Freakin' parts prices...

[Justin B.]

Maybe I should have put this in the "rants" section, but it is Beemer related...  I Just finished ordering a few odds-and-ends for the LS.  Sometimes BMW absolutely floors me with what they think some of this crap is worth!    Sometimes (rarely) a part will cost way less than I figure it will but mostly the price seems absolutely insane.

I just ordered three of the air filter top hold down clips, the LS is missing three of them.  List price is six freakin dollars!!!!!    Damn, I don't want to buy shares of stock in the joint that stamps out the stinkin' things!!!!  I was guessingt at around $1.25 each when I was looking up the part number...  I make that like a little game.  I look up the part number, take a guess at how much I think it'll cost, then go look it up.  I sure blew it on that one!

Second part I really missed on was the little rubber hootus on the back of the air breather box, some sort of rubber flapper valve thingy or something.  I figured a couple of bucks, hold on to yer hat - $9.30!!!    The more I think about that one I may cancel it and just pop in a 25 cent rubber plug or a dollop of silicone... :-/

Then I ordered a couple of Brembo rebuild kits.  I figured I'd have to sell a few pints of blood AND mug a wino for them.  Chicago BMW's price - $24, sounded pretty reasonable.

But, as much as we like to bitch-and-moan about how much we are getting gouged, at least we can still get the stuff we need to keep these things on the road.  If we were trying to keep 25 year old jap bikes running we would get little help from the factory.  That was one of the reasons I sold an extremely low mileage (7000) Yamaha Virago my wife stumbled across a couple years ago.  I was going to use it as a summer bike so thought I'd lay in some spares which I considered expendable service/regular maintenance items.  Solly-Cholly, no makey that no more.  You need a $2 carb part?  Sorry, you'll need to give the bike to us and buy a new one...  I only rode it sparingly for one year, scared some unobtainable part would break and I'd be stuck with it!

What parts have you ordered that the price (either outrageous or down-right reasonable) has really surprised you?

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

No price comparisons right off the top of my head, but you might want to consider converting the air cleaner to the clamshell design.  You might even have one sitting in your garage!

[Semper Gumby]

That is possible?  To what benifit?

Bill

[Justin B.]

Well, I suppose I wouldn't need the "hootus", and the filters are cheaper...  But, I kinda like the looks of the square one...

[Isaac]

 I need a left-side light switch for my LS. Cost - $85

[Ed Miller]

I need a left-side light switch for my LS. Cost - $85

Oh no; I think mine may be wearing a bit, erratically.  

[mjbickford]

i just dropped 300+ on parts for my 3 bikes.  one was a new front wheel for the r65.  the other stuff was small odds and ends.  boot covers shift bushings etc.  and Ed, i got 4 yes 4 timing hole covers!

4 timing plug rubbers $1.00 ea.
> 1 mast cyl top $9.24
> 1 mast cyl rubber bellows $7.39
> 1 mast cyl reservoir  $39.55
> 1 mast cyl res o-ring  $2.00
> 1 choke lever top  $6.01
> 1 used left battery cover  $15.00
> 1 used front wheel $200.00
One Shift lever rubber bushing, 23 31 1 232 097 One of the brake
> switch rubber boots, 32 73 1 242 495 Two of the throttle cable caps,
> 61 31 1 244 071

[SCJJR65]

One of the biggest shocks I got regarding prices was shortly after I bought Britta in June of '03, when I decided to replace the dented and rust-pitted chrome ring in front of the headlight.  The parts guy at Touring Sport BMW in Greenville quoted me $115.95!  I blinked and said, "No, I don't need the entire headlight, just the chrome ring."  He replied, "That is the price for the ring only."

I went online to Moto-Bins (in England) and they had a chrome ring made by Bosch to fit the headlight, and with shipping from the UK cost me only $57!  Still a lot for a metal ring, but a little easier to swallow!

[msbuck]

Been needing one of those chrome rings for my husband's R100.  Don't have any intention of buying it from my dealer (even with my employee discount!).  Been scouring and bidding on ebay with no luck.  Those are a very popular item!  I'll have to check out Moto-bins!  Thanks!

[airhead]

My project 90/6 has a steering damper, though it looks like the PO at some time took it apart and lost the springs and plungers (called levers in the ETK) so there were no detent positions on the selector, it would just spin between stops.
I yesterday got the part numbers off the ETK and phoned the main BMW dealer here in the, what I thought unlikely, hope of buying some (been trying for a couple months to get SH ones etc.).
I gave the parts guy the numbers and within a minute he said the springs were in Melbourne for AU$1.20 each, and the levers were in Germany, but would be ordered in, and cost AU$3.60 each. I paid for them up front over the phone by CC, and for them to be mailed to me for an extra couple bucks. All this on a 30 year old bike....................try that with a Honda!!!!!!!!!

Bill.........................;-)

[Justin B.]

I agree, and it does make it a bit easier to swallow.