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The Names Behind the Brands

21K views 49 replies 21 participants last post by  Rad Rage 
#1 ·
I thought we should get to know a little about the people who receive our hard earned money every time we get bitten by the mod bug. What made me curious was seeing the packaging of the Yoshimura pipes. The name is 'Yoshimura' which is Japanese obviously but it says USA R&D on it? So I was wondering how that works. Below is the story of Yoshimura which I found very interesting and hope you do too.




Courtesy of Wikipedia:

Hideo "Pops" Yoshimura (October 7, 1922 – March 29, 1995) was a motorcycle tuner, race team owner and manufacturer of speciality motorcycle accessories. He is remembered for his ties to the beginnings of AMA Superbike racing and the Suzuki factory racing team. He was born in Fukuoka City, Japan.[1]
Yoshimura was called into military service during the Second World War where he was trained as an aircraft mechanic.[1] After the war, he began tuning motorcycles for American servicemen stationed in Japan and in 1954, he opened his first shop, with his wife and children helping him.[1] In 1971, he moved his business to Los Angeles at the beginning of the four-cylinder superbike era. He gained a reputation as an excellent motorcycle tuner.[1]
In 1976 the AMA introduced a racing class for production based bikes and Yoshimura established himself by entering fast, reliable Kawasaki Z1 bikes.[1] In 1978 he switched to Suzuki bikes and began winning races.[1] Steve McLaughlin won the 1978 Daytona Superbike race while Wes Cooley and Mike Baldwin won the prestigious 1978 Suzuka 8 Hours in Japan.[2] With Wes Cooley as his rider, Yoshimura claimed the AMA Superbike national championship in 1979 and 1980.[1] Yoshimura formed a close relationship with Suzuki and eventually his team became the official Suzuki factory racing team in the United States. His company experienced success as one of the world's largest performance aftermarket sportbike exhaust manufacturers.[1]
Yoshimura died of cancer in 1995. He left a legacy as a master craftsman, tuner and fabricator and was one of the pioneering personalities of superbike racing.[1] In 2000, he was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame.[1] His son continues to operate the company which still enjoys success in the AMA superbike class with rider Mat Mladin winning six championships in seven years, and Ben Spies winning the 2006-2008 championships.
 
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#3 ·
Courtesy of Visor down.



In just 15 years Akrapovic has come from a one-man-band making exhausts in a shed to being the number one brand worldwide for road-riders and race teams alike.

Stories like this generally start with a visionary, and this is no different. Ours is Igor Akrapovic.

Igor was working in his father's factory making injection-moulded plastic goods, while in his spare time he was making engines and tuning stuff for his friends, as well as indulging in a spot of racing.

This was the late 1980s. And while doing all this work for himself and his friends, Igor pretty soon realised that everything was available for racers except good quality exhaust systems offering big performance advantages. From his hobby has spawned his company.

"Really, I'm just lucky to have made a hobby that I loved so much into a job," admits Igor. "This part of the job, working with the engines, I love and find most enjoyable."

Thankfully, Igor has managed to bring together a team of people to allow him to do what he does best. Tinker with engines and develop exhausts for them.

Officially setting up in 1990, Igor was joined in 1992 by Slavko Trstenjak (pronounce his name Slough-co!), an electrician with a similar aptitude for tinkering and tuning, while Marko Adamic joined as sales manager a year later.

Marko says: "We started out as a small team. Igor, Slavko and me. As the business grew we were together all the time. Even as we were growing in size the morale has been very good. People want to work for us.

Our rates of pay are up to 100% more than Slovenia's average wage. That's Igor's policy. He wants the workforce to really want to work here. Most of the employees are interested in racing. The results are printed after every racing weekend and posted up on the walls. They want to know if the bikes with our exhaust systems have won."

Igor adds: "This is a big part of what makes us successful. The workers have to have a passion for what they're doing, they have to have a passion for motorcycles. That way they give 110%."

At the start Igor spent half his time tuning engines and the rest building exhausts. His first products were well enough received that soon the decision was made to concentrate solely on manufacturing exhausts.

The small 'workshop' was in fact a house, and pretty soon things would get too big for its 450 square metres. The house is still there, a good stone's throw from the 7000 square-meter modern factory that Akrapovic has resided in since 1997.

