Overlooked opertunity

[KeepOnKeepnOn]

Back to Amiga's original question about Hipo parts building. The problem with bolting on a bunch more performance to one part of the set up means the remaining cheap parts detonate. For instance a high compression head and a really nicely ported sleeve... next thing you know the crank is shattered. Replace that with a really nice flame hardened one and then the bearings oval out and the bearing themselves fall apart. Replace them with really nice ones and ...

[sideshowsideswipe]

I bought my first 50cc HT from thatsdax.com 4 years ago and it's still going strong. I just bought a 80cc because I want a bit more power. The only reason I went with dax is because they claim they are well made and that they are also cheap.

[Klox]

Sideshowsideswipe,
i have been in the manufacturing industry all my working life. The concept of quality at a cheap price does not exist. Everything that's manufactured cost money. From prove of concept, to design, to prototyping, to mass manufacturing it all ads up. The reason why so many products are cheap is because manufacturers cut corners on raw material, polluting manufacturing processes and cheap labour and don't forget large volumes.....

Cheap quality is an oxymoron......

[Snake Bite]

Originally Posted by Klox

Sideshowsideswipe,
i have been in the manufacturing industry all my working life. The concept of quality at a cheap price does not exist. Everything that's manufactured cost money. From prove of concept, to design, to prototyping, to mass manufacturing it all ads up. The reason why so many products are cheap is because manufacturers cut corners on raw material, polluting manufacturing processes and cheap labour and don't forget large volumes.....

Cheap quality is an oxymoron......

Dido from Helmutt Cycles

[shawnshank]

If you have a waiting list...put me on it please!

Originally Posted by Creative Engineering

Thanks HV & Znsane:

I do have a fairly complete shop, and I really like MB's. They are a lot of fun.

I enjoy the design side of my business...it keeps things intersting. MB's are so fun, (from a design standpoint), because of the endless possibilities.

When I look at a new design with the intention of offering it for sale, I have to consider the bottom line price versus the perceived value.

I failed to do this with the clutch kits. I was new to MB's and I thought the clutch kit would really sell since my first build had a really stiff clutch.

The first MB I built, or I should say rebuilt, came from one of my industrial customers who had bought an engine kit and a Point Beach Schwinn. He tried to install it and gave up. He brought it to the shop knowing I could fix it...and I did.

I didn't know you could buy a kit to put a motor on a bike! I was like a kid in a candy store!

I made an engine mount, fixed the stiff clutch by designing a proper actuator, and replaced the rag joint with a machined adapter that clamped to the hub.

When done; it was fun to ride. I talked to many engine kit dealers afterward and they all said that the stiff clutches were definitely a major complaint from their customers...so I made 250 clutch kits almost a year ago. They also told me that the rag joint was not an issue! I didn't like the rag joint; but I wasn't going to argue...these guys were dealers.

At the time I had not joined a forum, so I didn't realize that there were work-arounds for the stiff clutch. No work-around will do, for the clutch, what my kit will do: but my clutch kit did not have a percieved value of $27.50 because there were work-arounds listed on the forums before I came along.

I am down to about 40 clutch kits in inventory, and I will keep 30 for my local customers. This product will be discontinued.

The sprocket adapters & sprockets are a different story...The value versus cost is inline with what buyers consider a valuable upgrade.

It is very difficult on my end to guess what MB guys "really" want to solve the problems associated with the installtion of a kit.

I have a few, (5), customers who have ordered modified HT engines. I'm going to do them for fun, but in the long term I plan on making a mini 4-stroke that looks like a motorcycle engine.

Jim

[Quenton Guenther]

Sadly I was told Jim may be giving up making parts for motor bikes.

Sure hope he changes his mind.

Have fun,

[TREEWK]

Quent, Jim Posted A Couple Days Ago On The Other Forum. He Has Gotten Enought Orders To Pay The Rent For Another Month Or So. He Going To Hang In As Long As He Can. Ron

[Quenton Guenther]

Fantastic! What great news!

Everyone needs to order the parts they want & need to keep him busy, busy, busy.

Buy his parts, send him money, and hope he sticks around, we need him.

Have fun,