Motorcycle parts fall into 2 major categories – OEM parts – (original equipment manufacturer) and those from the Aftermarket. For the OEM Parts, there are some great, Free Microfiche tools that can help us to Identify the OEM Part Numbers, their stacked Placement and orientation, and Quantity of the same Parts used in the assembly.



Whether you’re looking to make a single item repair, to make repair to multiple components, or a full-on motorcycle restoration project start to finish, the Interactive Microfiche websites like the ones available through RonAyers.com and many others are a good way to get started.



For those of us riding and maintaining Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha motorcycles made over the last 40 + years, these Microfiche tools are outstanding.


They show year and model definition details with high accuracy and the part numbers that go into making each bike. Just a heads-up about using on-line microfiche though, a listing for a motorcycle part and it’s price detail for that part Does Not mean that the OEM part is available or that one exist in the world.



I’ve seen that happen many times over the years – want OEM or NOS Seat Hinges for a 1965~1967 Honda CB450KO? An Exhaust System for a 1974 Suzuki GT750? Not going to happen…….



I’m a planner. I love taking projects of the worst kind and breaking them down into dozens of manageable pieces.



Microfiche pages have been a part of my process for many years.



I find the on-line microfiche that best covers the motorcycle in my project and I print out every page. I then bind those pages into a folder that I have in my workshop for constant access. During the teardown, I mark which parts I’m going to need to replace or find.



Sometimes on the older machines, OEM Parts are not available, but knowing the OEM Part number, how many are used, and exactly where they go in the assembly can help us find them through eBay and other selling resources.



Using the “where used” feature of the microfiche website has led me to salvaged parts of the correct part number from different years/models that could be restored for use. As I order and later receive each part, I document that onto the microfiche page.



This same Printed Microfiche then becomes an integral part of the “Assembly Manual” where I’ll check to see that I have and use all of the motorcycle parts that I intended to.



Microfiche pages are usually drawn and grouped into assemblies of related parts.



These assemblies can guide the new restorer or mechanic through each segment of the repair. As mentioned earlier, the microfiche page is a good tool for keeping record of parts ordered, parts received, and parts used during assembly. They go from being a planning tool to an assembly tool, then onto a recorded tool for each/every bike I’ve restored.



Make friends with your favorite Microfiche website for motorcycle parts and be sure to use the OEM Parts Tool on your next motorcycle repair or motorcycle restoration project.