Things really picked up in the early 1990s, thanks to Igor's intuitive knowledge of engines and a range of then-new techniques and materials.

"I started out as Igor's helper," remembers Slavko, "Igor would do pretty much everything himself. He would strip and re-build motors, change valve seats, the lot. He'd even test the bikes. The only thing he didn't do was the welding. "

Igor and Slavko began to use new configurations of tube diameters, crossover tubes and conical headers as well as using thin-gauge stainless steel, titanium and carbon-fibre.

Shrewdly, Igor invited Kawasaki Deutschland to test his new exhaust. The team found it was better than the factory system, and it was the beginning of a remarkable roll. From a number of German Pro-Superbike teams, Akrapovic grew to dominate in superbike racing across the globe, with every single Japanese manufacturer using Akrapovic exhaust systems during the 1999 World Superbike season!

"And our badges meant our exhausts on the bikes," explains Igor. Just because it said one thing on the exhaust didn't mean it came from that manufacturer. For many years it was often a factory exhaust with an aftermarket supplier's name emblazoned on it, for which they'd pay handsomely. Rossi's Honda V5 of a couple of years back? Akrapovic exhaust, that. So why didn't it have the Akrapovic logo on it? Money and sponsorship. Valentino and the Repsol team had a sponsorship deal with Polini exhausts so, instead of the accolades, Akrapovic were paid by HRC to be a silent partner and do some development work. One of Rossi's original RC211Vs is still at the Akrapovic factory today. The funniest thing of all is that Polini only make scooter exhausts. Either way, it's something that Akrapovic can't be drawn on, as they have a good relationship with the Japanese manufacturers. Even though... "they once told us they had made a copy of one of our exhausts," says Marko. "They wanted to see if they could do better. Their exhaust made two bhp less than ours!"

If there's a comparison to be made to others in the business it's with Yoshimura. Legendary tuner Pops and his son Fujio made a range of top products. Similarly to Akrapovic, their exhausts work well because they're engine tuners, and the quality of their workmanship is second to none.

Like Yoshimura, Igor eventually put his name to his products. His exhausts were originally called Skorpion for the first seven years of trading, before friction with other holders of that name (albeit with a different spelling) in the car exhaust world led to a name change. And what better than the name of the man himself? And if you want to know how to pronounce it, say 'A-KRAP-o-vich'. Okay?

And since the successful name change they haven't looked back. Although some might say their exhausts are plenty pricey to your average punter.

"The extensive use of crossovers does make a big difference to performance, but also to the price," smiles Slavko, in reference to Akrapovic's trademark convoluted, tapered pipework. "Top performance is always a little more expensive."

And the continual search for performance year-on-year will always come at a price. "We're trying really hard to make improvements to our products every year," explains Igor. "As engines get better we have to work with these new engines and make exhausts that improve with them. It's continual."

After doing so much to pioneer the use of exotic materials, a new one is now being used. Inconel is twice the price of titanium but, while titanium can get as brittle as glass with constant stresses and heating, Inconel is much more durable - and all for the same weight as titanium.

So is it this bold, pioneering use of new ideas and materials that has made Akrapovic what it is today?

"Why is Igor so successful?" Asks Slavko. "It's because he has very big balls and he makes the big decisions. Buying that first tube bending machine was a big gamble and a huge investment. Switching from the old, small factory to this one was another big investment. He knows it's all down to him."

The final words must come from the man himself. Igor, what makes your exhausts the best?

"We know how engines work," he shrugs. "We've been tuners, we've worked on engines and that means we can make the exhausts work for those engines. After that we put in so much effort. We explore different ideas and do a minimum of 200 dyno runs to get something that works. We also have extremely high quality control, and try to use the best possible people."
 
#4 ·
I like this thread already!
 
#9 ·


Shoei is a Japanese company producing motorcycle helmets since 1958. [2] Its roots go back to 1954 with the founding of Kamata Polyester Co., whose first helmets were produced primarily for use in the construction industry. Shoei's founder, Eitaro Kamata, began to produce helmets for the motorcycle racing sector and in 1960, the Tokyo factory began to produce the first motorcycle helmets to meet the Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS). In 1965, Honda Motor Co. adopted Shoei's helmets as their 'genuine' helmets, increasing their popularity and availability. The Shoei Safety Helmet Corp. was established in 1968, shortly after construction of the Ibaraki factory. The current Iwate factory was built in 1989. Despite their success, Shoei remains a relatively small company, with a workforce of under 500 people worldwide. Shoei sponsors several MotoGP riders, like Chris Vermeulen and Toni Elias.

