Racing

Trail Tech Factory Tour - Dirt Rider Magazine

March 9, 2010

Trail Tech's non-descript headquarters could be building anything from pharmaceuticals to parts of government spy planes. But they make cool motorcycle parts.

I've been asked many times, "Can you buy anything for your dirt bike that is made in the USA?" Well, after doing some looking, the answer is YES! A lot of the time the products are not even the ones you might think. Case in point: Trail Tech, a company that makes electronic-based goodies for your dirt bike. From stators and flywheels to headlights and wiring kits, and don't forget the very popular handlebar-mounted computers. Company founder Geoff Wotton has a background in printer manufacturing and design with HP computers. When he saw a lot of the work he was involved with go overseas, he started making things for his dirt bike that he wanted. The hobby started turning into a job when others wanted the things he was making. Now, for over 10 years he's been building dirt bike parts in the USA. Trail Tech takes up an 18,000-square-foot building and has 23 employees. Here's what's sparking at Trail Tech:

The lobby is where most drop-by customers' tours end. Dirt Rider got to see all the secret stuff beyond.

Trail Tech's flagship product has been the handlebar-mounted computer, the Vector being the most popular. It has 13 functions and will fit on just about any motorcycle or ATV.

All of the products start out in the creative minds of the employees-then they get confusing, unless you know how to make those ideas into silicone, plastic and metal through software like Onespace. Plus there's all the envisioning how electrons create a lot of ones and zeros and talk to each other. But that is the part you don't really want to think about.

After conception, things start taking on a more understandable shape. Here's a new hour meter type of product and a soon-to-be-released handlebar switch.

One of the things that makes the Trail Tech lights so good is their proprietary ballast, in which the company has had a steep learning curve to understand how to make them small enough, powerful enough and able to cope with the idiosyncrasies of motorcycles. Shown here is the transformer whose windings are critical. That's what happens at 20,000 volts.

The ballasts are encapsulated in a special-sauce compound via a two-step process that resists the elements, vibration, heat, electrostatic energy and your fingers

Need prototype parts? No problem with machines like these. I saw their ability in a quickly built, yet completely sano hedge trimmer mount made to go onto the front fork of a motorcycle for trail work. The Trail Tech guys are into riding and working on trails, too.

These are some cool lights. Not because the fan is blowing on them but because they have just passed the 2,000-hour mark in a durability run. The controllers continually turn them off and on, 24-hours a day, seven days a week. And the fan simulates the airflow they would be receiving.

Trail Tech flywheels use stronger rare earth magnets held in place with a carrier ring then glued with epoxy for additional security. Then a cover sheath is press-fitted and rolled over the magnets to hold everything together.

Having the right tool for the job gets things done right. Gaussmeter, anyone?

The shop looks more like a hospital in terms of cleanliness and order than a motorcycle parts company. Working here you quickly learn to pick up after yourself.

This machine spins flywheels over stators to test them for power output. A bike's complete electrical system can be simulated and tested here, too.

Here is Ryan Niblet and the flywheel balancer. If you have a Trial Tech flywheel then he has likely balanced it on this computer-aided spinner and drill. And if he looks dizzy it is understandable, the machine spins the flywheels at 3,000-5,000 rpm to determine where fractions of grams should be removed for perfect balance.

More testing as every light and ballast is test-fired before it is shipped. Even the light bulbs themselves are produced in the States.