Ducati Monster Forum

Hey guys,

Just wanted to let you all know about the new PROTEC service we are offering from CarbonDry, as it is really, really, really cool stuff.

Seriously, just think about the possibilities, and try tell me you aren't getting ideas.

http://bellissimoto.com/CarbonProtec.html (http://bellissimoto.com/CarbonProtec.html)

That page says all items must be sent to Japan - that right? 

It's very cool... but a tank costs 84,000 jpy, about 930 USD// plus the costs shipping a gas tank to Japan and back - but then you're homing in on the price of a real carbon tank. 

Like I said, very cool - but the shipping to japan is going to be a deal breaker for a lot of folks.  Or have they set up a production facility in the US?

Why ship a part to Japan just to get it treated with this wierd carbon 'coating' when you could have a real carbon part right along with the weight savings. My apologies for putting it to you this way, but this just seems beyond stupid to me. It won't go over very well with the people who can actually afford it.

You could ship to us here in SC, and we could send to Japan, but then you would pay more.

This direct shipping offers you a discount in overall cost, and time.

Anyways I don't think you could show me a quality, new, carbon fiber monster tank that you would trust for 1000$

If you are looking for custom modifications to set your bike apart, send in any part you can think of, from brackets, to gas tanks, to wheels.

If you want FUNCTION and PURPOSE, along with Beauty and individuality, consider having the frame, and swingarm coated.

Remember, Protec increases the strength of the item by 300-500%, paint and powdercoat cannot do that.

Pretty trick, but also pretty expensive. A frame costs $2,900 plus shipping!  :o


I don't buy this. The data says it increases the strength of a piece of Aluminum plate anywhere from 43% (single layer) to 493% (triple layer...triple cost too?). That is far different from a wheel, or a frame, particularly if the material changes...like a steel frame.

I'm sure it increases the strength some...but how much is really unkown...unless of course you're getting an Aluminum plate of the same thickness they tested coated for some strange reason.

Good luck though...I'd like to see a coated piece in person sometime.

This seems to be a pretty cool/innovative product. I'll have to see what I can do .

For the record,

Plastic parts can not be coated through this process.

The ThermoCompression treatment will warp the plastic items.


On a side note, I just sent off my passenger rearset brackets to get this treatment - I can't wait to see the result.

Can you do that to my wife?

although i agree with the others regarding the tank, I think the point of this is the ability to cover things that normally would be very difficult to make/ cover with carbon fiber..
on a side note, apparently the porsche carrera gt uses cfrp for the engine frame and a lot of other parts..  http://www.americanchemistry.com/s_plastics/doc.asp?CID=1080&DID=6591

This would be of interest if it were (1) done domestically, and (2) 1/10th the price.


 [laugh]  [laugh]

what i didint understand is there statement that some parts can be lightened? is this a translation issue? I could imagine an engineer making a part less strong (lighter) and then coated it to give it the needed strength, thereby being lighter. but a stock part coated, will always be heavier. and why would you add weight to unsprung parts?

I think a single sided swingarm would look good with a carbon coat.

There exists, in rare circumstances, a possibility to lighten certain parts, because the weight of the PROTEC coating can be at times, less than the actual weight of the layers of paint/clear/powdercoat/etc... that are removed in the first step of the treatment process.

^^^i'd like to see a SSA coated in this stuff.

I did something similar with my 748 heel guards and exhaust shield about 5 years ago.  I bought the necessary materials from www.fiberglast.com for about $100. 

Came out ok, didnt use a vacuum bag but it still looked very cool.

I'd like to see it too. The photos on your website are a little too small to be useful.

I'd like to see a SSS done with this.  8)

Yes, that would look great, and could definitely be done!

Who will be the first to sign one up?? If I still had my S4R, I would do it.

Would be worth it to do the first one at cost for the photo op/review.  Too bad I dont have an s4r.

