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.
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