Canadian part prices

[BobN]

I know this comes up a lot, but I just priced a new set of front rotors for a '93 GSXR 1100. From the local dealer (Ontario) it's $670 per disc. From a Michigan dealer (I have relatives there), it's $350 per disc.

I'm willing to pay a bit more to support the local guy, but this makes no sense. And... the Michigan dealer can get the parts in two to three days, the local dealer says they're on back order.

Go figure.

Bob

[Malks]

If you need tires, best get them while you are there picking up your new rotors!

We had a thread a few months ago regarding tire prices. There are a lot of opinions as to the reason for the disparity in prices between Canada and the US. IMO we are being screwed because the bike market is small and the dealers can basically charge what they want because there are few options.

If your dealer can get the parts and you don't mind paying more, go there. If not, order online and have them shipped to your relatives in the States. At least it makes a good excuse for a family visit.

[TimP]

You don't mention the discs' provenance. I can't think of anything (except perhaps the pads that rub them) more important to the happy conclusion of a good ride than brake discs, and I wonder if the difference in price might have something to do with one set being approved OEM and the others "cheap knockoffs" from someplace dodgy. Now that anything can be made anywhere, it's worth a check.

Having said that, even at the lower price, that's a LOT of money for discs! Ventilated OEM front rotors for my Audi are $120.00 each from the stealer...

[John]

You price out a set of Galfers or similar? I wouldn't get an OEM set of rotors, I think, not at that kind of price.

John.

[Malks]

Check the prices here.
http://www.parts411.com/acbasp/stores/1/-SUZUKI-GSXR1100-89-98-FRONT-EBC-PRO-LITE-CONTOUR-BRAKE-ROTOR-STRT-MD3007C-EBC-P31297C10429.aspx

[Uwe W.]

You price out a set of Galfers or similar? I wouldn't get an OEM set of rotors, I think, not at that kind of price.

An OEM rotor on my 690 Enduro is a Galfer, but I agree with the point you and Tim are making. Better make sure that the same rotor is being supplied by each retailer, this could be a case of apples and oranges.

[Rocking Couple]

Good looking OEM's, but the wave premium on the rear of that 690 is so overkill.
That bike is good enough in it's own right, it doesn't need that level marketing strategy, hell, not even on the front wheel for that matter.

Quite an intricate looking axle mount there.

[Danmos]

I beleive one of the issues Canada has with Suzuki parts is that Suzuki Canada has to purchase their products from Suzuki USA. I do not beleive there is a direct source to Japan for whatever Suzuki's reasoning, therefor the price will always be higher but the difference you are stating is crazy. :confused:

[Uwe W.]

the wave premium on the rear of that 690 is so overkill

I have to disagree. After 8 hours of riding with my rear (and front) brakes looking like they did in the photo, they continued to work really well and were extremely easy to modulate, which was a good thing given how slippery the terrain was. Premium parts aren't always marketing hype, especially not if you use them for what they were intended.

[TimP]

Premium parts aren't always marketing hype, especially not if you use them for what they were intended.

That's what I keep telling my wife.

[Rocking Couple]

I have to disagree. After 8 hours of riding with my rear (and front) brakes looking like they did in the photo, they continued to work really well and were extremely easy to modulate, which was a good thing given how slippery the terrain was. Premium parts aren't always marketing hype, especially not if you use them for what they were intended.

Fair enough.
I admit my comment stemmed from envisioning street use only. Likely because I know of nowhere close by with terrain like what you had been on.

[Sidecar Bob]

I don't know about other parts, but hte assorted gaskets, seals, camchains &c that I have bought from my local Honda dealer over the years have almost always been cheaper than I could get them from the U.S. for. When our $ was about 75 cents US I was paying about the same price in Canadian dollars as they were listing on their sites in U.S dollars - at least 25% lower prices here!
And on top of that the local guys can have them for me in 2-3 days and there is no shipping charge.

Maybe Suzuki is the problem. I know I won't buy another one after the problems I had getting parts for the ones I had. One dealer told me that Suzuki Canada shipped bike parts to him in about a week but the Suz car dealer across the road got his stuff from the same warehouse within 1 business day.

