DIY - Making stuff

[Mr Hammers]

Can't stop looking around at aftermarket bits for the Bandit, and if I bought everything I'd like, it'd wouldn't be long before my budget was a trembling wreck on the floor, crying and begging for mercy...

For instance, huggers. If you buy them new can be anything up to £150 or more, aluminium/chrome/stainless steel bolts can be nearly a fiver each, oil cooler covers at £50 etc etc... I still find it astonishing that the prices are so high for what they actually are.

So then I got to thinking about making up stuff myself. I'm pretty sure that with a bit of practice I could fabricate a decent hugger with a fibreglass kit much more cheaply, and other bits of panels maybe, and given access to a decent workshop (with a lathe) could probably knock out aluminium and/or steel parts for not much more than the cost of the materials.

In the case of the hugger, if I got it right, I thought I could also make it pay for itself by knocking out a few more and then putting them up on ebay.

So, I'm wondering if anyone here has attempted to make things themselves, rather than pay those silly prices, and if you have, have you any tips could you share?

Also, anyone know of such things as workshops for hire...or will it be a case of finding one, and then talking to the owner and hope he'd let you use it..?

Thoughts welcome.

Cheers!
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A Guide To Powerbands

[Itchy]

For fibre glass have a look at some of the posts over at the HUBB people make screens , fairings , zega type boxes for their bikes.

The issue is all these companies exploit people's laziness ie oh I'll just buy it ready made. And hence there is a market for it.

I think some essential tools are:

Good drill ,

Good angle grinder

Lots and lots of nuts and bolts.

Welder is also good I haven't got one but managed to make a nice rack for my XT.
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Spain 2008France 2007Big one 2009 We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will. In the end, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.

[BanditsHigh]

Yes you can make you're own bits ... but as for 'probably knock out aluminium and/or steel parts for not much more than the cost of the materials' I'd say rethink!!

You'd be using a manual lathe, so it'd take time to make bits ... how long would it take to turn out a specifc part and how much would you charge for your labour?

Then what about finishing, paint, powder coat, anodise, chrome etc .. who'd do that and how much would that cost?

So yes you can make stuff yourself, but you also need to rely on others (painting etc) who'll also charge money for their service, which will be costly as you'd be doing small batches or one-offs ... all of a sudden your bits become quite expensive.

I do make some of my own bits, but to make something as a product and sell it raises the price straight away.

You'd be better offering a custom parts service, creating one-offs (or small batches) and where people expect to pay higher prices.

I would love to do this myself, but don't have the money / experience to set up my own business.

All the best ... Barry

[G]

This isn't a very aesthetic example, but the whole thing was completed in under two weeks, and that's around a 9-5 job and doing lots of other stuff too:
https://gees.zenfolio.com/img/v1/p577426687-4.jpg
Screen makes a big difference. Also has GPS mount, camera mount (didn't work, too much vibration because I used a cheap quick-release tripod mount), 2x5l extra fuel tank. Boxes were bought, but made my own exhaust cover.
Most complex bit was actually mounting it. Did pay for someone to weld up a bracket to go on the bike (Could only find the metal in stainless). Rest of the welding was done by myself.

https://gees.zenfolio.com/img/v8/p460762268-4.jpg
There's not as much computer case on here as there used to be, but one of the places you can see some is the mount holding the headlights on. Cheap source of metal that's freely available; my old work used to chuck out loads of PCs. Newer stuff tends to be a bit thinner.

Given a bit more space, I'd like to get some milling machines, maybe even one of those DIY-CNC milling systems.

[ram_doom]

You can get a used hugger off something else, roughly the right shape (luck plays a part), and use meccano as brackets
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TL1000s, KDX200

[iooi]

For bolts buy in bulk, not per piece. Find the companies who actually make them, and not just the retailers who sell them on and then take their wack.

You have access to the greatest catalogue in the world at your fingertips...

Use it...
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Just because my bike was A DIVVY, does not mean i am......

[G]

Any tips on decent cheap places to buy bolts in the thousands (well maybe just a thousand or two for just bolts, not with washers and nuts)?

[Clanger]

A few of the hangers and bits on my sv are 'homemade', and the next project is to get footpeg lowers made...also my mate Danny is an engineer and the work he's done to his streetfighter is pretty much all his own handiwork, and it looks incredible...so much so it has been winning awards and been featured in a few magazines...

Give it a go, is my advice! If it doesn't work, then hey at least you had a shot at it...if it works - big bonus!
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Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter won't mind - Dr. Seuss

[BenR]

I'm currently making my own hugger as there was never one available for my bike, quite easy to do with fibreglass. Pics here -> https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=168309 it is time consuming though.
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Current bikes: suzuki RG125UN wolf. Yamaha MT-07

[Mr Hammers]

Had a look at the HUBB site, haven't found anything related to what I'm after yet, but some really useful stuff there nonetheless, thanks, Itchy. And yes, got all those tools, including a welder.

BanditsHigh: I wasn't thinking so much about finishes, just polished ally really, and I wasn't considering doing it as a full on proper business (though that would be fun), more just enough to pay for my own materials. For instance, I want some ally bar ends...to buy them is anywhere around £15-20. If I had a lathe, I could make some for a fraction of the price, and while I'm there, make a few to sell as well. Same for fairly simple stuff, like footpegs, gear sticks etc..

I also like to knurl. I like knurling. Knurling is cool.

G: That's so ugly as to almost be beautiful

Cheers, Clanger. I make whatever I can (being on a perpetual budget as I am), but the problem I have is no access to a decent workshop with a lathe. I've been asking around to see if it's possible to rent some time in one, but no luck yet. If I had that, I'd be able to make so many more bits.

Ben; I thought about using the tyre as well, so it's nice to see that it's feasible. Might give a go soon. Looking forward to seeing your end results!

Thanks all.
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A Guide To Powerbands