Kitti and Martha Forget Black Dog CYCLE WORKS

How do you start something from nothing? That’s what Kurt and Martha Forgét did when they created Black Dog Cycle Works (BDCW) out of their garage 16 years ago

- Grace Schuessler

Here’s how they built an ADV motorcycle armor and upgrades company, how they test their products, and how they stay consistent in a constantly evolving industry.

Let’s talk about how BDCW got started and how things have progressed.

Kurt: We opened for business in 2007 with three products, one of which was a skid plate for the KTM 950 Adventure. We eventually brought in other brands to fill in the catalog—products that we tested or already used ourselves. If it wasn’t something we knew was quality, we didn’t carry it. At one point, there were about 400 items on our website from 50 different brands, which got a little too crazy to maintain, so as we expanded, we chose to cut back on other brands.

In the beginning, we were mainly focused on KTM and created the prototype for a friend competing in the Baja 1000 on a KTM 950 Super Enduro just in time for the race. In 2009, we expanded into BMW adventure motorcycles a big move that transformed the business and took BDCW to the next level.

Martha: There’s a community of small adventure-motorcycle-oriented businesses like Black Dog out there, and we are all big fans of each other. We don’t really think of each other as competitors, which further builds the community and has made it a really fulfilling life for all of us.