Helmets

Since the foundation of the company, all Shoei helmets have been designed and manufactured in Japan, although they are distributed and sold globally. Shoei's GRV helmet was the first helmet to use carbon fiber and Kevlar. Shoei also created the first coverless shield system and the Dual Liner Ventilation system. [citation needed] The flagship X-Spirit was introduced in 2003 and was promoted by Shoei as the most advanced helmet in the world, winning MCN's Product of the Year 2003 award in the clothing category. [citation needed] It was followed by further development and the introduction of the RF-1000 (sold as the XR-1000 in Europe) in 2004, and the later introduction of the X-Eleven. These helmets paved the way for the current RF-1100 and X-Twelve models. In September 2010 the QWEST was released, the successor of the RAID II, a top of the line sport touring helmet.

Financial Effects of the Great East Japan Earthquake

Shoei was a victim of the Earthquake that struck Japan in 2011. Two factories named Iwate and Ibaraki were damaged and had to be (partially) restored. Its costs calculated on an accrual basis were estimated at around 63 Million Yen.
 
#10 ·


History

Brembo was established in Bergamo, Italy in 1961. Soon after the company was formed, it specialised in disc brakes, which were imported from the UK at the time. The company entered into a supply contract with Alfa Romeo in 1964. It became the supplier of brake components to Moto Guzzi in 1972.

In the 1980s, Brembo began supplying BMW, Chrysler, Lancia, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, and Porsche with brakes. The company went public on the Milan Stock Exchange in 1995.

Corporate headquarters are located in Bergamo, and the company has more than 6,000 employees within the Italy and at branches in Brazil, China, Japan, Mexico, US, Poland, Spain, Sweden, and the UK.

In 2000, Brembo purchased the UK-based racing brake and clutch manufacturer AP Racing (a former division of Automotive Products).

Products

Brembo specializes in performance braking systems and components, as well as conducting research on braking systems. Brembo sells over 1,300 products worldwide, and is known for their aftermarket automotive brake components, including calipers, drums/rotors, and brake lines. Except in the North American market, Brembo owns the foundries which produce their initial materials and supply the manufacturing plants. In all other markets the company controls the entire production system from raw materials through distribution. The company holds QS9000 and ISO 9001 certifications.

Motorsport

Brembo brakes are also used by a variety of Formula One teams including Ferrari, and the majority of MotoGP teams use Brembo brakes
 
#12 ·
I know there is more to these two just cant find it.



Among the many teams that share the AMA paddock with the factory racing teams, no other organization can boast the success of the Erion Racing Honda team. Celebrating its 16th year as Honda’s premier support team, the Erion Racing Honda team personifies professionalism in every aspect of its effort. The longevity of the association between Erion Racing and American Honda is not hard to understand. Honda has always sought excellence in its competitive endeavors, and the Erion team has produced numerous championships from one of the most formidable teams in all of American road racing—the latest win being the 2008 Formula Xtreme title, with champion Jake Zemke winning Erion’s third consecutive title. Notably, Erion has nurtured some exceptional talent over the years, including 2006 MotoGP World Champion Nicky Hayden, Jake Zemke, Eric Bostrom and Josh Hayes. Headed by Kevin Erion, a former racer and AMA national title holder, and anchored by Technical Director Rick Hobbs, the Erion team has amassed an impressive win record over the years, one that will likely never be equaled, including seven Formula Xtreme Championships between 1997 and 2008 (1997-2000, 2006, 2007), four consecutive Formula Xtreme titles from 1997 to 2000, two SuperTeams Championships in 1994 and 1996, a perfect season in 1999 (the team won all nine races) and back-to-back AMA 600 Supersport crowns in 1999 and 2000. The Erion team continues to prove the dominance of Honda’s mighty CBR600RR. On this machine, Honda and Erion riders on CBR600RRs have won every Formula Xtreme title since the class went to 600cc in 2004. CBR600RR-mounted riders on the Honda and Erion teams won every one of the 21 races in 2004 and 2005. Since 2004, the CBR600RR has won 34 out of 42 Formula Xtreme races, including three Daytona 200 victories. What is the secret to the Erion team’s success? In Kevin Erion’s words, “When you are fortunate enough to align yourself with a company such as Honda you can count on the quality and performance of the machines. It’s our job to get the most out of the support we receive, and that takes a concerted effort by everyone on our team.”