No you don't, but those 3 spoke wheels would look great with a carbon coating.

Im down to two Cromos......the 748 is long gone....

I do love those cromos, I actually voted for the dealer who plastic chromed the tank and tail of their entry in the new Monster Challenge just because of cool, unique and different it was.

Also

This would be a great way to make the new cast subframe from the 696 and 1100 monsters look better too...

It looks cool and all but that price is ridiculous.  3K to coat a frame?  1.5K for a swing arm? 1K for a sub frame and 900 for wheels?

At those prices you could trick your bike out in titanium and magnesium increasing the performance of the bike significantly AND save money.

If one of my friends was even considering 4K on coloring the frame and swingarm I'd fulfill my duty as a friend and kick him in the ass.

There, I fixed it for you  [thumbsup]

Trust me, I agree the costs are quite expensive, and I am truly trying my best to cut those down by getting a PROTEC Studio here in the US, but that is still quite far off timewise...

The thing we have to remember is, many people have more money then us, and would love to customize a bike in this fashion. All I am doing is making it available to them.

Let us know when you get your own PROTEC Studio.  Though I think I would like to do my swingarm I am not willing to pay 1.5K$.  I'll stick with powdercoating for 50-100$.

It's not a question of affordability it's a question of value IMO.

Crazy would be spending more to coat the subframe than it would cost to install a Ti one.  Or spending more money on coating wheels than buying Marchesini Magnesium wheels (my next purchase)

If the costs were more in line, up to 4x or 5x the cost of powdercoating, I'd be interested.

But hey to each their own.

On a side note congrats on expanding your product line.  I wish your new venture success in the coming year.

I had my S2R swing arm Powder Coated red, to match the frame, I bought a swingarm so now I have a spare... (shameless plug) for sale... or for borrow... I'd be willing to get it sent there to see... if there was a buyer... I paid 650usd for it and would like recoupe at least $500....

Value is measured in more terms than mere performance.

Look at OCC Choppers, or drive through the hood and look at the 1986 Cutlass worth 150$ with 6,000$ 28" rims, jacked up, and painted for some odd reason like a Sprite can, even though they aren't paid advertisements...

As for me personally, I do see value in the service, and I could see myself having items like a Frame, Subframe, Front fairing stay, Wheels, and Swingarm done in such a fashion (that is of course, when I could afford it, and it would not be my first priority, as I am not super well off).

Sure value can be a matter of perception. 

Doesn't mean the rest of us don't laugh at the retard who spent 5K to put a diamond hour adjuster on his 3K Rolex.

I'm out before this continues to crash and burn.  I'm not trying to piss in your Cheerios but you're starting to hold the bowl for me.

I don't see the point myself. To have a front wheel done is over $800 and you still have to add shipping to/from Japan (with insurance if you're smart). Call it $1000 for just having the front done. What do you have in the end? A stock wheel that is somewhat stronger but is now also heavier for a price that approaches a BST that is stonger and MUCH LIGHTER.

Maybe I am jaded from having made a living working on proper racecars in the past but the only reasons for using carbon composites was (IS!) much less weight for the same strength not for the "pretty" factor. This process is mainly for the pretty and not much at all for the strength:weight beneift.

If one is looking for the cool factor great, but is still seems way overpriced even then.

seems all CarbonDry products are expensive.

What would be better is if they would bring down their costs and start producing pieces that are reegineered to be lighter and stronger. not just for visuals.

Makes me think of one of these:



http://www.turbonator.com/index.html?id=AdWordsTurbonator (http://www.turbonator.com/index.html?id=AdWordsTurbonator)

Just add this to finish it off.
http://www.amazon.com/Exhaust-BOV-%C3%A2-Turbo-Sound/dp/B000IPV3MG (http://www.amazon.com/Exhaust-BOV-%C3%A2-Turbo-Sound/dp/B000IPV3MG)

 [laugh]

Ummmmmmm Buddy,

Carbon Dry parts are all expensive BECAUSE their parts are lighter and stronger than any other Carbon on the market.

go here for more info - http://bellissimoto.com/CarbonTutorial.html

what i meant was, the pieces that are being coated with that process. they should offer already coated, lightened pieces instead of sending in stock pieces for adding on stuff.
but yes they are expensive. but that's the price we pay for hi-end stuff.

