Part availaibility for old bikes?

silent_vik

silent_vik

Well-known member
Forum Sponsor
the more i search about bikes, the more i like the older bikes..

How is the availaibility of parts for older bikes? Specifically 85ish Honda Interceptor 750. I understand parts wont be availaible in stock at local shops but would they still be availaible? or even if universal or parts from other bikes that would be interchangable to this bike. im not picky.
i dont mind waiting for parts for 1-2 weeks. i dont mind bit of wrenching at all either. actually i really enjoy it. :)
 
Wreckers, online forums for your specific bike and ebay are your best friends for older parts.
Be careful with wreckers though, I find in the past few years they have been charging a heap for simple parts just because they're not common like Honda Civics.
Unless it was a super popular bike, I don't think aftermarkets are making parts anymore for bikes in the 80s anymore, but doesn't hurt to check online parts stores.
 
VFR's were very popular, parts availability is still good. generally it depends on the bike, how popular it was and what kind of cult following it still may have. Example getting parts for my fzr400 isn't really all that hard, but the bike was/is raced extensively.
 
It depends. If a bike has a community for it, between forums, eBay, and wreckers, you'll be able to find what you need. I didn't have trouble finding an oil pan for a VF500F but it did take a week or two before I could find one at a reasonable price.
 
As others have said it can be troublesome at times. Ex: needed a new instrument panel for my '82 sabre v45, every place wanted $200+tax+shipping. After about 1 month of searching I found one for $60 shipped :D
 
As stated already, it is best to find a bike specific forum and ask. Otherwise check eBay. Ensure they will ship USPS or you'll get boned by UPS and other couriers' brokerage charge.
 
silverbullet132 said:
As others have said it can be troublesome at times. Ex: needed a new instrument panel for my '82 sabre v45, every place wanted $200+tax+shipping. After about 1 month of searching I found one for $60 shipped :D
Click to expand...

Thats not really troublesome, i mean, you could get a brand new one, you just didnt wanna pay...

Most Hondas still have parts available, even from dealers, going all the way back to the earliest bikes from the 50s (dream, super dream, etc). Some of the older Kawi's, yamahas and suzukis dont have a lot of parts cus the bikes werent popular when they were new.

With ebay and the internet though, "parts availability" is a fairly moot issue. You can get parts for almost any bike ever made if you look around hard enough.

As for the VFR specifically, yeah, parts are really easy to find for that.
 
I'm almost done rebuilding a 73 cb750k into a cafe resto-mod.
What I've found is that any bike worth restoring has a certain following of people...those people have likely already gotten together in some forum somewhere and have discussed every nuance of the bike to death and can help newbies with literally any aspect of restoring the bikes.

Pick a bike you have some passion for...find the group of like minded individuals that exists somewhere on the internet and say hello...

What you will likely find is an unbelievable group of people that would give their eye teeth to help you out getting that bike back to running condition....rare sources for parts and technical docs...you name it.
 
silent_vik said:
the more i search about bikes, the more i like the older bikes..

How is the availaibility of parts for older bikes? Specifically 85ish Honda Interceptor 750. I understand parts wont be availaible in stock at local shops but would they still be availaible? or even if universal or parts from other bikes that would be interchangable to this bike. im not picky.
i dont mind waiting for parts for 1-2 weeks. i dont mind bit of wrenching at all either. actually i really enjoy it. :)
Click to expand...

My personal experience from my 86 Interceptor is Honda is rapidly reducing parts availability. For example, Honda no longer makes the right rad hose, valve cover gasket, and who knows what else.

Good thing those bikes really don't need many parts.
And yes, old bikes are awesome!!!
 
bobjohnson said:
Thats not really troublesome, i mean, you could get a brand new one, you just didnt wanna pay...
Click to expand...

Brand new? I wish.
Discontinued + no dealer has them + the mounts breaking is common on this bike. The only ones I found were from places like Ontario cycle salvage, used, for $200+
Forum Sponsor
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom