The Custom Graphics Game

There’s nothing like a quality set of graphics to freshen up a bike’s appearance, once the standard set starts lifting or tearing in places. Adelaide-based SK Designs Australia produces high-quality graphics and the SKDA guys recently made us a custom set for our Sherco 450SEF-R project bike. Not only do they look trick, but they also incorporate logos of the key companies who are supporting the project.

Still drooling over ‘his’ rejuvenated Sherco, Transmoto’s Grant “Goba” O’Brien sat down with SKDA company director, Sammy Morton, to talk about the custom dirt bike graphics game… 

TM: In a nutshell, Sammy, what is SK Designs Australia?
SM: We’re a custom motocross graphics company, which focuses on an extensive online catalogue that now includes around 200 designs. Customers can choose a design, then customise it with their race number and logos online.

^ The “standard” bike with no more than a couple of Transmoto 12-Hour stickers on it…

What is the difference between standard graphics and SKDA’s?
We work very hard to ensure we have the best material possible, regardless of cost. We also use a new technology with printing, which enables us to hit some colours that are very hard to match – the perfect Sherco fluoro yellows and KTM-coloured orange, for example. This gives us a leg-up over many of our competitors as we can provide a top-notch product that presents well.

How will the in-mould graphics that are increasing used on OEM plastics affect you?
We use a very thick sticker material so any existing graphic underneath, like the new in-mould plastic graphics, will not show through. We are selling to a particular market that mainly consists of young guys and girls in the 18 to 30 age bracket who simply want to make their bike look different from the rest with their own personal touch. Therefore the in-mould graphics won’t affect our market because our customer buys graphic kits to be different, and not because their old set is worn out. It’s all about custom. 

Give us some tips for fitting graphics?
Fitting graphics is very simple. People spend way too much time thinking about the best way to do it. Irrespective of what condition your plastics are in, the number one rule is that they need to be clean before you start. Remove the old graphics and use them to take away leftover adhesive by dabbing the sticky side against the plastic and pulling away several times to help lift the adhesive. Once you remove the adhesive the best you can, give the plastics a final wipe over with a solvent such as methylated spirits to clean any remaining adhesive. But be careful. If you have too much glue residue, the solvent will simply break down the glue and spread it over the plastics. So try and remove as much as possible first. Then simply line up the graphics, peel back a small area on a corner and stick them down. Don’t use soapy water. Soapy water kills the adhesive temporarily, which enables you to slide the graphics into position, but it weakens the adhesive on your graphics and therefore reduces their lifespan. Just take your time lining them up and get it right first try. We recommend buying a new set of plastics, as they’re reasonably cheap these days. If your bike is new, keep the standard plastics aside for resale.

How do customers design their own graphics?
It depends what they order. If a customer knows exactly what they want, we can create a full custom kit and there are no limitations in what we do. Our catalogue items work out much cheaper though, as there’s less work for our designers. The base designs are pretty much set, but you can change numbers, logos, and names with ease online. If there are any changes after that, I suggest getting in touch with us to discuss it further.

GRAPHICS KIT

Check out SKDA’s extensive online catalogue at www.skda.com.au

SHERCO MODS

For a comprehensive insight into how we’ve customised and improved our Sherco 450SEF-R project bike – the suspension settings, graphics kit, plus all those small things owners need to keep an eye on – check out the feature article in Transmoto’s free-to-view September-October issue (#58), due to be released this week.