Motorcycle Parts Information

These pages should help you to when buying used spares. The parts descriptions should help if you are not familiar with some of the terms that are commonly used. If you are mechanically inclined much of what is written here will be old news but there might be some useful tips nonetheless. The buying tips are well worth checking as some of these are things that you just might not think about.

Buying Used Parts

When buying used parts there are a couple of golden rules that could save you some frustration later. Like buying anything else it can pay big dividends to be well informed before you buy.

What Model?

The single most important thing is to know exactly what model you are looking for parts for. Just because a bike is registered in a certain year does not mean that is its model year. So if you are looking for parts for a 2001 Suzuki GSXR 600 you need to know that it is a 2001 year model and not a 1999 bike that was registered late. Most bike models do have a specific model code that changes every year and is part of the full name, this is usually all you need. Going back to our earlier example, the 1999 GSXR 600 was actually the GSXR 600 X and the 2001 model was the GSXR 600 K1. There is a vast difference between these particular motorcycles and knowing this would make a big difference when looking for parts. Of course it is not always so critical as some bikes with different model codes are virtually the same. Again in the GSXR example, there is very little difference between 1997 and 2000 models and almost all parts are interchangeable between these model years. It is worth noting though that if you are looking for standard bodywork you will have to be careful with colours as these are often changed every year.

What Part?

So now you know what bike the part is for you need to know what parts to buy and how to make sure you get what you need. The following pages are here to try to help with that. These pages are a glossary of common terms and describe the component parts of a motorcycle with a bit of information about what to look for when buying. This is only intended be general as different motorcycle models can vary considerably.

How Much?

It might seem obvious but the next thing to do is to price the parts new. Sometimes the price of new parts may not be as bad as you might think and knowing the new price will put you in a much better position to barter. Used parts dealers will sometimes not realise the price of new parts, there are just too many and some manufactures cut the price of new parts once a model gets to a certain age because they can not sell the parts at the higher price for an older bike any more.

Are Used Parts Any Good?

Used spares can be a bargain if you can find what you need but you need to make sure that the condition of the part is what you are expecting. Most newer bikes end up being dismantled for spares after an accident and often this means they have covered very low mileages and the parts can really be as good as new. With older bikes the story is a bit more difficult as many older bikes are broken because parts of them are worn out (e.g. a bike being broken because the engine is damaged and the repair is more than the bike is worth). When looking for spares for bikes over five or six years old it is worth spending a bit more time checking that the part will be in the condition you expect it to be in. If you are looking for mint parts for an older bike just make that clear to the seller, tell him you are a collector / enthusiast so he is aware of your expectation. If you can get some information about what happened to the bike that the parts came from that can also be a big advantage. If you are looking for front forks and the bike was involved in a collision then obviously you need to get some assurance that they have been properly checked.

Who to Buy From?

Lastly, make sure you know something about who you are buying from and what your rights are. A dealer that is a real bricks and mortar business will have a landline telephone number and a real commercial address. This is not always true of someone running a web based business and you should be a bit more cautious. If you are buying parts online from a real business you are protected by something called the distance selling act and this gives you rights that you don't have when dealing with private sellers. The distance selling act does not apply to auction goods either so if you buy your parts from an unknown private seller on a web auction site for a fraction of their value then be prepared for the possibility of hassle.

Once your parts arrive you need to check them carefully as soon as possible to make sure they are what you have ordered. Mistakes do happen and can be frustrating but if you have taken all the steps above you should have no problem getting it sorted out. If you leave it a week or more before you do anything about a wrongly supplied part it will be much harder to try and sort it out.

Information about individual parts by category

Bodywork and Fittings

Fairings, Panels, Petrol Tank, Mudgaurds, Seats, Locks

Chassis

Frame, Swingarm, Subframe, Footrest, Sidestand, Grabrail

Electrical, Lighting and Controls

Loom, Switchgear, Coils, Headlight, Indicators, Brake Lever, Clutch Cable, Gear Lever

Engine, Gearbox and Transmission

Engine parts, gearbox parts, final drive components.

Fuel, Exhaust and Cooling System

Carburettors, Throttle Bodies, Fuel Pump, Exhaust Headers, Silencer, Radiator, Oil Cooler

Suspension and Steering

Forks, Yokes, Rear Shock Absorber, Suspension Linkages, Spindles

Wheels Brakes and Final Drive

Wheels, Brake Disks, Brake Caliper, Sprocket Carrier