This is an interesting idea. So a question for the OP

Could you mill some of the existing material off, say for instance a few thou off a wheel rim which would both lighten and weaken the rim. Then put the "carbon fiber coating" on the part which should bring the strength back up to, or maybe still better than the original?

But they are not carbon, just parts 'painted' with carbon.

But they will increase your fuel economy by 10% ;)

and make you go 140!

I would avoid that with something structural like a wheel rim. There's no proper way of knowing what strength it is at after. Buy a carbon fiber wheel.

(http://tbn3.google.com/images?q=tbn:izkDveOcug3QFM:http://blooddeepthemovie.com/images/dead%2520horse%2520logo.jpg)

Two words.... "moto jewelry"     [puke]

[laugh] [laugh] [laugh]

fail.
back to salesman school for you

ok, i think i've got to say something here.

One of our SPONSORS, put forth a product that is unique for us to look over and possibly purchase as mods to make our bike unique.

A lot have taken personal shots at the sponsor. not cool. 

the product itself is questionable as to its value vs performance, but as he said value is an owners perogative.

Bellisimoto has won a competition with his 1098, so it's not like he doesn't know anything.

WHEN someone does this coating, please report back on it's value/effect/performance. I'm sure someone eventually will.

BUT maybe next time the sponsor can post this in his section so as to keep it as a source for people who are looking for it, to avoid the tomato throwing crowd.

1.  Being a SPONSOR doesn't mean your claims are spared from criticism.
2.  Dubious claims will be responded to and "discussed" just as they are throughout the rest of the site.
3.  OP asked for feedback and "ideas".   Probably didn't like the response but feedback and "ideas" is what he got.
4.  95% of the posts here have commented on the perceived value or lack there in.  I've only seen one personal shot and that was not well received.

Lighten up, Francis.     ;D

This is why I asked the OP. One of the claims is increased strength of coated part

honestly, this product is pretty cool.  Heck monsters are a blending of style and performance and many of us have mods that are more show than go. 

The idea of the product is good... making CF looking parts that would otherwise be impossible.  The downside is the cost... if this were a local (as in USA) shop that could do the work, im sure it would cost significantly less and more people would be jumping aboard. 

I would consider doing it to my swingarm but just not at this price.

Not a lot of production jobs appear to be cheaper to perform in the states, then outside of them.

Anyways, I appreciate all the feedback I received, good or bad, you guys can argue all you want about etiquette, my approach, where I posted, etc... But the fact of the matter is I have got you all talking and thinking about this new product, and some love it while others hate it (or simply say its stupid cause they can't afford it).

Yes, the strength of any item coated with CarbonDry will increase.

It is not realistically possible to know how much of an increase it will have on every item, and I don't think anyone of you would complain if it only increased the strength of your wheels by 50-200%, as opposed to the 300-500% increase it can give to a straight aluminum bar (think brackets, frames, swingarms, etc... are often made of simple, relatively straight lengths of aluminum).

Thank you for your post,

We have just shipped out the passenger rearsets from our Ducati 1098 to have coated in this material, and we will be sending out a customers 1098 swingarm next week.

We will naturally post up several pictures when they come back.

Cool process.  I could see its value in the right application.

It would be very hard to predict how this process would change a parts stiffness or strength - too many variables - without doing some comparative controlled deflection & failure testing.

mitt

That should look cool. Can't wait to see a pic.  [thumbsup]

im more concerned with the shipping costs. Especially the larger items.

Your frame, round trip ~ 120-150$