Sometimes, the DIY universe works in mysterious ways. It was just last week that I shared Superfastmatt's latest video, where he took us through all the experiments he's been running in 3D printing metal parts for some of his automotive projects.
And while the mind-blowing exhaust header setup he shows off was made to his specifications, specifically for his land-speed-record car, it's not at all difficult to see how these processes could benefit any DIYer who wants to take them up, including motorcycle and powersports enthusiasts.
Just a few days later, the wonderful Driving 4 Answers channel posted this exploration of the trial and error process of 3D printing a new intake boot for a vintage Yamaha TTR 600. After trying repeatedly and eventually admitting defeat with getting the original two-stage carburetor tuned the way he wanted, D4A ended up fitting a totally different Yamaha carburetor (off a Raptor 660, actually) to the bike instead. And it worked, but clearly the old boot was no longer the correct dimensions for the job, so then it created a whole new problem he had to solve.
There comes a point in every would-be DIYer's life when you have to stop for a second and seriously question your life choices. If you're doing it for yourself, just for fun, chances are excellent that you don't keep a running tally of all the time and money you've spent on chasing down each and every gremlin that arises. It's probably best that you don't, to be honest; I don't know how many of us would insist on fighting our way through on sheer passion (even when we know we shouldn't) if we actually looked at those numbers.
Still, if you've read this far, then chances are excellent that you're exactly the type of person that D4A's extensive documentation of how he trial-and-errored his way to 3D printing a perfect, working TPU intake boot to finally utilize that replacement carb on the TTR.
Honestly, one thing that struck me in particular about this video was the fact that he could afford to make mistakes; that's how far we've come!
As 3D printing's costs and practicality have become more attainable (and reliable) for enthusiasts to pursue, the fact that his measurements weren't correct the first time ended up not actually mattering. Instead, it was a valuable learning process; he was able to do stress testing to ensure that the part would work the way he needed it to before correcting his measurements and printing out the real deal. The freedom to make mistakes and not have it completely break either the bank or your will to finish your project is truly game-changing.
The results, as you'll see in this video, are incredibly impressive. As he concludes toward the end of the video, the ability to make these kinds of parts yourself using TPU filament and a 3D printer opens up a whole world of possibilities.
Whether you have a custom build in the works, or you're simply looking to replace some old, hard hoses or tubes on a vintage bike (or quad, or really any mechanical beastie your weird little heart loves), the ability to design the perfect solution in CAD and then print it up means you no longer have to worry about external parts availability.
That's right; if an OEM is no longer making the parts you need (and finding good-condition used parts is like finding hen's teeth), and the aftermarket isn't making them either, why not just make them yourself? Or find a friend who can. If that doesn't put a smile on your face, I don't know what will.
