Manufacturing Adventure Motorbike Parts
What I Do………
Designing and manufacturing adventure parts for KTM’s that will ultimately enhance their running, improve their performance and durability takes an incredible investment in time and resources. Everything is ultimately down to cost, so manufacturers try to standardise and streamline their chain of processes. Their manufacturing model indirectly creates an environment for innovative and inventive people (like me) to find solutions to improve upon their poor original designs or make ‘upgraded’ bike parts that are better designed and can be made from superior materials. Motor GP or Dakar bikes are prime examples, as all possible weak points of failure are addressed. Bike materials are tested as are all electrical connections. Virtually all the standard KTM factory bike components receive intense scrutiny. Even a small improvement in design will add to and enhance the bike performance and rider experience.
Highly modified KTM bikes may well share the same model name, but can be practically completely different bikes. There is always room for improvements by manufacturing individual KTM replacement parts that utilize better design conventions and incorporate major advancements in materials that trump KTM oem parts. As a designer and manufacturer of performance replacement parts for KTM’s, I know the standards that need to be attained and the hurdles that must be overcome to produce bike equipment to professional specifications and meet my customers’ expectations.
KTM Bike Parts
One of the first KTM bike products I manufactured was my pro grade Side Stand Relocator. This addressed the poor design of the original KTM 950 & 990 side stand mounting point on the engine case. Even road bikes with no off road miles have suffered from cracked engine cases and this is a major bike repair. The Factory KTM 950RR Adventure that raced in the Dakar had its side stand mounted to a plate that was welded to the bikes frame. Without a doubt, the best solution but how many Adventure bike owners have either the equipment or ability to fabricate such a solution? So I designed my ‘pro grade’ plate to remove the load from the vulnerable engine case mounting points of the OEM side stand, but still keeping the stand in its original location.
Professional Components
Another one of my KTM component modifications I chose to improve upon was my KTM Centre Stand Bushes. These are identical to OEM in size and fitment but are made from Marine Grade Stainless Steel. So why didn’t KTM use Stainless? Because of cost and sourcing. Initially I was going to source bushes direct from the manufacturer. These bushes were only needed for the Side Stand Relocator fitting for the sublime 950 Super Enduro R and would have been plain steel. As a small independent I ran into the issue of cost of manufacturing, the bush manufactures were not interested in supplying me with quantities below 1000 items, for them it’s all about tooling costs. But the price of OEM bushes in comparison made it viable to approach a small engineering company that made piece parts for the Marine Industry. And so I had the bushes made myself. Something as simple as a bush took an age to organise, but they are still half the price of OEM bushes, made from a material that’s 3.5 times more expensive.
Manufacturing Parts – Ideas
Anybody who owns a KTM knows without a tool or strong magnet, removing the KTM Oil Filter can be a slippery affair. The basic idea for my magnetic KTM Oil Filtering Cover came from comments made by George Morrison who was an independent Lubricants Engineer who worked for Exxon Mobil. His suggestion was to use rare-earth magnets as an improved oil filtering system. This became more relevant to me when KTM introduced the bypass valve in its oil filters; I then started the design and research process. My ideas for manufacturing bike parts really can come from anywhere!
I have many more ideas and innovations;
(Creativity and bikes are the 2 things I cannot live without). But finding the time and investment in our ever increasing busy schedules hasn’t been easy, so the new website will hopefully allow the process to accelerate and other practical solutions will be forthcoming.
Buy My KTM Parts Online
I make all my KTM Offroad Adventure Parts because I have the passion and inner drive to do so. I love what I do.
All my bike parts and accessories I currently make, and will make going forward will always be made without compromise.
Buy any of my ktm parts online here and be assured in their quality of manufacture and the level of service I offer to all my customers. Shop with 100% confidence.
Best regards; CharlieNut….