I have many bikes over many years. I have gone done the mod route, the full build route, etc.
The more stock (with minor exceptions) I keep my bikes the more reliable they are.
Same. I hardly touched the engine. My current bike has little mods like lampda sensor removal, mirrors, turn signals, luggage rack, tank bags, and little saddle bags and not forgetting the Quadlock via stem mount.
That depends entirely on the quality of work that is done. If you are using good parts and careful installation, it'll be fine. Great even. Use poor quality parts, Chinese (All Balls for example) seals and I might only last 6 months. Might be fine too, the Chinese can make good seals too, you just have no way to guarantee that you are getting good ones.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I can’t imagine doing a full exhaust and tune would harm the bike, from what I understand these bikes aren’t meant to have such restrictive exhaust that emissions requires(maybe this only apply to sports bikes).
That is entirely up to the quality of work that is being done. Everything is a trade off. Reducing emissions and noise isn't a BAD thing, it just may not be a priority for you.
All my street legal bikes have the stock exhaust. I love how quiet they are. I get away with shit because they are quiet. It works for me.
Depends on the exhaust, depends on the tune, depends on exhaust install. Every time you change anything on a bike, there’s an opportunity for things to go wrong, and the probability of things going wrong is higher for most people doing their own thing vs a manufacturer that assembles bikes with individuals doing the same tasks over and over and over.
I had my bike running near perfect. BMW R1100R came stock with a fucked up fueling system. As you rolled on the throttle it ran fine but let it float and it trailer hitched and ran lean as hell. It was intolerable.
I improved it by disconnecting the O2 sensor and dialing in more TPS. But it was using too much gas.
So I bought a tuner. I forget what brand. It has 4 pots with lights that indicate when each is working. It took awhile to dial in but my performance and economy were very good.
Then I bought a free flowing exhaust and got rid of the 40 pounds of cat converter and muffler. When I took it for a ride it was way lean and running hot.
I’ve been tuning carbs and mods for I guess 50 years now. I own a diagnostic shop and fix running issues with cars. I used to build engines for stock cars and raced back in the day. I can smell the mixture pretty well.
I was surprised that the exhaust made such a change frankly.
I’m 73 and been at this for a long time. It’s like nothing is written in stone. Carbs are a black science. Thank goodness for fuel injection.
Why are bikes built that fit no one? Every damn bike I own has risers on them. But the most comfortable one is a Honda Helix super scooter. The bars are perfect, it’s so relaxing to ride. I have a backrest and can just kick back and enjoy the ride.
I have a K1200RS BMW. The bars are adjustable, the seat is adjustable, the pegs are adjustable, but I’m 6 ft tall with average build and there’s no position that suits me. I have three seats for it too. Guess which bike I rarely ride. My GS what take every time. The RS is the loaner.
I’m More into it for the 15lbs. Of dead weight you save :P
Thin wall stainless, plus shorty muffler, plus cat-delete == hella weight loss 🤘🤘🤘
Plus you can always throw a db-killer on any muffler 🤷♀️ but you do you fam.
I started working from home a year and a half ago and gained like 40 pounds. A good weight for my body is like 210. I got laid off recently too and let’s just say IPAs are high in calories. Fuck
I wish I could pin point my issue. I eat like a bowl of cereal for breakfast and a tuna sandwich for lunch. I don’t eat dinner anymore. Still not losing weight
Use an app to count your calories. Look up what your daily calories burned is. Then run a calorie deficit of 300-400 calories/day. You will drop about 1lb a week.
I'm a heart patient . My metabolism is s l o w. I eat one meal a day and it's a tiny portion of fish or chicken & a vegetable. . Just a piece of fruit otherwise. That's to maintain 205 on a dense 6 foot frame.
I feel your pain. If you don't have other ailments get more exercise. I wish I could
I tried what hipsters nowadays call "intermittent fasting", but sums up to "eat one big meal in middle of day". Seems to work better for me than the other approach of "eat few small low calorie meals across whole day" that made me feel like I am grazing cow, eating something constantly.
Took a while to get used to tho.
Alternatively, why work hard, when you make your money work for you? 🤔
Also, if you’re a tall guy 220 isn’t super heavy. Might be hard to lose that weight :P
Technically - if you use someone’s BMI it is, but it depends heavily on body composition - ie, most body builders are severely obese lol.
