Chroming price v Pattern parts price

[Andy M]

Rebuilding a Z900 A4 , not going to be a 4 pipe rivet counter bike, just a tidy bike , std new paint etc (ex USA bike) , looking at some prices on Z Power for various pattern parts which are reasonable and hearing the prices for chrome going through the roof just wonder what others views are re the same subject . Thanks

[Ultim8pc]

Depends what you want to achieve and how much you want to spend.
you'll get a ton of differing opinions. Only you can decide what you want and what you'll accept.

[Andy M]

Depends what you want to achieve and how much you want to spend.
you'll get a ton of differing opinions. Only you can decide what you want and what you'll accept.

As stated above , a clean 900 a4 not for the rivet counters , as std looking as possible other than a 4 into 1 .

[Garry.L]

I'm from the 'Original' camp.... but without the bottomless pockets so while a nice set of fully stamped up original 4x4's is preferable, it's not always realistic on cost/repair/re chrome terms, so I'd be more than happy with the Replica items... either way though it's got to be 4x4's for me.

[Ultim8pc]

Depends what you want to achieve and how much you want to spend.
you'll get a ton of differing opinions. Only you can decide what you want and what you'll accept.

As stated above , a clean 900 a4 not for the rivet counters , as std looking as possible other than a 4 into 1 .

Then repro will be the way to go as it's cheaper than re-chroming.

[Peteypops23]

Just been to my local chroming place....prices, like everything else, have increased quite a bit in 12 months. He had held prices steady for a while but just quoted me £350 to do the front mudguard and £300 to do the short rear mudguard......looks like z-power will be selling some more repros seeing as I've two of each to do.
Just the way the world is at the moment
Pete

[warren3200gt]

All they are doing is pricing themselves out of business.
Repro ones prices include chrome plating and production, materials and processes and shipping costs and profit. There is no reasoning behind asking that kind of price to strip and re chrome an existing part which is presumably delivered and collected. There's either an element of greed or not wanting to do it involved there.
I am collecting a front mudguard this afternoon that was re chromed 8 years ago but had rotted through at the front fold seam which was no fault of my plater. My plater (same as last time) offered to do it free as a result.
I am taking a headlight rim and a grab rail for him to quote for this afternoon. Let's see what he has to say about those!

[marmck]

£325 new from z-power +club discount front fender nos

[warren3200gt]

Just back from picking up the front mudguard and true to his word wouldn't even accept a drink for doing it.
Quoted £30 for the headlight rim and £60 for the grab rail.

[Barnett]

A few years back a mate had his complete 4x4 exhaust system chromed by an excellent chromer near Wembly, he even does stuff sent from Japan. Cost was circa £1500, for a show chrome finish. Yes getting very expensive now though. Hampshire chrome in Southampton do different quality services, most go for the cheap crap plating they say, good for office desk legs etc. some go for the full rolls royce treatment, costs vary wildly. Another snag is that chromers are leaving the trade, new European rules bought in a while ago, with compliance date extended last year I think. For some reason we are following them.
As far as I know this forces them to use hexavalent (?) chrome instead of trivalent (?), whatever that means but its more environmentally friendly but costs a lot more. the new stuff is not quite as good, bit duller and not as corrosion proof so they have to increase thickness over the nickel layer. Health and safety crap with fume extraction and treatment has also gone through the roof cost wise. Its the usual story sadly. Prob cheaper to book holiday in India and pack your stuff in luggage and get it done out there while you wait!

[kev edwards]

Love watching plating threads, it's what I used to do for a living, it's expensive to set up, labour intensive, extremely hazardous to health and mortality no matter what ppe you use, very difficult and costly to process the waste, massively detrimental to the environment regardless whether its tri or hex, so while everything else goes up in price do we actually expect the plating industry to remain static in cost's, we have to cough up if we want to keep original parts.

[warren3200gt]

Depends on your definition of original though Kev.
To me, a replated mudguard, headlamp rim or grab rail etc
Is no more original than a repainted tank or panels.
Original is only original once regardless of if its paint or chrome.
If a chromer wants £300 to rechrome a part and a nos one is £325 it's a no brainer to me as far as originality goes.
Sure plating is a messy and environmental unfriendly process but to ask almost as much as a nos part is crazy.
When nos becomes unavailable that's when the table turns.
My guy does everything to show standard and most of his business is classic top end car marques but he is a realist and always busy.
What's your opinion on the prices Pete was quoted?

[kev edwards]

Totally agree Warren, but the repros are made elsewhere where life, labour, care about environment are cheap, also much lower profit margins make it more attractive, in over 40 years of riding I have only had one pair of forks re-chromed and one chain guard, chainguard was a freebie, small stuff I done myself, anything else binned and new bought, my opinion on Petes quotes are if you want to keep the old part then pay the price, they are steep but you do have a choice, if we keep our bikes until we die I'm sure family won't bother too much about getting top dollar.