Anybody here from Texas

[MFBikeLife]

Looking for restoration/ NOS Preston perry parts compatible with 77 hodaka wombat 03..lmk

[MFBikeLife]

Can somebody explain why hodaka parts are so expensive but yet a fully functioning bike prices are on the ground..when I heard rare I thought valuable. I jumped in head first. Bought this one for 400 but parts pricing make it a upside down deal. Would have been better off buy one fully functional and street legal...but I'm in it knee high so....

[BrianZ]

I suspect that the NOS part supply is "drying up", so it's a supply and demand issue. The parts pricing was much lower about 5-10 years ago, but I imagine there was more stock to be had back then. As for reproduction parts, I can't say for sure. Of course the cost of tooling needs to be recovered and this is factored in over the quantity of parts sold, with some profit on top of that to make it worthwhile for the seller/manufacturer. For some makes NOS parts are almost non-existent. At least in the case of Hodaka there is still a decent supply of most parts.

Fully restored bikes are almost always cheaper than doing the restoration yourself, but restoring a bike is a hobby in itself. In my case, I enjoy restoring the bike just as much (or more) than riding them. Anyone who is expecting to restore a bike to make a profit will be disappointed, unless they are restoring a bike that is both rare and in demand.

Brian

[Pep]

+1 on Brian's comments.
MF, I'm in Texas and I do have some Wombat plastic that came in a parts lot (not NOS, sorry)
If you're headed to Rio Bravo next weekend, I can bring it along...
Laurie

[dirtsquirt80]

WELL WHEN YOU HAVE A PART REPRODUCED YOU HAVE TOOLING COST, SHIPPING ETC. AND THEN AFTER THAT YOU HAVE TO SELL IT FOR A PROFIT TO STAY IN BUISNESS. SO I THINK THE PART PRICES ARE FINE I'M JUST GLAD TO BE ABLE TO BUY IT! IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT IT'S KIND OF RUDE TO COME ON HERE AND COMPLAIN ABOUT THE PRICES WHEN PAUL IS ONE OF THE FEW PEOPLE KEEPING THE HODAKA BRAND ALIVE!

[admin]

It's ok Scott no problem at all to voice any and all opinions here as long as they are not out of line or swear words. Everybody is entitled to opinions.
There are many many great folks keeping the brand alive such as Bruce, Bill, Danny,Dave, Greg and Diane, Ron,Roger, George etc....
Strictly Hodaka is pulling back from reproducing the high end big dollar items ( Rod kits,metal fenders,kick start levers, shift levers etc) for the Hodaka's from this point on for the same reasons mentioned above.
You just cannot reproduce items in small runs (hundreds) and be able to offer them at prices low enough to always please folks. We can make almost any part needed but not at the prices that everyone would like so we just will stop making them.
Most of the dealers we support and help already know this. Anybody that owns their own business and is successful already understands this too.
Thanks
Paul

[Bruce Young]

Hello Hodaka World, I want to chime in on this one. I too understand the cost of doing business. I have been involved in the motorcycle industry for over 30years, now retired. I have a Hodakaparts.com Idaho parts business and I know things are getting more expensive all the time. . We all would like 1968-1975 Hodaka OEM replacement parts at those years prices, but that's impossible in this day an age. Paul is exact on par with knowing what it costs to reproduce things today. We in the Hodaka world need to look at the real cost of vintage motorcycling today and the cost of parts. If you want new you must pay new present day prices. This why if I might suggest that if you have a stach of Hodaka parts you are sitting on, share it with the Hodaka world,
and produce pictures and prices so we all can still find misc items we might need at reasonable prices. I know there are still Hodaka stuff out there that people are sitting on, and we need to share. Lets all try and see what we have and get info out to the Hodaka world. We are all getting older and there are a lot of a younger group of Hodaka people that are looking, they just need to know where to look. We in the Hodaka business now will continue to supply what we can at reasonable prices , but some things are just running out of stock, and too! expensive to reproduce now. I know you all understand. Bruce Young Hodakaparts.com IDAHO

[bchappy]

In reading back over MFBikeLife's original question I wonder if he was complaining more about the price that a fully restored Hodaka would bring than the price of parts. I think all motorcycle parts are high and it is just because of the economy we have moved to. I myself have wondered why you can't restore a Hodaka and get your parts cost out of it not even counting the labor to do it.

