Top 10 Newbie Mistakes

[bwringer]

In reviewing the original list, I'm wondering if we might add another mistake?


6b could be: Not buying OEM Suzuki caliper or master cylinder kits or seals if they're available. The aftermarket kits are expensive, poor quality and usually don't fit quite right or are just plain incorrect, and the caliper kits don't include new pistons. Always check to see if OEM kits and seals are available; costs are surprisingly reasonable, they're excellent quality, and the caliper kits include new pistons. And even if full kits aren't available, OEM seals usually are available and much better quality and fit. Aftermarket kits are an absolute last resort.



Then again, that could be part of a more global "newbie mistake", buying crappy aftermarket parts when OEM is still available. I think a lot of n00bs get into a mindset where they think parts from Suzuki couldn't possibly be available, or will be priced too high, or that fleaBay is the only source for parts. Aftermarket gasket, brake, petcock, or carb kits seem like an easy solution, but years of bitter experience have proven them to be worse than useless.

OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) parts availability for vintage Suzuki motorcycles is surprisingly good, at least for "operational" parts and consumables. A lot of parts are no longer available, but it's always worth checking with one of the Suzuki OEM parts suppliers before settling for imitation aftermarket parts. For example, aftermarket engine gaskets and gasket kits (as well as petcock, brake, and carb kits) are well-known to be very low quality; it's ALWAYS worth the extra money to use Suzuki parts when they're available.

Of course, there are categories where aftermarket solutions are better than OEM. For example, using an o-ring kit from http://www.cycleorings.com/ and cleaning and re-using your original parts whee possible is the best way to rebuild your carbs, or of course upgrading your suspension, braided stainless steel brake lines, etc.

[roeme]

Hmmm, I've had great success with ordering an non-OEM brake seal kit (additionally included a bleed screw, copper rings and dust boots) from fleabay. Seller even contacted me to confirm the exact style of caliper, since those differed between mine and his country within the same year.

On top of that (not sure if that qualifies as 'aftermarket'), I went to the local bearing supplier and got new wheel bearings instead of going OEM. No problems whatsoever so far.

At the same time, I've had my share with sh!tty aftermarket stuff. Nothing catastrophic, but a noticeable difference to OEM.

So I'm not sure if and how this can be put in an easily digestible newbie rule.

[Nessism]

In reviewing the original list, I'm wondering if we might add another mistake?


6b could be: Not buying OEM Suzuki caliper or master cylinder kits or seals if they're available. The aftermarket kits are expensive, poor quality and usually don't fit quite right or are just plain incorrect, and the caliper kits don't include new pistons. Always check to see if OEM kits and seals are available; costs are surprisingly reasonable, they're excellent quality, and the caliper kits include new pistons. And even if full kits aren't available, OEM seals usually are available and much better quality and fit. Aftermarket kits are an absolute last resort.



Then again, that could be part of a more global "newbie mistake", buying crappy aftermarket parts when OEM is still available. I think a lot of n00bs get into a mindset where they think parts from Suzuki couldn't possibly be available, or will be priced too high, or that fleaBay is the only source for parts. Aftermarket gasket, brake, petcock, or carb kits seem like an easy solution, but years of bitter experience have proven them to be worse than useless.

OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) parts availability for vintage Suzuki motorcycles is surprisingly good, at least for "operational" parts and consumables. A lot of parts are no longer available, but it's always worth checking with one of the Suzuki OEM parts suppliers before settling for imitation aftermarket parts. For example, aftermarket engine gaskets and gasket kits (as well as petcock, brake, and carb kits) are well-known to be very low quality; it's ALWAYS worth the extra money to use Suzuki parts when they're available.

Of course, there are categories where aftermarket solutions are better than OEM. For example, using an o-ring kit from http://www.cycleorings.com/ and cleaning and re-using your original parts whee possible is the best way to rebuild your carbs, or of course upgrading your suspension, braided stainless steel brake lines, etc.

Great suggestion Brian. Added the following...

