Parts ordering

[ribbert]

I have sat at the computer on several occasions to order some parts from RPM and each time given up in frustration.

What I wanted was some, but not all, of the bearings and shafts in the rear suspension. There are 14 parts excluding the thrust covers.

Trying identify them on the RPM website is difficult. Some have a photo referenced only to a bench top, some a part number, some a vague description such as "relay arm bearing" and they are randomly placed.

Randy, would it possible to have them identified by the corresponding illustration number on the microfiche or Yamaha part number or like the FJ UK catalogue with an exploded photo, numbers and a price list underneath, and especially, can they be grouped.

Thanks

Noel

[Steve_in_Florida]

I have to agree with Noel on this.

I'm doing a suspension rebuild on a 1990, and have wanted to build a parts order, just to get an idea of the price, so I know what to budget.

Sure would be nice to select a single catalog entry that would populate my shopping cart with parts, then I could pare it down to exactly what I need.

That idea could carry over to some of the other common maintenance tasks, too. Fork rebuild, oil change, etc.

Think modular. A common "mod pack" for a particular year bike. New member joins the site with a stock bike of a particular vintage. Clicks the appropriate catalog item, and has all the recommended stuff sitting in their shopping cart. then they can pick and choose. Easier to remove some items, than to keep adding, and possibly forget something important.

I would think that you would WANT the customer to select a bunch of stuff, all at once.

Of course, this is NOT an easy task on the back-end.

[ken65]

A few years back All I wanted was 4 bolts to stick the belly pan on. Cant recall exact figures but from memory it totalled under 10 bucks (US)  for the bolts
and $64US for postage. Questioned the postage and told it is what it is.  Partzilla or boats . net  has fantastic overseas postage rates . IMHO.

[Alf]

My experience is lightly different:

I always order by email because, yes, Noel, I agree that there are things that are not at the RPM website, but to avoid this I always do with the PN, and Randy & Robert are very colaborative guys, always answer fast and the delivery cost is (overseas) usually cheaper that the value given for the system

And the knowledge from both and the support are fantastic. In less than 2 hours, i.e., Robert explained me how to fit a fuel petcock repair kit... with pics included!

I think that there is no other FJ (or any brand or model) site that give so much

Regards

[ribbert]

My experience is lightly different:

I always order by email because, yes, Noel, I agree that there are things that are not at the RPM website, but to avoid this I always do with the PN, and Randy & Robert are very colaborative guys, always answer fast and the delivery cost is (overseas) usually cheaper that the value given for the system

And the knowledge from both and the support are fantastic. In less than 2 hours, i.e., Robert explained me how to fit a fuel petcock repair kit... with pics included!

I think that there is no other FJ (or any brand or model) site that give so much

Regards

Alf, I said nothing about what they don't have, I referred to the difficulty in identifying what they do have.. There are 14 bearings and shafts in the rear end, trying to identify them individually from the way they are currently listed on the website is near impossible. This would not be any easier by PM, email or face to face. I was making a constructive suggestion that would benefit both Randy and his customers, I was not being critical of RPM, it's staff or its services.

Since the beginning of time parts books have always been acompanied by clear, exploded diagrams for this very reason. Verbal or written descriptions can be misunderstood, terminology differ and a picture of a stand alone component away from its mating parts means little.

We all know Randy and Robert are great guys, the service fantastic, their knowledge extensive etc., I suggested nothing to the contrary, just trying to make the experience better for everyone.

Noel

[Sparky84]

I have sat at the computer on several occasions to order some parts from RPM and each time given up in frustration.

That's not the Noel I've grown to know.

identified by the corresponding illustration number on the microfiche or Yamaha part number

That would be an excellent idea for all parts as everybody has access to a parts catalogue and the Yamaha number then you could search Item Search in RPM

Cheers Alan

[Alf]

You´re right Noel. I didn´t explained right

[aviationfred]

What I have done in the past is..... I look on Partzilla.com to identify the parts that I need and then through the RPM website email, send the request that I would like the certain part by part number and quantities. RPM then sends me an email of an invoice for parts ordered. Payment is for the total is sent through PayPal and the parts arrive a few days later.


