Hey...
You guys just don't get it. The profit is in selling new bikes. Not old ones!
The Collector/Restorer market is minuscule compared to the new bike market, while manufacturing and re-manufacturing costs keep rising and profit margins get thinner and thinner. Can you really buy newly manufactured, factory parts for an X-six Hustler? If the Big Three really thought that they could make a handsome profit by catering to old bike nuts, don't you think they'd be pumping out parts? The truth is that carrying 60 or 70 years worth of a complete spare parts inventory, is a nice idea but it'd be a huge $$$$$$$$$ loser for the manufacturers, who would have to store the stuff, keep records, pay taxes on the unsold inventory, pay staff to market it and then at some point, tool up to reproduce more old stuff for a limited market, using modern techniques and equipment. In other words, it aint gonna happen.
Also, those of us who play with old bikes want our parts dirt cheap! Most of us (The Boomers anyway.) have our values stuck in the 60's and and 70's. When someone comes along and tries to sell us vintage parts at 2010 prices, we start talking about how the sellers or marketers or manufacturers are gouging us, instead of saying "Thanks! I couldn't have gotten that gismo anyplace else in the world!"
The mistake that David Silver made was to import Official Honda Parts, without getting an import license from Honda and and paying them. Unless he can prove that the current international laws are unjust or legally flawed, hes probably going to have to cease and desist, pay a big fine and Honda may be able to claim the unsold merchandise.
I recently restored a period performance-style BMW Airhead and it took me several years to collect the parts I needed from parted-out bikes, collectors, old parts dealers, and Internet sources. It also took a lot of cash. The exhaust system that cost $175 brand new in 1980 cost me $600 plus shipping two years ago but thats the price you pay if you want to play. OTOH, you can also buy high quality, newly produced parts for several no longer manufactured marques (Indian, Vincent, etc.) but your pockets had better be very deep! The guys who are making that stuff have wives, kids, mortgages and insurance to pay and the bills are coming in at 2010 prices.
As I see it, the bike manufacturers are no different than the car folks but somehow no one (Not even the car collectors/restorers.) gets angry at GM, when they cant go to the dealer and buy a new fender or vintage tube radio for their 1964 Oldsmobile Starfire. It's just the way it is and we accept it. OTOH, when it comes to bikes (And especially among Honda lovers for some reason.) everyones #$%*in and moanin about the costs. All I can say is, be glad that you're obsessed with Honda's instead of BMW's, Laverda's, Morini's or any of the really exotic brands. To most of us, Honda parts are dead cheap!
Lastly....
Soichiro Honda wouldn't be "turning in his grave". He'd probably be saying "This is the modern world! We at Honda have to leave the past behind and produce the best motorcycles and cars in the world, for todays buyers. If we try to live in the past, we will disappear like a beautiful snowflake when the sun comes out."
And he'd be telling the truth.