1C) Purchasing aftermarket parts when OEM Suzuki parts are still available. Check out places like partsoutlaw.com and partzilla.com for availability of OEM parts before ordering often inferior aftermarket parts off ebay or similar. This is particularly true for things like brake master cylinder and caliper rebuild kits. You can get the OEM part number from these sources and then search ebay for a lower price too.

[bwringer]

Hmmm, I've had great success with ordering an non-OEM brake seal kit (additionally included a bleed screw, copper rings and dust boots) from fleabay. Seller even contacted me to confirm the exact style of caliper, since those differed between mine and his country within the same year.

On top of that (not sure if that qualifies as 'aftermarket'), I went to the local bearing supplier and got new wheel bearings instead of going OEM. No problems whatsoever so far.

At the same time, I've had my share with sh!tty aftermarket stuff. Nothing catastrophic, but a noticeable difference to OEM.

So I'm not sure if and how this can be put in an easily digestible newbie rule.

Good points! Aftemarket isn't ALWAYS bad. As with everything, YMMV.


There are fleaBay sellers where I've obtained good carb parts (like needles and seats) for a good price that appear to be genuine and function great.

And yep, wheel bearings are one of those areas where it's a standard industrial part, so you certainly don't need OEM.


Maybe it could be phrased as something more like "before buying aftermarket parts, check with the GSR Hive Mind". And "learn how to shop online for Suzuki parts".


Or maybe we need to do more specific naming and shaming of the inferior stuff. Which is material that goes well beyond the scope of a top ten list.

For example:

- Keyster & K&L carb, petcock, and brake parts and kits are usually not good. K&L petcocks are usually OK.
- Motion Pro, Parts Unlimited, and other aftermarket levers and cables are functional, but nowhere near OEM quality and longevity. OEM cables and levers are actually reasonably priced!
- Bikemaster stuff is a mixed bag. The brake pads are terrible, but some of the tools are pretty good.
- Many Motion Pro tools are quite good.
- Aftermarket fork seals are never worth it. Use OEM only for the best life.
- Athena, Vesrah, and Cometic gaskets and kits are best avoided.
- Several folks have had promising results lately with "CruzinImage" parts, including piston rings and intake boots.
- Emgo parts are very uneven quality. Caveat emptor.
- Cheap rear shocks are sold online under a wide variety of weird names for around $80-$100/pair. They're never very good, but they'll keep the rear end in the air if you're desperate.
- There are lots of misleading auctions for the Shindengen series regulator. Watch yourself.
- If you're going with pods, it's worth spending the money on name brand pod filters; the identical looking cheapies will have you ripping your hair out.
- Kenda tires - just say "no".

[Banabdelnabi]

Where does everyone purchase their oem parts? Right now I’m trying to find a start kill switch for the right handlebar and am having no luck not even used ones for my 82 Gs850g

[Rob S.]

Where does everyone purchase their oem parts? Right now I’m trying to find a start kill switch for the right handlebar and am having no luck not even used ones for my 82 Gs850g

There's a ton of places that sell new old stock - Partzilla and Bike Bandit are the first two that come to mind.

[Nessism]

This is another good choice...https://www.partsoutlaw.com/

[bwringer]

NO ONE actually stocks very many OEM parts, especially for our ancient machines. NO ONE.

And sadly, us ordinary mortals cannot order from the Suzuki mothership directly.

All the online OEM parts sellers are dealers that then order the parts from Suzuki's warehouses, then ship to you. So expect two or three business days before the dealer gets the parts, maybe an extra business day for separating individual orders and repackaging, then whatever additional time it takes for shipping to you.

My preferred parts purveyor is a local dealer that happens to have an online parts sales website. I order my goodies, then when they call (And they do actually reliably call me when my stuff shows up! Stellar service!) I take a pleasant 20 minute ride to pick up my goodies and slobber on some new bikes and suchlike. They usually get parts in two to three days, so I can shortcut a few days of packing and shipping and skip paying shipping costs by choosing "will call". And prices are nearly identical to any other online parts shoppe.

This site belongs to Westfield Power Sports, just north of Indianapolis. It's where I order all my goodies, and they ship nationwide. Great people.

https://www.onlinecycleparts.com/

If you poke around locally, you might just find a dealer with a similar mutually beneficial arrangement.


