Dispelling the japanese dealer network myth | Page 5 | GTAMotorcycle.com

Dispelling the japanese dealer network myth

Can I get THAT as a bumper sticker.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: TK4
bigpoppa said:
Do tell, which ones? What years?
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Try to find a clutch lever, for a Triumph Thruxton - $75 from the dealer and a month late. No aftermarket replacement.
Speedo cable for same bike was only $35 but still a month.
Ignition switch set for a Ducati 696 Monster - $600 and six months.
Aprilia, Moto Guzzi, MV Augusta - you're joking, right ?
For tubes for a BMW F650 - $650 apiece and 6 months.
Shall I go on ?
 
timtune said:
Any chance you can tell us how? Is it simply a matter of accurately measuring ID OD and thickness?
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Pretty much. Fork, shifter and crank seals are usually just basic oil seals. They will be ID/OD/Thickness to a bearing house.

Same goes with steering head, wheel and crank bearings.

Pop them out (if you can), take them to a bearing house, they'll match them for you.

It's a bit harder with swingarm bushings, not quite as universal. That said, if you're in a panic any machine shop can turn a delrin bushing and shaft.


All Balls figured all this out, kit, package and SKU a lot of simple bearings and seals into easy order packages. I turned my own DT175 bushings from $1 in Delrin, then used off the shelf grease seals from RAM for another $1.50. I think the AllBalls kit was about $60. I'm doing the wheel bearings on my DL, my cost front and rear wheel bearings and seals is under $20 - vs about $120 from an All Balls dealer.

The extra hundred buys a few litres of gas and beer.
 
Mad Mike said:
Pretty much. Fork, shifter and crank seals are usually just basic oil seals. They will be ID/OD/Thickness to a bearing house.

Same goes with steering head, wheel and crank bearings.

Pop them out (if you can), take them to a bearing house, they'll match them for you.

It's a bit harder with swingarm bushings, not quite as universal. That said, if you're in a panic any machine shop can turn a delrin bushing and shaft.


All Balls figured all this out, kit, package and SKU a lot of simple bearings and seals into easy order packages. I turned my own DT175 bushings from $1 in Delrin, then used off the shelf grease seals from RAM for another $1.50. I think the AllBalls kit was about $60. I'm doing the wheel bearings on my DL, my cost front and rear wheel bearings and seals is under $20 - vs about $120 from an All Balls dealer.

The extra hundred buys a few litres of gas and beer.
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Good answer.
Just one more thing. Don't try to measure the seal. Measure the machined surfaces. Or if you are lucky just read the numbers molded into the old seal.
 
Mad Mike said:
Fork, shifter and crank seals are usually just basic oil seals
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A crank seal will be a high speed seal and most seals in motorcycles are two lip seals.
To determine the speed: circumference of the shaft x maximum RPM = inches or meters per minute
A "basic" oil seal won't last long at any real speed

... and when installing ANY seal or bearing: the writing faces out (Do your best to ignore the instructions in Yamaha manuals that says otherwise)... so, HOPEFULLY, you can read the size without taking it apart.
 
Pop them out (if you can), take them to a bearing house, they'll match them for you.

Are bearings more than ID,OD Thickness then??
And might as well ask ... Suggested suppliers or just any local jobber that carries bearing and seals?
 
timtune said:
Pop them out (if you can), take them to a bearing house, they'll match them for you.

Are bearings more than ID,OD Thickness then??
And might as well ask ... Suggested suppliers or just any local jobber that carries bearing and seals?
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Like Ric said If they do not have a size stamped on them measure the components they fit not the seal. Most people who work at the bearing stores will not help you without the hardware dimensions at minimum most will want a part #. The seal and bearing industry has been going downhill fast and most are just part # takers. For seals you can also order from Hercules in Barrie you just need to know what you want.

Sent from the future
 
TK4 said:
I've been at this for 50 years - your resume please ?
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Can vouch for this guy. Have worked in the motorcycle biz for over a decade, a part of that time was shared in the same dealership as him. At that point he already had more years of experience than I may be able to catch up to.

When we're asking you what, specifically (not vaguely) you expectation is, it's for a reason.

OP Feel free to speak down to TK rather than address the issue. I know the guy, he won't care either way lol. Truth is we can all learn from people around us, and I think you're selling yourself short on being able to learn something here. But hey, if you think you know best, best we leave it at that.

For the record - I'm an owner of 0 japanese motorcycles. I sold my last American motorcycle in June, currently sitting on 5 European bikes (2 italian, 2 german, 1 british), and I'll definitely still tell you, on average, the stereotypes about japanese machines, dealers, and parts, are there for a reason.
 
bigpoppa said:
not having to wait a week for a brake lever on a popular model would be nice, maybe my standards are just too high

Otherwise if you have to wait anyway, might as well get an aprilia or duc
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You waited a week for a lever on an Africa Twin?
 
adri said:
Can vouch for this guy. Have worked in the motorcycle biz for over a decade, a part of that time was shared in the same dealership as him. At that point he already had more years of experience than I may be able to catch up to.

