These days we’re seeing more and more enthusiasts restoring or refurbishing their old rides. With a little TLC and the right parts, what’s old can become new again. But where do you find those old—well, new—parts for your project?
There are quite a few outlets that specialize in older bikes. Moreover, we’ve noticed that many of them cater to owners of bikes of 1970s and 1980s vintage. And that’s a good thing because many old rides from that era are still available at reasonable prices. Toss a few more coins into the replacement-parts kitty, and you’ve got yourself a decent ride for a modest investment.
To give you a nudge we’ve compiled a list of vintage and classic parts suppliers and vendors. This is by no means the definitive list—there are countless other sources—but these should get you started.
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Davida’s new Ninety Two open-face helmet has a fiberglass composite helmet reinforced with Kevlar. The Ninety Two is made in England, and is available in a variety of classic colors and retro paint schemes. The traditional-styled helmet carries British Standard BS 6658 1985 Type B certification for open-face helmets. (Note: not all Davida helmets are DOT-approved.)
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Don’t expect to buy used vintage and classic motorcycle parts from Randakk’s. They sell newly manufactured proprietary parts for GL1000, GL1100, GL1200, CBX, CX500 and DOHC four-cylinder Hondas. Randakk’s primary focus is carburetor rebuild kits, and tips for tuning and rebuilding Keihin carbs.
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Bob Warks describes himself as owner, painter, fabricator, parts man and janitor of Warkshop. In addition to custom painting, he sells five brands of new sidecars, handles used ones, does design work, and fabricates custom mounts for sidecar installations.
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Walridge Motors is one of the largest retail suppliers of classic British motorcycle parts in the world, listing more than 29,000 part numbers. The Ontario, Canada-based company maintains an inventory of about $2 million worth of parts and accessories for older bikes. For best results customers are urged to provide all part numbers; Walridge offers inexpensive illustrated parts books for many bikes. A free 2010-’11 mail-order catalog ($3 for postage) that includes tips and advice for Brit-bike owners will be available this autumn. This catalog lists more than 3,000 parts, but Walridge emphasizes that it is not a substitute for a parts book. The catalog can also be viewed on their website.
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Looking for café racer components for your classic British, Italian or Japanese bike? Check out TBM Performance, a mail-order business that offers alloy front fenders, clip-on handlebars and more. If you’re not especially concerned about restoring your vintage or classic ride, this might be your source for replacement parts.
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American Classix
Most owners of 1970s and ‘80s vintage Kawasaki KZ650s, KZ900s and KZ1000s will eventually become familiar with American Classix. That’s because Classix offers a variety of replacement parts for these classic fours from Japan. Want to get your Kaw out of the pasture? Try these people.
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Here’s a way to enjoy your classic bike, and have a little fun on the side. Motorvation offers retro-style sidecars that attach to most any motorcycle, including the oldies. The folks in Sibley, Iowa, have been building sidecars since 1979 so they’ve accumulated a vast amount of experience in what rigs fit what bikes.
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Sudco International carries the full line of replacement Keihin and Mikuni carburetors for older bikes and for aftermarket applications. You can also order OEM fuel petcock repair kits, Pingel fuel valves, and PC Racing or K&N Engineering replacement air filters for your old ride.
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