But what will we use for bling ????
 

I was just browsing the web for info on the gorgeous Ducati powered NCR, and got sidetracked by some stuff on titanium.

As we all know, titanium is highly desirable with a bling factor that's off the scale. That's because it's pricey stuff, leading to trick parts that the great unwashed can only dream about.

It's also fantastic stuff to make motorcycles from. It has high strength-to-weight ratio, offering weight reduction over conventional steel and aluminum alloys. It is as strong as steel, but 45 percent lighter. It is 60 percent heavier than aluminum, but twice as strong and it has good corrosion resistance. But rare and pricey right?

But apparently, titanium is not rare at all, it's the 4th most abundant structural material on earth. It's only expensive because the process required to turn it into metal is complex and expensive so currently only about 5% of the titanium that could potentially be produced is actually produced today.

I just came across this web link for a company that has found a way to make it much, much cheaper. If this production method takes off it will find it's way into thousands more automotive applications.

So my question is, what will we do for bling when it becomes so common that CG125's are carved from billet titanium?

Link is HERE

Actually I think that titanium is stronger than steel only in certain applications (although I may be talking rubbish, I usually do).

My left hip socket is held together by stainless steel plates and bolts. When I (jokingly !) asked the surgeon why he hadn't used titanium he said it wasn't strong enough for this particular job.

(honest !)

Jools

We'll still have Magnesium ...... not that I can aford that either .....

You could always stick some Altair shares on your tank if you want to put expensive things on the bike - the company is worth $180m but only had sales of $1.2m last year *














* please poke your own eyes out if you have read this and are not a QIB

We could always go retro.....mmm,cast iron,steel and that new fangled plastic.....

Luckily I don't consider Titanium as Bling as I consider it a funtional material that allows me to improve my bikes power to weight ratio and handling.
Sadly it is not cheap but if they could make it at a fraction of the cost and was available off Jap bikes at breakers and Auto-jumbles I would be happy enough to use it even if it did come off a CG125.
Just don't use it in the places outlined in the ACU handbook.