When we're asking you what, specifically (not vaguely) you expectation is, it's for a reason.

OP Feel free to speak down to TK rather than address the issue. I know the guy, he won't care either way lol. Truth is we can all learn from people around us, and I think you're selling yourself short on being able to learn something here. But hey, if you think you know best, best we leave it at that.

For the record - I'm an owner of 0 japanese motorcycles. I sold my last American motorcycle in June, currently sitting on 5 European bikes (2 italian, 2 german, 1 british), and I'll definitely still tell you, on average, the stereotypes about japanese machines, dealers, and parts, are there for a reason.
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Thank you for the vote of confidence adri, now I understand more of bigpoppa's story - and there's always more to the story.
He's feeling butt hurt because it took a week to get a clutch lever for his Africa Twin.
Not knowing all the details of his transaction I'll have to make some basic assumptions - likely they will need to be illuminated upon.
Using Snow City Cycle's website only as an example I found: 53178-MKS-E00 LEVER, LEFT HANDLEBAR $37.06
Honda Canada obviously had one in stock. Not knowing what day of the week it was ordered but knowing that their warehouse has a 5 day work week and the part was likely placed on a regular order the time frame is not unrealistic. Picking, packing and processing takes what it takes - no way around it.
A dealer is not going to order a single part - they'll wait until they've accumulated enough stuff to justify shipping costs OR time and fuel spent to pick up or they sell at a loss.
Enlighten me bigpoppa, what have I got wrong in this scenario ? Inquiring minds need to know.




 
TK4 said:
Thank you for the vote of confidence adri, now I understand more of bigpoppa's story - and there's always more to the story.
He's feeling butt hurt because it took a week to get a clutch lever for his Africa Twin.
Not knowing all the details of his transaction I'll have to make some basic assumptions - likely they will need to be illuminated upon.
Using Snow City Cycle's website only as an example I found: 53178-MKS-E00 LEVER, LEFT HANDLEBAR $37.06
Honda Canada obviously had one in stock. Not knowing what day of the week it was ordered but knowing that their warehouse has a 5 day work week and the part was likely placed on a regular order the time frame is not unrealistic. Picking, packing and processing takes what it takes - no way around it.
A dealer is not going to order a single part - they'll wait until they've accumulated enough stuff to justify shipping costs OR time and fuel spent to pick up or they sell at a loss.
Enlighten me bigpoppa, what have I got wrong in this scenario ? Inquiring minds need to know.




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I thought you were done?
you still havent told me which euro bikes you owned. (I have 2 seperate screen shots, one where you say you never owned one, the other says you did)
 
TK4 said:
Using Snow City Cycle's website only as an example I found: 53178-MKS-E00 LEVER, LEFT HANDLEBAR $37.06
Honda Canada obviously had one in stock. Not knowing what day of the week it was ordered but knowing that their warehouse has a 5 day work week and the part was likely placed on a regular order the time frame is not unrealistic. Picking, packing and processing takes what it takes - no way around it.
A dealer is not going to order a single part - they'll wait until they've accumulated enough stuff to justify shipping costs OR time and fuel spent to pick up or they sell at a loss.
Enlighten me bigpoppa, what have I got wrong in this scenario ? Inquiring minds need to know.




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20+ of them in the Montreal warehouse, none in Toronto.

Parts are shipped via Purolator, and that's the biggest problem as I think they are unionized, any time from 1-5 days.
 
Jayv said:
20+ of them in the Montreal warehouse, none in Toronto.

Parts are shipped via Purolator, and that's the biggest problem as I think they are unionized, any time from 1-5 days.
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And there we go....
 
bigpoppa said:
I thought you were done?
you still havent told me which euro bikes you owned. (I have 2 seperate screen shots, one where you say you never owned one, the other says you did)
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I'm done when you're done. You must like me to follow me so closely.
Let's see, over the years I've owned a 1966 Ducati 250 Monza, a Montesa Cota, a BSA 441 Victor Special, a 1972 Norton Commando Combat.
I stopped riding Euro during the collapse of the mid 1970s - no dealers, no parts, no support.
Japanese bikes too numerous to mention starting with a 1966 Suzuki 80, up to the last couple - a KLR650 Kawasaki and a 1981 Yamaha XV920RH.
Likely somewhere between 70-80 different rides over the years, mostly Japanese.
Now I have a machine designed in England, built in India, that I can service myself and get any part I need in 7-10 working days.
Anything more you'd like to know about me - my favourite colour or flavour ice cream ?
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