Wreckers -- finding the right sort

[xwhatsit]

Alright, I need quite a variety of random bits as I begin my CB250RS modification project. They're varied, mostly cosmetic, and my ideas of exactly what I need are vague and indefinite.

Now I have memories, as a child, of wandering around the back of some dirt acre littered with broken-down Minis and Morrie Thous with my father, searching for some unknown bit or bob. This is what I want -- I want to be able to wander around some bike graveyard, without a salesman bothering me, or walking into a so-called wreckers and being confronted by a service desk and a man asking me for part numbers. I want to roam around with a set of calipers, measuring this, scratching my head about that, wondering what will look or work best.

Where can I go in Auckland for this?

Cheers, all.

[El Dopa]

Theres 'pick a part' out west who do cars. You pay $1 to get access to the site, and carry out whatever you want/need.

Dunno if they do bikes, though.

[xwhatsit]

That's sort of what I need. Are my entire childhood memories of wreckers based on some one-off `Pick-A-Part' scheme?

[Ixion]

No, back in the Olde Dayes most wreckers were like that. Yard full of crashed/trashed cars , you'd wander round if you wanted, finally find the wrecker dude, "gotta wibbitydoggit for a 22 Puffmofart ? ". If he had one he'd womble over and pull it off . Didn't have the $1 entry charge I suppose that's to discourage timewasters.

But then along came OSH. Now the wrecker's responsible for making sure you are safe in the yard. They'd have laughed at you in the Olde Dayes. Up to you to be careful. Wreckers yards aren't very safe places. Lots of sharp bits of metal , heavy stuff balanced at all sorts of weird angles, petrol, battery acid, you name it. And people got stupid too, started taking kids along , things like that.And the world grew dishonest (which I suppose at least postponed Doomsday), and stealing stuff.

So most wreckers decided the only way to cover their arses was to not allow the public on the yard. Have a counter, like a shop.

Which is a real pain.

I don't know of any wander around bike wreckers.

[Motu]

If a wrecker these days said - ''Down the back in the blue fish bin,should be one there'' - then ignored the customer and carried on with what he was doing.Then there would be a thread started on this site about his attitude and imploring others to boycott his business.Pity,because that how I want to be treated in these situations too.

To get the freedom to roam in wrecking yards you need to have some rapport with the owner,which means you have to be a regular customer he can trust.I usualy get to wander at will,fosicking in fishbins and dragging things off shelves,a knowldgeable wrecker will tell you what you have found is off,and might suggest somewhere else to look.But I don't know many bike wreckers these days.

[xwhatsit]

Well that's a bit depressing. I'm after things like headlights and clipons and instruments; don't really have any idea of what model or brand or anything. Just wanted to sort of pick things up and look at them.

Heh. Maybe I should just ride out to the Coro loop and wait for bikes to crash so I can steal their bits? ^_^

*Sigh* so I'll suppose I'll have to do some research and find some part numbers then.

Kind of liked the idea of riding around on a Honda with a Suzuki headlight, BSA instruments, and Kawasaki clipons

[Motu]

Kind of liked the idea of riding around on a Honda with a Suzuki headlight, BSA instruments, and Kawasaki clipons

So you've seen my bike then?

[El Dopa]

Kind of liked the idea of riding around on a Honda with a Suzuki headlight, BSA instruments, and Kawasaki clipons

I suppose the alternative is to do the research before walking into the wreckers. I've just started mutating my bike. By the time I finish, it'll have parts from four other different bikes on it, plus one or two c*r bits in the electrics. I know they'll fit (hope they'll fit...?) because I've done the research, mucked around on photoshop, and done a bit of tinkering with cardboard cutout templates.

But I more or less knew what sort of 'look' and performance benefits I was after before I started.

[dickytoo]

I used get on very well with the previous owner of Atomic Bikes on the shore and he would let me wander around his parts bins pulling out what i needed and giving me good prices on bits.

I don't know the new owner so well.

The best way is to cultivate a relationship with a particular wrecker and once they get to know you a little better, they'll probably feel comfortable about letting you rummage through their stocks on your own.

[xwhatsit]

Yeah... I don't really want to rummage around stock though, that seems kind of intrusive, whether I know the guy or not. I know I wouldn't want even patrons I know well rummaging around the wine cellar at my work. Bleh. Yeah I might just take a metal rule and some wirecutters to uni and pinch bits off there instead. Quite a turnout this morning...

I think I might do what you suggest, El Dopa.

[dickytoo]

Now I have memories, as a child, of wandering around the back of some dirt acre littered with broken-down Minis and Morrie Thous with my father, searching for some unknown bit or bob. This is what I want -- I want to be able to wander around some bike graveyard, without a salesman bothering me, or walking into a so-called wreckers and being confronted by a service desk and a man asking me for part numbers. I want to roam around with a set of calipers, measuring this, scratching my head about that, wondering what will look or work best.

Yeah... I don't really want to rummage around stock though, that seems kind of intrusive, whether I know the guy or not. I know I wouldn't want even patrons I know well rummaging around the wine cellar at my work.

methinks you are a tad confused about what you want!

[Deano]

I haven't had much luck finding bits for my CBR400 in NZ - However, Victoria Motorcycle Wreckers in Melbourne seem to have heaps. Worth a try.

[xwhatsit]

I haven't had much luck finding bits for my CBR400 in NZ - However, Victoria Motorcycle Wreckers in Melbourne seem to have heaps. Worth a try.

Oh, you've got me wrong, I'm making plans to customise my bike -- doing a bit of a Café thing. So I don't really need bits specifically for my bike, just stacks of aging late 1970s crappers to steal fittings off.

Anyway, gotta get the oil leak fixed first -- although I wouldn't mind it looking like a Triton, I don't really want it to leak oil like one.