Kawi2strokes.com Forum

John Akay from the UK posted a link to a story about bogus NGK plugs and products.


http://kawasakitriples.myfastforum.org/ ... .php#63357

I guess from what I read, ebay is loaded with the garbage too.
This picture was provided to point out the visible tell tale signs of a fake plug.

Fu*#ers should be beat.

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1969 H1, 1971 G3SSA, 1974 G5, 1973 H2A, 1975 S3A, 1975 H1F, 1973 Z1, 1988 HD FLTC, Captain America chopper, 2000 Excelsior Henderson, 1965 Bridgestone BS90

It has gotten to where if you're getting a great price on eBay for brand name bearings, spark plugs, electronic parts, and probably almost anything else, unless it's a known dealer of that brand, you can assume it's fake until proven otherwise.

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If it surges, that's normal, upshift.

I could be wrong, but my first inclination would be that these are made in China...? I saw a short documentary/report on tv the other day on the scraping by both individuals and companies of various metals, all originating from the US. The individuals being just people scavenging old industrial buildings/factories in cities all over the country to make a buck (illegal of course, but the buildings are sitting abandoned anyway...). The companies on the other hand, would send representatives from China, who would travel across the country making deals with scrap yards and purchasing large amounts of recycled metals which is cheaper since it's already processed metal and ready to go, which they would then ship by sea in cargo containers. The reason given was that this was to fuel China's industrial revolution, much like ours during the early part of the past century.

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"Only cheat the cheaters, boy - you can't cheat an honest man!" Mordecai Jones - The Flim Flam Man.

Mitutoyo precision measuring tools are also one on Ebay being counterfeited.

Not surprising. And the latest I read is that the Far East fakes are being priced like the real thing or close, so as not to draw suspicion.

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If it surges, that's normal, upshift.

The Chinese copy stuff because they don't have copy laws in their country and it is normal business over there. It isn't right and usually products really suck. Everyone is trying to cash in on this and sell it for top dollar. It has also invaded the aviation industry. Fake Chinese parts are showing up on the commercial airliners as well. They are masters of copy but have a hard time producing real, new products. I have been buying NGK competition race plugs overseas for many years as they are hard to find in the U.S. but now am going to look at my stock. Fake Ohlin shocks are also big over there.

actually they DO have copyright laws on the books...but they are not enforced.
lots of greased palms over there.

just saying.

counterfitting of auto/moto parts is not a new thing - but the internet has made it easier for someone to get ripped off in search of a deal.

in the 90's I got ripped off with a counterfit grant GT steering wheel. I had been in an accident and my hands had bent the rim of the original grant wheel that I bought from a reputable speed shop to the dahsboard. When the collision shop was repairing the car they ordered a grant wheel from their supplier. What showed up was an obvious fake. This model wheel was only available in polished alumnium with a leather wrapped rim. The wheel I got was chrome plated steel with a really cheap vinyl covering around the rim (in a different thickness as well). It started to rust within a year. The logo and horn button were spot on though so I thought it was just a lower cost product offered by grant. Nope, bogus. The body shop fought me on this for a while and I gave up. Had that wheel on my car till last year when the little specks of cheap flaking vinyl were too much for me to take and I drove to Jegs and bought an authentic grant wheel off the shelf. So far I couldnt be happier. And yes I have daily driven the same car for 20 years.

There was a great hot rod article 6 mos back about how to spot the fakes from the real on a lot of stuff people buy like MSD boxes. Some of it was really dumb like the boxes all carrying the same serial number of the one that was used as a pattern to make the fake.

It's entirely possible the body shop that installed the fake steering wheel knew it was fake all along and intentionally ordered it. Body shops are encouraged by the insurance companies to install used and reproduction parts whenever possible. You need to find a shop that's willing to talk to the insurance company and explain that the incorrect parts are obviously not right and the customer complained about it, or talk to the insurance adjuster yourself.

I went through something similar about the same time, with my wife's car. The shop installed a "rechromed" rear bumper, and it looked terrible. Luckily, after a little prodding, the shop talked to the insurance company and was able to get them to pay for a new one.

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If it surges, that's normal, upshift.