The New And Improved Unofficial R65 Forum V2
Technical Discussion => BMW Technical Q&A, Primarily R65 => Topic started by: tunnelrider on July 23, 2014, 04:20:07 AM
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Hi there to all of you, this is my first approach to this fabulous community so hopefully I'm asking a reasonably valid question.
My request is whether anyone can direct me to a reputable BMW parts dealer for new R65 parts that can accept payment from and send overseas - to New Zealand in my case.
I have a local BMW dealer who are good but they're reliant on their NZ- European importer, who took five months to deliver new control cables.
This may've been due to unavailability of the cables, but I don't want to risk waiting that long again for fork damper rod parts, I want to ride my bike!
(Yes that disappearing/ disintegrating damper rod stop ring, see the fabulous thread 'Does my damper rod assembly seem odd to you?'.)
The particular part is not in stock in NZ so I'm willing to try and get it elsewhere. (I've also ordered it at the local dealer, so it'll be interesting to see what way is faster...) I thought I'd see if there is a known good choice before trawling the net.
Sorry this turned into a bit of a novel, wasn't meant to be!
Has anyone had a good experience with an international retailer?
Cheers.
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Motobins in the London UK area is a very good international supplier of OEM BMW parts .
Great prices and fast shipping .
I can usually get parts quicker from Motobins, than I can from a BMW dealer locally in the US, if they have to be ordered .
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Not that it makes any difference to overseas orders but Motobins are actually in Surfleet Linconshire over 100 miles from London. I called in once when I was down that way.
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Motorworks
http://www.motorworks.co.uk/vlive/Home/index.php
I prefer these to Motobins and a much better website (IMO...)
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http://www.moto.bins.co.uk
I have been buying stuff from Moto Bins since the early 80s when I discovered that I could get parts from them quicker and cheaper then my State distributor, Morgan & Wacker in Brisbane.
Unlike Wackers, Motobins have nearly almost always sent the right part, and on the very odd occasion that they have got it wrong they have rectified immediately and not waited for me to return the wrongun, unlike Wackers who take the viewe that if they send the wrong part (even when you have given them the blasted part number) then it is your fault and they will not send the right one until they get the wrong one back. In 1983 after sending me the wrong switch block they wanted to charge me a "restocking fee, funnily enough that was the last thing I have ever bought from them.
Moto Bins are excellent in my view.
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I can agree with Motobins anyway. The service to Australia is quick and they do communicate well. They queried me once if I was buying the right part before processing the order. I don't mind that at all.
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There you go, there's two Aussies posting concurrently. No collusion. :)
I did have a peek at Chris's Motoworks site. 'found this:-http://www.motorworks.co.uk/vlive/Shop/Parts.php?T=6&Q=ELA90000
'might be worth a look.
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I've been using Motobins for 6 years now and would not use any other company!
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I have used 2 suppliers here in the UK and motobins are by far the best. Like another poster mentioned they will query you if they think you may have ordered the wrong part.
Also, as I found out yesterday, they have an online chat function which you can use to ask them questions before ordering the right parts. Very helpful and friendly guys.
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Thanks for the tips guys. I had a brief look at Motobins, and used the handy online chat support. They don't stock the part no. I'm after (31 421 237 215) unfortunately. Saw lots of things I'd like... but don't need! So I'll try Motorworks when I've got a bit more time.
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Hello again, Motorworks have pulled through in front on this one! Thanks to everyone for replying to my basic request, you've put me on to two great international retailers and I've been looking at Max's in the US as well.
Balibeemer, I rode a little 100cc bike around Bali 14 years ago, it was one of the most fun things I've done. You are a lucky man for riding an R65 around the beautiful island, great stuff.
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Yey!
Motorworks rock!
Much better than Motobins (IMO)
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munich motorcycles in Wa, oz are pretty good at sourcing and super quick and efficient. Down side is they are expensive and if you can as per thread, Motobins and motorworks have been great and quick to Vicco.
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Seems like it has gone into voting on this topic. My vote goes to Motorworks, I have ordered almost all my supplies from them.
Nice crowd to work with and their web interface is friendly. The downside is that they use their own item identification system and the general BMW part no. is not used. Therefore you have to know what you are ordering. Few times I have gotten wrong items but it helps to tell them what year model they have and then they check over with you if they see misalignment. I always get my money back and items swapped if something happens.
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munich motorcycles in Wa, oz are pretty good at sourcing and super quick and efficient. Down side is they are expensive and if you can as per thread, Motobins and motorworks have been great and quick to Vicco.
If Munich motorcycles were the last place on earth I could buy a BMW part from I would either go without or make it myself.
I bought a fuel tank from them last year, now I hasten to say the fuel tank was pretty much as described, the price was $220 which was fine for a complete tank less tap and cap, and freight was quoted at $80 which I thought was on the high side, but then a fuel tank does "cube out" fairly high if the carrier follows that policy.
