Motor scooters are unquestionably the most popular mode of transport in Taipei, the bustling capital city of Taiwan. Marus Performance and Artitek are two companies working together to make custom bike parts for bike owners, particularly those with a passion for Italian motorcycles. Another thing that the companies’ owners have in common is their passion for CNC machine tools.
To western consumers, ‘Made in Taiwan’ was once a byword for dubious quality, even though the country built a whole new economy with manufacturing as its foundation. These days, the narrow backstreets of Taipei are where you can find the new generation of ‘makers’.
For example, friends Maru Shen and Jeffrey Chen lost touch with one another, only to discover later that they had both chosen to make a living using Haas CNC machine tools (
www.haascnc.com). Now, when they are not organising ‘ride-outs’ on gleaming Ducatis, MV Agustas and Vespas, they are designing and making after-market parts for a growing band of fellow enthusiasts.
Taipei is mad about motorcycles: four years ago there were some 13.4 million registered motorcycles in the city and its environs, giving Taipei the highest motorcycle density per head of population in the world — a fact attributed to the city’s narrow streets being clogged with cars, soaring petrol prices and free parking for motorcycles.
Marus Performance — based in the SanChong district of Taipei, which is an important area for sub-contract manufacturing companies — was originally a typical motorcycle shop, repairing, maintaining and selling scooters. Mr Shen says: “I’ve been interested in motorcycles since I was at High School, and I have been making modifications to my own for years. Of course, when you make a part for your own bike, you want it to be special — unlike all the mass-produced parts available.”
In-house machining
He soon discovered that he was not alone in his passion for custom motorcycle parts, and before long Marus Performance was diversifying into an area that would give Mr Shen and his wife a very good living. “In no time, we had a long list of custom-designed parts that needed machining. At first, we would out-source, which was very consuming of both time and energy. Realising that we could probably make the parts ourselves — and better — we started approaching companies selling CNC machine tools.”
Although Mr Shen says the first thing that attracted him to the Haas Super Mini Mill was its price, he adds that it is relatively easy to operate for someone with no experience — an important consideration for a man about to take his first steps into the world of CNC machining.
“When I decided to buy a Haas machine, I found lots of links on the Internet posted by other Haas users, showing operators how to use the machines. We watched those tutorials and discovered machining wasn’t as hard as we thought. At the beginning of 2014, we wanted to start exporting, and we’ve managed to make progress.”
Mr Shen offers the example of a fuel cap for an MV Agusta (an Italian motorcycle that has just been introduced in Taiwan). The cap is made from high-density 7075 aerospace-grade aluminium. “Because we use a Haas machine tool and good-quality CAM software, our price is very competitive. We’ve just started exporting this part, and so far we’ve made 50.
"It takes about 75min to make each one and requires some delicate cutting.” The list of potential replacement parts is almost endless, but examples of components produced by Mr Shen include steering damper kits, wheel caps, swing arms, caliper adapters, carburettor caps, brake levers, handlebar mounts, engine covers and thermostat housings.
"The company also produces 12in rims for Vespa 946/GTS/GTV scooters. Machined from forgings, these require extensive pocketing, profiling and contouring operations.
Artitek CNC
Artitek founder Mr Chen says: “Mr Shen and I have an interesting history, as our relationship was originally shop owner and customer. We lost contact with each other for years, until I started my company, and he found me through Facebook. He discovered that I was using Haas machines — the same as him.”
Today, Marus Performance designs the custom motorcycle parts and makes prototypes and first-offs on its Haas Super Mini Mill. The two companies then discuss how to produce the parts in higher volumes, analysing how to make the manufacturing process better and more efficient, and how much they should charge customers for the finished components.
Artitek has several Haas machines, including two VF-2SS Super-Speed vertical machining centres and a DT1 drill/tap centre. The most recent machine (July 2013) is a VF-3SS Super-Speed vertical machining centre. The company also has a Haas HRT210SP rotary table, which provides a fourth axis on one of the VF-2SS machines.
Mr Chen says one of the main reasons for choosing Haas was the control’s ease of use. “I knew nothing about CNC machining when I bought my first Haas machine, but I was fully proficient within 12 weeks. I had lots of support from the Haas distributor, who was able to answer any questions and solve any problems.”
Meanwhile, Mr Shen says that a lot of his friends questioned his decision to switch — in 2010 — from being a musician and sound engineer to CNC machining. Several told him manufacturing was a ‘sunset’ industry, but he does not see it that way. “Innovation in CNC machining never stops. As a technology, it only goes forward, which is why it will never become a ‘sunset’ industry. For the past three years, our company has grown at a considerable pace, and we have surprised those people who doubted us.”
In conclusion, Mr Chen says: “Although we spend time discussing how to machine parts for motorbikes, we also talk about how to improve the riding experience and how we can make the parts that customers would love to have. If those parts sell well here in Taiwan, I see no reason why they won’t do well overseas, too. The important thing is they are beautifully made.”