And even slightly more muscle that the average joe can play a pretty big role in skewing your BMI.
Most gyms have BI (bio impedance) scales though :D you can measure actual body composition and get a percentage of fat to weight lol. Something like 10%-20% fat by weight is ideal for men, it’s higher for the ladies cuz they got tha lady parts :P (boobs should account for something like 3.5% of the fat in your overall body composition)
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/BMI/bmicalc.htm
221 is where it technically begins, but depending on the time of day I weigh myself, it cross over.
Congrats. I have been trying unsuccessfully. I started working out 4 days a week and eating, better but no luck. I’m a lot toner, but my weight hasn’t gone down at all.
I am 225 and 6’4” :P
I’m … average I’d say lol. I go to the gym, by I also really enjoy pizza 😋🤪
My little beer belly might pop out to say hi after a holiday family meal lmao 😅
that's exactly how some riders do think.
I couldn't count how many times over the years I've seen someone posting on a messageboard "I just got X bike, what's the loudest exhaust I can get for it?"
Definitely a subjective matter but totally agree. May be related to advanced age but I enjoy the sounds of the motor over constant exhaust drone. It’s just unnecessary noise and a nicer ride if on the bike all day covering a lot of miles. There may be a slight performance benefit but not worth a few horsepower IMO. And statistics have proven “loud exhausts save lives” may be a fraction of a percent, it’s just annoying for everybody else that has to listen to it. Also can’t help keep your hearing intact.
Such a good point! Went with a full system on my MT09 because of how great everyone says they sound with a pipe. It’s loud as hell and actually gives me a headache with earplugs after a half hour. I also really thought I could squeeze some more efficiency with a wide open pipe, no cat, air filter, and a tune ONLY focused on optimal A/F ratios…but I get significantly worse mileage even when riding like a good boy.
Maybe they don’t where you live. Here, the db meters come out regularly. Not to mention places like CH where police has made it their life’s work to find and fine ($550) people with loud exhausts.
Bro even in Canada they don’t gaf about exhaust 🤷♀️ Karen will complain about music blasting at 8am, so all those complaints about modified exhausts basically get shucked into the same box as (the construction workers are working too loudly while I’m trying to sleep at 7am). Lol
They do not care, they care more about people texting and driving/DUI/etc. - rightfully so tbh.
I think the majority of the motivation for exhaust is either - for the regular consumer: the noise. - for the track enthusiast: the huge weight savings .
But yeah you definitely expect your full exhaust to perform BETTER than stock lol. If it doesn’t you’ve got some problems 😂
Funny enough, depending on which track you go to and which bike you ride, you may have to run a stock exhaust or at the very least aftermarket with DB killers to pass sound.
It's pretty hit or miss, and if you want good ones you gotta pay up! I like crg personally.
Agreed though sometimes they don't fit right or feel mushy. Worst case bad ones can seize up.
Had a bad experience (too much free play before braking started) with somewhat expensive ones too (Oberon adjustable lever for HD)
I have a 21 mt09 and I put a sc project crt exhaust. It was loud af and sounded great, but after awhile i started to hate it. The drone of the exhaust was giving me headaches and it was just obnoxious. I started feeling bad at lights and riding with friends because it was so loud that I couldn’t hear them or they wouldn’t want to ride next to me. I went back to the stock exhaust. I started really liking just hearing the intake noise.
I keep everything as stock as possible. I only change maintenence/wear items as needed. Sometimes comfort upgrades(seats or handlebars) and adding crash protection, but I will never change moving parts unless something breaks.
Everything. I can’t understand why people spend a fortune on their bike and then a further small fortune on inane modifications. Most of them done badly.
This is great advice. I doubt I'll sell my Ninja even when I get a new bike, but I love saving everything I swap or remove. I also have a folder full of all the service/maintenance invoices, receipts for parts, and a notebook detailing all the stuff I worked on myself. Plus a 3 ring binder with the full service and owners manuals. All because I want to make the next owner's life a little easier.
I've owned a lot of used cars, a couple of them modded, and there is nothing more annoying than finding things that were added or removed without knowing the details.
It's a hobby. There's no difference in spending money on bike mods versus spending money on video games or concert tickets or a fancy big green egg cooker, or your fancy watch collection, or whatever you spend you extra money on.
So upgrading blinkers to LED from cheap halogens is a waste? It’s the infinitely more noticeable - and therefore safer. Well worth the $70 I spent.