Craig Erion founded Two Brothers Racing in 1985. It has grown from a factory-backed AMA Superbike team to a world-recognized leader in the sales of aftermarket motorcycle exhaust systems and other high-performance accessories for sporting motorcycles, ATVs, and road bikes. Over the years, TBR has sponsored a number of world-class racers to ride for our team, including three-time Grand Prix world champion Freddie Spencer and former Canadian national champion Steve Crevier. TBR was also chosen by Bridgestone to help develop it's current line of high performance tires, the Battlax BT series tires. In 1993 TBR won the AMA/CCS GTO National Endurance Championship on Honda's then fledgling CBR900RR. This was the only national roadracing championship won by Honda that year.

TBR’s growth and penetration into the sport bike parts and accessories business was such that, by the end of the 1993 national road racing season, the decision was made to devote 100% of its energy toward building the business. We haven’t looked back.

Today, TBR continues to expand its operations and product line. Looking for the latest motorcycle exhaust systems for Honda, BMW or Triumph? Need to find the absolute best aftermarket Kawasaki motorcycle parts or the proven, brand-name replacement components you’ve always used on your KTM, Can-AM or Yamaha? As the holder of several key exhaust system patents and exclusive marketing arrangements with performance companies from around the world, TBR is the sportbike specialist you can depend on.
 
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#21 ·
:cry: I bought a Scorpion slipon, haha

I think Scorpion Red Power is a legit pipe maker tho

http://www.scorpion-exhausts.com/
:drunk:
But red power is legit and they have some awesome products. I think they are the reason Akrapovic changed their name. I don't know why they do not pursue the mc exhaust maker Scorpion though. :ponder:
That's exactly what I meant. Thanx for the clarification. Don't want people getting the wrong idea.


Sent from my iPhone using Motorcycle.com Free App
No problem:shakehand
 
#22 ·
Not to spark any debates on here but watching that factory video I find it interesting that they rip thru the gears on the dyno right after assembly. Makes me rethink the whole break in debacle.


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#24 ·
Not to spark any debates on here but watching that factory video I find it interesting that they rip thru the gears on the dyno right after assembly. Makes me rethink the whole break in debacle.


Sent from my iPhone using Motorcycle.com Free App

it can be done because the engine is under load.

guys who are racing with over bored engines and cam kits etc, dyno runs to tune them are the break in. then its pin it to win it.



that video claimed 145 HP and 290km/h top speed... where do i buy one that does that?
 
#28 ·


Öhlins or Öhlins Racing AB, is a manufacturer of high-performance suspension systems for automotive, motorcycle, snowmobile, and ATV use. It is based in Upplands Väsby just north of Stockholm, Sweden. The company also produces other types of motorcycle components, including steering dampers and a two-wheel drive system.[1]





Öhlins Rear Monoshock
The company was founded by Kenth Öhlin in 1976.[2] In 1987, Yamaha Motor Company became the majority-owner of Öhlins Racing AB, with Öhlins continuing to operate as an independent company within the business group.[3] In December 2007, Öhlins reclaimed a 95% share of the company back from Yamaha.[4]

There are six design departments at Öhlins, with a total of more than 50 engineers, each specializing in a particular field.[5] Öhlins Research centre in Jönköping, Sweden (with seven employees in 2002) are responsible for the development of the Öhlins Continuously Controlled Electronic Suspension (CES) system.[6]
 
#30 ·


Founded in 1853 in New York as a subsidiary of John D. Rockefeller's New Jersey's Standard Oil, the Swan & Finch company started its activity in the sector of high quality lubricants. As from 1920, it turns to the international markets by exporting some of its portfolio brands like Aerul, Textul, Motul.

In 1932, Ernst Zaugg negotiated the distribution in France of products of the Motul brand with Swan & Finch via his company Supra Penn. [1] In 1953, the Swan & Finch centenary is celebrated with the worldwide launch of Motul Century, which becomes the first multigrade oil on the European market. However, Swan & Finch suspended its activities in 1957. Supra Penn bought back all title deeds and patents pertaining to the Motul brand, which was renamed for the company's chief product, becoming Motul S.A.

