Best bike modifications

[Whosthedaddy]

A bike manufacturer spends millions on developing a bike for 'you' to go and change what the designers and testers have put into production. Yes I know that its a compromise for all situations and on a budget.

What do you think are the best or most cost effective modification or upgrade that you can do to your bike?

Is it once you change one thing you notice another item that needs attention and its a slippery slope from there?

[craigs23]

It depends on the model and age of the bike in question.

I've yet to see fault with my RR for example - the stock suspension and brakes are beyond my ability. I tested the suspension for static sag and found it required no adjustment and I haven't felt the need to twiddle the preload or rebound as I haven't felt any drawbacks from their standard settings. Ditto the brakes - more than enough in most situations. Even the screen is the right height for me - a nice balance between lifting the weight off my wrists a little with out any major buffeting at high speed.

I may consider a Power Commander, as the fuelings a little switchy downhill on a closed throttle. I may also consider an exhaust system for better road awareness and to replace the not-that-brilliantly-finished OE exhaust when the need arises. I have fitted wheel stripes though, which naturally make the bike faster. Other than that, it's completely stock.

My R6 required a decent set of tyres (and going up from a 120/60 OE fitment to a 120/70) for more confidence and I set the suspension to my body weight. The adjusters were fiddled with a little as I found it a little more difficult to find a comfortable setting as stock - I went out with a screwdriver one day and adjusted as I went. A genuine DB screen had been fitted which offered decent protection (yet funnily enough, not as comfortably as the short screen on the Honda) and I added an Akrapovic can to rid the bike of the awful OE thermos flask previously fitted. Everything else suited me fine.

My '30 on the other hand, as many have read, has had pretty much everything on it restored or modified. It's a bike that's 20 years old, so the suspension and brakes were well past their best. As money hasn't been a major set back with that thing, I bought what I wanted, rather than what the bike just 'needed', but they do add a distinct flavour to the bike and as it's tailored to me/riding style/body weight, for its uses, it's the best handling bike I've ridden. The brakes are almost as strong as my RR's (but sharper due to braided lines) and the exhaust liberates a couple of horses (which is more noticeable on a bike you spend more time using more throttle on due to its relative low output) and obviously makes a pleasant tune. Everything else has a debatable 'improvement' over stock, but I spent on such items as they complete the bike for me - they're a lot down to personal taste rather than positive requirements.

Most cost effective modification? Further rider tuition/training. The rider is usually the weakest link in modern bike setups as the machines that roll out the factories these days are truly exceptional as to what they can perform.

On older bikes, I'd say suspension and tyres.

[robbieguy2003]

[iooi]

[tsmith]

My GPZ500S first came out in the mid 80s and bar the slight update in 1994, has barely changed in all that time.

Most cost effective upgrades were new tyres, brakes discs and pads, headlight bulb, rear shock and front fork springs.

Much improved after those mods.

[alun111]

On my hornet I have done the following:

Bar-end mirrors - much better view and a lot more stylish
Rear Hugger - keeps the majority of the crap off the already battered rear shock
Small indicators - the original (whilst effective) were rediculously big and looked stupid
Aftermarket race can - for the looks and the sound
Twin headlights - purely for the looks (no brighter)
Topbox - because I don't care what my bike looks like over winter and it makes things so much easier for college
Cigarette lighter socket - for charging items like my phone and gps.
Permanently connected battery lead - to make it easier to charge the battery before those cold mornings!
Alarm - to give me piece of mind, immobilise the bike and warn any thieves off!
Scottoiler (automatic chain oiler)
Casio wristwatch sticky taped to my handlebar risers - because I'm not rich enough to own a bike with the time displayed on the clocks!
Fender Extenda - to keep the majority of the crap of the exhaust headers and the engine

Still to come is braided brake lines, stainless exhaust headers, a few new fasteners here and there (perhaps an engine bolt kit), possibly a newer style hornet tail piece, tank pad, HH brake pads on the front when these wear out, an undertray, a bellypan.... and many more that I can't think of right now.
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Summer: '00 Honda CB600F Hornet
Winter: '93 Suzuki GSF 400 Bandit VP Variable Valve
Past Bikes: Lifan LF100-5 Lifan LF125-A Honda C70

[Kickstart]

Hi

Standard for most of the bikes. Heated grips maybe. On a bike where the exhaust is a serious restriction (which is very few these days) then maybe think about changing that.

On the Bandit a fair few mods to the engine, but not that obvious. And a longer from mudguard to try and stop too muc stuff being flung onto the engine.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[MattEMulsion]

Amongst a few other minor mods that I have made to my R6, the addition of an Ohlins steering damper has got to be the item that has improved the bike dramatically. To be fair the steering didn't suffer that many headshakes in the first place, but when it did (normally when you were riding it hard), you knew about them. It gives you the confidence to push the bike to its limits without now worrying about a massive tankslapper appearing out of nowhere.
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Yamaha YZF-R6

[thefallenange...]

look at an SV650, made to the absoulte budget bog standard which i say needs £250 looking at before you can use it properly.

