COST OF ONE PAPER YAMAHA CARB FLOAT CHAMBER GASKET - OUCH!

smi481 · Last edited by smi481 on Sun May 15, 2011 3:16 pm; edited 1 time in total

Decided to check the bikes over, now that the weather
is getting warmer and we found that one of the carbs
on our Yamaha YM2C needed to be cleaned to run
properly.

We opened the carb and noticed that the Mikuni carb
bowl gasket was torn. No problem .... just order one
from a Yamaha Vintage dealer.

Imagine our surprise ...... when we were quoted $14.75 for the
paper gasket - plus $7.50 shipping and handling = $22.25
to purchase and ship a single .... 1/8 ounce paper bowl gasket!

Hmmm .... must be because they are very scarce, right?

NOPE, the fellow on the phone reported that he had "A box full of them in stock"
then he laughed!

$22.50 for that single, non-rare paper gasket, confirms what others on this
forum have reported ..... about the high parts prices that are being charged.

ztnoo · Posted: Sat May 14, 2011 3:28 pm Post subject:

I think what has happened is lots of NOS parts that once where in any small burg or crossroads with a Honda, Yammy, Suzie, or Kawa shop have gravitated to larger, aggressive, more well financed dealerships and individuals who long ago figured out there would be money to be made down the line somewhere. Examples: Speed and Sport and Paul Miller Motorcycles. They actively sought out closing dealership inventories and snapped them up. In some cases they may have had the part(s) 10-15 years.....i.e. their capital has been tied up for a long, long time. The vintage bike resto thing has shifted into high cog the last several years and those people who now retain probably at least 90-95% of what is left are in the driver's seat.
Don't fool yourself.....it is Econ 101........supply drives prices on the larger scale.
Whoever you dealt with may control 97% of the known inventory of that particular part.......and they will charge what they can or continue to sit on the part.
They know someone will eventually come along, and they will be rewarded for their long time investment in a 35-45 year old part.

We're actually all very lucky there is the volume of parts in the marketplace there seems to be, this far down the road from production and sale dates.
I'm stunned every day at what I find.

Russell · Posted: Sat May 14, 2011 4:25 pm Post subject:

I'm a salaried employee so perhaps don't have a good grasp of economics of business...but... given the costs of inventory, checking up on whether you have the part some-body wants,maintaining communications systems etc etc...$14.95 doesn't seem much for a single part despatch, regardless of the actual cost originally to the retailer. I dislike paying a lot for a little as well...but if I was to try and make such a part for myself I wonder how much time I'd spend on it before I achieved something use-able. Is it really that expensive, when you look at it in the bigger picture?

Bikegeezer

MR.CHocko · Posted: Sat May 14, 2011 5:06 pm Post subject:

I know it is easy to just complain and the internet makes it easy. But next time do what we use to do way back in the day. Just don't buy from that seller again.

Russell · Posted: Sat May 14, 2011 5:21 pm Post subject:

Shipping charges are a HUGE issue for those of us in this tiny country so far away from where parts we seek are held. It is quite routine to check up on a part available in North America on-line that is only a handful of dollars,only to find that, the seller has a deal going with a shipping outfit that has a minimum cost to ship to our country, that takes the total into triple figures! As Bikegeezer commented the part might fit in an envelope and be able to be mailed. I'm really fortunate to have a friend in your country who doesn't mind accepting deliveries of motorbike and bicycle bits for me. Then she re-addresses the item to me and takes it down to a Post Office. Luckily for me.

MR.CHocko · Posted: Sat May 14, 2011 6:58 pm Post subject:

I would agree and as someone who ships a lot of parts overseas, I will admit that there are some sellers who do have some unscruplous business practices going on with shippers. Even tho as hard as I try to keep shipping costs reasonable, there are somethings that I have to ship by the most expensive means possible. Case in point would be seats. As much as I would like to sell a NOS Corbin Gentry Seat for a CB400 to Australia or New Zealand, but the shipping cost is extremely prohibative for most people.

05c50 · Posted: Sat May 14, 2011 7:39 pm Post subject:

Although the cost of hard to find part can be debated, what ticks me off is charging outrages amounts for shipping! I ship things in and out of the US on a regular basis. The Post Office has made shipping many things very simple. Case in point: Most of the items I ship fit in "Priority Mail" boxes. I can go on line and- order the boxes for free, buy and print postage, and have the package picked up at my door. All this costs me nothing and very little time. Some people use "shipping and handling" as a profit center!! Ok, I'll step down off my soap box... Laughing

.........Paul

MR.CHocko · Posted: Sat May 14, 2011 8:29 pm Post subject:

Let me tell you about S&H fees, and I am only talking about ebay. My website is an entirely different story. The reason why a lot of us charge S&H fees is because of ebay's fee structure, we really do not make much money. If I go and sell something for $15.00, $2.25 goes to ebay, a $1.50 goes to paypal, then once you figure out the cost of bubble wrap,my time to find the part,test it,etc. Once everything is all calculated my total profit is only $2.00. So now maybe you can see why I do not really like ebay.

05c50 · Posted: Sat May 14, 2011 8:37 pm Post subject:

MR.CHocko · Posted: Sat May 14, 2011 8:44 pm Post subject:

That I do agree with you. Sometimes even ebay's shipping calculator is a little outrageous. I had to check the price on something that should be like $5.28 to ship to California, they have it calculated to $8.00. Like I said earlier just do not buy from that vendor again.

Steve Searles · Posted: Sun May 15, 2011 7:08 am Post subject: Shipping Charges

I had a part shipped from only maybe 120 miles away and thought $4.50 was reasonable. I was going to just hop in the truck and go get it but with gas at $4.29/gallon it would have taken over $40 to get there and back. So.. I guess $4.50 is not bad. Gas prices are making shipping costs go up. The average guy trying to work to make a living is getting poorer by the day. This makes restoring a keeping these old bikes harder and harder. Sometimes I wonder if I should just give up. Sad

05c50 · Posted: Sun May 15, 2011 8:11 am Post subject:

Steve, with the gas prices what they are, sometimes I have to stop and consider all the different angles. At $5.00 to ship a small Priorty Mail package, and gas at $4.00 per gallon, you can only 25 miles round trip and break even.............maybe shipping isn't that expensive after all. Shocked

.........Paul

Bentwheel · Posted: Sun May 15, 2011 11:44 am Post subject:

Another thing that gas prices has influenced is going on a road trip to purchase vintage bikes. In the last two weeks I have made three trips to look at old bikes for sale. First round trip (Honda VT550 Ascot) 400 KM's, 2nd trip ( Yamaha 650 Seca) 500 KM's, and 3rd (Suzuki GS750) 540 Km's. Well I've spent almost $200 in gas and didn't buy a bike. Sadly I've decided to temporarily stop looking for bikes to buy, unless they are in my neighbourhood.

Steve Searles · Posted: Sun May 15, 2011 2:46 pm Post subject:

Amen brothers. When they say excellent condition you know what that means. Gas money spent and a pile of junk. I am lucky as my "business" gets bikes brought to me sometimes. I am in line to purchase a 1983 Honda V65 and will post pics when that comes thru. Otherwise road trips are a thing of the past for me as well.