RobinC has brought forward a
really important point here folks:
- A LOT of the key parts on our 40+ year old bikes are actually still current parts that are used on many models.
This is particularly true of things like: bearings, seals, gaskets, nuts, washers & bolts etc. A lot of the "wear & tear" engine and carburetor parts are simply standard stock items and they are still currently in use on presently-produced models. They are NOT unique to XS650's and so getting a supply of them is not a big deal.
I just checked the link Robin gave above, and those throttle shaft seals are used on bikes ranging from the earliest 1970 XS-1 (i.e. the very first model "XS650" - which is now approaching 50 years old) right through to a recent
2013 Yamaha V-Star 250 carburetor.
So - if you go into your
local-yokel Uncle Fred's Yamaha shop and ask for a "
throttle shaft seal for a 1976 Yamaha XS650C" - you will almost certainly be told "
Sorry, obsolete, not available" - because all the guy is going to hear is "
1976" - and he
knows that they don't stock any parts for a 40 year old model bike. He!!, that shop likely wasn't even in business 40 years ago.
However, if you ask for a part number:
Y-256-14997-00-00 - they will likely have a dozen of them sitting in a box on the shelf - because it is a
currently used part on a
recently produced model.
The
key piece of information is the Yamaha OEM part number - if you have that - you stand an excellent chance of scoring the correct OEM part quite inexpensively by simply putting that part number into your Google search window (with no other words or descriptors). Try it for yourself - simply cut and paste
256-14997-00-00 - into your Google search window and you'll get a
whack-load of listings of that very part at prices ranging from $3.05 (from
www.boats.net) to around $2.95 (from PartsFish). BTW - I have bought parts from both of these sellers and they are just fine to deal with.
www.boats.net has all of the parts blow-up views on their website - including the Yamaha part numbers and a listing of which other bike models used that exact part. Even some unique engine/transmission parts can be found using
just the parts number. Also, even if
www.boats.net lists the part as "
Obsolete - discontinued" - try searching for it on Google anyway - and chances are you'll find it somewhere else.
I got a desirable single piece long clutch push-rod for my 1976 for the princely sum of $7.00 USD - and it was still wrapped in its Yamaha OEM parts baggie.
TIP for Fellow Canadians: be sure to specify shipping by
US Postal Service or
USPS (do NOT use a courier like UPS or FEDEX etc.). The USPS shipment will swap over to
Canada Post at the border and shipments under $1-300 entering Canada via the
postal system are seldom dinged by Canada Customs. I think that the same guideline applies for shipments from the UK - be sure to have the shipper use the
Royal Mail. Have them marked "
Vintage Motorcycle Parts" - these packages nearly always come through with no duty or other crappola fees added on.