In 1966, Century 2100 appeared on the market. It was the first semi-synthetic car lubricant, [2] a product that withstands constraints and mechanical loads ten-times higher than usual lubricants. In 1971, Motul innovated again with Century 300V, the first 100% synthetic car oil. Motul strengthened its international presence in the 1980s: Germany with Motul Deutschland in 1980, Spain in 1988, the USA in 1989, Italy in 1994, Asia-Pacific in 2002, Russia and Brazil in 2005, India in 2006. Moreover, Motul created a new activity in 2001: Motul Tech, specialized in industrial lubricants.

Today, Motul is present in more than 80 countries and designs, elaborates and distributes lubricants with higher technical value added. As a pioneer in many synthetic and semi-synthetic products, Motul has always favored innovation, research and development. The company is also a leader in the motorcycle lubricants market in France. In the motorsports field, many manufacturers trust Motul for its technological developments in car/bike racing. Motul has thus developed close relationships with manufacturers such as Nissan, Yamaha, Subaru, Peugeot, Honda and Suzuki.

Motul was the first lubricant manufacturer to use the ester technology for the formulation of its 100% synthetic car oils by capitalizing on an innovation first invented for the aviation industry. [citation needed] The vegetable-based esters benefit from lubricating properties, anti-shear quality and exceptional resistance to high temperatures. "300V", Motul's flagship range, experienced great development thanks to its presence on the most prestigious car/bike races. Motul's research and development capacity is divided in two entities working respectively on "Automotive" (automobile, two-wheels, boat) and "Industrial" lubricants.

Partnerships

As a specialist in synthetic oils, Motul has become the partner of many manufacturers and sports teams for its technological developments in mechanical sports, car and motorcycle racing. Motul is present in many international competitions as official team supplier : MotoGP, Road racing, Trial, Enduro, Endurance, Superbike, Supercross, Rallycross, World Rally Championship, FIA GT, Le Mans 24 Hours, Spa 24 Hours, Le Mans Series, rally raid, Paris-Dakar, F3, etc. In 1977, Motul wins its first Motorcycle World Champion title, in Road Racing category, with Takazumi Katayama on Yamaha 350.
 
#31 ·


ROY RICHTER:



INDUCTED INTO THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART ONE OF THE FIRST OPEN FACED HELMETS BELL 500-TX:



