relevant results. I finally expanded my search to include carbon fiber fabricators and came upon an outfit (Koncept Cars) that, among other things, offers custom car- bon fiber parts for automobiles for sale. Koncept Cars is primarily a web-based company which fills internet orders throughout the United States. And its head- quarters just happens to be located about 30 minutes from my house. Using the contact function in its web site, I emailed Koncept Cars and explained my predicament. Within 24 hours, I received a reply from Kofi LeGrand-Sawyer, the owner/propri- etor of Koncept Cars, who suggested that we meet and discuss the issue. I met with Kofi the following week and
expressed in more detail what it was I wished to achieve. Kofi is personable and a car guy in the truest sense, and his passion for cars led him to start a business that caters to nothing but car enthusiasts. Rather than speak to all that Kofi’s company has to offer, a visit to
koncepcars.com would bet- ter serve the reader. I fashion Kofi more or less a broker, drawing on his stable of sup- pliers and fabricators to fulfill his clients’ custom needs and desires. Kofi listened intently to what I had to say, and as he began to speak he produced part of a center console from a Tesla Model S, which appeared to be comprised entirely of car- bon fiber. Kofi explained that it is a stock part which had been overlaid with carbon fiber. I was amazed at the quality of the work—the fit and finish were perfect, and my discerning eyes could detect no signs of overlay. I was hooked then and there, barely hearing Kofi say that the same thing could be done to my cat covers. And Kofi is no stranger to sales: The sample he produced expertly softened me to his quote of $ 1,300 for both cat covers, a price I was more than willing to pay to bring back a congruent flow to my K 1600 GT. Shortly thereafter, I provided Kofi with
two new cat covers, leaving only the details of what pattern and finish the carbon fiber weave would take. Kofi and I agreed to con- duct research independent of the other, with the goal of finding the exact pattern that matches the carbon fiber existing on
Happy with the quality and appearance of the catalytic converter covers, I began looking for other places I could place carbon fiber and replaced the chrome windshield mounts.
the Akrapovic silencers. We both arrived at the same carbon fiber pattern: A “plain 1x1” weave, which Kofi confirmed through one of his sources is the weave pattern for the carbon fiber parts used by Akrapovc on its silencers. Selection of the finish proved to be more choice on my part than anything else. At least as pertains to the silencers on the K 1600 GT, Akrapovic uses a matte fin- ish for the carbon fiber end caps and a gloss finish for the carbon fiber accent pieces located just forward of the titanium sleeves. Being that the cat covers are located closest to the Akrapovic carbon fiber accent pieces finished in gloss, I decided to go with a gloss finish for my project.
About three weeks later, my cat covers
were ready for pickup. I met Kofi at his office, and he displayed to me for the first time the cat covers, now overlaid with car- bon fiber. At first glance, I immediately told Kofi, “These are way too nice to put on my bike.” The cat covers were beautiful— pieces of art—and the fit and finish of the carbon fiber overlays were perfect. Kofi and his fab- ricator certainly did not disappoint. I col- lected the pieces and headed home, with designs on immediately installing them on my bike. Even though my new-look cat covers are
simply bolt-on parts, I had given some thought to their installation. During my
May 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS 57
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