Parts for Italian Hondas.

[Orcadian]

Steering head bearings were the reason I chopped my Forza in for an ADV, coupled with the less than adequate 'bicycle' front fork arrangement. There is a hell of a lot of dismantling to replace them - something I would never trust to a dealer and did not want to replace 'like for like' bearings but would have wanted to source taper rollers - at least for the lower one. That could have meant waiting to find/modify bearings once dismantled and being unable to use the bike.

I still want a 398cc Forza with electric screen, lockable glove box plus ADV forks and bars! Come on Honda!

Ian

[Andym]

.. being unable to use the bike.

I still want a 398cc Forza with electric screen, lockable glove box plus ADV forks and bars! Come on Honda!

Ian

This seems to be a fact of life now. Bikes styled to appeal to whatever AI writes MCN, dealers simply not set up for any more than dropping oil to get an electronic tick on the PCP agreement

I'm fortunate enough to be able to adopt a two bike policy. Next month the Forza will go on SORN and enter a tidy up period prior to sale. In March the SuperCub goes into maintenance so it's ready for winter 27-28. I find I have both bikes available 9 months of the year and so far it hasn't bothered me. After 4 months of 7 HP, 30+ is a novelty, 6 months later the opposite applies. If the heavy one is in bits on January 3rd I can probably live with it, certainly long enough to call into bearings-R-us or somewhere.

I think the Forza 500 race is hotting up nicely. I don't care who wins, a 450cc Honda or proven and supported Zontes, either works for me.

Andy

[Ministerofsillywalks]

And still waiting. My dealer says he will chase it up but I have given up on it. It's Italian, and I think we all know about getting parts for anything Italian. I think their attitude is 'The British don't buy more than a few bikes and scooters so stuff 'em.' I thought being a Honda the situation would be different. I was obviously wrong.

It's going. I've decided. I'm having something made in Japan. Being as the Japanese look after their customers (unlike the Italians) I can get parts for them. I'm having a Burgman. I nearly had one instead of the Forza but decided on the Forza. Wish I hadn't now. If anything major needs replacing I will be off the road for months.

I might sound a little extreme and maybe I am, but having had a Sym (you have more chance of winning a million on the lottery - twice - than getting parts for those) I don't want to go through the experience again. As soon as I have enough money I will be looking for a good used Burgman or failing that a new one.

[Andym]

IT IS NOT ITALIAN.

This view of the Automotive industry is 50 years out of date unless you buy something whittled by old men in a shed, like a Moto Guzzi. Even they are just an additional barrier to a global situation.

The parts are from China. All parts are from China because they have the cheapest labour.
Final Assembly of new scooters (a competitor of parts supply) is in Italy
Aftermarket parts distribution is in Belgium. These parts never go near Italy.
The employees who run it will be remote, could be Belgium, Thailand or Japan. Language and connection to corporate strategy is what decides.

The global Automotive industry has a number of issues;

Chip supply is a mess. There is an AI boom in progress that's bigger than the dot com mess and credit crunch combined. Gambling spivs will pay silly money for chips so everyone else is short of credit, labour, chips for both products and machinery. When this bubble bursts the mess will be worse because said spivs won't get their bonuses and credit will disappear. No one has stock because accountants don't get the difference between cost and value.

The septics elected the orange man-child again and he's busy starting wars and whacking tarrifs on everything. He's caused a shortage of ships and containers because they are being used as storage while everything is stuck in his mess.

The doom hippies caused legislation on EV's which no one is buying because a 2014 Toyota is the superior product. The Chinese have given the likes of Honda such a kicking they are no longer credit worthy. No credit, no cash flow to pay the premium shipping.

I realise this must be frustrating, but it isn't lazy pasta eaters who'd rather drink vino and go watch a magic lantern show of Gina Lollibridgida!

Also, the DC in Belgium has no idea what the parts are or where they are for. Your demand is just a part number on a list of overdues. Priority is the highest value; just number of parts late times what each sale will generate. If the back order is ten fuel tank covers at $200 margin each, they'll chase those over 99 brake levers at $1. If you want to play this, try and talk your dealer into ordering another for his shelf.

Andy

[knight2]

The trouble is it's nothing new, about six years ago I ordered two new pannier lids ( couldn't buy one) for my NT700 Deauville, after over four months nothing what so ever had happened so I cancelled the order and patched up the broken one.
On the plus side I mentioned earlier in this thread that the parking brake assembly had broken on the Burgman. The cost was £200 just for the asembly and it would be weeks before I got it. So I kept checking various breakers and got a complete rear caliper for £40 cash, only about 20 mile from my house, result.

[Ministerofsillywalks]

Whatever the reason there is absolutely no excuse for having to wait for months for something as simple as a gasket. What is it? A bit of paper? If a car manufacturer behaved like this they would lose half their sales and probably go out of business. I think it is due to the low volume of sales of powered 2-wheelers in this country. Nobody wants one because they are dangerous, cold and wet etc. Everyone wants a car. So unlike other countries. Even within Europe. I bet they don't have this problem in countries like Italy or France where everyone rides a scooter. Order a part there and it will be there in 3 days max. 'Oh, someone in Britain wants a part. They can wait.' It's a consequence of Britain being such a tiny market globally.

I'm going Japanese. I remember when I had my Burgman the longest I had to wait for a part was a week. There is a reason why Japan has come to lead the market - they look after their customers.

[knight2]

Ministryofsillywalks says
"I'm going Japanese. I remember when I had my Burgman the longest I had to wait for a part was a week."

Please read the above, the part was for a Burgman.

[Ministerofsillywalks]

Ministryofsillywalks says
"I'm going Japanese. I remember when I had my Burgman the longest I had to wait for a part was a week."

Please read the above, the part was for a Burgman.

You mean I could get parts for a Burgman within a week?

[knight2]

Sorry I didn't put that well, I meant read my post above yours I was told my part for my Burgman would take weeks to come.

[MrGrumpy]

Don't forget that Suzuki are now distributed by the infamous MotoGB - just the same as Sym, Voge, Benelli and a dozen other Chinese brands. Something funny is going on with Suzuki generally - I've seen a couple of identically worded statements on Facebook from Suzuki M/C dealers in the North West saying that they aren't doing Suzuki anymore. Suzuki seem to be taking an axe to their dealer network....