If you are customising or restoring a motorcycle and can’t find a part or need special custom parts machined, this online marketplace may be just what you need.
The service – Machining4u – is a marketplace where riders and other restorers can post their requirements for one-off custom parts and get them made cheaper than before.
Although not specifically aimed at motorcyclists, motorcyclists make up a substantial proportion of those who use the service.
Custom parts that have been made for motorcycles through the site include bar ends, yokes, headlight brackets and braking oversize adapters.
One of the benefits is that it makes it easier than ever to work on your own custom motorcycle or work on a motorcycle restoration project.
You can get the parts easily, and you don’t need much welding experience to add custom modifications with a MIG welder, which is the easiest form of welding but still produces great results.
Just make sure you get some scrap metal to practice on before going near the real thing.
While it’s a British service, they can take orders from around the world and arrange to ship custom parts to customers.
Once a job requirement has been posted, machinists around the UK bid for the job, and the customer can choose between the various bids, depending on price, quality and/or reputation via reviews on the site.
The benefit is that it heightens competition and reduces prices by taking away power from the large machining business that dominate the industry and charge a high premium.
Customers draw the part they require and post a request with blueprints and descriptions. Professional machinists submit proposals to create the part or parts and the customer selects their preferred supplier.
Payment is held in a secure account while the parts are machined and delivered, then released once the customer approves the quality and leaves a review of the machinist’s work.
One of the three founders, Simon Latour, is a keen motorcycle customiser who has restored two Moto Guzzis.
Simon and friends Stephanie Brian and Stephane Gomez were frustrated when they tried to source custom-made parts for cars, motorcycles, drones, aircraft, machinery and more.
“Machining companies either rejected our requests as too small to bother with or quoted us ludicrous prices for such small production runs,” Stephane says.
So the trio – two engineers and a marketing specialist – built Machining-4u.co.uk to solve their problem and help others.
The founders make a 14.9% commission paid by the machinist to the site once the order is approved by the customer.