Posts
23
Joined
7/19/2014
Location
Byron, CA
US
Edited Date/Time
9/8/2014 7:29pm
Does anyone know where to find a set of these amazing t handles? I know in the 70s you had to order them out of a Honda catalog. Since then they have virtually become impossible to find. They're like my giant whale and I'm Cpt. Ahab...And not unlike Ahab, I will do almost anything to get my hands on a set of brand new Kowas. Please, please, please help me out guys.
http://www.kowa-seiki.co.jp/english-site/
Here is the page out of the catalog. It looks like the first column after the part number is the bolt/nut size, so if you want the 10mm T-handle ask for KL-4-4
If you want the set of 8-10-12-14-17 it looks like the part number is KL-4-010 T-Box
The Shop
DeCal Works Huge Plastic Inventory of UFO and Polisport kits.
Free shipping: VITALMX
Luxon 4-Post Bar Mounts
$189.95 - $239.95
I might get a set myself!
I used to be a service manager in a Honda shop in Warren, Ohio, and later the parts manager in a Honda store in New Castle, PA.
I should've got a set then!
Paw Paw
I lived in Japan for 10 years and used these a bunch. There is nothing special about them compared to the Motion Pro's. Actually, the Kowa's seemed to round off or mushroom on the face more and they are not deep well like the Motion Pro's so they are kinda worse.
What I sense here is Psychological Reactance. Just like Works bikes and Alpinestars riding gear, people think something is trick or better simply because it is unobtainable.
Actually, now that I think about it you might be right, gat01. Wait here while I call the factory mechanics I know and tell them that they have the wrong T-handles...
Seriously though why are shallow socket T-handles better? Lighter weight. Bolts without a flange don't drop into the socket. And bolts without a flange can be installed quickly by negating the need to start them with your fingers when they can bottom out in the socket.
Pit Row
Jamie Crockett
Jamie.Crockett@snapon.com
He is newer to the position (less than two years), so that is why the contact on the Kowa webpage isn't getting back to me. He is the correspondent that has communications with the Japan headquarters and he is the one that takes orders and deals with shipping. One detail he has told me about the logistics is to expect that a 90 day shipping period will be quoted as a delivery timeline.
For anyone else possibly looking at this thread in the future, the rep above may not have the position at your time. In this case, use the Japan email contact on their webpage and ask to be put in touch with the American Rep. They will then pass along your message and expect an email from an American in about a weeks time.
For better pricing they can be ordered direct from Japan at Webike for around $55 shipped depending on current exchange rates. http://japan.webike.net/products/1347662.html
I've recently placed 2 orders with them and they ship very quickly, received first order in 5 days and the 2nd order in 4 days. They offer many cool tool options you won't find here in the USA.
Some photo's of my recent purchases.
13mm add on here
4 piece metric hex t-handles
10mm L-handle
Honda stamped box wrenches
You'll see here the love people have for them - I've a set (including the 2 screw drivers) that are 30 years old, I think, and I still use them every day.
Right besides them on a rack, are 3 different drive size Motion Pro 'spinner' T Bars, that, I rarely use. Weird, I know, but reaching an extra couple of foot to grab the correct sized socket from their posts to fit to the Motion Pro, is a foot or two, to far. The Kowa's 'spin' well in my hands, anyway.
Great quality, axe simple tools. How could you not love such things?
That list has now got me lusting about getting the 7, 9, 11, 13 (bloody KTMs) 19 and 21s
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