Now, if I could get tires for U.S. prices, that would be different. I remember hearing about people having new tires put on their 'Wings at Americade by a dealer who dirtied them up a bit for them so that they wouldn't have trouble at customs coming back into Canada. That was almost 20 years ago.

[Malks]

Now, if I could get tires for U.S. prices, that would be different. I remember hearing about people having new tires put on their 'Wings at Americade by a dealer who dirtied them up a bit for them so that they wouldn't have trouble at customs coming back into Canada. That was almost 20 years ago.

Motorcycle tires are now duty free, however, automotive tires are not, go figure. I had checked online at the Customs Canada site back in the spring when I was planning to buy a front tire in the States. Since I was able to find one at Zdeno in Kitchener that was about $20.00 more than the price quoted by a shop in Buffalo, I ended up buying from them.

The best tire prices are from online dealers. The problem arises as many of them are hesitant to ship to a Canadian address. Many customers get around that issue by opening a US post office box and shipping there.

Bob is a step ahead of us there, since he has a US address, his relatives.

[Uwe W.]

The best tire prices are from online dealers. The problem arises as many of them are hesitant to ship to a Canadian address. Many customers get around that issue by opening a US post office box and shipping there. Bob is a step ahead of us there, since he has a US address, his relatives.

Great, but you still have to pick them up from the US. I'm not sure what value everyone here places on their time, but you have to factor that into the cost of getting the tires.

Something I've seen often on eBay is that a seller will list their product on the cheap, but then overcharge on the shipping. If the deal is too good to believe, you can bet the seller is making it up in other ways.

[John]

Yup. Doesn't take long to figure that one out w/ E-bay. They see a Canadian deal & the average dumbass in America sees "International Shipping" going ding-ding-ding! and puts some ridiculous flat-rate on the costing. Whenever I see an item that I am interested in that gives a lower-48 shipping quote only, I verify the cost to my postal code PRIOR to bidding on their wares. Can't give specifics right here & now, but some have been down-right laughable. I recall telling one guy that his face-shield shipping cost of forty dollars was bent. He got all snotty when his little scam was caught out. I brought it to E-bay's attention, they looked at it, declared the guy wasn't dealing honestly & shut him down. Of course that probably lasted for fifteen minutes while the jerk signed up with a new IP...

Caveat Emptor has never been truer, my friends...

John.

[BobN]

The Canadian and US prices were for identical OEM rotors. I started the year off with new EBC rotors which warped after 2000 km. The EBC warranty fine print says that you have to use EBC pads. I have SBS, so no claim. I never imagine that EBC rotors would fail that quickly. Mine are now junk.

I'm using Harrison Billet 6 piston calipers on a '93 GSXR front end with a PM wheel, mated to a '93 FJ1200. The braking performance is amazing, but on a long trip down to Boone, NC, I noticed the first signs of trouble. It may have been the cold, heavy rain combined with using the brakes more in the mountains, but something didn't mix well with the EBC rotors.

I ended up ordering from a US wholesaler: $589.44 US with tax and shipping for both. They should arrive any day now, so I'll have to add local tax & duty. Still, it will be better than $670 for one, before tax.

BTW: the GSXR front end came off of Jon Jarosz's "Blank Sunshine", a tricked out '89 FJ featured twice in Cycle Canada. I also have the JMC swingarm and rear PM wheel.

Bob

[Uwe W.]

I started the year off with new EBC rotors which warped after 2000 km. The EBC warranty fine print says that you have to use EBC pads. I have SBS, so no claim. I never imagine that EBC rotors would fail that quickly. Mine are now junk.

Are you saying both rotors warped at the same time?:confused:

[BobN]

Are you saying both rotors warped at the same time?:confused:

No, it looks like the right one is the problem. But I'm replacing both with the OEM rotors. I don't know the root cause of the problem, but replacing just the one EBC rotor would feel like throwing good money after bad. I would have tried that if EBC had given me a break on the cost of a replacement.

[metalredneck]

If you're into the ol' Jap classics, check out Mike's XS out of florida. They are amazing. It's because of them that my latest "Assault Raisin" is on the road.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2219/2539337777_902bcaf662.jpg

[Touring]

I'm willing to pay a bit more to support the local guy, but this makes no sense.

I'm not willing to and its not personal. My wallet is who I am loyal to and I refuse to pay any more for the same exact part or accessory.

