Probably no more than the markup on anything else.
Well, my busted radiator's gonna cost me nearly $700!
Some mark up on bike parts, eh?
Probably no more than the markup on anything else.
Probably not, considering the low volume of such parts.Originally Posted by MikeHalloran
I am suspicious...Originally Posted by MikeHalloran
I realize the volume for a part like this (the number of radiators built, etc.) is low relative to the typical car. But still. As an example: My '76 Trans-Am has been out of production for 31 years; the last car in its series was built in '81. A long time ago. Not many on the road today - not a very big market for parts, relatively speaking. And yet, I can buy (and did buy) a four-core radiator for this car that cost less than the radiator for my '03 ZRX.
I doubt the radiator for my bike is "bike-specific," either. I am betting it is the same unit used on several other Kaw bikes (for example, the ZZR1200, which shares other pieces with the ZRX1200). They built a fair number of these; over a period of several years, too.
Also: it's s not a complex piece of equipment we're talking about here - nor does it use exotic materials.
We're talking about a pretty basic radiator that's about the same size as the heater core of a passenger car ...
The other thing, of course, is that I'm paying nearly $300 for labor and install, etc. The bike broke down 40-something miles from home and it was either that or deal with getting a ride home, getting the truck, driving the truck the 80 miles (round trip) from the shop to home - and fixing it myself here.
I just decided to let the shop deal with it and save myself the hassle. I figure I owe myself the "treat"!
$700 for a radiator. Ouch.
How much for one of the plastic trim pieces (including decals) like the piece under the seat?
I seem to recall those were really extortionate.
Chip H.
Bike plastic s the worst, no question.Originally Posted by chiph
It's easy to "total" a new sport bike in a relatively minor accident that leaves the engine/frame and other driveline parts
functionally undamaged (or with minimal damage). But the cost to replace the fairings/bodywork can run into thousands... and if the bike cost, say, $8,000 brand new (and a couple of years later is worth maybe $5,000) then a $3,000 bill for new plastic (and "little things" like replacing a smashed up - and $400 - tachometer/speedo, etc.) will more than likely mean the insurance company declares it a total loss.
"Well, my busted radiator's gonna cost me nearly $700!"
You might want to consider what I did. I own two Ventures. One I bough as junk, after it was hit by a car. The insurance company didn't want it, so I bought it cheap, for a thousand bucks. That's cheaper than the $1,400.00 Venture radio that came with it. It has saved me a bundle on parts and that includes a radiator as well as a water pump on the other Venture.
While new bike parts are very expensive, junk bikes are quite cheap, and you might still have some needed parts after they are discontinued and very difficult to find.
-Don-
Originally Posted by DonTom
Several motorcycle salvage companies sell salvage bikes on e-bay.
Seems to me that there would be money to be made making after-market plastics.
Yeah, but somebody has to front something like a hundred grand to make an injection mold for each piece of plastic, and you have to sell a bunch of parts to make that back.
Other processes can produce decent plastic parts from less expensive molds, but there's more labor in trimming and finishing, so it's still hard to keep the price palatable, even if you don't have to provide special brackets to replace features that can only be done with injection molded parts.
The OEM replacement parts are priced just low enough to make third party manufacture of replacements unattractive as a business.
There is - but these parts are not "exact fit" and are usually "paint to match" too. Racers and guys who do a lot of track days like them, though...Originally Posted by mrblanche
But if you want OE look and function, you are pretty well screwed!