Bikeboard Transcript
(Narrator: George M. Davison (aka Mr. D), CEO and Founder of Davison)
Meet John Iavarone. He’s a former boxer and an avid sportsman from California. His idea; a new scooter that would have a west coast surfing feel when you ride on it on the street. And, it would easily glide over bumps and cracks too!
(Inventor: John)
At the time of the Razor Scooter boom, I looked at that product, and I bought them for my kids, but I really didn’t consider it a safe product or something that was… that you could do a heck of a lot of maneuvering on. I knew that there were a lot of injuries, starting with my own household. It was really the surf industry that made me want to think of something that was more maneuverable. It could do things that [were] more unique.
(George M. Davison (aka Mr. D), CEO and Founder of Davison)
Well just imagine for a minute that you’re John. You’re out there watching your kids and they’re having fun. They are on their little tiny scooter and next thing you know, that little wheel gets caught into a crack or hits a stick and they go flying over the handlebars. It’s no longer any fun at all.
(Narrator: George M. Davison (aka Mr. D), CEO and Founder of Davison)
So we need to help John’s California dream and create a unique, safe scooter that has a surfing feel on the pavement
(Nathan, Creationeer)
So, when John came to us for this project, he wanted this kind of scooter that you can stand [on], but you have the support of a bike… but yet you feel like you’re surfing.
(Narrator: George M. Davison (aka Mr. D), CEO and Founder of Davison)
Nathan is a veteran rider of scooters and skateboards. So naturally, we assigned him to develop John’s idea. His team had the tough mission of crafting a scooter that would be appealing to kids and teens, inexpensive to manufacture, and it’s going to have to fit in the right company’s product line.
(Nathan, Creationeer)
Well right away, I thought, let’s join two, let’s join a front of a bike and the back of a skateboard.
(Narrator: George M. Davison (aka Mr. D), CEO and Founder of Davison)
The team came up with a design that took the handlebars of a bike and attached it to a dual pipe shaft that was fitted to a skateboard. And, they dubbed it the BikeBoard!
(Nathan, Creationeer)
Now this gives us the mobility that we were hoping for, but also gives us the surfing feel that John was asking for.
(Inventor: John)
Sometimes it’s a matter of seeing various elements that are around you and being able to combine them to create something unique.
(Narrator: George M. Davison (aka Mr. D), CEO and Founder of Davison)
The team was stoked about the BikeBoard design, but then their dream came crashing down.
(Nathan, Creationeer)
We learned that it is too big and it is not fitting in a standard shipping box for a bike.
(Narrator: George M. Davison (aka Mr. D), CEO and Founder of Davison)
The BikeBoard design was too bulky to ship and too expensive to manufacture. It wouldn’t fit in a standard bike box and some major engineering issues surfaced.
(Voice off camera)
“What’s on your mind?”
(Nathan, Creationeer)
The handlebars had a weak point that’s about to break. The trucks are very limited. At this point, they might be halting any production on this thing.
(Narrator: George M. Davison (aka Mr. D), CEO and Founder of Davison)
John’s idea had lost momentum. But, Nathan’s team wouldn’t quit.
(Nathan, Creationeer)
We went back to the drawing board and we figured out that we had to scrap the idea of the double frame design. So we came back down to a single frame design.
(Narrator: George M. Davison (aka Mr. D), CEO and Founder of Davison)
Using just a single frame made stronger by adding a vital triangular insert under the handlebars. They designed a strong two piece frame that would let it now fit into a standard bike box too.
(Nathan, Creationeer)
In the process of redesigning the BikeBoard, I had another project that I was working on and it had a small little skateboard and I started looking at this thing, like, is there other options? Can we make different sizes? So, I made a little frame and people would walk by and say, What is that? … We figured out that we can come up with a line of products that goes from kids to adults.
(Narrator: George M. Davison (aka Mr. D), CEO and Founder of Davison)
Before the company would sign off on the fresh design, it had to be tested.
(Clay)
We’re going to run a little comparison on this minefield of uneven pavement. See how the BikeBoard compares to the Razor Scooter.
(Nathan, Creationeer)
How did it go?
(Clay)
It went great.
(Nathan, Creationeer)
I will give this a shot… It’s definitely wobbly. It’s constantly grabbing. And we have an issue.
(Clay)
Wow, I thought I was the worst rider in the world, until I saw you just now. This is more of a demonstration of skill. (points to Razor) I would ride that thing anywhere, in fact, I challenge you to a race, and I will even ride a Razor Scooter.
(Nathan, Creationeer)
You’re challenging me?
(Clay)
Yes
(Nathan, Creationeer)
You’re going to ride this (points to Razor) and you’re going to ride that (points to BikeBoard).
(Clay)
Yes, I will even give you the BikeBoard.
(Nathan, Creationeer)
Alright, bring it
(Clay)
It’s “brung.”
(Nathan, Creationeer)
Are you ready for this?
(Clay)
Oh, I’m ready. Have you seen my pants?
(Nathan, Creationeer)
Alright.
(Tim, Creationeer)
Gentleman, start your engines…
(Clay)
(making engine sounds)
(Tim, Creationeer)
On your marks… Get Set…. GO!
(Clay)
Cheater! (after Nathan pushes Clay out of the way) … Dirty prank…. Is there anything that you don’t cheat on?
(Nathan, Creationeer)
Catch up.
(Clay)
Oh, for the love of Pete. (after getting hit with ping pong balls) … No, No, No, No, No (going over ramp)
(Crowd)
Woooooo (after Nathan finishes first)
(Clay)
I hate everyone. I hate everyone.
(Nathan, Creationeer)
Come on, I thought you were going to beat me?
(Clay)
I will begrudgingly give you the nod on this one.
(Narrator: George M. Davison (aka Mr. D), CEO and Founder of Davison)
John’s California dream got the green light for production and was rewarded by a big wave of success and stardom.
(George M. Davison (aka Mr. D), CEO and Founder of Davison)
Kraft wanted to put them on the back of their Macaroni & Cheese boxes. They wanted to put them on the back of their Capri [Sun] pouches. Then, they ran in a national ad and if that wasn’t enough… Then, the BikeBoard wins a huge award. It won the Industrial Design Society of America award, which is very tough to win.
(Narrator: George M. Davison (aka Mr. D), CEO and Founder of Davison)
With the victory of the BikeBoard, we invited John to Inventionland for a big demonstration.
(George M. Davison (aka Mr. D), CEO and Founder of Davison)
Hey Burt, come on down. (motions to a man on the BikeBoard at the top of a ramp) Nice. If you think that’s surprising, Burt, show him what you’ve got! (Burt spins to reveal a royalty check) How ’bout that? It’s your first royalty check.
(Inventor: John)
You’ve got to be kidding me!
(George M. Davison (aka Mr. D), CEO and Founder of Davison)
I am not kidding you.
(Inventor: John)
This is unbelievable.
(George M. Davison (aka Mr. D), CEO and Founder of Davison)
You ready?
(Inventor: John)
Oh, yeah…. Oh man.
(Inventor: John)
You know it’s a great feeling to think that on Christmas morning, there’s going to be kids out there, opening up something that you created. Another great thing is driving down the street in your car and seeing a kid riding down the street on a BikeBoard. That’s a reward that you can’t measure in dollars and cents.
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