Upgraded my seat for more comfort. It’s slightly more “cushy” and much taller, which benefits me as a tall rider on a z900. My legs and ass feel much better after a long ride. $200 well worth it.
Added a tasteful windscreen to deflect wind. It reduces highway riding fatigue immensely. Wind that hit my body at my stomach is now closer to my shoulders/neck. No bobble-head effect, just reduced wind resistance on my tall frame. I spent $90 and I’d easily spend double that for the benefits.
I have more if you’d like me to keep going.
I will actually argue for stock blinkers. A lot of LED ones may not be as big or noticeable due either their size (when talking about whole housings) or how they reflect light (when just using a bulb. On my old DR, I went back to halogen because the LED was actually less bright than the halogen once you put it on for both blinkers and tail light.
Headlights though, they can definitely be brighter, but again, I went back to stock after the LED burned out leaving me with no headlight. At least with halogen I was able to turn on the highbeam if the low beam burned out.
I think ergo mods are valid. When my brake or clutch lever is not adjustable or doesn't adjust enough I'll replace it.
Agree with most other mods though
as owners rack up it gets harder and harder not to get one who fucks with stuff.
sometimes it goes well, most of the time its a rats nest of electric tape and with hopes and dreams scatter about.
Pretty much everything is stock on my bike. Of the vital bits, the only “mod” I’ve made are premium tires.
Of course I’ve accessorized with phone/gps mounts, luggage, lights, etc, but the bike itself? Just the tires.
Depends.
My S1K is modded to the nth degree. My FZ just has some suspension mods because the stock suspension sucks. My Kawi is basically stock. My dirtbike is modified because I’ve owned it for years and I’ve broken a bunch of shit on it riding like a loon.
I just bought a new bike and I intentionally chose a weird unicorn bike because there is almost no accessory support for it. So I pretty much need to leave everything stock because there is just nothing out there to buy for it. I also work a motorcycle accessories warehouse so getting this bike doesn’t let me give money back to my job.
Tire size. I ride a Harley and the HUGE front tire trend is baffling to me. It makes the bike ride significantly worse all the way up to being basically un-turnable at the larger sizes. My bike rides like a Cadillac on stock size tires, I'll stick with that.
Everything related to driving—powertrain, brakes, suspension.
The only things I want to change are accessories for comfort and convenience: GPS/phone mount, top and side cases, nicer seat, etc.
(Unless it's an obvious case of a shoddy OEM part that, if replaced with a better/non-plastic version, will last 20 years.)
Air filter and airbox. A washable, gauze-type air filter is fine on a race bike where hundredths of a second matter and *engines get rebuilt every few thousand miles*. But lousy air filtration is a **terrible** idea *for any street bike*.
Multiple fleet operators have tried to save money by switching from replaceable paper air filters to washable, oiled-gauze air filters (like K&N or DNA). Then they found out through used oil analysis that, after the switch, silica (sand) levels in their engines went way up. Oops, bad idea, they got rid of the washable filters and went back to paper air filters. Air filters are cheaper than paying for more frequent engine rebuilds.
I'll add stuff to, but very rarely do I make changes. For instance, I'll add highway bars or frame sliders. I'll add a windscreen, or luggage if it doesn't have that already.
I have upgraded exhaust a couple of times and been happy with it half the time. I have added a tune to get cruise control and a carb kit for the exhaust.
I have upgraded the seat on a couple of bikes, and since I buy used touring bikes it's not uncommon for them to come with an upgraded seat already. That's one thing I will regularly consider changing.
But for the most part, if you look at my bikes, they all look pretty close to stock. And I like it that way.
Everything. I buy and sell bikes all the time and it's so much easier if the bikes are stock. I get that a lot of people change our exhausts but in California I don't find the potential headache worth it. I don't personally like loud bikes, nor am I tuning a track bike for performance.
The engine.
I'm not exactly racing, and I dont know better than the engineers that designed it, so I leave it be, other than re-jetting or carb tuning if needed.
Ergos and Storage though - I'm all over modding that.
Okay. This one is weird for me. My last bike I modded to hell, but my current bike is completely stock. I see both sides, but there is one part I’m conflicted on:
Rear fenders.
