MCADXmag

Up to this point, Sheryar Durrani’s approach to manufacturing and selling motorcycle wheels has been an eighteen-month exercise in unconventionality. The initial design, which called for bonding a welded ring of forging-grade extruded magnesium around a thixomolded core, was radical. Some key manufacturing processes were untried and problematic. Correspondingly, manufacturing timetables were optimistic and advertising was premature. Durrani’s plan to fund the effort through early orders was controversial, nearly devastating to his reputation, and ultimately, untenable. He ended up abandoning his first design and refunding tens of thousands of dollars of unfulfilled orders. Normally, that would have been the end of the story.


But Durrani is an abnormally stubborn man; he learned a lot, and he persisted, applying his hard-won experience to the completion of his task. He conceived a ‘one-piece’ thixomolded wheel to eliminate the manufacturing steps of ring rolling, welding, and bonding. Now, he has successfully produced one-piece front and rear wheels, and is refining the tooling in order to meet the goal of becoming the first magnesium motorcycle wheels in the world to attain the stringent European TUV certification.


MCADX: Last time we talked, you had just produced your first run of one-piece wheels and were beginning the testing process. What can you tell us today about the wheels?

Sheryar Durrani: “We have made and molded hundreds of one piece wheels, front and rear. Through testing we have discovered that, while they’re fine for the track, and we could have been selling them a couple of months ago, we wouldn’t have been assured that they would be a ‘life of the bike’ wheel. We were not interested in putting out a product with a shelf life… that’s for milk, not motorcycle wheels."

MCADX: According to the DOT standards for motorcycle wheels…

Durrani: "They’re irrelevant."

MCADX : …OK, but by those standards, have these passed? Are they acceptable for sale in the states?

Durrani: "Completely. No question. These are legal to sell in the United States without issue. The bigger issue was our conscience. I don’t want to sound like a Disney soundtrack, but truly, we aren’t going to put out a product that won’t work (for the life of the bike.) I don’t care if it takes me ten years… (long pause) …It better not! I mean, if in ten years it doesn’t meet my standards, it’s still not going out."

MCADX: So the tests took place, and engendered some tooling changes as well as material changes, right?

Durrani: “We wanted to increase the strength and fatigue life of the wheel above and beyond what would be expected. We wanted to beat the standard rather than to just meet it. To compare apples to apples, one could say the very lightest racing wheels out there, in order to get certified to the TUV or JWL standard, would need a lot of additional structural strength from the long-term fatigue standpoint to be a ‘life of the bike’ wheel. You’re not necessarily going to get that long-term strength -at that weight - from magnesium. There’s a price to be paid for that lightness – where do you draw the line? We look forward to having the lightest metal wheels that will carry a ‘life of the bike’ standard. They will not be as light as some of the wheels out there, but they’ll be stronger and more fatigue resistant."

MCADX: Do all sport bike wheels sold as original equipment have the TUV standard?

Durrani: "Yes, they must have it. If you meet TUV, fatigue will not be an issue - it’s really overkill. The Japanese JWL certification is also a great standard. We are going for both simultaneously, so that makes it a double challenge. In Japan and in Europe, there is a much bigger market for motorcycle wheels and they take these standards much more seriously. We want to make sure we have wheels that can be sold on a global market."

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CBRVFR

The Green wheels shown were powder coated as a test. While Kawasaki owners may feel them to be perfect 'as is' for any decor, I should point out that the production wheels will not have any coating on the hub threads, and will be beefed up in the spoke areas as detailed above.

A fairly complete history of the wheels can be found in the 'Outspoken' section of our magazine. Outspoken - MotorcycleAddicts.org

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"...the TV also never took away the screwdriver and shoved it up the repairman's ass."

Our own Mr.2nd Amendment, explaining the difference. Perfectly.

Rich Herald, the Gentle Giant

Repeater

Seems it would be in his best interest to start producing "Non-Lifetime" race only wheels like all the other manufacturers do. At least he could pull in some revenue, and get his company some kind of product out the door. Make the current light wheel put the disclamor on it and get it out the door for guys like me that could afford this price point for track only wheels.

I did a Quick search on mag wheels and found this site selling them with a disclamor to not use them on the street. Products - Forged Magnesium - 10 Spoke - OPPRACING

Good luck and great article searies.

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NASMR - National Association for Stock Motorcycle Racing . Really doesn't roll off your tongue the same does it?

seamus

He specifically told me he doesn't want to go that route. He wants to be known for producing wheels that can be used and would take it personally if even one person got hurt while using a single part his company produced.

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Ducit Amor Patriae

Richard Herald, The Gentle Giant

The nation that makes a great distinction between its scholars and its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting done by fools.
--- Thucydides

Hammer

Any wheels yet?

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SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE SLINKIES. NOT REALLY GOOD FOR ANYTHING BUT THEY BRING A SMILE TO YOUR FACE WHEN PUSHED DOWN THE STAIRS

Unregistered

There is an ad in "New Ideas" section of this month's Cycle World that would lead one to believe that wheels are shipping. However, when you look at the website, in the fine print is still talks about "pre-ordering" and something about 3-4 months.

Anyone have the scoop on this?