It’s tough when even small OEM parts are hard to come by these days.
With Kawasaki’s Z-series and Honda’s CB-K models, I’d think “well, that’s just how it is,” but even the unstoppable Katana and the overwhelming majority of oil-cooled bikes are facing a crisis.
The reality is that Japanese bikes can’t be found domestically.
After all, with a population of around 120 million, what percentage do you think actually ride motorcycles?
When you put it that way, you’re right… the market base is… ▼
When you compare the massive market volume of the EU and America to Japan, it makes sense that there’s so much inventory overseas.
It’s amazing that Z-series and CB models from the 70s and 80s are still being discovered.
And recently, after patrolling the world for several weeks, I’ve found all sorts of things—decals, reproduction fairings, and even what looks like a Decoboco side cover.
Plus, displacement varies by country and names are subtly different, so searching is genuinely tedious and time-consuming. I tell myself “this isn’t hardship, it’s effort” and keep clicking away…
Before I knew it, I was in Germany. It looks readable but it’s not… language barriers really are a thing.
Even after finding and purchasing a part, you can’t relax until it arrives.
If you’re not careful, they’ll throw it around… that’s just how people are.
Delivery-wise, most shipments come by air these days, so if all goes well it takes about one to two weeks.
As long as customs doesn’t hold it up, it arrives quickly.
Of course, like always, you can’t relax until you open the box and see the actual part.
With the spread of the internet, translation and card payments have become easier, so it’s smoother, but there are more risks than buying domestically, and sometimes you end up paying taxes afterward, so you need to be careful.