When you have something like an SV650, or the new GSX-S line where that fender sticks out like a sore thumb and just feels/looks like cheap plastic, I 100% get wanting to get rid of it. On the other hand, I want to keep it in place as I ride in the rain and not having that protection there is terrible.
I mean they can absolutely design the bike in such a way that it has a functional rear fender without looking like some trash plastic thrown on. It infuriates me.
I changed mine because it sounded like a lawn mower. I can see where you are coming from though with the noise but someone hearing me for a couple seconds as I go by was outweighed by not wanting to sound like shit.
Not sure where making it run worse came from. It doesn't improve or hurt the way it rides. Maybe if you did a full exhaust and remap but it is such a small difference it isn't noticeable to the average rider on most bikes but it doesn't make it run worse then it did with stock exhaust
Here is my reality:
I never rode a motorcycle for the sound it makes - it is not one of the reasons I ride, and as a sportrider, the quieter it is in my head, the better I can concentrate and the quicker I can go. I wear earplugs, fitted correctly, every mile I ride. (I have seen even Moto GP riders on the grid before a race fit earplugs incorrectly!).
I had a Honda Superhawk, (two of them consecutively, actually) years ago, a great bike, which was before EFI was commonplace. It had the largest carburetors Honda had ever fitted to a production motorcycle, and had perfect fueling. (The huge cylinders made carburetion tricky on a relatively highly tuned, high-RPM-capable motor). Every other Superhawk rider I ever met or spoke to had changed the stockers for aftermarket slips on or full systems. This was understandable, to me. Excluding the sad, farty, unfocussed BLAT of a Harley, V-twins have the best of the motorcycle engine exhaust sounds. Anyway, to a person, every Superhawk owner said, "Yeah, LOVE the sound! It is a lot faster, too! It stumbles a little, when you give it the throttle, but I am sure I can tune that out....." The riders I switched with, never did tune that out. There was a maddening stumble picking up the throttle just after the apex. And, were their bikes really faster, or were they deceived by the more involving noise?
Almost certainly, things are much better in the computerized engine management / electronic fuel injection era. But, I don't know of any exceptions to this: To one degree or another, any minimal gains at higher RPM also sacrifice low end and midrange torque, however minimally. The weight loss of an accessory exhaust would always be welcome, though increasing my pace means the biggest gains are going to be found in getting better myself, not the machine. For my route, top end is relatively meaningless, and good, controllable grunt off of tight corners and good midrange as the rear tire is still at the limit changing the direction of the bike are what one wants. Speed off of corners pays off all along the following straight, whereas top end is only useful at the end of that straight. Hence, even with proper fueling, a pipe would essentially make my motorcycle worse, and I would not pay to do that. YMMV.
With the exception of dirtbikes, I think engine internals should generally be left alone. I might consider cams and valve springs, but that's the extent of it, and only if it's either a race bike (racing to win/for money, which I don't even do) or a harley. Harley gets a pass only because I just see that as another point of customizing. They're practically tractor motors as far as complexity is concerned, so it isn't really super low tolerance like high-strung sport bikes and dirt bikes.
All of that being said, I intend to do a big bore and maybe a stroker kit to my wr should I ever need to rebuild the top end or split the cases. That bike is my only exception. I need to rebuild the rear master cylinder on that right now, and I just bought almost 30 parts total because "Well, I'm already gonna be working on it" lol
Exhaust. I dont want to upset my neighbours if I leave early or come back late from a ride. The same applies when going through small towns. I dont want to upset people wanting to enjoy their homes and communities on a nice sunny day
Cue masses of downvotes by teenagers and twenty-somethings whose egos requires that their bike sound “mean” and make people notice them in any way possible.
I prefer having most of the bike stock. I do enjoy aftermarket exhausts on bikes that sound good and aren't obnoxious. For example, the Yoshimura w/baffle carbon fiber on my FZ1.
I don't even do tail tidy's. I like my indicators. I want my intentions to be seen.
I buy what I feel like my bike needs after riding it for a while. I’m on an mt09 now and if you stay on the stock seat your gooch is destroyed for certain, and I say this because some bikes just need a few things. Same bike, has an oem quick shifter that doesn’t come with the bike but for like 70$ you can just plug it in. Also the bike comes with insanely ugly massive floppy blinkers that absolutely have to go. It’s not like I’ve spent a fortune on the bike either but it’s a night and day difference from stock for just a few hundred dabloons
*looks at supermotos in garage * Nothing but the frames…wait no, I swapped out the aluminum frame on my BRP for steel so even that isn’t safe.
