Bored in shop class....made a replica set of flexx bars

[A A R O N]

So first off, let me say that I know they look like crap. I did not do ANY finish work on them and I did not take my time making them either. They were made from the "scrap pile" at school in 2 shop class periods. That's why they are 100% rough lol.:p

I will say though, If I had some precision tools, a tig welder, some nice raw metal and about a week or so I think I could make some bars that would be almost identical and as nice as the real thing. They're so simple, but when all you've got is a mig welder, drill press and a cut-off saw it makes things a little difficult:macho

Oh and I know there's no rubber spacers in them, I don't plan on using them, I just wanted something to do.

Enjoy the product of my boredom:D

[A A R O N]

I also just "eyed" everything lol. No angle measurements involved and very few length measurements:chinese:

[A A R O N]

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[A A R O N]

After all of this, I can honestly say that Flexx bars should not be as expensive as they are. That company needs to move out of California to a cheaper operating facility and start making mass ammounts. I don't see how this is $300 worth of time/materials.

[Scro]

Originally posted by A A R O N
After all of this, I can honestly say that Flexx bars should not be as expensive as they are. That company needs to move out of California to a cheaper operating facility and start making mass ammounts. I don't see how this is $300 worth of time/materials.

The material that they make them out of is probably not that cheap. Plus they are the only company making that type of bar, so it's ok to charge that much:p

[gbcap]

Originally posted by A A R O N
After all of this, I can honestly say that Flexx bars should not be as expensive as they are. That company needs to move out of California to a cheaper operating facility and start making mass ammounts. I don't see how this is $300 worth of time/materials.

its called product differenciation and profit. if they charged $150...they would prolly still make a product...but then it would be just another handle bar...not that bar that people strive for and desire to have...price plays a big roll in that.

walmart jeans, wranglers, levi's...basically the same matierial...no difference in labor cost or material cost...but walmart jeans cost $10 and levi's cost $50...people think the walmarts are cheap and the levi's arent...but they are the same jeans.

[A A R O N]

GBCAP-But think about how many thousands of people are buying regular handle bars. I bet a lot of them, including me, would buy a pair of flexx bars if they WERE in fact at $150 or less. I think they would make a lot more money if they charged less and made up for it in quantity. People would rather have a brand name of jeans because it symbolizes status to a certain extent. Now, that carries over to the atv industry some, but it's not as much of a factor I don't think. I see your point, I just think that as practical as most of the quad community is, there are certainly a large amount of us who count flexx bars out of our options at first glance simply because of the price. I do not strive to own a set of flexx bars simply due to price, but if they were the same price as others then it would make perfect sense to me to spend the same amount (or even a little more) for them simply because they work better and have a mechanical advantage to them.


SCRO- I bet the materials to make the bar could be had for less than $50 a bar when made in MASS amounts, FASST just doesn't seem to be that big of a manufacturer (maybe they are, I don't know).

I am fairly sure though that FASST also has a few patents on that bar which enables them to be the only ones selling it. If other companies could take a stab at making them and offering a better price I bet they could be driven down to the same cost as standard handle bars and the companies would still be making money.

[deathman53]

they are pricey, but if they make quite a difference in the ride, they might be worth it. I ordered a flex-bar, I will let you guys know how it works. I have been told they reduce arm pump and shock from landing a jump.

[1fst400]

I know you said your not butI wouldent run them bars either. they look like a death trap.


I bet if you where able to make that out of aluminum it could be lighter and stronger than a steel version. What are the fasst bars made of?


If them bars that you made where mine I would cleen them up, pain them and hang them on the wall as a conversation peice.

[A A R O N]

Originally posted by 1fst400
they look like a death trap.



lol....pretty much.

I might clean them up a bit sometime and show them off, but for now they're just going to sit in the corner of the barn and rust.:p

[A A R O N]

Originally posted by red2004 TRX450R
a lot of factors go in to pricing a product.

supply and demand. supply is low only one company makes them and the demand is hight people want them so that is reflected it the price
R and D cost
warranty
insurance
leagle fees
plant and machine cost
labor cost
advertising cost, do you know what it cost to put an ad in a magazine
you have to pay your workers, the utility companys, rent on the building or lease.
they have to make the owners a proffit to.
they also have to make a good proffit before the patten runs out and every one makes them.

sure it may only cost $50 in materials to make but what about the 2 million $'s in machines they have, the $4000 a months lease payment, paying the owners for inventing them..............

then hey sell them to retailers and they mark them up to pay there cost's to.

but the main part is that they work and people are willing to pay for them.

the price will come down some time but not any time soon.

how much do people pay for just a CAN for the quad! did you ever look inside one!!! I could make one for like $30 or less, the head pipe would be harder but you can get the pipe for cheep and have a shop bend it up.


I realize they need the profit to help pay all these expenses. That's not my argument.

My argument is that it would be beneficial for them as a company to find a way to charge less and sell more. Henry Ford did it with the model T, there's surely something they could cut or change that would allow them to sell the bars for less and make up the difference in quantity sold.

[A A R O N]

Originally posted by red2004 TRX450R


precision tools - used bridge port $5000.00
tig welder - $500
raw metal - $30
about a week's time 40 hours @ $15 = $600

so for $6130 you could make a ATV handle bar.




