I’ve decided to replace the bodywork screws on my bike – after 7 years of my indelicate removing and replacing of screws, a bunch of the screws are nearing being stripped out, and I know I’ll be pulling the body work off at least four times on my trip (to disconnect and reconnect the battery both times I ship the bike).  The easy answer would be to buy them from my BMW dealer, but I really don’t want to pay upwards of $3/screw when I need umm….14 or so of them.

So I figure the internet has EVERYTHING.  I’ll find somewhere else to buy my screws.  Great idea, except…

…nobody sells the exact screw I need.  Except for a company in Germany that has a minimum US order of 100 euros.  They sell my screws in lots of 25 for 7 euros.  I don’t need *that* many screws.

So do I pony up at the dealer?  Buy screws from Germany if I can find someone in Europe willing to resend them to me?  Find close-but-not-quite-right (either allen not torx or not pointy on the end) screws?  What’s a girl to do?