Japan has got it going on...webike.

I have. I spent the last 2 hours or more just looking at parts for my next anticipated project and pieces to finish the one I have been working on. I can honestly say that in Japan, and other countries, They take the whole resto angle to dizzying heights! All of the friends I have accumulated over there have done some crazy things with their rides. I am on that same level of thinking which led me to the whole,"Would a custom kaw business fly over here?" Of course if it would I think it fair to expand to the other makes that have been prized over the years.
I know that some of those parts would make a bike look like rice but there are many stainless steel parts and wheels and all other parts for these bikes that would make someone crash their car ogling your bike in traffic. Seriously. The down side is that most of this is lost in translation and I wonder what it would take to glean all the awesome stuff from there and actually start a business building bikes past the whole OEM correct level and to actually make works of art that form and function at a level higher than OEM.
I wonder if someone here in America would be able to make a go of this catering to the Z crowd or if it would be in vain. I have to think that if people saw these bikes all restored to higher quality standards than original that there would be a strong movement happen here. Of course I would like to get your opinion on the matter. Please share.

This is a nice site.. japan.webike.net/

I look though it once a month and have posted items for info on forum in the past.

Its pricy, but some hard to find items.

Has anyone ordered from them? I have tried some comms but with no replies. Wondering about the language barrier.

HBKwaka wrote: Has anyone ordered from them? I have tried some comms but with no replies. Wondering about the language barrier.

webike.net advertizes interesting Z-related items on eBay so they are more than willing to sell to North America. Doremi and PMC also offer incredible items and all can be purchased through several North American vendors, including Z1Enterprises.com

Yea looked thru Z1 and Doremi. I was curious if anyone had had success oredering thru web. Complicated site with too much info.

HBKwaka wrote: Yea looked thru Z1 and Doremi. I was curious if anyone had had success oredering thru web. Complicated site with too much info.

Agreed...Japanese sites can be difficult to navigate. In the past, when I find something I want from Japan (I have needed parts for my Z2 and those parts are completely unavailable on this side of the Pacific), I order it through Z1Enterprises and let them get it from the Japanese (since they have a long-standing relationship with PMC, etc.).

HBKwaka wrote: Yea looked thru Z1 and Doremi. I was curious if anyone had had success oredering thru web. Complicated site with too much info.

Explore www.WIN-PMC.com as it has a built-in translator program (still not the easiest to use but worth the struggle)...anything you find on the site can be ordered through Z1Enterprises. :)

Awesome Thxs

In an ideal world, I agree and support your proposition Sax.

In the real world, Americans in general are a cheap lot. That is one of the reasons why "Made in Japan" back in the 60s & 70s became so in demand & popular. Japan turned out less costly goods and we in the good ole U.S.A. snapped them up. I for one am glad this happened because it helped spur a true revolution in motorcycle manufacturing & performance. However, today we see Chinese made products dominate certain markets especially in low cost items. That is changing and many more capital goods are being made there as well. I just don't see the Chinese repeating what the Japanese did, quality & innovation wise that is. Look at Hyundai out of Korea. You cannot drive down the road(at least in my area) without seeing a Hyundai. What I am trying to say is yes, your idea can work as long as you have enough customers willing to pay more than they would for a Chinese knock-off product or old spares circulating on Ebay. I understand that the cheap nondiscriminating folks would not be your market anyway. But, how big is the discriminating deep pocket market? Specialty areas such as antique auto resto and certain bike mod shops can make a go but can carry a lot of start up cost & risk. I say get your own Discovery, TLC, History channel show and let them pay you too! You can call it "Sax's Sexy Machines":lol:

Mcdroid wrote:

HBKwaka wrote: Yea looked thru Z1 and Doremi. I was curious if anyone had had success oredering thru web. Complicated site with too much info.

Agreed...Japanese sites can be difficult to navigate. In the past, when I find something I want from Japan (I have needed parts for my Z2 and those parts are completely unavailable on this side of the Pacific), I order it through Z1Enterprises and let them get it from the Japanese (since they have a long-standing relationship with PMC, etc.).

+1

I needed a replacement oil sender boot which only came on a complete wiring harness. Z1E was able to get it.

I have perused that site a few times, only place out there that shows a listing for repro henry abe wheels, which like the real ones are sadly over priced. But tons of cool stuff on there and nearly everything has a chrome or stainless version listed

i have ordered from webike and will do so again.
done it all over the web never communicated with them,just ordered my parts and waited.
didn't have to wait long either they get here as fast or faster than places i order from in the states.

hth,
leon