[Cracken]

Out of curiosity, what type of time frame are you shooting for having something available to the public?

[seabass10369]

b***hing idea.. very interested in the outcome. 98+ are a little too long for my liking. would like to see an overall shorter set up. my post has a shorter swing arm and just looks funny now.

[Mat0302]

Congrats Waltari, invisioning something great.

I would like to see an extended swingarm, maybe single sided to fit that 360 tire!! haha j/k

[StevieB]

Carbon Fiber is a possibility depending on availability (aircraft manufaacturers and miltary contractors have been sucking up a large share of the supply). No painting services unfortunately...just not something I plan on getting into.

Surely fake CF is available? I would think real CF would be cost-prohibitive, and not a big seller for the Kats, given that there are many more cost-effective ways to reduce their weight.

That said, I know a car builder in the Atlanta area who may have a source. Let me know, and I will have a chat with him.

[chinto]

just use carbon fibre decals. just kidding.

Good luck in the new venture. I am anxious to see what sort of options you turn out.

[suzuki4life]

okay.....thinking out loud. Current ebay pricing on glass bodywork is like $500-600/set? So you would need to make it for under $300 to make it worthwhile. Ahhhhhhhh tooling costs+building costs.....I would figure it would take atleast 50 sets to make it anywhere near worthwhile.

[Waltari]

okay.....thinking out loud. Current ebay pricing on glass bodywork is like $500-600/set? So you would need to make it for under $300 to make it worthwhile. Ahhhhhhhh tooling costs+building costs.....I would figure it would take atleast 50 sets to make it anywhere near worthwhile.

I have a fairly low overhead and do ALL of the work in my shop. No tooling costs are getting farmed out period. End product cost will definitely not be more than current offerings for other bikes, but they won't be below $300 for a full set.

As for a timeline, look for plug development and refining to take place over the next six months hopefully turning out the first set in time for spring. As for carbon fiber sourcing and use, any items produced in CF will be at least 40-60% higher in final cost. There are options for "carbon look" that could be kept closer to a standard cost. Believe it or not, the best source I've found for CF supply is a couple surf shops in Northern CA

[brooder]

Alright...enough typing here....get to work!!!!

[Cracken]

LOL!!!

Perhaps you should start your "do not sell too" list now as well!

JK...

[seabass10369]

well ill hold off till later in the off season for repainting my bike. cuz if it looks like you might have something out within the next year i'll have to deal with bad paint, till they're out

[kwebbel]

Wow! Matthew hope your plans will work out.
From my own experience overhere most Katriders do like to SEE aftermarket stuff, but buying it is something else....

[Black_peter]

Wow! Matthew hope your plans will work out.
From my own experience overhere most Katriders do like to SEE aftermarket stuff, but buying it is something else....

Good point. I was not wanting to mention it.

BTW Waltrai,, Why no pre 98 development? Or do you expect to have the final design work with both?

[suzuki4life]

I have a fairly low overhead and do ALL of the work in my shop. No tooling costs are getting farmed out period. End product cost will definitely not be more than current offerings for other bikes, but they won't be below $300 for a full set.

As for a timeline, look for plug development and refining to take place over the next six months hopefully turning out the first set in time for spring. As for carbon fiber sourcing and use, any items produced in CF will be at least 40-60% higher in final cost. There are options for "carbon look" that could be kept closer to a standard cost. Believe it or not, the best source I've found for CF supply is a couple surf shops in Northern CA

I make stuff in fiberglass and carbon pretty often. I have my own carbon supplier who has never given me a delay of deadline or shortage on orders. 5 axis mills are HUGE dollars....so I hope you have one and its paid for already. I make my plugs from foam and hand shaped. Just making a plug from milled clay would not be a cheap venture in clay costs, programming, machine costs etc etc etc. And carbon versus fiberglass costs is much more than 40-60% step so you would be very gracious to offer such a discount, not to mention the added materials, steps and time it takes to make a decent carbon part compared to part you could make with a chop gun.


best of luck....

[Waltari]

I make stuff in fiberglass and carbon pretty often. I have my own carbon supplier who has never given me a delay of deadline or shortage on orders. 5 axis mills are HUGE dollars....so I hope you have one and its paid for already. I make my plugs from foam and hand shaped. Just making a plug from milled clay would not be a cheap venture in clay costs, programming, machine costs etc etc etc. And carbon versus fiberglass costs is much more than 40-60% step so you would be very gracious to offer such a discount, not to mention the added materials, steps and time it takes to make a decent carbon part compared to part you could make with a chop gun.


best of luck....

I am trained as an industrial designer and believe it or not, people turned out symetrical complex products long before cad controlled multi-axis milling machines were developed. Thank you for your vote of confidence.

[suzuki4life]

I am trained as an industrial designer and believe it or not, people turned out symetrical complex products long before cad controlled multi-axis milling machines were developed. Thank you for your vote of confidence.

what's the tolerance?