If a new company broke into the market?

jriehl08

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What would you like to see as far as parts?

Handlebars?
Frames? Complete or weld-on tails
different style seat pan kits?
exhausts?
Complete build rollers?
Custom pegs and mounting hardware?
Gas tanks?
fender stay kits laser cut to your specs?

If the pitch goes well I will be bringing my 74 down to the shop to use for prototype/mock-ups and photos of product lines
Let me know as Im pitching an idea to the owner of the shop I design at looking to get into a new market. I keep seeing people posting they think its an open market. The shop I work at has everything from TIG and MIG to tubing benders. Two Lasers and a ton of other equipment. We are a steel shop that does automotive right now but looking to maybe try a new market.
 
I would like to see someone else producing rollers. Even if it was the same building style like Angry Monkey bikes. Although he builds Triumphs, his building style is very popular. I think he only builds a few bikes a year but has a waiting list for people wanting one. He has received some negative comments from people that say he does the same style bike but he still has a waiting list of people wanting one and I don't think he plans on changing. Customer service seems to be one of the biggest challenges for new starts and has been the downfall for many.
jefft
 
Jeff thank you for the comments. One big thing that I will make sure of is customer service. With being a bike rider and builder myself I know that feeling of no returned emails and unanswered phone calls. Im hoping to get enough comments here to print off to show that this is a smart investment for the company as long as Im aloud to produce a product that's worth building. I will not build a product that I wouldn't put on my bike or ride at the drop of a hat. Im just hoping that I can get more feed back in the next week or so while I get the rest of my ideas and such on paper for our meeting. I will get into more lines as time goes but since I already have a 74 that's ready to cut up and build what better way to show case what we can make as to build a bike from the ground up. Im a certified welder along with running Catia (cad program) designing for my day job. He told me that if we went this way he would have the weld instructor come back in and certify my in TIG welding also. That would open up the door for custom gas tanks and oil tanks in the future also. Im also a state lic. master motorcycle mechanic so there would even be a chance if things went in the right direction to maybe get into full builds if that was something a customer was looking for.
 
What would you like to see as far as parts?

Handlebars?
Frames? Complete or weld-on tails
different style seat pan kits?
exhausts?
Complete build rollers?
Custom pegs and mounting hardware?
Gas tanks?
fender stay kits laser cut to your specs?

If the pitch goes well I will be bringing my 74 down to the shop to use for prototype/mock-ups and photos of product lines
Let me know as Im pitching an idea to the owner of the shop I design at looking to get into a new market. I keep seeing people posting they think its an open market. The shop I work at has everything from TIG and MIG to tubing benders. Two Lasers and a ton of other equipment. We are a steel shop that does automotive right now but looking to maybe try a new market.

If you read all the posts on here as I have, as well as the 650garage.com posts, which are every bit as extensive as this site's, I believe with what you have listed insofar as machinery, tools and experience... a great market area would be METAL gas tanks to fit the XS650. If you have the patients to read through them as I have, it fairly jumps off the page. Of course you'll hear about everyone's own little wishes, but I suggest you do your own homework and especially take notice of how many builders have taken the time to jury rig gas tanks from other bikes, most noticeably, the Yamaha XS750 and 850 triples. Also, take notice of sales figures for the different style FIBERGLASS gas tanks for the XS650 which are always listed with a disclaimer about being ILLEGAL ( which DEFINITELY keeps me from considering them! ) for street use. In addition, many owners just don't trust the builders' ability to successfully insulate the fiberglass surface from the effects of unleaded gas. I would guess that OEM style replacement steel tanks, which are already available in at least a 3.9 ( some list the same? tank as 4 gallon ) gallon size might have that particular segment of the market locked up, but there isn't a 3.2 gallon OEM steel replacement tank available that I've run across, and I believe that would be the most common original size tank . I believe a Dunstall or "toaster" style tank in a 4 or 5 gallon size would probably be popular with the cafe racer enthusiasts and for the chopper crowd the peanut tank and a variety of tanks from different Harley models seem to be popular. OEM XS650 tanks also came with 1 or 2 petcocks, depending on the year and I believe there might be actually 2 slightly different mountings... I don't think all OEM tanks fit on ALL bikes .
 
How about something other than choppers ? Cafe's and Trackers would be a nice change of pace. I also agree about the METAL tanks.
 
Metal tank is 1 big thing that I will work on. I want a tank that works with the frame and doesn't just sit on top on the frame. Sitting more like it was built for the bike right from the factory and not just set on top of the frame. Café and trackers are also loves of mine and I will most likely build one after I do my personal hardtail. What would you like to see in the café or tracker world? I actually have a lot of friends in the dirt track world that I could get pictures and ideas from actually trackers. I know I could go through and read all the posts on hundreds of pages and sites but I thought if I posted this thread I could get current wants and wishes in one area to show in just a week or two this is the interest in a short time and a worth while venture for him to consider.

