Old. Beat-up. Outdated. Bygone. Abandoned…
These are the words you could use to describe the Honda motorcycle that is at least 15 years old which may be hidden in one of the dark corners of your garage or in a junkyard somewhere. But with a good mechanic and some of the needed Honda vintage motorcycle parts, these words can be revamped into…
Vintage. Classic. Timeless. Ageless. Antique. Collector’s item.
It’s amazing how after twenty years, an old retired motorcycle can be overhauled and made to look almost brand new, although it may be considered “old” for some, for others a more favorable term, “vintage” or “classic”, would be a better choice of words. Getting a vintage Honda motorcycle roaring and rolling back on the street again doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg, you can re-create this junk into a collector’s item that can carry a decent price tag instead of just uselessly taking up space in your garage. From collecting dust in your garage, your old bike can collect compliments and admiration from other motorcycle riders. To do this, you may need to get your hands on some vintage Honda motorcycle parts. But if your bike is that “old”, are its parts still available in the market today? If this is your concern, keep reading…
Thanks to motorcycle lovers everywhere, there are several places where you can look for those Honda motorcycle parts you may need. Here are some:
Your Trusted Mechanic
Before anything else, consult a reliable mechanic to help you identify the vintage Honda motorcycle parts that are missing or needing replacement and maybe even an estimate on the cost of the parts as well as the time it should take to replace and repair the parts. He may not know the cost of the parts, but he may have a great resource of where to find the parts. It also wouldn’t be a bad idea to get an estimate of what he would charge to repair and restore the bike, or at least the part of the job that you may not be able to do yourself. This will help you arrive at a ballpark figure of how much this restoration project will cost. Even if you intend to do the restoration yourself, a visit to your mechanic can still be useful in case you are overlookingly anything that could be a costly fix in the future.
Online
You can find and buy just about anything online, including vintage Honda motorcycle parts. With some smart research and a click of the mouse, you can buy from the far corners of the globe without having to go there. Shop around and compare to get the best pricesand make certain you are buying from a trusted source. You can also find alot of used parts on the internet, something you should investigate to save some money, this may be your only options if some of the parts have been discontinued by Honda.
Honda Motorcycle Dealer
Honda Motorcycle dealers are another possible source of vintage Honda motorcycle parts, after all, they sell Honda motorcycle products. Provide the dealer with the year and model of the bike that you intend to resurrect and ask if they can help you find those vintage Honda motorcycle parts that you need. Better yet, bring the old bike with you to the shop so that they can take a look and give you a restoration estimate. A good shop may also have a resource for aftermarket parts when the originals are discontinued. Unlike the internet, some face to face interaction may open up more options for you, a sales or parts rep may know of someone selling the used parts you are looking for.
Motorcycle Salvage Yards
You can also contact or visit a motorcycle salvage yard to see if what kind of parts they have. Quite often these salvage yards buy parts and bikes from auctions and strip out the parts to sell, this could be a great resource for you and the prices are usually very reasonable.
Before you begin rebuilding your bike, make sure you have found all the parts you need, these could take a while when looking for vintage Honda motorcycle parts. Once you have all the parts you think you will need, now is the time to lay them out and see if you can do this project yourself. If it seems overwhelming, seek the help of a mechanic, you already have their estimates for their services. Once it’s back on its wheels, take it for a ride and enjoy. Although your intent may have been on selling this rebuild for some cash, you may be surprised at how much you missed riding that old bike and keep it for yourself.
All your effort of finding a good source of vintage Honda motorcycle parts and a good mechanic will be rewarded once you see your friends jaws drop when your old retired Honda bike timelessly rides again.
Have any pictures of a vintage Honda you restored? Or a suggestion on where to find parts? We’d love to hear from you!