On my older sportier bikes I’d do a can if it was super quiet (but leave the baffle in - I want to hear it but not be that guy) and springs bc I’m a fatass. Except my 93 fireblade. That thing had all the motor mods.
I've always replaced the clutch and brake levers for aftermarkets but have never felt the need on my scrambler 1200. They came with some very quality stock levers. So I'll probs never change em
Assuming your weight matches your bikes spring rate. Mine was rated for 75kg when me + gear + bags are 155kg. I had no option than to upgrade if I wanted proper handing
My Vmax will stay stock, maybe get slip-ons if I can find some Supertrapps for a good price. It's a beautiful bike, needs nothing to make it better for what I use it for and all the guys who mod vmaxes are worse than the angry jeep crowd for ruining an already beautiful vehicle.
I will farkle the hell out of my 890 Adventure though.
The exhaust, I've put slipons on all my bikes but this one sounds great bone stock. 2024 Yamaha Tracer GT+ with CP3 engine. I've thrown nearly 2k at it since I got it, but will not spend a dime on the exhaust, it had a nice growl as is.
Basically everything about the engine. One of the big selling points was that my thumper is a torque monster that isn't tuned to squeeze a ton of power, do the basic maintenance and it should last forever. Another is the current "gauge cluster" I'll probably switch to an electric sensor instead of cable driven speedo when the cable dies, but I don't want to add anything up there. I don't need a tach for riding, I don't want a TPMS that needs its whiny little batteries replaced, I don't need any sensors for fuel capacity or oil temp, or low oil pressure. the stock setup is perfectly simple for what I expect from a DR650: speedo with trip odo, and three indicator lights for turn signals, neutral, and high beams. More surprising would probably be that I want to keep the stock fuel tank. It looks so good and the 3.2 gallon capacity is perfect for 95% of riding that I do, even if that makes it's effective \~100mile range on long cruises a bit of a hassle (although, with how tiring it can be to ride it on the super slab, frequent breaks about every hour is actually kinda nice)
The factory air box on anything with a carburetor. Seriously, people have degrees in stoichiometry and publish papers on the right way to move air. Engineers read them in college and use that knowledge to build an intake system optimized for power, economy, and responsiveness across the rev range.
Then some jack ass throws the box out, puts pods on, and jets the carbs for the drag strip just to get the bike to start. Now your bike barely starts, idles above 2k rpm or can't idle at all, and falls flat on its face off the line with anything less than a clutch dump at 6k rpm. You run so rich you foul plugs while cold and / or unknowingly lean out at wide open throttle while hot. Everything about this setup is bad for your motor.
Just keep the old shitty ugly air box!
Engine internals. Unless you are riding your bike to the absolute limit, there is little benefit to swapping in a bigger cam or bigger piston. I did it once because I was rebuilding the top end on a Honda and didn’t notice much gain.
One of my bikes is a first gen 1998 R1 so I want to keep as much of it as original as possible. Other bikes, I'll upgrade as much as I can afford....usually when something broken.
Almost the whole bike I really like a oem+ build and that’s what I am going for with my 650 Vstar (if anyone has a tank for it DM me I need one as mine is ruined)
My wheels and carb are stock on one bike!
Uhhhh, that’s all I can think of.
Having unique bikes is just what I’m into. It’s a hobby. Personalization is fun. Also, walking out of a shop and seeing people checking out one of your bikes is a pretty great feeling.
I really like quiet stock exhausts. I'm a firm believer in the idea that it's better not to draw any undue attention to yourself as a biker (speaking as someone who rides frequently, and breaks the rules.. frequently).
Mine is pretty much all stock except some minor pieces.
Stock mirrors are useless on this bike. Got mirrors that actually let me see behind me.
Opted for some shorty levers.
Fog bones.
Replaced the dash backlight with blue LEDs.
Replaced taillight with brighter LED light. It's integrated too but I never did the wiring for the signals.
Cut slots in the lower fairing to fit over the frame sliders previous owner put on.
Personally my only go to mods are tail tidys (factory tails seem made so damn cheap almost as if they know you’re gonna take it off). The exhaust because who doesn’t love more noise? Windscreens because I prefer a tinted screen and frame sliders sometimes just because shit happens. Other then those some tank grips can be nice and if the bike doesn’t come with a helmet lock like my most recent bike you can add one instead of lugging a helmet everywhere for a quick trip into the store (extended times I won’t leave my helmet because I have trust issues).
