Clerk: Hi, can I help you?
Me: Yes, I'm looking for a couple of parts for an '83 Suzuki GS550E.
*Clerk turns to the computer screen and starts clicking the mouse trying to bring the bike parts list up. click...click...click...click...click...click...cl ick...click...click...click...click...click...clic k...click...scowl...
click...click...click...click...click...click...bl ank stare... click...click...click...click...click...click...cl ick...click...click...click...2 minutes and counting...
Clerk: What year was it?
Me: 1983
click...click...click...click...click...click...cl ick...click...click...click...click...click...clic k...click...pause...
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Clerk: What model?
Me: GS550E
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*5 minutes elapsed*
Clerk: Okay, what do you need?
Me: First I need a petcock, and I also need a valve cover gasket.
*Mistake #1: I admit my mistake in not calling it a cylinder head cover gasket.*
click...click...click...click...click...click...cl ick...click...click...click...click...click...clic k...click...click...click...click...click...
click...click...click...click...click...click...cl ick...click...click...click...click...click...paus e...click...click...click...click...click...click. ..
click...click...click...click...click...click...cl ick...click...click...click...
Clerk: What part of it do you need?
Me: The whole assembly. Mine's 25 years old an really not in useable condition.
Clerk: Okay...
click...click...click...click...click...click...cl ick...click...click...click...click...click...clic k...click...click...click...click...click...
click...click...click...click...click...click...cl ick...click...click...click...
Clerk: What else did you need?
Me: Valve cover gasket.
click...click...click...click...click...click...cl ick...click...click...click...click...click...clic k...click...click...click...click...click...click. ..click...
click...click...click...click...click...click...cl ick...click...click...click...click...click...clic k...click...click...click...click...click...click. ..click...
click...click...click...click...click...click...cl ick...click...click...click...click...click...clic k...click...click...click...click...click...click. ..click...
click...click...click...click...click...click...cl ick...click...click...click...click...click...clic k...click...click...click...click...click...click. ..click...
click...click...click...click...click...click...cl ick...click...click...click...click...click...clic k...click...click...click...click...click...click. ..click...click...click...
pause...click...click...click...click...click...cl ick...click...click...click...click...click...clic k...click...click...click...click...click...click. ..click...click...scowl...click...click...click... click...
click...click...click...click...click...click...cl ick...click...click...click...click...click...clic k...click...click...click...click...click...click. ..click...click...click...
click...click...click...click...click...click...cl ick...click...click...click...click...click...clic k...click...click...click...click...click...click. ..click...click...click...
click...click...click...click...click...click...cl ick...click...click...click...click...click...clic k...click...click...click...click...click...click. ..click...
Clerk: Which side do you need?
Me: What do you mean which side?
Clerk: *sigh* Do you want the left or the right one??
Me: There isn't a left or right one, it's one gasket?
Clerk: Are you sure? *scowl*
Me: Yes
*3 more minutes of clicking, then she stops and just stares at the screen*
click...click...click...click...click...click...cl ick...click...click...click...click...click...clic k...click...click...click...click...click...click. ..click...click...click...
click...click...click...click...click...click...cl ick...click...click...click...click...click...clic k...click...click...click...click...click...click. ..click...click...click...
click...click...click...click...click...click...cl ick...click...click...click...click...click...clic k...click...click...click...click...click...click. ..click...click...click...
click...click...click...click...click...click...cl ick...click...click...click...click...click...clic k...click...click...click...click...click...click. ..click...click...click...
Clerk: Is it round?
Me: No, it's a very irregular shape.
Clerk: *scowl* What's a valve cover?
Me: It's the cover over the camshafts that sit on top of the head.
*more computer screen staring*
click...click...click...click...click...click...cl ick...click...click...click...click...click...clic k...click...click...click...click...click...click. ..click...click...click...
click...click...click...click...click...click...cl ick...click...click...click...click...click...clic k...click...click...click...click...click...pause. ..click...click...click...
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Clerk: Is this it? (turns the screen around to me)
Me: No..
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Clerk: *starting to get snippy* I guess I don't understand what you want.
Me: Look, there's two cam shafts that sit on top of the engine that drive the valves. There is a cover over the top of them. I need the gasket that sits between the cover and the head. It's all one piece.
Clerk: *SIGH!!*
click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click...pause and stare... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click...
Mistake #2: Me: Also, could you pull up the p/n for a petcock from an 84-86 GS550E? They work as well, but more of them were made across more years for my bike, so there's a better chance of you having one in stock.
Clerk: Hold on.
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Clerk: Is this the part? (turns the screen and shows me the right gasket)
Me: Yup that's exactly what I'm looking for.
click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click...
Clerk: Okay, you wanted a part from a different year?
Me: Yep. The part numbers are slightly different but they both work in my tank.
Clerk: I don't get it.
Me: As far as I know, the only difference is they have a different knob on them that makes the valve easier to operate. Either way, I know it will work.
click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click...long pause and stare... click... click... click...
Clerk: I don't see your model for any other year.
Me: Then it will be under ES, ESD, ESF, ED...something similar
click... click... click... click... click... click... click... click...
Clerk: An ES?
Me: Yup
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Clerk: Okay, found it. We don't have any of your parts in stock.
Me: How long would it take to get it?
Clerk: 7-10 days
Me: What's the price?
Clerk: $80 for the petcock, $20 for the gasket.
Me: Okay, thanks anyway, but I'll just order them online.
Clerk: *scowl* Why would you do that?
Me: Because it's cheaper and I can get it faster and delivered to my house.
Clerk: But you have to pay shipping.
Me: No, I don't for this.
Clerk: Yes you do.
Me: *now getting a bit impatient* No. The company I will be ordering from will ship this specific order for free. Plus, you're all the way in the middle of nowhere and it's a 30 minute drive to get here.
Clerk: Oh, okay. *turns around and walks off shaking her head*
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