Motorcycle race parts supplier Sudco will cease operations at the end of this month.

Sudco, run by the Uyeno/Kuwabara family for three generations, has been a cornerstone of the motorcycle racing industry for over a half century. Need carbs? Call Sudco. Need jets or needles for flatside Mikunis? Sudco has them. Need advice on a tricky carburetor issue? Call Sudco. For the past 60 years, Sudco has supported championship-winning motorcycle race teams across the United States in nearly every two-wheeled racing division, from road racing to motocross, providing top-level induction, gaskets, and almost anything else needed to race. The Kawasaki that I restored last winter, pulverized in so many ways in the Chicago street racing scene for 20 years, had a Sudco sticker on the frame and custom Sudco needles in the carbs.


For a variety of reasons, we are witnessing generational change in the motorcycle racing industry. Not that long ago—okay, 40 years ago—Hap Jones was a brand and a rider that every bike shop knew of and used to obtain parts for their bikes and customer bikes. Today, in 2024, very few remember who Hap Jones even was or that he sold parts. Now, dealers and riders call Motion Pro. If it is true that Air-Tech is shutting down, and that Supertrapp/Kerker did a "quiet close" in January, the news of Sudco closing is a worrisome trend.

Additionally, Sudco's core business has been hurt by Chinese knockoff parts and the skyrocketing cost of doing business in California.


While it may be true that the carburetor was on a deathwatch the very day the first motorcycle rolled into the world with an oxygen sensor on the engine, there are still millions of motorcycles in use that rely on that controlled leak (carburetor) system to run.

The legacy of Sudco will endure through the countless motorcycles they helped keep on the road and the racers they propelled to victory. Their expertise, dedication, and unparalleled service will be remembered fondly by enthusiasts and professionals alike, marking the end of an era in the motorcycle racing world.

The closure of revered establishments like Sudco not only signifies a loss in the physical realm but also strikes at the heart of the motorcycle racing community's soul.