HISTORY AND FACTS
BELL was founded in 1954 in California by Roy Richter, a passionate of auto racing. Roy perceived the need for safety in the auto racing field and moved to put products in place to serve that need. The name BELL simply comes for the fact that Roy's activities were housed in a small, garage-like facility in Bell, California. The following year, BELL moved to a larger facility and a full time staff was employed. BELL started by manufacturing protective headgear for auto racing. BELL moved to the leading edge of helmetry in 1957, introducing the use of a non-resilient polystyrene liner. That same year, BELL also began to supply helmets to law enforcement agencies. One of the first open face BELL helmet, the 500-TX is selected by the Museum of Modern Art in New York for Excellence of Design. Four Bell helmet models are on continuous display at MoMA. Consumers began recognizing the need for safety and the business grew rapidly. By 1964 BELL had to triple its capacity and moved to a new facility in Long Beach, California. In 1968 BELL introduced the first full-face helmet, the Star. It was worn by Dan Gurney at the 500 Miles of Indianapolis. These products innovations, like expanded polystyrene liners (EPS) or full face helmets, generated a reputation throughout the world for providing state of the art quality helmets. In 1971 BELL diversified into the motorcycle helmet market and developed the first full-face motorcycle helmet and the first full-face off-road motorcycle helmet. During the next ten years, BELL continued its efforts in automotive and motorcycle field but also entered the bicycle industry with the first hard shell helmet, the Biker in 1975. In addition, it began providing helmets for marine racing, parachute jumping, and many other high risk activities where head protection was needed. The explosive growth of motorcycle use in the 70's required tripling capacity once again. Bell, in 1976 moved into a 180.000 square feet facility in Norwalk, California. This factory was, at the time, the world's largest helmet factory with the most up-to-date equipment, including one of the most sophisticated test labs. By 1985, the BELL family of companies included BELL RACESTAR (manufacturing auto racing suits and drivers equipment as distributing the auto racing helmets), Vetter Products (manufacturers of fairings, helmets, leather clothing...), Marsee Products (fine leather motorcycling apparel and accessories) and Bagman (luggage for motorcycling). It was at this time that BELL entered into its first licensing and distribution agreement with a French company for the manufacturing, sales and marketing of BELL motorcycle products in France. The ultimate goal was to expand throughout Europe. In 1986 BELL relocated its manufacturing facility to Rantoul, Illinois and closed down its manufacturing operation in California completely. A small office was maintained in the old Norwalk, California facility which housed BELL's Research & Development, and Corporate Affairs departments as well as part of the Sales and Marketing staffs. Since 1986, car racing helmets as well as bicycle helmets have been made in centrally located Rantoul, Illinois, USA. Some bicycle helmets are also manufactured in Euro-Bell's plant in France and in China. Over 20.000 car racing helmets and more than 4 million bicycle helmets are manufactured each year, making BELL the largest manufacturer in the world for both car racing helmets and bicycle helmets. BELL's auto racing unique helmets line includes many different models, specifically designed for each type of car racing and being at the edge of technology. Since the 1980's, BELL has pioneered an outstanding number of innovations in all areas of modern helmetry: ligthweight composite materials shells, ventilation systems, advanced aerodynamic designs, fog free shields, and the list is very long ... In November 2001, Bell Sports sold the rights to use the Bell name for automobile helmets to two new entities: BELL Racing USA (for North and South America + New Zealand) and BELL Racing Europe (for Europe, Asia and Africa) located near Brussels, Belgium. Both BELL Racing US and BELL Racing Europe operate as two totally independent companies under license from Bell Sports Inc; each having their own Research and Development programs and product line adapted to their individual markets. In june 2010 Bell Racing Europe acquired Bell Racing USA, reuniting the Auto Racing activity again under common ownership. BELL now produces automobile racing helmets using the latest, state of the art, equipment and technologies which are available worldwide. BELL Racing engineers operate a Racing Service and a Research & Development program with the best drivers in Formula One and other top professional drivers, thus ensuring that BELL remains the undisputed world leader in automobile racing helmets.

 
#32 ·



MAXIMA RACING OILS was created for world-class racers, men and women who challenge the limits of possibility. Their demands on equipment drive us to look beyond conventional ideas and to exceed industry standards. It's in our DNA to identify problems, formulate solutions and execute at the highest levels of competition. A simple goal to make things better than ever thought possible.

Maxima believed it could change lubrication and along our 30 year journey – many others believed in us too. Superior technology transcends sport to enhance the experience of consumers and racers alike. Our market leading products are used in over 50 countries around the globe and include engine oils, suspension fluids, coolants, care products and accessories. These products represent our commitment to excellence and a passion for redefining what is possible.

Maxima is a race-inspired, product driven company. We formulate, develop, manufacture and distribute high performance oils, lubes and ancillary products. The essence of our brand is communicated through hundreds of championships with world class racers, tuners and teams who rely on Maxima for unsurpassed performance in high-stress conditions without fail.

Founded in 1979 and headquartered in Southern California, Maxima is recognized as one of the most coveted brands in the racing industry. Decades of active involvement in professional racing has led to powerful technology and a full array of market leading products. The company continues its heritage by playing an active role in the sport and racing communities. We strive to deliver superior quality for the recreational athlete or World Champion.
 
#33 ·


Renthal is a manufacturer and designer of motorcycle accessories, including handlebars, chainwheels, grips and other items for the off-road, street, and ATV markets. Currently, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, and Suzuki all specify Renthal handlebars as standard for their performance off-road motorcycles. Renthal's manufacturing and engineering facility is located in Bredbury, near Manchester in England.

Renthal was formed in 1969 by friends and motorcycle enthusiasts Andrew Renshaw and Henry Rosenthal, who are today, still the company's Technical and Commercial Directors respectively. The company name is a portmanteau of the founders' names Renshaw and Rosenthal. The first handlebars were based upon a prototype that Rosenthal made for his trials bike from H14 aircraft aluminium that was World War II surplus material. These handlebars performed quite well when compared to the steel bars they replaced. In fact, when building the first set, they broke the tube bending machine while being formed. With a great deal of effort, the two founders made their own specialised tube bending machine to handle the aluminium and started small-scale production.