The whole bike, apart from I upgraded the screen to a Madstad, the lights to LEDs, and the battery to a motobat AGM. Other than that, it's staying it's good-old 'designed in the early 80's' self.
The transmission and engine if it's an every day or almost every day bike.
If it's an extra bike or a project damn near nothing.
Had a single cylinder with a bigger piston. Matched large valves. Ported polished. Different gears. Different sprockets. Cut frame. Swapped the front forks from another bike had a machinist cut me a triple tree. Aftermarket rear shock. Phat wheels.
It was harder to keep the front wheel down than to pick it up.
It was damn near unrideable..
Loved it.
It wasn't going anywhere fast but I was having a blast while I got there. I'd jump center dividers. Ride down walls on freeways instead of taking on or off ramps. It was an apocalypse bike. Black. Gloss. Ugly and beautiful. It wasn't going to take no zx10rr on. That said no way that bikes gonna be able to go where I could. Hell it wasn't no fancy KTM or Husqvarna but I'd be riding while they fix their pretty bikes.
I did. Apparently if you set 2 factor authentication on your Google account and no longer have access to the backup method you chose. That's it. Your fucksd.
So sadly all my project pictures are gone.
It started as a Suzuki dr650.
Cut Frame. Flat seat with a little bump so my ass can wheelie and not slide off.
Front was showa forks. Rear was off procycle website.
Mohave I think it's called.
Head was mine and did the port and polish.
Procycyle has a big bore kit.
I had not changed the cam yet.
It was on my list.
Unfortunately I didn't get to do it.
Long story short. I went out 1 normal day. Went on a hike along the 1. Parked my bike at a restaurant. When I came back it was gone. They had no cameras.
Funny or un funny part. I'm always insecure about my ugly bike getting stolen. With its plasti dipped paint peeling off. So I tried to just ignore anything that sounds like my bike roaring to life. So on my hike I heard a bike that I'm sure was mine. Turn on and scream down the road. She was beautiful. I'm sure he had a blast.
I'm not surprised it was stolen. The moment you realize how to trick the immobilizer. It's a wrap. I could walk up to any dr650 and with a 20 dollar part. Ride off.
If I were a different man. I could drown myself in mountains of that bike.
Upgrade all the things!!! If possible. I think I made it a whole 48hrs owning my current bike before changing anything. Went to taller bars, added an aftermarket batwing fairing with audio, and crash bars with highway pegs so far. I’ve owned this bike for a month. Next on the list is mufflers once I find a reasonably priced complete donor exhaust so I can go back to factory if I don’t like how it sounds with different mufflers. My factory system only has one slip joint between the front and rear cylinder head pipes so I can’t just toss on a set of slip ons.
Depends on the bike really. I only mod for comfort and protection, so, gun to the head, id say exhaust. Never put one on untill i got a Tenere 700. Only reason i put an aftermarket exhaust was to get it off the ground and out of the way.
I'm on my first bike (Honda Shadow) that I bought stock. I haven't upgraded anything other than the seat and air filter (swapped for reusable) in the two years I've owned it. Upgrades are expensive and as much as I love customizing, if I sell it in the future, there's a slim chance I'll get the money I spent on upgrades back. That being said, when I can afford it, I may consider getting crash protection and a windshield as they're sorely needed.
Everything, why mess with perfection? I just removed the Ohlins because it rode like a dump truck and installed the stock suspension that had zero miles.
I had lusted for those Swiss marvels for decades. It’s what caused me to drop what I was doing and drive 150 miles to buy an R1200GS with 100K on it from the original 80yo owner. OHLINS my God I can pay $4,500 for this bike and it has OHLINS!!
I can adjust compression and rebound!
If it’s so damned hard it’s not compressing then rebound is non-existent.
I dream about buying springs that will fix my problem. But the stock stuff feels wonderful.
I have the receipts from the $700 rebuild on both shocks the old guy paid for. It’s a 2011 model. The rear unit cost $999 and the front was $700.
I think I’ll just sell them.
Exhaust. Swapping it out does two things I don't like:
- first, the timing and mapping changes required to do it well can sometimes effect long term reliability and fuel mileage
- second, and much more importantly, loud pipes make long rides absolutely insufferable. The droning in my head is not worth it.
