Carb insulator rubber 16211323000

[Plammiman]

What’s everyone’s opinion between NOS carb insulator rubbers as opposed to aftermarket. NOS may have rubber aging problems and aftermarket seem to be plastic. Large price difference between them.

[badger_eng]

I’d buy the cheap versions any day of the week and twice on Sundays. Easy to replace when they do fail and I can probably buy 3-4 sets for the price of the NOS ones.

I don’t know what the NOS ones are made of but if they do have a rubber element to them, the NOS moniker doesn’t make me giddy and want to buy them. In fact, it does the opposite.

I’ve just bought 4 cheapy Chinese inlets for my bike, they fit perfect and the bike ran fine upon testing. If they last 3 years at 1/4 of the price of NOS. They’ll see my riding days out if I do the maths.

[Oddjob]

It's the words "Easy to replace" that got my eyebrows to raise up. Nothing easy about getting the carbs off a 500/550, a job to be avoided at all costs IMO.

I always buy genuine whenever possible, it's known, it's trusted and it usually makes more financial sense in the long term.

[badger_eng]

It’s just a job like any other,,,,,
Prepare your tools and your mind.
Realise it’s going to take some time.
Not difficult.

[Oddjob]

The point was, it's a job you can avoid. Nobody likes removing the carbs, sore fingers, cuts from sharp edges, rubbers splitting etc. If you can avoid all that by spending a few pennies more then it's better value in the end. Don't forget, most of these carb rubbers have lasted 50 years, I doubt aftermarket ones will fair as well.

[badger_eng]

And my choice in this case would be to buy cheap.

I’m 64, have plenty of time (well, until the clock stops ticking anyway) and enjoy the process of fettling. If it was a brake, tyre or final drive chain question, my response would be different and go quality any day of the week and twice on Sundays.

I still cast durability doubts over 50 y.o. NOS oil seals, O rings, inlet manifolds and the like. Unless it’s not available from a bearing factor / seal supplier as its manufacturer special (Suzuki GT series clutch pushrod oil seals for example), I don’t buy NOS oil seals or O rings for any of my rebuilds. 

[deltarider]

Last year I have replaced my 49 years old OEM boots (carbs - head). Was it needed? No. After removal I've put the old boots to the test: not one leaked. It was because I have had 4 new in their plastic bags been lying around for decades, that I decided for a renewal.

[badger_eng]

You walk your path and I walk mine.

On items I deem critical, I’ll use genuine when possible.
When it’s an item that I deem not, I won’t.

Life is the sum of all our choices

[Oddjob]

I’ve fitted hundreds no thousands of aftermarket parts to Honda, Yams and Suzukis when I was in the trade. Most were common stuff like crash bars, racks, panniers for which tbh the owner had no choice usually as the manufacturer didn’t make or sell those items. A lot were good, not to the same quality as genuine parts but fine for what they were sold for. Some were awful, didn’t fit, poor fitting instructions etc. Some like aftermarket exhausts were almost impossible to fit, too big around the joint, didn’t reach etc. You get what you pay for. A member on here called Ash did a chemical test on Honda carb rubbers iirc, to see what they were made of, I seem to recall he did a test on an aftermarket one as well. They weren’t the same. Original equipment is specced quite significantly in order to last, at least until the warranty runs out 😃 aftermarket parts are not. They are made to a price, in order to maximise profit. I’ve seen parts advertised as fitting when I know for a fact they don’t. 550k3 airbox rubbers for instance won’t fit any other 550 yet the description says they’ll fit all 550s. You buy at your peril. I’m not criticising your choice, just giving you the other side of the argument. You can then make an informed decision, like the original poster was after. At least he knows some of the pros and cons, not sure if they’ll help him make a choice though.
My advice to the original poster is look around, see if anyone has any lying about, maybe you’ll find original cheaper than aftermarket. If in doubt buy original equipment, you know it fits and lasts. Some things like roller bearings can be sourced elsewhere but look at the make Honda fitted and try and buy the same make, same bearing, half the price. Same can go for orings but factor in you may have to shop in a few places to get a majority of them and you won’t get them all. Then factor in postage from all those suppliers and suddenly it’s not looking so much of a saving.

[badger_eng]

👍

[Skoti]

I’ve fitted hundreds no thousands of aftermarket parts to Honda, Yams and Suzukis when I was in the trade. Most were common stuff like crash bars, racks, panniers for which tbh the owner had no choice usually as the manufacturer didn’t make or sell those items. A lot were good, not to the same quality as genuine parts but fine for what they were sold for. Some were awful, didn’t fit, poor fitting instructions etc. Some like aftermarket exhausts were almost impossible to fit, too big around the joint, didn’t reach etc. You get what you pay for. A member on here called Ash did a chemical test on Honda carb rubbers iirc, to see what they were made of, I seem to recall he did a test on an aftermarket one as well. They weren’t the same. Original equipment is specced quite significantly in order to last, at least until the warranty runs out 😃 aftermarket parts are not. They are made to a price, in order to maximise profit. I’ve seen parts advertised as fitting when I know for a fact they don’t. 550k3 airbox rubbers for instance won’t fit any other 550 yet the description says they’ll fit all 550s. You buy at your peril. I’m not criticising your choice, just giving you the other side of the argument. You can then make an informed decision, like the original poster was after. At least he knows some of the pros and cons, not sure if they’ll help him make a choice though.
My advice to the original poster is look around, see if anyone has any lying about, maybe you’ll find original cheaper than aftermarket. If in doubt buy original equipment, you know it fits and lasts. Some things like roller bearings can be sourced elsewhere but look at the make Honda fitted and try and buy the same make, same bearing, half the price. Same can go for orings but factor in you may have to shop in a few places to get a majority of them and you won’t get them all. Then factor in postage from all those suppliers and suddenly it’s not looking so much of a saving.

Good post!

I too learned the pattern parts lesson back in the seventies.

Even nowadays it still remains the most effective way to dent the legendary Honda reliability.