Jan. 22, 2007 – Pro-One develops new segment

An aftermarket company known for its Harley-Davidson and cruiser parts is expanding into the sport bike arena.
Pro-One Performance Manufacturing, Inc., a Pomona, Calif.-based company, recently moved into the new arena with its acquisition of 3D Billet, a 1-year-old company that had developed designs and billet concepts for sport bikes.
As part of the acquisition, 3D Billet founder Kevin Brazil has joined Pro-One to lead its new sport bike emphasis.
“They really want to make a presence known in the sport bike industry with the wheels we’re coming up with now,” Brazil said of Pro-One.
Pro-One is currently in research and development mode to convert eight wheel styles for Harley-Davidson motorcycles into models that can be used for sport bikes. Pro-One also is developing wheels for Suzuki’s GSX-R and Hiyabusa, among others.
“Every time (Pro-One officials) go out to places, guys will always ask them, ‘Do you make these for Suzukis? Do you make them for Yamahas?’” Brazil said of the company’s wheel models. “They’ve just been kind of pigeonholed in the Harley aftermarket wheels. So that’s the big presence we really want to shoot for.”
Brazil, who worked at Progressive Suspension before starting his own company, designed a number of small bolt-on items for sport bikes, including engine and clutch covers and levers. Those products, sold under the 3D Billet name, will now be sold under the expanding Pro-One sport bike line, which in the future will include rims, grips, foot pegs and more.
Brazil said the company will begin taking orders at the Dealer Expo in Indianapolis, if not sooner, on the new sport bike product line. The company’s Expo showcase will include two sport bikes that will feature a number of the new billet products.
Pro-One’s decision to expand into the sport bike arena has not, for now, meant additional staffing outside of Brazil’s arrival in December. That could change in the future once the line is fully developed and marketed.
“I can see us adding at least another two people to this division to help out with sales and help out with R&D,” said Brazil, who for now is handling both aspects with his new company.
Pro-One, which has been in business for 14 years, manufactures and distributes its products from a 60,000-square-foot facility in Pomona. psb