Making your own race parts

you could make fairing bracket, custom subframe, overflow bottle, battery box, flag holder for victory laps, 3d printed swingarm, print some wheels, brake rotors

 

Make your own helmets!

 

keep us updated. I could use some parts too!

 

3D printers are great for making "molds" for carbon fiber parts. I used a printed model (first made it out of pieced together aluminum and scanned it then back fed that into cad to make a model) and it worked great once sanded and waxed. I'm sure I could have bought one that would have worked ok but this lever fits me perfect and is exactly how I want it. 3D has its purpose but for functional stuff raw material cost is pretty high.

 

I always cut reliefs in mine for just that purpose.

 

This is exactly why I do it. There is no bigger compliment than someone saying, that's awesome where did you get that.

 

Then they ask "can you make one for me?" and then you reply, "yeah sure, but I have 32 hours into this piece, and it would cost $2080 plus material"........ ha ha.

 

It's not worth it unless you have some super old bike that no parts are made for. Example: RC30 or RC45.

 

Define "worth it"? Anybody can buy shit, and bolt it on.....

 

Yepper. Had a guy last week ask me if I could make him carbon fiber heel/ frame guards like I have on my KTM dirtbike. I mainly built those because of the linked thumb brake adaptor is rather exposed, plus I was already prepping other stuff. Told him $150 a set, he said that's crazy. I just laughed and said have fun making your own. Same thing happened with my remote kill/ start mode/ braking system for my kids PW50 (nothing too fancy just a Traxxas speed controller, a couple relays and a servo and mechanism I made to apply the rear brake). Told the guy to bring me all the stuff and I'll fab up the little pieces you can't buy. He flipped when I said about $200, which was high for the electronics. Said he can buy a kill switch on eBay for $50. Said I could have too but wasn't into running to chase my kid to restart it when I can just put it in start mode I make a few things for buddies, normally for free or cost of materials. Majority of the time they have no idea the value of stuff they are getting. Since I quit drinking building stuffs a good outlet to relieve stress. Just built a pretty cool fishing rod holder for my Jeep and am in the process of building a set of rear sets for a buddies vintage flat tracker. For the rear sets I bought components that made sense to buy, making all the rest. Also just finished a bigger foot pedal for the rear brake of my dirtbike and also built 2 more that will go on a top GNCC guys bike, he got them yesterday and sent me a message this am that he loves them. Added some internal springs and such to allow them to give a bit in the upward direction and tapered the bottom to try to avoid it hanging up as much as possible (that was his issue, mine was my big ass feet)

 

All depends what you like. A lot of stuff I build either you can't buy or the stuff you can buy I don't like. It costs more to make stuff usually so if I can buy it I will but if not what I want I'll buy and modify or build from scratch. I have access to a lot of equipment and raw material so that helps. I take pride in my stuff and want it the way I want it. Especially being 6'3", a lot of stuff isn't made for that range on bikes. Once I learn how to tig aluminum better that will speed stuff up for me.

 

I have had a few people ask about my quick change shifter setup(for endurance racing), but they always bauk when you start talking cost. Like designing and building virtually one off components doesnt take time. I rarely build stuff for people because I refuse to build it for pennies.

 

Like I stated, I'll sometimes do stuff for buddies but that's how we work. I E as Alex V can attest I have a huge piece of lakefront property to use to fish, ride the dirtbikes, off-road in etc and I'm live my buddies fix it all guy. Got his 53' Chris Craft running like a champ, etc. I'm making the rearsets for the guy that does my dirtbike engine stuff, tire changes, etc so that all comes back around plus he's a really good guy. To build something for someone out of my circle of friends would be cost prohibitive for them 99% of the time plus I just don't like dealing with people , if it becomes a job it's no longer fun for me.

 

100%

I was just thinking about this the other day. Built a two into one for my 900ss years ago, had a bunch of people want one but balk when you talk cost.

Go build your own then.

 

I've got a great group of friends with a wide variety of backgrounds, trades and skills. What goes around comes around, and that's the way we all work. I really don't have a lot of spare time anymore, so for me do take a job building something outside that group it either has to be worth the money, or something pretty interesting. Or something that can justify the purchase of another tool for the shop ha ha.

 

Now that I work in R&D and am always making prototypes, I laugh when people say "but it's only 1 part!". Only making one is by far the most expensive and time consuming way to make anything.

 

I'd still like to see a picture of this.

 

No.

 

Make me a sandwich and bring it to the GNF in your miata.

 

Thats an honest question. Im a welder/fabricator . It all depends on what you have at your disposal as far as machining and tooling is concerned. Trust me not a single part is perfect the first time. R and D takes a little bit of time. I didnt wake up know how to weld and fab stuff . It came from years of screw ups , aggravation, several cuss words and testing . Dont be afraid to go beyond the norm. Thats what we call development although aggravating its part of the process of learning and making it better .