I also thought (but I must admit I did not confirm) that it was coming express.
Well, the tank took 12 days to arrive and when it did it had $25 worth of Fastway couriers pre-paid coupons on it. "Fastway" are the most mis-named courier service in recorded history, they are in fact only marginally faster than a boy on a bicycle on the good day, and they have dammed few of those. But what they do have is a marvelous pre-paid ticket system which is a boon for businesses that do not want to have to think about freight rates - you simply buy books of tickets and then stick the appropriate amount on the box according to the "plan" that you have and the number of "sectors" (essentially how many state lines are crossed). It's a clever system, but as i said, they are bog slow - for non-priority freight it simply sits on their dock until they have a container load and only then does it move.
Good system if you are not in a hurry, and truthfully I was not given that 14 months later I am just about ready to start the R65 for the first time in 20 years.
However, inspection of the tank revealed a few really irritating things.
Prior to it being dispatched the wire bale that secures the rear of the tank to main tube, and the rubbers, were removed - obviously there was another sale to be made. The scratch marks were the bale was taken off and the rubbers removed were very new and obviously recent.
I contacted Munich motors and inquired firstly as to the whereabouts of the bale and rubbers and then requesting a refund of the difference between $80 and $25 (plus a reasonable fee for "handling") they were not interested in talking to me.
There is an old Australian saying, "you can shear a sheep many times, but you can only fleece it once".
Not only will Munich Motors never see another dollar of mine, I regard it as my mission in life to warn off as many people as possible. I do hope that Munich Motors have someone in this group and I hope that the around $50 excess freight, $35 the wire bale plus freight cost and an hour of my time (which in other circumstances would cost them $400 + tax, but I guess in these circumstances is free) was worth it. Occasionally I wonder how many thousands of dollars of sales that could of been theirs they have lost because they made the decision to fleece me.
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That's bad luck they sent the fuel tank with a courier asking for a delivery fee, I would be annoyed at that for sure. But... your tank cost a lot less than I can source a second hand tank from within NZ ($350 plus postage).
Mate congrats on your work on your R65! I spent a bit of time working in your neck of the woods in the early '00's, she'll be a beaut ride up the Dividing Range to Mareeba and beyond! I'm envious of you while I'm thinking back...
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But... your tank cost a lot less than I can source a second hand tank from within NZ ($350 plus postage).
Well, I am on the other side of that equation now. I need a new tank for the KLE project I bought a few months back, the only one I can find in Australia is a fairly beaten up one and the wrecker who has it wants $350 for the tank and $50 to send it to me. Which is irritating because I can buy a much better tank in Germany for $60, the problem is that no air-freight carrier will accept a used fuel tank under any circumstances and surface freight from Europe simply does not exist any more, at least as far as small parcels go.
Going to grit my teeth and buy the local one.
Mate congrats on your work on your R65! I spent a bit of time working in your neck of the woods in the early '00's, she'll be a beaut ride up the Dividing Range to Mareeba and beyond! I'm envious of you while I'm thinking back...
Well there really is nothing to congratulate as it is:-
(a) unfinished,
(b) cosmetically not even in the same league as some of the beautiful work done by others, and
(c) has taken too damm long.
I seem to keep finding things to distract me, still I am kind of out of excuses now as everything is here, in boxes and all I have to do is put the Meccano set together. Do you have a spare round to-it I can borrow?
Ahhh....The ranges. I went for a ride on the XT a few weekends - down to Gordonvale, up the Gillies. Breakfast at the Whistle-stop at Yungaburra, then south, down the Palmerston to Innisfail.
I must have been feeling frisky cause I went straight past home and on to Daintree for lunch, back a bit and then up the Rex back onto the Tablelands, then Mareeba, down the Kuranda range and home.
You know, I could charge serious money to take people on that ride - first the Gillies with its 800 corners, then Palmerston with its high speed bends and breathtaking views. Plam Cove to Pt Douglas sea on one side, rainforest on the other. The Rex range is interesting and the Kuranda range is demanding.
What a fantastic way to burn up 400 of km,.
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Yep that's a quality 400km of tropical tarmac and trees Tony, must've been a great day.
I'm very impressed with Motor Works, the damper rod stop rings arrived yesterday, just over a week since I ordered them, sent half way around the world! No word from my BMW dealer and they had a week head start. Looks like I've found my new dealer. Thanks to all of you!
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Just ordered some parts from Munich. Impeccable service and super fast. I think we all have bad dealings on the net but hey you an only report what you experience!
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Hello again, Motorworks have pulled through in front on this one! Thanks to everyone for replying to my basic request, you've put me on to two great international retailers and I've been looking at Max's in the US as well.
Balibeemer, I rode a little 100cc bike around Bali 14 years ago, it was one of the most fun things I've done. You are a lucky man for riding an R65 around the beautiful island, great stuff.
Its a bit different now! mainly traffic jams and drunk tourists.