The current KTM RC/Duke 390 has an insanely complex trellis frame – seemingly more so than the average Ducati, with many small parts. Granted, it’s being made in India, but with production tolerances being what they are, there’s likely a fair bit of automation involved in producing it. (and on that point, welcome to my world, I’m a tiny piece of a very big puzzle relating to automated welding in the automotive industry) Even if labour is cheap, you don’t want to be hand welding something like that if at all possible; it’s too inconsistent.

Great article, keep them coming!

TK4

What you say rings true, and suggests that you have experience with Japanese business. Until recently, Japanese companies elevated engineers to critical business decision making positions. Unlike North American companies who promoted accountants to the executive. This, more than anything, accounts for the 40+ years of steady profit and growth seen in most Japanese manufacturing concerns.

Having said that, most good designers also acquire a solid business sense or else they drop away.

The Ducati steel trellis story is true, and I may have been the one to first mention it in my old Cycle Canada column. Cutting, profiling and welding upwards of 70 pieces of steel is a hell of a lot of manual operations. Investment die-casting one Deltabox 4 frame is an entirely automated procedure, and yields a far superior product. This is why even rear subframes are cast now. Cheaper, faster, & more shape freedom.

It is a strange irony that this process for frame making (casting) was a German technology that Yamaha bought a license to, but BMW chose to make the S1000RR frame (a Deltabox 3 imitation) the old-fashioned way, including stamped, cast and extruded parts welded together and machined.

M

The engineering guy often has to be the one to ask, “its wonderful but what’s it going to cost to build it ?” I recall being told that one of the problems Ducati had with the early trellis frame models was the sheer cost of manufacturing it – lots of hand labour.
The marketing guy often has the be the one to ask, “but will it sell ?” I was told once while working for one of Japanese companies (unnamed but their logo is a tuning fork) that everything you do here is Sales Support.
Honda seems brave enough to let the engineering side take more chances, and sometimes fail – witness the DN01 – than a lot of the other guys.
Michael, I await with baited breath Part 3 of your tale. I’m thinking you’re going to tackle those concerns.
Thanks again for a good read.

In defence of engineers, most of the ones I have met in this industry are motorcycle superfans; passionate about making *great* motorcycles. In my experience the most frustrating people have mostly come from the marketing side, mostly because they drift into bike companies from previous jobs selling vacuum cleaners or insurance, and have little background but loads of opinion.

On another note, your mention earlier about how the world of inspiration is now at your fingertips with the internet I think is a double-edged sword. You can be exposed to more concepts and ideas but I think something is lost. Your idea for the pipes on the MT-03 for instance came from standing behind a set of engines that drive a modern airliner. Pictures alone could never invoke the feeling of power they radiate. Just as pictures alone will never replace the awe one must feel standing next to an SR-71. The design is an experience.