Do inexpensive rebuild parts even exist?

KaZooCruiser wrote:

It's getting time to re-ring my '78 650, and the head gasket at the dealer is 94 dollars, and the rings are over 250.00.

I saw a wiseco kit on ebay and that was 498 for 4 pistons and rings.

I thought motorcycling was supposed to be economical. . .

:laugh:

they are but not as cheap as bicyles and skateboards but you can carry more stuff home with them.

How much $ were you planning to spend?

so are you looking for an answer to where to buy cheap parts or sympathy here? your origional post doesnt really suggest what youre after here? some of us were just stating that it is a cheap hobby compared to others out there! :woohoo:

KaZooCruiser wrote:

... As far as contacting Z1. . .I don't think its a 800 number. . .and because I have an expensive 10 cent a minute telephone, I was hoping I could source out what I need via the most inexpensive method possible, the computer internet at the library. Wouldn't make sense to me to call Z1, get put on hold maybe, and then be told 650 pistons and rings are not available, after it seems the Z1 web site has already indicated that.

It's easy to communicate with Z1E via email.
And doesn't cost anything.

At Z1E website, click on "Parts Request" at top of screen.

Good Luck!

theres an 831 kit with rings in the classified section for $300,cheap enough for ya?

Just for the record, I generally (re) build 3 or 4 car / truck engines a year.

Toyota 22R
Mazda B2200
Datsun A14
Nissan 720
Honda CRX

historical record as examples

When I have had to put pistons / rings in, it is usually 80-120 for the four. PISTONS AND RINGS.

I just went back into my own truck with .40 over rings.

They were 28 dollars for all four holes.

So when I started pricing out parts to do my bike, it was kind of obscene what was being asked for the parts.

300 for USED parts is not "cheap enough for me."

264 dollars at the dealer for new rings isn't either.

The last CB350 Honda twin I did cost 45 for two ring sets.

its a volume thing.you can get a rering kit for a smallblock chevy with rings/bearings /oilpump/timing chain and gaskets for under $100.00,mostly because there is approximately 400 million of them and a lot of em get rebuilt every year.just not enough of these old bikes around to demand the kind of production numbers to make parts that cheap.which is fine with me in a way because i dont want to share the road with 400 million other kawasakis,kinda takes the uniqueness out of it! :laugh:

There are brand new piston+ring+pin sets for the 750 twins for sale for $36 each set which is dirt cheap. They look exactly like OEM pistons, even to the mold letters on the top of the piston. Maybe they made a lot of the twins or maybe they just made a lot of pistons and then didn't build enough engines to use them up. Too bad they don't sell the piston sets for the fours than cheap.

I wonder if these would work. . .

cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Gas-Scooter-Bike...fDefaultDomainQ5f100

One thing to keep in mind is Supply & Demand...

Example, you mentioned the Toyota 22R engine which I have in my '86 Toyota Pick up... 160K miles and still going... Love that little ugly ass truck, wouldn't sell it for the world...

There where how many of these 22R motors built & installed in how many different Toyota models? That's ok I don't have a freaking clue as to exact numbers either but I'm sure it's way up there in counts, million maybe if not more....

Now, how many KZ models where released in the US, ah hell world for that matter... HUGE DIFFERENCE....

Then throw into the mix that these old beauties have become collector items due to there's not many more of these old girls around. Then there's old farts as myself who fell in love with these old girls way back when and can only now afford to re-build one, or two, three, whatever...

See there's only so many parts for any product and when they're used up they become extinct in some cases and expensive in others where to some worth very penny...

As in my case... sure, I could of went real cheap on my $400 POS, probably under $1K just to get the old girl running but I have been waiting for 30 years for this moment and cereal box gaskets are a way of the past, like way long ago.... :blink:

To answer your questions, example Z1 has really decent prices... As mentioned, I have obtained APE parts from Z1 cheaper than APE website themselves... :blink:

There's used parts on e-bay you can get, some good, some crap that's the e-bay game...

Carbs example, have you tried find 29mm smooth bores? Been posted twice here now where both sets went for over $1k... Holly crapola, for a 30 year old set of gunked up crappy screw stripped carbs! Again, WTF :blink:

But guess what, they sold cause where else you going to get them....

All in all, supply and demand, that's they way it just works in the world... Any hobby/passion regardless what it is, if the numbers are low, it's not cheap...

Ok, this analogy is going to cost me....

Fat Trailer Park girl:
6 pack of beer....

Smoking hot babe with a kickin bod:
Since your post title says it all, you can't afford it, trust me.

Old Man Rock wrote:

...these old beauties have become collector items due to there's not many more of these old girls around. Then there's old farts as myself who fell in love with these old girls way back when...when they're used up they become extinct in some cases and expensive in others where to some worth very penny...As in my case... sure, I could of went real cheap...just to get the old girl running but I have been waiting for 30 years for this moment...for a 30 year old...crappy screw...that's they way it just works in the world... Any hobby/passion regardless what it is, if the numbers are low, it's not cheap...this analogy is going to cost me...
Fat Trailer Park girl:
6 pack of beer....
Smoking hot babe with a kickin bod:
...trust me.

You go, OMR!