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Our small workshop,
which started with just six employees, has achieved major success,
managing to propel itself to the very top of motorcycle exhaust
systems manufacturing through the application of its own knowledge
and capabilities. Today on total surface area of over 7000 m2 we
employ over 200 highly qualified and motivated people from various
educational backgrounds.
The Akrapovic company was founded in 1990, based on the experience
gained in the field of motorcycle tuning by Igor Akrapovic. His
knowledge comes from his own personal experiences and observations,
as he himself often tested the results of his work as a motorcycle
racer on the track. He capped a successful ten-year career with
numerous championship titles in the F1 and SBK classes on both the
national and international levels. His ceaseless desire to create
and exceptional feeling for four-stroke motors, especially racing
motors, has made the Akrapovic name famous throughout the world.
In the search for perfection in tuning racing motorcycles, he was
confronted with an insurmountable problem. There simply were no
high-quality exhaust systems available to the public which could
meet extreme technical demands. The systems which were available
were for the most part poorly made, with the main parts usually
welded together, and usually with excessively thick pipe walls. It
was considered a success if the system at least came close to
fitting onto the bike for which it was intended. Technically
superior exhaust systems were astronomically expensive and difficult
for the average customer to obtain. For Akrapovic, whose
perfectionism is well-known, there was no choice. He had to go into
the field of manufacturing exhaust systems himself.
His innovative ideas began to take concrete form. He established new
concepts in exhaust system construction: new configurations, new
tube diameters and materials. He began to expand the use of
crossover tubes and conical headers. High-quality stainless steel
completely replaced the ordinary thick-walled steel tubing, and
exotic titanium and carbon-fiber also made their appearance.
The first, and by modern standards quite simple pipe bending tool
was soon replaced by a large modern pipe bending machine with
optional computer control. The 450 m2 workshop quickly became too
small to contain the growing needs of the company, which was
experiencing a meteoric rise.
Exceptionally high standards and investment in development led to
excellent results. The development and testing department was able
to obtain its own dyno bench very early on. The positive feedback
from the racetracks was continuously evident in our own measurements
of our exhaust systems.
At the beginning the company produced totally custom exhaust systems
for private racing teams. Even then, in 1990, they were exceptional
examples in their class, standing out from other exhaust systems.
This got the attention of most of the teams competing on the Pro
Superbike circuit. This was at the time a very high ranking class,
just below the Superbike World Championship. In 1993 the firm
Kawasaki Deutschland responded to an invitation to test our exhaust
systems. After testing a model which had not been developed for that
particular bike, but assisted by the exceptional talent of Mr.
Akrapovic, it was clear that our system was better than the factory
system. This was a huge breakthrough and the beginning of major
cooperation with numerous teams in the Pro Superbike championship
(KAWASAKI, YAMAHA, SUZUKI, DUCATI, HONDA), in which we enjoyed a
string of wins and championship titles in the ensuing years.
In 1997 we began to use titanium extensively. We purchased a unique
titanium forming machine, still the only one of its type in the
world, in order to produce titanium tubing in our own factory. This
allows us exceptional freedom in constructing tubes, precise quality
control over welding and independence from unreliable suppliers.
We have finally managed to make titanium exhaust systems available
to everybody, and not just the great racetrack virtuosos.
We have constantly upgraded our production and invested the largest
amount of funds into modernizing our machines and educating our
workforce. Computers have long been our constant companions in the
3-D planning of configurations, programming of tools, computer-aided
manufacture, and as an indispensable accessory in the testing
department for the analysis and setting of all possible parameters.
After our successes in Pro Superbike, the Superbike World
Championship was not far away. The Kawasaki factory team
enthusiastically followed the results achieved by the German
Kawasaki team in the Pro Superbike series. After thorough testing,
they became the first factory team on the World Superbike circuit to
use our exhaust systems. Based on our excellent results, other teams
were to follow: first Yamaha, a year later Suzuki and finally Honda.
In the 1999 season every single Japanese team in the Superbike World
Championship used AKRAPOVIC exhaust systems.
Our reputation spread, and interest in our exhaust systems also
arose in the 600 Supersport World Championship. Huge growth and
demand for fast and major developments were at first difficult to
accommodate. The spatial restrictions of our 450 m2 workshop
accelerated our need for expansion. In the same year we moved into
what then seemed a luxurious factory with a floor space of 3000 m2.
At that time the company was still being marketed under the Skorpion
brand name, and the majority of its exhaust systems were distributed
through a central warehouse in Germany. In moving to our new
factory, we also moved the warehouse to the seat of the company in
Slovenia, and at that time decided to change the brand name.
A trendy name which was no different from those of many other
exhaust systems no longer suited our purposes and did not suit the
product which it stood for. Another problem was its similarity to
other registered trademarks around the world. We decided to replace
the Skorpion name, which was already well-known among enthusiasts,
with something completely unique, as befit the product. The logical
answer was to use the name of the founder of the company, Igor
Akrapovic. The unique and somewhat exotic brand name, which
characterizes the product, was well-received among the public.
Although at the time we were not completely sure that our decision
was correct, today we know it was an excellent move.
The Akrapovic trademark (pronounced "Ack-rap'-o-vich") experienced a
huge surge onto world markets. Akrapovic exhaust systems are
starting to be used by everyone who understands the importance of
using top-quality components in extreme race conditions. Our entry
into the SBK World Championship was followed by victories in
important national championships: the American AMA Superbike and the
Japanese All Japan Superbike Championship. In the year 2000 our
exhaust systems were also used by the Aprilia factory team.
Our quick entry into the most prestigious class in four-stroke
motorcycle racing motivated and encouraged us towards even more
intensive development, and gave us invaluable feedback which we
added to our store of experience.
In less than a decade our small workshop-style company has risen to
worldwide prominence on the basis of resounding successes.
Our first victory in an individual SBK race was won in 1997 by
Japanese Akira Yanagawa on a Kawasaki. Our first SBK world
championship title was taken in 2000 by Colin Edwards on his Castrol
Honda SP-01, and in the same year we became champions in the 600 SS
class with Yamaha and Joerg Teuchert.
The MotoGP project deserves special mention:
The 2002 season was a breakthrough year for the top class of
motorcycle racing. The introduction and dominance of the
four-strokes demanded new ways of thinking and a changed approach to
the development and design of racing components.
The changes also had a positive effect at Akrapovic, since we
produce exhaust systems exclusively for four-stroke machines. Our
wealth of experience and knowledge was a great advantage which we
put to good use in the newly reformed MotoGP class, as we entered
the MotoGP project as the official supplier of exhaust systems to
the Aprilia and Kawasaki teams.
Our small workshop, which started with just six employees, has
achieved major success, managing to propel itself to the very top of
motorcycle exhaust systems manufacturing through the application of
its own knowledge and capabilities. Today on total surface area of
over 7000 m2 we employ over 170 highly qualified and motivated
people from various educational backgrounds. All of us are aware
that we produce exhaust systems for customers who simply do not
accept mistakes – the most demanding racing teams and riders from
around the world.
Our constant contact with the very top of the motorcycle racing
world has not lulled us to sleep, but has challenged us to provide
constant development. We accept no compromises! The company vision
was clear from the very beginning, and we have not faltered. Only
the best is good enough for us. But the best is not just the
exclusive privilege of the factory teams. Now it is available to
everyone!
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