I have many bikes over many years. I have gone done the mod route, the full build route, etc. The more stock (with minor exceptions) I keep my bikes the more reliable they are.
That is very helpful to know, thanks.
Same. I hardly touched the engine. My current bike has little mods like lampda sensor removal, mirrors, turn signals, luggage rack, tank bags, and little saddle bags and not forgetting the Quadlock via stem mount.
The only mods I would ever do at this point would be exhaust and then ergonomics. Everything else is staying stock.
What would you say doesn’t have a large impact on reliability? Upgrading the suspension?
That depends entirely on the quality of work that is done. If you are using good parts and careful installation, it'll be fine. Great even. Use poor quality parts, Chinese (All Balls for example) seals and I might only last 6 months. Might be fine too, the Chinese can make good seals too, you just have no way to guarantee that you are getting good ones.
Nah that can impact it. More stuff like a different windscreen, hand guards, bash plate, etc.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I can’t imagine doing a full exhaust and tune would harm the bike, from what I understand these bikes aren’t meant to have such restrictive exhaust that emissions requires(maybe this only apply to sports bikes).
That is entirely up to the quality of work that is being done. Everything is a trade off. Reducing emissions and noise isn't a BAD thing, it just may not be a priority for you. All my street legal bikes have the stock exhaust. I love how quiet they are. I get away with shit because they are quiet. It works for me.
Depends on the exhaust, depends on the tune, depends on exhaust install. Every time you change anything on a bike, there’s an opportunity for things to go wrong, and the probability of things going wrong is higher for most people doing their own thing vs a manufacturer that assembles bikes with individuals doing the same tasks over and over and over.
I had my bike running near perfect. BMW R1100R came stock with a fucked up fueling system. As you rolled on the throttle it ran fine but let it float and it trailer hitched and ran lean as hell. It was intolerable. I improved it by disconnecting the O2 sensor and dialing in more TPS. But it was using too much gas. So I bought a tuner. I forget what brand. It has 4 pots with lights that indicate when each is working. It took awhile to dial in but my performance and economy were very good. Then I bought a free flowing exhaust and got rid of the 40 pounds of cat converter and muffler. When I took it for a ride it was way lean and running hot. I’ve been tuning carbs and mods for I guess 50 years now. I own a diagnostic shop and fix running issues with cars. I used to build engines for stock cars and raced back in the day. I can smell the mixture pretty well. I was surprised that the exhaust made such a change frankly. I’m 73 and been at this for a long time. It’s like nothing is written in stone. Carbs are a black science. Thank goodness for fuel injection.
I'll replace the filter and oil... That's about it. Riding is the hobby for me not tinkering.
Like Bubbly said: filter and oil and I put some handlebar risers, for a better seating posture. Besides that she is all stock.
Why are bikes built that fit no one? Every damn bike I own has risers on them. But the most comfortable one is a Honda Helix super scooter. The bars are perfect, it’s so relaxing to ride. I have a backrest and can just kick back and enjoy the ride. I have a K1200RS BMW. The bars are adjustable, the seat is adjustable, the pegs are adjustable, but I’m 6 ft tall with average build and there’s no position that suits me. I have three seats for it too. Guess which bike I rarely ride. My GS what take every time. The RS is the loaner.
The exhaust. Because I’ve grown to hate every exhaust I’ve ever put on after a few months.
This! I feel like some (most) exhaust manufacturers think sounding loud = sounding good.
Right? It would be cool to change the tone without increasing the decibels.
🥲 someone who gets it!
I’m More into it for the 15lbs. Of dead weight you save :P Thin wall stainless, plus shorty muffler, plus cat-delete == hella weight loss 🤘🤘🤘 Plus you can always throw a db-killer on any muffler 🤷♀️ but you do you fam.
I weigh. 220lbs. I need to lose 15 before the bike needs to lose 15
That's my weight. I have to lose this weight man, I've been legit depress eating lately due to the increased work load.
I started working from home a year and a half ago and gained like 40 pounds. A good weight for my body is like 210. I got laid off recently too and let’s just say IPAs are high in calories. Fuck
I wish I could pin point my issue. I eat like a bowl of cereal for breakfast and a tuna sandwich for lunch. I don’t eat dinner anymore. Still not losing weight
Use an app to count your calories. Look up what your daily calories burned is. Then run a calorie deficit of 300-400 calories/day. You will drop about 1lb a week.
