UPDATE - leaky rear drive

[driggs]

In another thread I posted a pic of the leaky monoshock rear seal on my '88 RT. I popped the bad seal out, and being the cheap SOB that I am, before ordering the replacement from the dealer I checked online.

Below is a pic I clipped from a retail website offering a seal of the proper size for about 1/3 the cost of the dealer around $11 bucks instead of $30....it seems that in the industrial world, oil seals are a commodity item. I guess it makes sense, manufacturers (of any type of machinery) aren't going to re-invent the wheel and make their own seals for their equipment-that kind of stuff is simply outsourced.

I guess this could apply to any kind of seal...although since the final drive seal is so easy to get at on this bike, i'd be more inclined to try a substitute there than say, on a rear main seal or a front fork seal....

I like to support the dealers as much as the next airhead guy, but a 300% markup seems a little extreme...any thoughts?

[Duane Ausherman]

I would expect those seals to work just fine. They might be "fresher" too.

As a dealer, we also tried to find cheaper sources for common parts like seals and bearings. Many of my competitors would mark up the BMW parts book prices even higher than BMW suggested. I left my parts price book out on the counter for everyone to see. No other dealer in the San Francisco Bay Area did that.

By sourcing parts from Europe and OEM suppliers, we were able to hold the labor down to just under the competition and therefore make profit where the others couldn't.

[driggs]

Seal was ordered online, $20 delivered via UPS. Should have it in my hands in a week or so....will see how it goes. Can't beat the price...