Thanks again guys for the comments.
 
I agree gas tanks. This has been a real problem building a tracker with the right look without using a fiberglass gas tank. I been that route and the fiberglass tank coating began coming apart and migrated into my engine plugging carbs along the way. A Champion style tank/seat would be nice. Trackers with a stock tank just don't do it for me as far as the looks.
jefft
 
Gas tanks....dirt trackers would be cool like the modern tear drop on the big twins is what I would buy right away, the champion always looks good, if your could make a bigger knight tank also I think they all would be great choices from my perspective. Also lower foot pegs system like dirt trackers. Anything you can bring over from the dirt track world be awesome.
Tear drop tank
 

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Choppers are the bain of lovers of real motorcycles. I'd like to see a company offering bolt on products that lightens and shrinks the size of the XS to Brit Bike specs to make a hot 60's style street custom. Reasonable Brit parts can be sorced from India. Fenders that are narrow and fit right in place of the stock fender would be a first buy. An electrics plate that fits under the seat for folks who go PM alternator and capacitor (or small battery). Side covers that are small and stylish and cover said electrics so the middle of the frame is opened up. Side covers that mimic the oil tank on a pre 70's Triumph for stock bikes (look at the aftermarket side covers for The later OIF Triumphs). Seat foam and cover that mimics a Brit bike and fits on a stock pan. A mount to lower the insruments so they aren't sticking up so high. Foot peg mounts that bolt to the stock location and a back just a hair (about like an SR500).Affordable 4-leading shoe brake (pipe dream).

Tom
 
A copy of the stock battery box for the non-cutting types among us that have battery acid cancer on theirs. The chop cult market will not be a stable one, nor high volume. I provide axle adapters to use 1 inch H-D pattern wheels on metric bikes, and I have between 8 and 12 sets run at a time because the demand varies with the season. I think doing a metal tank that's a bolt on is a shit hot idea, and if there are single source chop cult parts that don't last for shit, that would be a good line too. As from as hard tail kits and such? They would have to be right down there in the money with the rest, and to me, I don't see a lot of margin in them. About 1 in 25 chop, Bob, and brat jobs here has the cash to buy the best product, and everyone else is skipping the cream of the crop if it's not a mental "must have" on their checklist.
 
Re: Cafe Frames -
I'd like to see someone come in with a frame that had a little less rake than stock, and clean up the area behind the carbs completely. Leave dual rear shocks for the classic look, but completely get rid of anything that would take away from a totally open and clean look between the carbs and the rear fender.
On the rear, a sheetmetal mini-fender to prevent shit getting up into the carbs, and a rear hoop. I'd also like to see someone make it easy to run the wires in the frame.

HTH.
 
"I'd also like to see someone make it easy to run the wires in the frame.

HTH"

+1
 
Complete café frame ready to go like what voodoo vintage did with the chopper/bobber frames. I like it. If this gets a green flag I will get with some of my dirt track friends and get some input on the mods they have done to clean up there frames along with some detailed pictures. Ill build a café for prototyping darn another reason to build another bike. ;)

As for wiring I will be looking into running every wire I can in the frame including tail light wires and head light wires. I will be setting my personal bike up with a everything to go batteryless kickstart only.

I am also looking into running throttle and clutch cables in the bars. I have seen a few setups but I think the price is to high for what you get or at least sell it as a complete kit with the bars already modified for a simple plug and play setup instead of you having to modify the bars once you get the stuff.

I know a lot of guys like to modify but there are also a lot of guys that either don't have the time or the ability to do some of the work but still like the look. I know not everyone has a welder or even know where to go to get things welded. So these are all things that Im trying to look at when trying to get ideas on things people are looking for. I want to get as much stuff as I can do as easy bolt on things that wont have to be modified once you buy them and also want to keep pricing on everything so the average guy can afford to build a sick bike even on a tight budget. I know everything cant be dirt cheap but there is a point where the price that is asked for a part doesn't have anything to do with the amount of work that went into making that part.
 
How about a rolling chassis like the "thug life" build seen on here. That bike was a real hit with many people saying it was the best they ever saw including myself. As one other person responded a better springer than a DNA but still reasonably priced in a 4 under.
jefft
 
"Thug life" build has a sweet stance. Kind of the direction my build will be going. This is some really good feedback. Tanks are real high on the list along with cafe and tracker bolt on parts/frames. Keep the comments coming guys.
 
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