Spark Plug Rant

[robinc]

Used to buy my NGK BP7ES at Canadian Tire or any auto parts store. I live in London, ON which is the 15th largest city in Canada half way between Detroit and Toronto and you'd think I could find a spark plug. I have checked with every auto parts supplier locally and with the 2 largest bike shops in town and nobody carries these plugs anymore. Everyone wants to sell me the r's. (BPR7ES). I can't believe it has gotten to the point where we have to buy spark plugs on the internet or change the caps to non resistor.
Fellow Canucks, where are you buying your plugs?

 

[mrtwowheel]

Canadian Tire cannot special order these plugs for you? Dealing with O'reilly's or AutoZone here in the States, if the part is not in their store inventory it is available special order from a warehouse the next day. NGK parts of any kind not available from their warehouse (affiliated venders), just too hard to believe.

Scott

 

[mrtwowheel]

You could remove the resistors from your caps, replace them with a chunk of copper, or change to non resistor caps and use the resistor plugs.

End result.....new caps and readily available plugs.

Scott

 

[FLEA]

the problems of owning older bikes ,have the same prob here in rural aust as well,special order, plus went looking for oil ,normal Castrol 20w50 for xs650s ,bought some locally a few months ago no prob ,last week went to every auto shop/oil supplier in town and now none of them are stocking it

 

[robinc]

Hey mr2, thanks for your reply. I tried to special order from Canadian Tire no luck. Ordered some through a large reputable bike shop here in town directly from Yamaha Canada and they sent the R's. I guess the BP7ES aren't available in Canada anymore. Good parts guy there is scratching his head. I see I can get them from xs650direct.com which is the Canadian version of Mikes XS. Might as well do that as change the caps. Ah the fun of an old bike!
Maybe someone in Southwestern Ontario will pick up on the thread and have a suggestion.

 

[robinc]

Hey Flea, I feel your pain. Found oil at Canadian Tire but had to go to a couple different stores before I could get it. Then there was the quest for 10 weight fork oil!

 

[mrtwowheel]

Also, you're a short ride from the border. Just tell the Customs Agents your story about the plugs. Canadian Customs sent me to Immigration once, even though I was expediting to the Honda plant north of Toronto and had full documentation for my trip. This was before 9/11, I was thoroughly interrogated and almost didn't get in because I wouldn't look the interrogator in the eyes, I was really pissed and tired. I refused every trip into Canada after that.

Scott

 

[robinc]

Yeah mr2, aren't borders wonderful. I was crossing at Detroit one time with some pipe tobacco (really) for a buddy and was sent into customs. Paid $10 for the tobacco and they wanted something like $80 for tax. Told the customs officer to put it in their pipe and smoke it. Got some pretty funny looks from the little old lady's in the line who didn't realize it WAS pipe tobacco.....lol.

 

[resto]

Try these guys:
https://www.canadasmotorcycle.ca/ngk-standard-spark-plug-bp7es.html
Free shipping on orders over $49. Good prices on tires too.

 

[weaselbeak]

I don't see any magic in NGK's. Cross reference.

 

[robinc]

Thanks for that site resto. Ya wb, need to look for Champions and see if it's the same situation or not.

 

[mrtwowheel]

Just had a thought, call Canadian Tire and ask for NGK 1034. I recently went to Advance Auto and asked for NGK BP7ES, they said they couldn't get them. I went home and thought to call them and ask for NGK 1034, they had them in stock at the store. The plugs were in their computer under the 1034 number but not under BP7ES.

Scott

 

[lakeview]

I got the Champion non resistor ones after 1 day wait at Napa in Oshawa, no sweat.

 

[5twins]

Yes, the "BP7ES" is the descriptive part number telling the tip style, heat range, etc. The actual part or stock number is 1034 .....

 

[CDNTX650]

Autolite 63 or 64. buy at Napa.

 

[robinc]

Thank you everyone for your responses and info. Tried Can T when I was there today for 1034, not in their system. I'll try that search when I'm by an auto parts store.
I emailed NGK Canada last week looking for a local distributor and their customer service rep told me they were discontinued in 2002. Funny I could still buy them everywhere in 2008. I'll get some Champions or Autolites and order some NGK's when I place a parts order.