Wow outsourcing for parts , hmm where does that sound familiar
It sounds very familiar. Every auto and motorcycle manufacturer on the planet has outsourced large numbers of parts for
decades.
People talk about outsourcing like it's some kind of horrible thing. It can be when it's done on the cheap, and most time the result is worth what was paid.
If Honda would let us see the records on it, I'd bet at least half the parts on your ST are outsourced. The entire fuel system, brakes, suspension, wheels and most of the electrical system are all made by third parties. I wouldn't be surprised to find that the crank, cams, pistons, rods, engine block, radiator and the seat are, too. Honda buys the fuel systems for a lot of its bikes (and probably some of its cars) from Keihin because Keihin's awfully good at making them. They achieve economies of scale in R&D and manufacturing that would drive the price of the bike through the roof if Honda tried to do all of that in house for every part they needed.
--Mark
