Earlier this week the owners of specialist muffler manufacturers, Staintune, announced that all avenues for the sale of the business had been exhausted and that the assets of the business were to be sold.
This appears to be the end of a glorious chapter in Australian manufacturing. Staintune has operated for many years out of its premises in Mittagong in the Southern Highlands and is probably the most respected manufacturer of after-market motorcycle mufflers in the world. Their products have been sold world-wide and pipes that they no longer produce because of the cessation of production of various models (VFR Hondas, for example) are traded on the internet for prices far above what they were originally worth – if you can get them at all.
The Staintune on my VFR weighs half of what the standard Honda muffler weighs, looks immeasurably better and sounds so much better than the stock pipe that owners still post videos on social media so people who DON’T have one can listen to how great they sound.
I’ve had a Staintune on almost every one of my VFRs, starting with the original red one in 2002. I bought it for $150 from a gentleman in Queanbeyan who ran a model car store. The Yellow Submarine wasn’t kept long enough to have a Staintune fitted and my last 4th Gen had the glorious carbon fibre Rod Tingate muffler (also Australian-made) so I’ll excuse the oversight.
The owners of Staintune have wanted to retire for some years and the business has been on the market for some time. The sale has proceeded in fits and starts with several promising leads falling at the last hurdle, so to speak, and the asking price being reduced until it was at a plainly ridiculous level. However, competition from poorer quality and cheaper mufflers made overseas and the growth of online selling has made selling the business look less and less likely. At the last I heard, the whole business could have been bought for under a quarter of a mill, ridiculously cheap.
Staintune has always been receptive to customer feedback and needs. When my good mate, Wayne Timms, bought his Honda Crossrunner, he wanted a Staintune pipe but they didn’t make one. Wayne went up to the factory and spoke to them and they offered that, if he was to leave his bike there for a week, they would fabricate one for him and that would also allow them to have the specs to build others if people were to ask. He did and they did and Staintune reinforced their reputation for customer service.
However, the end was announced on Monday..
“With great sadness i have to announce the closure of Staintune Aust Pty Ltd. No one has made a bid at the auction so the company will now be dismantled. All machines and equipment will be auctioned through pickles auction house. The last Staintune mufflers have been made and will be boxed and stored away. I would like to extend a huge thank you to all our customers in the past. Such a emotional time. To say I’m gutted would be an understatement. Such a loss to manufacturing and the motorcycle industry.”
The news was hardly unexpected but shocking just the same. Commiserations were offered and testimonials were published. It seems like this really is the end.
BUT, yesterday, the following announcement from Staintune…
“A Massive Thank You! To all well wishers and customers for your kind and understanding comments. Since the last post and announcement of Staintune’s closure we have had a flood of interest for saving the business and we have been able to reopen the tender for the sale of the Business including all intellectual property, machinery and tooling required to carry Staintune forward to a new era. If you are interested please PM me for full details ASAP.”
Can you help save the iconic brand? If you have any ideas, suggestions or offers of assistance, please contact Staintune as a matter of urgency. You’d be doing motorcycling a huge favour and the “feel good” factor alone would make it worth your while.
