Tired of getting ripped off buying plugs

[ironworker]

I recently went to my local after market cycle shop and purchased 2 plugs for my bike. The plugs were NGK Racing plugs (R6918B-8) they cost $38.00 ea. after tax thats $83.24, Does this seem a little F****n excessive to anyone? You can buy an entire set of racing plugs for a car (8 of them) for $75.00, a plug for my lawn mower costs $2.35 I guess if I wanted to race my Mower it would be almost $40.00a plug. I searched online and found out that you can buy direct from the NGK dealer in Sun City Calf. The same plug that cost me $38.00 ea. i could buy for $ 21.00, that means that places like these cycle shops who purchase plugs by the box loads are probably paying less than $15.00 a plug and making $23.00 on everyone of them and that pisses me off!. So if you don’t mind buying online try http://www.ngk.com/ next time you need some plugs and save a whole **** load of money.

Rich

 

[Danman]

Parts America is a NGK supplier. The Honda shop in my town charges almost 15 bucks a piece for my plugs. Parts America can order them for me @ 4 bucks a pop. You just have to wait about 2 days to get them. Try calling around to some the auto shops that sell NGK and see if they can order them for you.

 

[ironworker]

$3.19 !!

i just looked up my sons bike 04 KX 100 and the NGK racing plug was $3.19 we just paid $28.00 for that very plug 3 weeks ago!! check out the site and put your plug number in compare the prices i bet you will be suprised!

Rich

 

[CaptainObvious]

Look around. I get my plugs from the local NAPA store for a lot less money.

 

[mx547]

o'reilly's carries NGK.

 

[KX02]

Wow! I thought the Iridium plugs were expensive at around $7.50 each! I just bought 3 BR8EG's from Murrays auto parts for about $4.50 each. I've had really good luck with these in the past.

 

[ironworker]

Br8eg

yup i just got the BR8EG NGK Racing plugs for $3.19, the Dealership wants $24.00 ea. Maybe its just me but i was blow away by the huge price difference from "Cycle Gear" to the NGK dealer online.

 

[Studboy]

A BR8EG and a R6918B-8 are not the same plug. The R6918B-8 is a special design that resists breakage of the electrode. If it is specified in your manual, you had better use it. My advice: Use a BR8EG to get your jetting dialed in, then install the R6918B-8. You shouldn't be fouling plugs left and right, they should last a long time.

 

[TheJunkMan]

Why would you buy a plug from a dealership?

 

[ironworker]

plugged up

the R6918B-8 is the plug i run in my 01 RM 250 the BRE8g is the plug my son runs in his 04 KX 100, the reason i went to the dealer for a plug is because the local cycle shops were out of the one i needed.

I never thought you could run down to the local NAPA store and grab a plug for your bike.

 

[bclapham]

that special RM plug is around $20 from the dealer. I would just run the regular BR8EG in the rm250 though, since you dont need to rev it like the 125.

however, the rms are known to ping, so if you are running regular fuel and not clued up with the jetting, the $20 plug is good insurance, its shouldnt be $38 a go though

 

[CaptainObvious]

I never thought you could run down to the local NAPA store and grab a plug for your bike.

It will be a special order item, but they can get it and they'll apply the same discount that they use for a regular plug.

 

[Brian]

I've run an NGK BR8Es or BR8EG in every two-stroke I've ever owned, and never had a problem. I get them at ato-zone for $1.39

 

[MXP1MP]

Dont' feel to bad us new '04 KX 125 owners are in the same boat.

 

[firecracker22]

I don't know about the oddball part numbers, but any of the standard NGK part numbers your auto dealer should have some in stock. The R is resistor, the B is the size, the number is the heat range (and NGK is bass-ackwards--the smaller the number, the hotter the plug, unlike everyone else) and the last numbers denote the type of electrode. Most parts stores should carry BR8ES since they fit so many things, and not just bikes. They are usually under $2. Some really cool auto parts stores will even have other plug part numbers.

Maybe I'm just lucky--I've never ever paid more than $7 for the BR8EGs that my bike takes even at a dealer. No idea why a dealer would charge $20 or more for it, that is ridiculous.

Ok smart people, why do the RMs and new KXs take funky plugs? On the Suzukis, did it have anything to do with their TPS/electronic carb setup?

 

[Chili]

Ok smart people, why do the RMs and new KXs take funky plugs?

They have a specially designed electrode that is less prone to breaking off from vibration. The broken off electrode can destroy the top end while it's bouncing around looking for a way out of the cylinder.

 

[Chili]

the BRE8g is the plug my son runs in his 04 KX 100

Not only did they rip you off at $24 for a BR8EG but they also didn't even sell you the correct plug. The 04 KX100 is spec'd for an NGK R6252K-105. My guess is the correct NGK cost $24 for the KX100 and they gave you the wrong plug.

 

[firecracker22]

They have a specially designed electrode that is less prone to breaking off from vibration. The broken off electrode can destroy the top end while it's bouncing around looking for a way out of the cylinder.

So why do certain bikes require that? Seems like every spark plug should be resistant to breakage. Do Kaws and Suzs do something weird that makes them break spark plugs?

 

[Chili]

My understanding is that in the past some of those models have been prone to excessive engine vibration. As a safeguard the manufacturer spec's that plug instead of dealing with the hassle of some blown up bikes. An example would be the KX125, the 03 is spec'd for a BR9E1X, Kawi had some issues blowing up some cylinders and the 04 is now spec'd for the fancy plug as a safety precaution.

 

[gwcrim]

Way back in the old days we used to cut about 1/2 of the ground electrode off and side gap the plug.

In an application that had electrode detachment concerns, this might be an idea to allow use of a standard cheap plug.

$25+ for a spark plug is lunacy! I'd sell the dang bike if I couldn't get at least one year of of a plug.

 

[MXGirl230]

Wow, I've never paid more than $4 for BR8EGs...I get great deals from a couple of dealers though. AutoZone also carries Denso plugs, which all are cross referenced to NGK's. I know a few people who run Denso (b/c they are cheaper) and don't have any problems with them. I haven't tried them myself, yet. I'm still running the BR8EGs.

 

[MayhemInNY]

HOLY CRAP!!!! $38 is insane.. I paid like $50 shipped for 4 denso iridium plugs that went into my car and those are considered expensive.. I hate when people do things like this.. Taking advantage of someone... Sorry to hear about this..

 

[MXP1MP]

I'm thankful that my local kawie dealer realize's it's a joke too so he just sells them to me alittle above his cost. I like how he's upfront about it and says he only makes a few dollars on them at most, he thinks it's insane they do that too.

 

[ironworker]

insane

yea your right 38.00 is insane, i do need to point out that several posts seem to think the BRE8G plug is the one i was saying was 38.00 in fact it was the NGK Racing R6918B-8 plug that they charged so much money for. i did find them for $22.00 online which is as cheap as i have seen them so far.

 

[Slips]

I have an 04 kx 125. The recommended plug is NK R6918B-9 also. Would running a BR9EG be ok? The bike fouls plugs still (going to work on that) and the plugs that come with it are very hard to find plus very expensive. To be honest I am not very worried about the electrode breaking.

So, would a BR9EG be ok to substitute I wonder and/or is there a better substitute?