Making motorcycle handlebars was initially a part-time job while Andrew studied for a degree in mechanical engineering and Henry finished his business studies at a local university. Initially Renthal only produced handlebars for the trials market, but the two soon realized there was much more demand for this type of product in the ever emerging motocross market. With increasing sales and demand, full-time production began in 1975 in Stockport England, the very same place where the company resides today in Northern England.

Growth was steady through the 1970s and 1980s and in 1990, Renthal opened its first US office and warehouse for sales / marketing with the help of a young American entrepreneur by the name of Jim Hale. Armed with a new US office and a factory working at full tilt, the Renthal brand gained popularity through the 1990s along with the popularity of motocross.

In October 2000, the Renthal factory in Stockport England was destroyed in a fire caused by a faulty aluminium particle extractor, which removes particles from the air during the machining process. A spark within this machine had caused it to catch fire and act as giant blowtorch straight through the roof of the factory. Before the machine could be shut down, the factory was destroyed. Some parts of the fire were so hot that it melted stacks of handlebars and sprockets. Nobody was hurt during this incident and plans were made to immediately start rebuilding the facility in the same location. With support from employees, the goodwill of the suppliers, and even support from some of its competitors, the company was still able to meet its responsibilities to clients and race teams that year. What replaced the original factory was a completely new, state of the art manufacturing and design facility. Renthal's 41,000 square feet (3,800 m2) factory now houses machinery available for manufacturing, quality control, R&D, and storage. This includes five Yamazaki two- and three-axis CNC turning centres, seven Kitamura machining centres, one Kardex Shuttle 500NT automated vertical storage system, and a number of other custom specification machines. These custom specification machines include bar bending machines, a fatigue tester and drop test rig created to fatigue aluminium handlebars.

In 2004, Renthal began supplying the first aluminium 7/8" handlebars to be fitted as OEM equipment on a Japanese manufactured off-road motorcycle. For the 2004 model year, every Honda CR and CRF motocross bike came with the Renthal 971 "RC" bend handlebar. Soon after this, many of the other manufactures followed suit and began fitting Renthal handlebars as stock on their off-road models.

Renthal also produces chains, sprockets and grips. The Intellilever unbreakable clutch and brake levers for current motocross bikes along with brake pads are just a few new items added in 2008. Also new is a hybrid bi-metal rear sprocket called the Twinring Rear Chainwheel which utilizes an aluminium centre section mated with a steel outer ring. By combining these two materials, you get a chainwheel which is lighter than an all-steel construction but is more durable than the traditional all aluminium rear sprocket.

In 2009, Renthal introduced new products for the road racing market such as adjustable clip on handlebars and Kevlar-infused dual compound road race grips. The road race Kevlar grips utilize a unique mold from the MX grips in that they have open ends for bar end weights and a smaller inner flange

Renthal has always had ties with the manufacturers of motocross motorcycles and ATV's such as Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha, Suzuki, and KTM. In 2004, Honda became the first manufacturer to fit Renthal 7/8" aluminium handlebars to their motocross bikes. This was also the first time that aluminium 7/8" handlebars had been fitted to a motocross bike which typically came with very cheap to produce steel handlebars. The benefits of using aluminium over steel were numerous for motocross use. The two most important benefits were greater strength and greater flexibility which helped reduce vibration and fatigue.

In 2005, Yamaha followed suit and decided to also fit Renthal 7/8" handlebars to their motocross model range of YZ's, YZ-F's and WR off-road models for only that year. By 2006, every manufacturer had chosen Renthal handlebars (except yamaha which switched to protaper) over the steel handlebar which they replaced. Kawasaki's line up of motocross bikes from 2006 include a Renthal 7/8" handlebar. Since 2006 Suzuki have been fitting their motocross models with a Renthal 1 1/8" Fatbar which is an oversized tapered handlebar. The Austrian manufacturer KTM has been using the oversized Renthal Fatbar on their motocross bikes since 2002. For 2008, Kawasaki has chosen to fit the Renthal Fatbar on every one of its new KFX450R all-terrain vehicles.

In addition to supplying the OEM's with alloy handlebars for many years, Renthal also supplies a few select manufacturers with its grips and chainwheels for various applications and uses.

Renthal has had ties to professional and amateur racing since the early days of the company. It is a company philosophy that believes through racing involvement at the highest level, product R&D and evolution will continually move forward and reach the consumer product range.
 
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