Fred

[ribbert]

What I have done in the past is..... I look on Partzilla.com to identify the parts that I need and then through the RPM website email, send the request that I would like the certain part by part number and quantities. RPM then sends me an email of an invoice for parts ordered. Payment is for the total is sent through PayPal and the parts arrive a few days later.

Fred

Fred, you have just validated my very point. Going to another company's website to identify the part, sending an email to order it, receiving an invoice back, paying that invoice and on receipt of payment the goods are dispatched ...... You have just circumnavigated entirely RPM's on-line store and made unnecessarily hard work of it to boot. If everyone did this he may as well close it down.

Wouldn't it be easier to just pick a number from a diagram, add it to the cart and check out? It doesn't get any easier.

This needn't apply to most parts, just the ones such as the rear suspension that are confusing.

I do like Steve's idea of packaging up jobs such as fork seal kits, wheel bearing kits, carby kits, suspension kits, top to bottom brake seal kits (and hoses), LED globe conversion kits etc.

This would be no imposition on Randy and he might sell more stuff. The kits would not physically need to made in advance, just listed as such on the website and then assembled when ordered.

Noel

[ribbert]

You´re right Noel. I didn´t explained right

No worries Alf. I draw enough flak already without adding misquotes to the mix.

Noel

[racerrad8]

Noel, thank you for the post and insight to things that need to have a second or third look for possible imporvment.

Before I get into explanation of order the swing arm parts, I want to explain Alf and Fred's posts. When those guys email me for a part and their transaction are handled off line, they are looking for parts that are not offered on the website. Those part are ordered and sold outside of the website because they are non-stock parts.

Now, back to swing/relay arm parts...

First off, every single swing/relay arm part (bearing, bushing, thrust washer, seal, etc) can be easily located using the search function with the Yamaha part number.

Also, every single part is listed exactly by the Yamaha description. I initially had them listed under more descriptive headings before but people search the actual Yamaha description, not the one I create. The additional item description is troublesome for people looking for the Yamaha specifically listed part.

Now, why is there not a reference to a part fiche index reference number. That is because the same part can be used on a variety of years of FJ's. The issue is the reference number for example can vary from year to year on the fiche. One year a bearing might be #20 and the next #19 on that year model fiche.

So, the part reference on the parts fiche is troublesome depending on what year people are working on.

That is why every single swing arm part is able to be searched by the Yamaha part number.

Currently if you use the word "Swing Arm" in the search field it will reference everything related to the swing arm/linkages in stock. I believe I have every part in stock, but there is the possibility I have missed one or two.

I might be able to create a category to list all of the part together, but again that will be reliant of listing the correct search term(s).

I will look into creating a photo like that listed on the UK site possibly with a link to the specified item.

Sorry for your trouble finding what you need with ease without the use of outside parts fiche to locate the part numbers. If you have the Yamaha part numbers all you need to do is enter them into the search field, if I have it in stock it will pop right up.

I will look at ways to make it easier to locate parts by grouping them together. I have "related" all of the swing/relay arm components to each other this morning. When you select one part all of the others should populate below that item.

But, the easiest way to find what you need is to have the Yamaha part number and enter it into the search field.

Thanks for the post and letting me know the process is not as user friendly as possible. We will work on a solution to try and make it better.

Randy - RPM

[Alf]

Before I get into explanation of order the swing arm parts, I want to explain Alf and Fred's posts. When those guys email me for a part and their transaction are handled off line, they are looking for parts that are not offered on the website. Those part are ordered and sold outside of the website because they are non-stock parts.

That´s just that I wanted to say. There are OE Yamaha parts (i.e. the muffler bolt that I ordered last time) that there are no at the RPM site

Thanks, Randy. And sorry for my English. Sometimes it is not easy to explain myself 

[racerrad8]

And sorry for my English. Sometimes it is not easy to explain myself 

No worries at all, you do a great job.

Randy - RPM