I'm also not interested as to why, be it a distributor or dealer problem. They can sort it out amongst themselves and then they'll get my business.

I have spent thousands over the fast few years in the US. My savings? About equal to what I spent. How do I feel? :D

[bikeymikey748]

There's another issue regarding this that applies to me, and yes its VERY personal. I know I'm beating a dead horse on this but bear with me, yet again. Here in Que. we are getting trounced by the Gov. regarding our registration fees. It seems that,sadly, the majority of dealers did butcus to protect my rights as a motorcyclist in taking the Gov. to task on this matter.I have NENER seen ANY information rallying the trrops to the cause in ANY dealership. Some even went so far as to either cloud the issue or outright lie about it when questioned directly. So, to them and the Gov. (who collects substantial sales taxes from the dealers) I say kiss my furry consumer butt. I'll be voting with my wallet in the future and refuse to give the Gov. any more of my hard earned cash than I absolutely have to, and REFUSE to support ANY group that left me high and dry,the dealers.They could have used their considerable tax-based weight to pressure the Gov. into being a least a bit more realistic, but chose to bury their collective heads in the sand.
Between E-bay and other resources 'south o the border', I have many options when it comes to where I choose to spend my money, and who I choose to support financially and politically. Hell, I won't even fill up my tank in Que. any longer if there's an outside chance that I can make it into Ontario or the States to do it. Let's not forget lunches/trinkets etc. that one normally buys during the course of a ride. One angry, voting consumer strikes back!!!

[RickO]

There's another issue regarding this that applies to me, and yes its VERY personal. I know I'm beating a dead horse on this but bear with me, yet again. Here in Que. we are getting trounced by the Gov. regarding our registration fees. It seems that,sadly, the majority of dealers did butcus to protect my rights as a motorcyclist in taking the Gov. to task on this matter.I have NENER seen ANY information rallying the trrops to the cause in ANY dealership. Some even went so far as to either cloud the issue or outright lie about it when questioned directly. So, to them and the Gov. (who collects substantial sales taxes from the dealers) I say kiss my furry consumer butt. I'll be voting with my wallet in the future and refuse to give the Gov. any more of my hard earned cash than I absolutely have to, and REFUSE to support ANY group that left me high and dry,the dealers.They could have used their considerable tax-based weight to pressure the Gov. into being a least a bit more realistic, but chose to bury their collective heads in the sand.
Between E-bay and other resources 'south o the border', I have many options when it comes to where I choose to spend my money, and who I choose to support financially and politically. Hell, I won't even fill up my tank in Que. any longer if there's an outside chance that I can make it into Ontario or the States to do it. Let's not forget lunches/trinkets etc. that one normally buys during the course of a ride. One angry, voting consumer strikes back!!!

This where organizations like the CMA are supposed to come in. I guess it's a sign of the times, but I guess dealers/manufacturers do have more clout because of the money and tax revenue they generate over a lobby group that just represents ordinary citizens that are getting screwed over.

The silence out of the Hamilton, Ontario headquarters of the CMA is deafening -- over insurance, licensing, registration and cross-border pricing issues. Wasn't there a recent debacle where motorcyclists in Quebec were forced to buy an alarm system from a particular manufacturer or they would be denied insurance coverage?

In the US, the AMA recently stopped managing its racing ventures to concentrate its lobbying efforts where they are supposed to be concentrated: on protecting the rights of motorcyclists.

Here in Canada, with the CMA hardly visible on the racing front anymore to begin with, I really can't figure out what they are doing for Canadian motorcyclists.

[bikeymikey748]

The silence out of the Hamilton, Ontario headquarters of the CMA is deafening -- over insurance, licensing, registration and cross-border pricing issues. Wasn't there a recent debacle where motorcyclists in Quebec were forced to buy an alarm system from a particular manufacturer or they would be denied insurance coverage?