Caveat A: if you walk into the dealer or call, expect much higher parts prices. Ordering online gets you a discount because you don't have to wake up the parts monkeys and force them to interpret your mouth noises and turn them into part numbers.


Caveat B: There are a few large reliable fleaBay sellers who appear to have stocks of NOS parts, probably inventory purchased from defunct dealers, or dealers clearing out old stuff. These can be great sources for OEM parts at a discount. For example, the more expensive gaskets like head gaskets or valve cover gaskets are often available this way and can save you a fair bit of cash. Look up the part numbers and see what you find on fleaBay. If the part number has been superceded, try the old and new numbers. Sometimes this works, sometimes not, but it's worth looking.

For example, a head gasket for my GS850G, 11100-45121, is $95.69 at OCP, and these pop up on fleaBay for less fairly often (about $80 right now, but I've scored much better discounts many times). That said, you do have to beware, and make sure you're getting an actual OEM part; a lot of scammers are peddling low-rent imitation Chinese crap using the Suzuki part number. You'll start seeing the same few sellers pop up.

For smaller items, like clutch cover gaskets, seals, o-rings, fasteners etc. it's often not worth the effort to track these down on fleaBay unless you're bored enough to work on your stockpile over the winter.

Another thing to watch for on fleaBay is old parts stashed in the new packaging and sold as NOS. This isn't always a deliberate scam; some people have the absolutely baffling, inexplicable habit of placing the old broken part carefully in the new part's box and then placing it on a shelf. Thirty years later, their heirs clean out the garage, and you can guess the rest. ALWAYS make sure you get good pics that give you a good look at the part and look for oil, opened bags, etc. You expect some rattiness on dusty NOS parts, so it can be difficult to tell the difference from a couple of blurry cell phone shots in the dark. I've gambled and lost a few times.

[roeme]

As for Europe, there's https://www.cmsnl.com/. And at least here in Switzerland, surprisingly many of the old OEM parts can still be had through a regular bike shop (with the usual markup).

[bwringer]

This is another good choice...https://www.partsoutlaw.com/

Yep. Parts Outlaw is the online parts sales arm of DeLand Motorsports in DeLand Florida. (Where DeLand is next to DeSea, I guess...)


FWIW, most of us are not fans of BikeBandit; their pricing is high, and they obfuscate OEM part numbers with their own doofy system to discourage comparison shopping. This also makes it very difficult to keep track of where you are if you have a large order. Customer service is also lacking, as in nonexistent.

[Steve]

FWIW, most of us are not fans of BikeBandit; their pricing is high, and they obfuscate OEM part numbers with their own doofy system to discourage comparison shopping.

Hey, Brian. There is a mere glimmer of candlelight on the horizon.

They now use OEM part numbers.

Still prohibitively expensive and no customer service, but it's a start.

.

[slayer61]

I have been waiting for 2 weeks for parts from Partzilla also. I guess I need to understand that shipping is somehow connected to the toilet paper shortage... is it over yet?

[Rob S.]

...shipping is somehow connected to the toilet paper shortage...

And no canned spinach! Coincidence? I think not. It's all a vast conspiracy...

[Nessism]

Most OEM's have more than one parts warehouse around the country and they try to serve the various dealerships from the warehouse closest to them. When a part is scarce, which is often the case with older parts, it's necessary to cross ship the parts from whatever warehouse has stock, and that obviously can cause delays.

I've bought a lot of parts from Bike Bandit over the years in part because they are (at least used to be) super fast. The left coast warehouses carry lots of Japanese parts and I would often receive the parts in the same week as ordered. I've also used Partzilla a lot but since they are a long way from me the delivery is expectedly slower. When I get into a project I like to keep the momentum going and if that means paying a little more to get the parts fast, I'll often do it. No scalping though, that gets a hard pass.

[Darrin G]

Thanks for this thread. Have pretty much made all these mistakes already on my rebuild. You guys think parts are.expensive in the States. Try converting those prices to South African Rands!!
Thanks again and hopefully I wont have too many stupid questions after reading this