From Motorcycles to Machining: Building a Business Around What You Love | Ep. 544

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

What do a freestyle motocross legend, a custom motorcycle painter, and a machine shop owner with 19 spindles have in common? A whole lot more than motorcycles. And at IMTS 2026, Kennametal brought all three together to prove it.

Recorded live from the MakingChips studio at IMTS, we sit down with Carey Hart, the motocross icon who made history with a backflip on a dirt bike; Taylor Schultz, a custom painter whose work turns motorcycles into rolling artwork; and Satya Kraus, founder of Kraus Motor Co.

Together, they built a custom Indian motorcycle right on the show floor, complete with precision-machined components made using Kennametal tooling. It’s part manufacturing demonstration, part art project, and one seriously cool giveaway.

But the motorcycle is just the beginning. Satya shares how his obsession with building better bikes turned into a manufacturing business producing roughly 3,000 parts a week. Carey talks about finding his way from professional motocross into fabrication and custom bike building, while Taylor brings an artist’s perspective to a world of CNC machines and automation. Their paths couldn’t be more different, yet all three found their way into manufacturing because they loved creating something with their own hands.

That leads to a bigger conversation about what the industry might be missing when it comes to attracting young talent. What happens when we show people the creativity behind machining instead of just the machines? Can automation actually make manufacturing careers more rewarding? And what can shop owners learn from people who have turned their passions into thriving businesses?

From building a shop one spindle at a time to the importance of culture, collaboration, and keeping manufacturing in America, this conversation is a reminder that there’s a lot more to making chips than making parts. Sometimes, it starts with wanting to build a really incredible motorcycle.

Segments

• (0:30) Live from IMTS 2026: Meet the builders behind Kennametal’s custom Indian motorcycle
• (2:14) From custom bikes to CNC machining: How Satya Kraus built his manufacturing business
• (4:39) Carey Hart’s journey from freestyle motocross to custom motorcycle building
• (6:31) Taylor Schultz’s path from body shops and art school to custom painting
• (8:28) Learn how to build a next-level shop with DN Solutions
• (9:40) Machining real motorcycle components with Kennametal tooling
• (12:31) The challenge of keeping consumer product manufacturing in America
• (15:24) First impressions of IMTS and the artistry behind precision machining
• (18:00) Why you need to check out the Hennig WorkFlow Automation System
• (18:51) Attracting the next generation through creativity, hands-on work, and shop classes
• (25:51) From craftsman to business owner: Learning to build systems instead of just parts
• (28:15) Robotics, AI, and the growing value of handmade craftsmanship
• (31:32) How Navu can help you answer your buyer’s questions
• (32:45) Growing from one Haas to 19 spindles: Lessons in patience, technology, and investment
• (37:21) Why people, culture, and collaboration matter as much as machines
• (39:15) Building businesses around passion and the people who share it
• (40:24) The finished Indian motorcycle and the Kennametal IMTS giveaway

Resources Mentioned

• Kennametal
• Kennametal’s IMTS 2026 Motorcycle Build
• Kraus Motor Co.
• Hart Luck Parts & Gear
• Schultz Designz
• Indian Motorcycle
• Tiger Manufacturing
• A.R.E. Manufacturing

How to Connect with Satya, Carey, and Taylor

• Satya Kraus’s website: https://krausmotorco.com
• Satya’s Instagram
• Carey Hart’s Website: https://www.hartluck.com
• Instagram
• Taylor Schultz’s website: https://www.schultzdesignz.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/schultzdesignz/