Springs + Fork oil - £110
Rear Hugger - £60
Fenda Extenda (Front spark plug problem is common on these to go without one) - £20
R+G's - £60

The suspension is crap and the brakes aint much better. An american machine'd an adapter plate to change the 2 pot calipers to 4 pot ones from a Gixxer.

But the main thing is that the engine is reliable, easy to service with a cheap suspension rather than the other way around.
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Past - CG125 ,KR1S, SV650s, Street Triple R - Current - Duke 390

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[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

The best mod you can make to any bike is to fit tyres for the sort of riding you do.
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[kawakid]

Manufactures make a bike to a budget.

Like the Z750s is a good bike apart from the sh*te shock and sh*te casings.

£300 extra for a good shock and its a decent bike.
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I've a twin and a 4.

[Billy Balthorpe]

Get a new chain and sprocket set. Go one tooth down on the gearbox and one up on the rear wheel. Third gear wheelies and faster acceleration. How ofter do you use your top speed on a big bike anyway? I took the smaller front sprocket off when i went on holiday on the bike in May and havent put it back on, come spring and it will be back on, one sprocket, the best VFM tuning you can get.

[chris-red]

[Pernig]

Like you said, they are built down to a budget. Exhausts are definitely restrictive, especially on newer bikes with the European emissions regulations. However loads of budget bikes have exhausts made from mild steel, which when ridden through a few winters will be ready for replacement. Therefore you're sorting out two problems in one.

[Kickstart]

[The Tot]

Big Ham got hit the spot there... Tyres, make the difference to the handling of the bike and adjusts it to your personal prefernces.

Fact is, i was happiest when my bike was on dunlops, neutral steering which suited my style and worked well in all weather conditions.

The next best mod that i got was to sort out my suspension. Not a mod per se' but getting the bike to feel the way you want it to feel is a nice touch. Hagon rear shock is a marked improvement over the soggy standard rear shock.

HID headlights do me wonders when riding at night; as well as lighting up the road, it's psychologically advantageous for me because you get a cool and soothing ambience from the xenon lights.

The £140 full system i put on my bike is possibly the bargain of the century. The midrange pickup on the bike is much smoother and you get the aureal benefit too of backfires and popping on the overrun.

The 12 quid tutoro chain oiler i got from www.chainoiler.org.uk is probably my most recent practical mod - effectively a tap with a dispenser, easy to fit and doesn't rel on vacuums. All it requires is your memory to turn it on and turn it off before and after riding, and to top it up with any 10W40, 20W50 or any oil you can find. No fling on body work, nice shiney sprockets and does away with constantly having to relube your chain in the wet, every 100 miles!
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[truslack]

The MT500 is a workhorse for me, so she's got quite a few mods to make the job easier for me:

Ammo box mounted on the rear rack as a top box.
Removable Pillion seat
Jeri can holders
Spotlight (on a relay to high beam)
Worklight on the rear
Re-positioned the indicators to allow for the extra petrol cans
Front "Soft" Panniers (Respirator bags across the tank)
Hand guards
Homemade control lever protectors (made from flat steel bar)
heated grips
Map holder
Drinks bottle holder
Cigarette lighter socket
Headlight guard
Air horns (added when I was bored)
Dellorto Carb (better than the stock Amal)
Stainless steel exhaust
Decent road tyres
Fog light mounted on bottom of fork leg
Domino Handlebars
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Current: Suzuki RG 125 Gamma, Honda H100, Triumph Tiger 800XC, Suzuki SV650 (minitwin)

[Bishbash]

By far the best mod I have EVER fitted is a new front sprocket with less teeth. Only £15 and you get more acceleration. You lose top end but hey what the hell, you cant do 180mph on roads anyway.
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[Billy Balthorpe]

At last, thank you Bishbash.

The original question was "What do you think are the best or most cost effective modification or upgrade that you can do to your bike?"

£15 for more thrust than you could get from an exhaust system, power commander and air filter. How much would they all cost new? We can all get stuff cheap through bargains or mates rates, but surely we have to cost the modifications as new stuff.

From the original question, a front sprocket is the best and cheaspest way of gaining more thrust/acceleration.

If you want to tour, put the old sprocket back on.

[Kickstart]

Hi

Or for the same effect and zero cost in parts just use a lower gear .

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[NSR Mick]

[SoND]

Turbo
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Go back to bed - You have no rights - "Streetfighters ~ Mainstream motorcycling's crackwhore sister."

[Knacker]

Exhaust + Screen
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Current: Gsxr 600 Srad - GS125 - DT125
Previous: K1 GSXR 1000

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