One of the best aspects of restoring antique British motorcycles, I’ve learned, is the readily-available supply of parts. Weather searching for NOS bits to complete a drivetrain or engine rebuild or using used parts to save a few bucks, locating the necessaries to breathe life back into a classic bike has never proven terribly difficult. Unfortunately, the job just grew a bit harder as California’s Raber’s Parts Mart has announced it will be divesting of its massive British motorbike parts inventory. The vast stockpile of parts for Norton, Triumph, BSA and other timeless brands will be sold off in an auction at Raber’s San Jose, California location come August 4. Owner Bob Raber is also letting go of his sizable classic bike collection which is sure to be worth checking out whether your particular garage has room for a new addition or not. The shop, which has long supported Cafe Racer magazine is still set to provide service for vintage British bikes of all makes, but the Raber’s team has decided to pull the plug on supplying the tens of thousands of parts that make them whole. The field of classic parts suppliers is undoubtedly thinning, but lucky for us old bike freaks, there’s still enough of a pipeline to keep the classics rolling.
