Mods On Bikes

[Hotfoot]

So... what are the first things you think about changing on a new bike? What mods do you go for first?

 

Do you put on adjustable levers, StompGrip, new rearsets, Power Commander, new pipe? Do you get a fender eliminator, LED lights, chrome bling, carbon fiber bits and pieces?

 

I'm curious as to what you think is fun or important to change when you get a new ride.

[Kevin Kane]

Hottie;

I started with all new Sharkskinz and a nice paint job. Then I put on a set of DOT Race Tires and progressed to Magnesium Rims (CF rims were too much $$$$). I then added rear sets and swapped out the fork and rear shock springs for ones better suited for a rider my size as the DPO had a full buck on me in weight. Then I added a slipper clutch with Tech-Spec tank grips as the last mod. One other item I do on a regular basis is swap out the gearing depending on what venue I'm riding. At Loudon I used a 14/37 set up but at NJMP I use a 15/36.

 

The bike feels like a total extension of me when I ride it now and it rarely surprises me (except when it breaks down).

 

Rain

[anthem]

I think it depends on the intended use of my bike. On the last bike I just did in the last few months -

 

-DP Rear sets

-front brake pads to brembo z04

-brake caliper

-brembo HPK rotors

-brake master cylinder

-fluid reservoirs (purely aesthetics)

-bar end mirrors (easy to remove for track)

-bar end signals (instead of stalks) and double as bar end sliders

-charcoal canister delete

-free flow exhaust (termis)

 

for track

-sticky Pirelli SC2 wheels

-marchesini mag wheels

-replace factory skins

-Aim data logger with basic telemetry hookups

-tech spec grips

[mckeann]

I always have quite nice bikes with lots of mods, but usually the previous owner paid for them. I Cannot ride a bike properly without stomp grip so that's a must have.

 

I'm quite heavy so I always upgrade suspension and respring to my weight.

 

Everything else is a nice to have but not essential.

[tmckeen]

after having gotten used to having stomp grips on my track bike its now the first mod I would make to any new motorcycle,

 

I personally would start with modifying the bike to get more comfortable on it, such as rearsets, clip ons, levers etc. etc.

 

Tyler

[fritzdacat]

I like my Fireblade as it is, bought it new, except for a racing-windshield it's pretty much as it was when I first got it... no LED-blinkers, no new exhaust pipe ....nothing... just hop on it and have fun.

[ktk_ace]

Anything ergo based first, nothing like getting comfortable on the bike

 

then performance parts starting from tires, suspension ,brakes etc ~

[ThomasDark]

I usually don't have a lot of $ laying around for mods so I like to stick to only things that will make my bike handle better. My list is:

 

1. Tires I trust

2. Springs/Valves

3. Tank grip materials

 

I'm sure if I had excess money I'd go with a Power Commander, Undertail, Integrated Tail light/Front signals but those are all unnecessary in my opinion since a 1K bike is plenty fast and the stock ECU has a more than adequate air/fuel map for 99.5% of riders. I try no to kid myself that I'd be "more satisfied" with a custom map when canyon carving. I find I never find myself thinking "geez, this bike needs a smoother roll-on for this to become fun" when mid corner on a 2-lane mountain road. It's always "WAAA HOOOOOO". I laugh on the inside at the street cronies that pull up and start talking about maps, their quick-shifter, and spiffy carbon farkles. They're also usually the ones that are obsessed with eliminating their "Chicken Strips" while wearing jeans, pleather replica factory rider jackets and non-gauntlet gloves. Some people's kids, huh. :D

[Pepsi Drinker]

I too am on a pretty tight budget so I run the stock tires until they are to the wear bars. I do make numerous changes to the suspension early on to get it to where it is the best it can be with stock components.

 

But once I can upgrade some parts; suspension is #1

 

Since I am a mechanic, and my bike has carburetors as have most all the bikes i have owned, jetting, and better tuning has always been very high on the list.

 

Tires are simply a wear out consumable-so I don't look at those as a mod. I typically run all the different tires available at one point or another for more knowledge of the varying products available. But there have been a few I have really liked better than others and run those more often and more regularly.

[Kevin Kane]

Tires are simply a wear out consumable-so I don't look at those as a mod. I typically run all the different tires available at one point or another for more knowledge of the varying products available. But there have been a few I have really liked better than others and run those more often and more regularly.

PD;

I must respectfully disagree; going from a stock touring tire to a DOT Spec Race Tire is an upgrade and a full on race slick is an upgrade to the DOT IMHO.

 

Rainman

[Hotfoot]

Great answers! Fun topic. For me, first mods typically include adjsutable levers and rearsets -I'm a small rider and the controls usually aren't in the right place for me. Next for a street bike would be whatever it takes to make it easy to switch the bike back and forth from street to track - like a fender eliminator with integrated turn signals, attached with two bolts and a single wire connector for easy removal.

 

If it ends up a track/race bike then it gets the race fairings, which usually requires new exhaust (on many bikes the catalytic converter is not compatible with race fairings - either it won't fit or it fries the fairings) and that usually requires a Power Commander and mapping.

 

Then track tires and a laptimer and it's good to go.

[shakabeemer]

The first thing I changed was to a race windscreen on my S1000RR. I tried Zero Gravity, Puig, and now i have MRA which is the best of the three. I was getting blown all over the place behind the stock screen at high speed. Then I noticed I was getting ripped off the bike under hard acceleration so I designed a seat with a bolster on the back so I would be held in position and it made an awesome difference so I'm not pulling on the bars when I pin it. Then I crashed (no, not from the modified seat) and broke my belly pan so I replaced it with carbon fiber...not that much more expensive and looks way better. Since I always had the plan of putting carbon fiber on it for aesthetic purposes (its a black bike and looks great with carbon fiber) I put a carbon fiber rear hugger and swing arm covers. Eventually I will put a full exhaust on it, power commander, and dyno tune. I put CRC adjustable shorty levers on but they are uncomfortable because they are too short and will be replaced with Pazzo or something similar. I weigh about 195 and I'm not sure if I will have to do suspension work because of that but I will certainly have my suspension set up for me which I wish I did a long time ago. That's all I can think of for now except for more carbon fiber to make her even more pretty..