Back when the SOHC4 mail list was fairly young, there was discussion about making replacement exhausts/ mufflers for the SOHC4. There are eight male and female dies to stamp out basic outer shapes. There are alos internal parts fro muffler to stamp out, and then the head pipes (double wall) to tool up for.
John Soliday (mail list Founder) had bids from diemakers to make the various stamping dies. Best bid he got was an "estimate" for $100,000 US Dollars (late 80's value) to cut and harden the dies which would then be owned by the client.
You could make a lot of parts with these dies. But, you still have to buy the raw materials and pay for delivery. Still have to pay a piece part for use of the plant's press, and pay someone to operate it. Then pay someone to move the pressed parts to an assembly facility, Then pay for trimming the stampings and for four fixtures to hold the parts in the correct orientation while a paid welder stitches them together. They then have to be boxed to prevent denting while they are shipped to the chromer, who plates and polishes them, then puts them in a plastic bag and reboxes them. Then they get shipped back to a rented storage/ assembly facility where they are inspected and shelved awaiting an order. I wonder if the order processor wants to be paid? Then there is the property insurance costs, business license, state fees for disability, FICA, tax withholding, etc. etc.
The guess at the time was that you might be able to break even on the venture if you could sell a minimum of 100,000 pipe sets... Per year.
We have 4,882 members here and perhaps three will actually pay $700-800 for a set of pattern 4 into 4 pipes for their bike. The rest top out at $300 (for a 4 into 1) only because they can't find anything cheaper. AND, they whine that it is more than they paid for the whole rest of the bike.
I'm guessing most people haven't got clue one as to what it costs to deliver a finished part to a customer. And then deal with the dead beats, mind changers, "lost" product, and returned product that you can no longer sell as new. You only know that sound of your wallet creaking when you crowbar it open to wrest some of it's contents out. (OK, slight embellishment here.
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If it were cheap and easy, everyone would do it. So, I repeat my earlier dare for any one of you to make their own parts with equivalent quality.
Anyone want some cheese with their whine?
Seems that Soichiro Honda's edict of providing replacement parts forever went by the way side in favor of forcing the masses into buying new products.
Yes, when Soichiro died, Honda's board of directors no longer had to be concerned about Soichiro's "influence", and the bean counters prevailed forthwith. They'll make parts if it makes good profit. When it doesn't, it's discontinued.
You cheapskates have direct influence on part availability in that way.
Carry on... Gripe amongst yourselves...
Some of it is danged funny actually. Maybe we need a new forum section called the "Wailing Wall"?
Bwahahahahah....