For example I have fully restored 2 Hodakas and have about $3,000 in each one (not counting the hours I worked on them.) Based on what I have seen I would be lucky to get $2,000 for each one. (I partially restored one and just barely got my parts cost back and am slowly working on a forth one now.) I decided that the enjoyment of the restore it why we keep doing it. I would rather have the $3,000 in the bike and know I did it than to have paid $3,000 for it finished by someone else.

So there it is - just my opinion. We won't pay just to have a Hodaka, but would rather go through the expense over time and know we did it. So, if you are in it to make a profit then you will probably be disappointed.

PS: If Paul and the others mentioned stop having parts made we will see the price of parts really go up and really get scarce.

[MFBikeLife]

∆∆∆exactly what I was speaking on...

Its hard to get this job done..without the right tools.
Disregard that black sq.

[MFBikeLife]

I apologize.. It must have been a whole different forum where I may have mentioned the whole economy/ and not me devaluing every Americans manual labor..jS

I made the right decision to buy this bike. The 600 in blast and paint is gonna put me just over a grand. All i need guys is a complete street legal kit used/or new anybody can manage to put it in a box for me is greatly appreciated;)) mind im paying for shipping.



Just me..shooting in the Dark!

[taber hodaka]

Getting what we pay for, some ebay parts are not useable they may look okay on the surface but could be chipped or worn beyond useable. When we go for a rebuilt we need the best parts available and some restores want NOS. Sand blasting where I live is $50 to $75. My mixed paint about $80 per quart. I am not doing museum restorations just fun reliable riders with new seals, bearings and excellent or NOS parts. Some paints will wash away with a gas leak so be careful there . A bike beyond all of these are the custom bikes with paint jobs that are worth more than the motorcycle I ride. Among all of this there is room for each of to us to enjoy our hodaka especially when we share our good times with others and become lifetime friends. ---------------Clarence

[MFBikeLife]

I'm going to put this bike back in the shed and get to working on what I can get accomplished before this year is over. I surely do appreciate the hospitality and will keep this thread open to further discuss our achievements. I'm looking for a restoration project. I'm determined to own a Studebaker pickup by the holidays wish me well and be Good..Fellas;))

[MTRob]

I couldn't help but to jump in on this one. I quit all bikes for years until my father in law gave me his 64 Ace 90 I had a ball rebuilding it over 2 years
Finding the parts and redoing everything WAS fun. Gave an old motocrosser some great fun to build it and RIDE It when it was done. I finished my WoMbat for the same season. I know I'll never get my money out of it or my time back but it was for fun and to able to ride it proud,when I wanted.
Plus the people I have meet on this forum are great and helpful. WE do this for fun not profit(some of us) Rebuild your bike MFBikeLife hunt for the parts and you will love what you have done.
Thanks
MTRob

[bobwombat]

MTRob: Back to your original question....yes, you would have been better off buying an already restored Hodaka. Many Hodaka lovers here do restorations for the fun, challenge & comraderie which is the best reason of all. Meanwhile, "restorers" of other things like cars will tell you restoring almost never makes financial sense. Many years ago, a $3k Porsche turned into a $10k restoration & I sold it for $5,500.

Paul once educated me about parts reproduction/fabrication & I believe him & trust him implicitly. I "get it" now!

Otherwise, I'll point to recent times when piston kits dried up altogether (excluding the old S**t E&K kits that ruined cylinders!). Paul reproduced these with Wiseco & we all benefit now.

Summary: Trust me & others on this one; if Paul stops making it, we're all going to have a parts problem someday very soon. Meanwhile, I'm very grateful to Paul & others who have made Hodaka's resurgence possible. I've lived my childhood dream because of these people.

No disrespect MTRob; just the facts.... glad you posted now?

Regards from Arizona. Bob

[taber hodaka]

Bob I don't think you responded to the concerning person here MTROB was positive.--------------Clarence

[MTRob]

Bobwombat wrong guy, (ouch) thanks Clarence
MTRob

[bobwombat]

Clarence, thx for straightening me out! I'm late checking back here but, as you mentioned, my comments were for MFBikeLife & so apologies to MTRob..... Anyway, hope we haven't scared MFBikeLife away.

Bob in AZ