little on the skinny side

Interesting, I found the Prototipo too thick. I’m like Leno. I prefer old fashion skinny steering wheels.

I have a Mod 7 (essentially the dished version of the Prototipo) which I think I bought off Pelican, so probably not counterfeit. Happy with it, though its smaller size and distance from the turn signal stalks took some getting used to.

Slightly off-topic, but years ago my parents took a trip to Hong Kong. They went to some mart where knock-off stuff was sold and bought Polo (Ralph Lauren) stuff. But the shirts weren't exactly counterfeit,as theywere made of the same fabric and in the same factories as the real stuff. But if the factory owner was contracted to make X units of product, he'd actually make more than that, and sell the surplus on the side.

thick suede wheel for me with some tacky new gloves.
Suede wheel just brush it with a wire tooth brush when it gets shiny and smooth. http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1758990948.jpg

I remember reading in some driving book that suede or suede-style (alcantara) wheels mean that you should use suede gloves, or if you're using smooth leather or bare hands that you should use a smooth leather wheel.

Agree, I found the Protipo a handsome period correct wheel.
Wide diameter thin grip hard leather nice in old cars.
The newer racing gloves you forget you are wearing them.