Come on man, that's rediculous. I meant a weak of tinkering around time, not a full set 40 hour work week. Plus, that's me, starting from scratch, no plans, etc. They've ALREADY got the tools and plans to make the bars, etc....I think they could cut the cost by some way other than outsourcing. But if that was straight from their site then they might as well be chinese lol....learn some grammar. AND>>>>>they wouldn't be doing extra work for the same amount of money. They would be doing more work, but for more money (Assuming they could increase the amount of money coming in due to simply selling more bars. I don't know if that IS in fact possible, but it sure seems like there would be ways to make it possible....and if so, then they would definetely make more money).

You're right, the bars a FAIRLY reasonably priced for the ammount of work that is claimed to be involved, but if the price was obviously less that what could fairly be charged, more would sell. Now, I realize to have the means to do this there would have to be a hefty chunk of money available to kickstart the operation and start the mass production, and maybe that's not available for them. I guess that's always the problem though..you have to have money to make money....in this case you have to have MORE money to make even MORE money.

The bottom line is, even if it isn't possible for their company, it would be possible for another, more capable and financially superior company to manufacturer and sell bars of this design for less than they are being sold for right now and still make AT LEAST the same profit.

[oldskoolex400]

i would rather make less of a product and make the same amount of money as making alot and selling for less, if they sold them for 150 that means prices are cut in two so they have to make at least 3 sets to make "more" than their normal priced set would have made

[oldskoolex400]

o yea and A A R O N got the brake pads and ss oil filter yesterday, everything looked good, thanks man

[A A R O N]

Originally posted by oldskoolex400
o yea and A A R O N got the brake pads and ss oil filter yesterday, everything looked good, thanks man


sweet.....enjoy

[QuadRacer18]

AAron, i agree with you about seling more at a cheaper price but it seems to me a lot of others dont agree that these dont take much to build, maybe you should take your time, work up some plans and build a working set and test them just to show the average joe could make them for way less.

[A A R O N]

Originally posted by QuadRacer18
AAron, i agree with you about seling more at a cheaper price but it seems to me a lot of others dont agree that these dont take much to build, maybe you should take your time, work up some plans and build a working set and test them just to show the average joe could make them for way less.

I'm thinking about it. If I can get access to some aluminum, a tig welder, and a lathe I'm goint to make a functional set. They're so simple, it's just having the tools to be accurate in the design so that everything lines up, etc...

[Scro]

Originally posted by A A R O N
I'm thinking about it. If I can get access to some aluminum, a tig welder, and a lathe I'm goint to make a functional set. They're so simple, it's just having the tools to be accurate in the design so that everything lines up, etc...

Build a functional and safe set for half the price and I may buy a backup :p

[A A R O N]

Originally posted by Scro
Build a functional and safe set for half the price and I may buy a backup :p


lol operative words functional and safe....I'll try my best :p

[QuadRacer18]

ill DEFINATLY buy a set of these bars you make if you get some bushings and a bar pad from fasst... pm me if/when youll do it.

[bwamos]

Originally posted by QuadRacer18
ill DEFINATLY buy a set of these bars you make if you get some bushings and a bar pad from fasst... pm me if/when youll do it.

He may want to look into patent info before he decides to start selling them. ;)

[Scro]

Originally posted by A A R O N
lol operative words functional and safe....I'll try my best :p

But I'm not promising to be the guinea pig:D

[QuadRacer18]

ill be the guinea pig, i have a race pretty soon too, make a pair and send em to me (ill give some cash for em) and ill do a test.

[A A R O N]

Originally posted by bwamos
He may want to look into patent info before he decides to start selling them. ;)


Serious question....if I did make a nice set that were worth some money, would it be illegal to sell them to somebody else if I wasn't marketing them to the public and I didn't associate them at all with fasst and their name?

[elementryder]

i think its ok because there not exactly the same as flexx bars

[416exmx]

Originally posted by A A R O N
Serious question....if I did make a nice set that were worth some money, would it be illegal to sell them to somebody else if I wasn't marketing them to the public and I didn't associate them at all with fasst and their name?


You better see what Fasst has for patent right. Also what if this set of bars you sell breaks upon the force of landing a 80' tripple and the kid runs his face into the jagged metal, flips the quad and tears him up pretty bad? Since you have done no R&D, product testing, and im sure you're not a certified welder, I can see a lawsuite comming.

[fast250r]

Originally posted by 416exmx
You better see what Fasst has for patent right. Also what if this set of bars you sell breaks upon the force of landing a 80' tripple and the kid runs his face into the jagged metal, flips the quad and tears him up pretty bad? Since you have done no R&D, product testing, and im sure you're not a certified welder, I can see a lawsuite comming.

My thoughts exactly. The first person that had them break would sue the crap out of you. That is why I buy from the proven market. I love my Flexx bars.


Arron. your bars look good for making them in shop class. I think you should hang them up in your room.

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i257/KarenRosieRay/chad/IMG_1041.jpg

[1fst400]

stop poasting pics of them damn bars ppl!! I already want a set badly, every time I see a pic of them it gets worse. But I just cant spend 300$ on them.

[rollie]

Haha shop class is awsome, but im in plumbing so unless i wanna make a-arms outta copper i have no chance:( hahaha, those bars look cool though

[bbrad mulvey]

Another thing with Flexx Bars is that EVERY set is made by HAND. They are not on an assembly line being mass produced! That is another reason for expense! I have to give Flexx MASSIVE props for being such a great bar, I have wrecked with them and the quad land on the end of the bar and they abosrb SO much that they held up and didnt bend or break anything. But they are FAR more superior than a conventional bar! You made a nice copy though, props for that!