Saturday, June 12, 2010

Parts, parts, parts...

If you've purchased a damaged bike, you're going to have to shop for parts. The first half of this problem is knowing what parts you have to buy. Depending on the extent of the damage, you may be missing several parts with no evidence that they existed.

(This bike is missing a lot: Handle bars [a.k.a. "clip-ons"], front brake reservoir [this includes a bunch of small parts and bolts], a battery housing, a battery, foot pegs and controls, fuel tank [which I actually have], all the plastics [including the tail section which was present in a previous photo, but I removed it since it was broken], the front fairing stay [custom piece that will need to be fabricated], display gauges, etc, etc.)

Strip down the broken/damaged parts and take an inventory. Keep in mind this is a track bike: If the parts seem to be in-tact and functional, don't be concerned with their cosmetic appearance. Save yourself a lot of money and use them (obviously if the parts are critical to the safe operation of the bike, don't risk it). If you're not familiar with the names of the parts, take photos and notes; what piece was it attached to and where was it on the bike. Your local dealership has software specific to your make and model that give detailed schematic breakdowns of your bike. They'll be able to give you a list of parts you're missing, or need to replace. Once you have a shopping list, you can look for replacement parts.

Some parts you're better off getting from your dealership (and will have to). Things like screws/bolts/nuts and (some) fasteners might not be something you can purchase online. While you're looking for parts, shop around. Always remember that you're shopping for a track bike. OEM rear sets won't be adjustable and they won't be cheap, but you're better off paying for an adjustable set and getting some added functionality from the new components.

Lots of used parts can be found on EBay. For example: I was able to find air intake ducts for my 748: OEM parts (new) are ~$122 per side. After-market racing versions were ~$161 per side. I was able to find (used) OEM parts (BOTH sides) for $100 -shipped. That's a savings of $144 - $222! Another example is the battery: OEM battery for this bike is ~$160. I was able to find an aftermarket model for $71 (shipped) with a 2 year warranty.

In summary; strip the bike of broken parts and create a shopping list (this should include parts that are worn and need to be replaced). Work with your local dealership to ensure you have everything you'll need on your list. Shop around and don't go crazy with expensive racing parts unless they're truly worth the money (i.e. cheaper than/same price as OEM and better performance/functionality).

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