No Parts Available Means Vintage?

Suppose the '96 Kawasaki ZX1100E (GPZ) may be considered vintage once parts are no longer available? I was prepping it the other day for a ride when a big chunk of the swing arm chain guide broke off. At 91K miles I expected that long ago, but the use of silicone chain lube is what I credit for its long life.

When I looked up the chain guide it was only $39, but "DISCONTINUED". Now what am I going to do. Typically parts on EBay are a bit spotty for this model. As luck would have it there were no swing arm chain guides, but there was what looked like a complete swing arm with what appeared to be a new guide on it. Best of all it was only $45 and $12 for shipping. So I bought it and it arrived today. To my absolute amazement it looks brand new!

There is no doubt the guide has never seen a chain, but the swing arm itself doesn't even have a scratch on it anywhere. I'm convinced it is all new, even though it is described as used.

At the races this weekend I looked up the rules and it would be considered vintage after 1997. So that definitely applies here. The thing about it is that it still runs like new. I've really taken care of it over the years and it always been garaged kept and covered whenever I rode it to work.

As the owner of multiple vintage bikes (82 Seca, 64/65 Campus 50, RZ350, 86 GSXR-750R) EBay is now your best friend. As well as model specific forum boards. People with the same bike interests will have already faced these challenges and either know solutions, sources or have things stashed. I tend to browse the above resources at least once a week. Diligence will be rewarded, I have found unobtainable parts occassionally for great prices. In other instances, I have seen parts I needed or wanted priced so high the did'nt sell. After a few weeks of them not selling I email a reasonable offer.

Kind of a golden age for most parts. There was a time before CL and ebay where old bikes meant climbing over brush to find old parts in bike graveyards. Much easier now, and much much more expensive, especially for parts bikes. Every fool with a dead bike sells it for the sum of the price of the parts. Too bad. Wouldn't it be nice if groups bought a parts bike for cheap and passed it around the group as needed to keep these bikes on the road?