Koh Samui: SF Stainless - when a modern scooter suddenly becomes a scooter passion
The journey continued to the deep south of Thailand - and straight to the Royal Alloy Mecca. On Koh Samui, we had the pleasure of visiting Steve Ferris and Shep from SF Stainless. If you know anything about Royal Alloy, you'll recognize their names - and the parts they've been building for the models for years. SF Stainless is a small family business with its own production facility in the middle of paradise. Here they produce custom parts in all colors, patterns and designs: Lowering kits, body kits, bench seats, mirrors, trim - whatever your heart desires. And all in a quality of craftsmanship that is rarely found elsewhere.
From skepticism to love of the scene
To be honest: a year ago, we would have rolled our eyes if someone had told us that we would be stranded on Koh Samui when it came to Royal Alloy tuners. But then our own Royal Alloy TG arrived, we drove a few thousand kilometers - and were suddenly infected. These things are just great fun, especially if you give them a bit of an "old school" finish and emphasize the classic look even more.
SF Stainless - craftsmanship for the Royal Alloy
And that's exactly where Steve and Shep come in. The two old scooter boys from England have a feel for where the standard Royal Alloy still has room for improvement - both visually and technically. They build exactly the parts that many riders miss: more individuality and (attention, now it's getting loud) a sound that brings tears to your eyes.
Highlight #1: The VCR lowering kit
The new 350s still come from the factory with the high frame geometry of the first generation. Lower it by 30 mm - and suddenly the scooter rides like it's on rails. We tested it ourselves: The difference is gigantic. From January 2026, the kits will be available exclusively in our store - Steve has given us a firm promise.
Highlight #2: The legendary "Rice Krispy" exhaust
Steve didn't promise too much. When stationary, it sounds as tame as a normal four-wheeler. As soon as you start rolling, everything changes. The warmer, the hotter. It nibbles, bangs slightly, makes exactly the noises that you simply love as a scooter rider - and remains suitable for everyday use. On a sunny day, we covered around 100 km around Samui and constantly played with the throttle like little kids. A four-stroke couldn't sound any better.
Testing, know-how and proximity to the factory
What really impressed us: The guys develop and test their stuff for years and over tens of thousands of kilometers, on all Royal Alloy models, in several countries. They know every little frame detail, every production batch. They are now even regular guests at the Royal Alloy factory and discuss things with the engineers as equals.
Conclusion: genuine manufacture instead of mass production
SF Stainless is not mass production, but a genuine manufacture for people who want to make their Royal Alloy even more classic. If you're on vacation on Koh Samui and don't (yet) ride a Royal Alloy - be sure to stop by. Steve and Shep are always happy to welcome visitors. In any case, we flew home very excited and are looking forward like crazy to being able to offer you the VCR kits and soon also the "Rice Krispy" in the store.
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