You are correct sir regarding the alarm fiasco, but even better than that was the fact that the CEO of the insurance company that forced you to have an alarm would only recognise the system from a specific company. The CEO also ran a company that sold motorcycle alarms. Guess which company was the one that they accepted for alarms?
The MMIC was supposedly defending motorcyclists/dealer's rights in talks with the government too but seem to lack (for any number of reasons) any political clout here in Que. at least.
The scariest thing is the arrogance displayed by the Gov. The CEO of the SAAQ (our Ministery of transport) and Minister of Securite Routiere. Both are avowed and un-apologetic anti-motorcyclists. NOBODY (with the possible exception of CAPM, who clearly lack the members to press their/our demands) is doing much, if anything to contest the matter.
When I discuss the topic with my chums in the States they are shocked at how little political sway motorcyclists have in Canada (and especially Que.) and remark at how pro-active their AMA is at contesting and winning on any number of biker related issues.
You can bet that other provinces are watching the situation here in Que. Based on our Transport Ministries apparent sucess in screwing us over with no appreciable outcry, they too will likely adopt similar Draconian measures to eradicate 'the motorcycle problem'. Kinda wakes you up screaming in the night. Pierre Belmont (sp) ex-ed of Moto Journal was recently quoted as stating that in the current socio-political climate that if motorcycles didn't already exist that they would not be able to get the required certification to be adopted for use on public roads.
That sound you hear in the distance is the page slowly being closed on our party boys and girls.
Sorry 'bout hijacking the 'parts' thread.

[Touring]

The MMIC was supposedly defending motorcyclists/dealer's rights in talks with the government too but seem to lack (for any number of reasons) any political clout here in Que. at least.

Its no better in Ontario.

I once wrote the MMIC and submitted some material to battle some of the insurance issues in Ontario. It was a win-win case in court if they took it there. The MMIC did NOTHING! They probably got some under the counter pay-offs from the insurance industry.

I took it up with Greg Sorbara, Minister of Financial Institutions and got a letter back stating they were "looking into customized coverages". Do you also remember reading that in Cycle Canada some years ago. So whatever happened to those "customized coverages"? Guess what, good old Greg is involved in insurance...as in "family business".

So as long as Canadians are sheep, we will continue to be stepped on. I have no use for the CMA or MMIC...bum wad is more useful!

[Rocking Couple]

Just the mention of Greg Sorbaras' name, popped a forehead vein. He just happens to be one of more incompetent, crooked MPPs. Just call him Mr. Automated-Response. That is....when you get one..

[YellowDuck]

Getting back to the issue of parts prices...as a Ducati owner I feel your pain. For the longest time Ducati's bike prices between the US and Canada bore no rational relationship to the exchange rate. Still don't, but now the differences are about 25%, rather than 50%. I can stomach 25%...barely...smaller market and all, yadda yadda.

But go ahead and try to order any Ducati Performance bits for your Duc in Canada. The price hike over what they pay in the US is typically 75%. **75%!!!*** What, they think we don't know how to use the internet?

No bloody way, I won't pay.

As for insurance...when I lived in the US I had full coverage for my Ducati for $185 per year. Had a claim and it went up to $320. And I lived in a place where I could ride 11 months of the year.

In Can-o-duh I pay over $1000, and I only get that rate because I have both my cars insured by the same company. And here, I can only ride 8 months, if I push it. I figure insurance costs me about $20 per ride.

The problem of course is the lack of competition. We should be BEGGING the likes of Progressive to come up here and insure bikes. They could literally charge twice what they do in the US, and still undercut the entire market in Canada by a substantial margin.

[Sidecar Bob]

$20 per ride????? Are you nuts?

Step away from the computer. Go climb on your bike and lower that number today...

[KZDon]

As for insurance...when I lived in the US I had full coverage for my Ducati for $185 per year. Had a claim and it went up to $320. And I lived in a place where I could ride 11 months of the year.

In Can-o-duh I pay over $1000, and I only get that rate because I have both my cars insured by the same company. And here, I can only ride 8 months, if I push it. I figure insurance costs me about $20 per ride.

The problem of course is the lack of competition. We should be BEGGING the likes of Progressive to come up here and insure bikes. They could literally charge twice what they do in the US, and still undercut the entire market in Canada by a substantial margin.

Not a chance. American insurers operate in a completely different insurance environment to Canadian insurers; even those that seem to be the same companies.

[Touring]

Not a chance. American insurers operate in a completely different insurance environment to Canadian insurers; even those that seem to be the same companies.

Yes, only in Ontario, Canada, are insurance companies allowed to charge you a premium for coverage that they'll never have to pay out for.

Sounds legal, doesn't it?