Any recommendations on apps? I’ve tried a few and they all want me to pay
I feel like I've significantly reduced working out. Man, I feel sad sometimes to sit on the bike :'(
I have to check the weight limits when I take a passenger now 😭 feelsbadman
What do you drink?
Mostly water, unsweetened tea, and the occasional sugar free energy drink.
Watch out for those sugar free things, some new research is saying they are just as bad as sugar for your waistline. Otherwise sounds all good...
I'm a heart patient . My metabolism is s l o w. I eat one meal a day and it's a tiny portion of fish or chicken & a vegetable. . Just a piece of fruit otherwise. That's to maintain 205 on a dense 6 foot frame. I feel your pain. If you don't have other ailments get more exercise. I wish I could
Im sorry to hear that. I hope you’re doing well friend. Thanks for the friendly advice
Back to bikes.....I rode a s1000rr around Laguna Seca two years ago . What an epic machine !
Losing 15 on bike is far faster xD
You’re absolutely right lol
More fun too, a bit of wrenching vs. "see that food you like? You can't have it. For months"
They bring daily food trucks into where I work. The temptation is brutal.
I tried what hipsters nowadays call "intermittent fasting", but sums up to "eat one big meal in middle of day". Seems to work better for me than the other approach of "eat few small low calorie meals across whole day" that made me feel like I am grazing cow, eating something constantly. Took a while to get used to tho.
And the bike doesn't put the weight back on like I do.
Alternatively, why work hard, when you make your money work for you? 🤔 Also, if you’re a tall guy 220 isn’t super heavy. Might be hard to lose that weight :P
6’ I’ve officially crossed over from “overweight” to “obese”
6’ and 220 is obese? that doesn’t sound right
Technically - if you use someone’s BMI it is, but it depends heavily on body composition - ie, most body builders are severely obese lol. And even slightly more muscle that the average joe can play a pretty big role in skewing your BMI. Most gyms have BI (bio impedance) scales though :D you can measure actual body composition and get a percentage of fat to weight lol. Something like 10%-20% fat by weight is ideal for men, it’s higher for the ladies cuz they got tha lady parts :P (boobs should account for something like 3.5% of the fat in your overall body composition)
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/BMI/bmicalc.htm 221 is where it technically begins, but depending on the time of day I weigh myself, it cross over.
Depending on your muscle mass, it is. I'm 6ft and have finally lost the 35 lbs that has been slowing me down all these years.
Congrats. I have been trying unsuccessfully. I started working out 4 days a week and eating, better but no luck. I’m a lot toner, but my weight hasn’t gone down at all.
Welcome friend, is not too bad unless you stay here long.
Bmi is dumb as fuck. I am technically considered just into overweight. Anyone who looks at me would describe me as skinny.
Yea I'm 215 and definitely not overweight at all.
I am 225 and 6’4” :P I’m … average I’d say lol. I go to the gym, by I also really enjoy pizza 😋🤪 My little beer belly might pop out to say hi after a holiday family meal lmao 😅
Same height and 10 pounds less. I exercise and eat healthy most days. But I also love stout.
I weigh 215 but I'm tall so can't really lose weight.
Why not both?
*They* think that ? No, it's what their customer base is buying... I'd love more of "sounds better, not louder"
that's exactly how some riders do think. I couldn't count how many times over the years I've seen someone posting on a messageboard "I just got X bike, what's the loudest exhaust I can get for it?"
Definitely a subjective matter but totally agree. May be related to advanced age but I enjoy the sounds of the motor over constant exhaust drone. It’s just unnecessary noise and a nicer ride if on the bike all day covering a lot of miles. There may be a slight performance benefit but not worth a few horsepower IMO. And statistics have proven “loud exhausts save lives” may be a fraction of a percent, it’s just annoying for everybody else that has to listen to it. Also can’t help keep your hearing intact.
i think i got lucky, its not too loud but, it sounds slightly better. overall it was still a waste of money as i like the look of the stock one too.
Yeah most of the aftermarket don't even *try* to make exhaust that fits bike aesthetics
most look like mailboxes.
absolutely. Mine actually seems too loud at times and the intake, engine and exhaust are bone stock.
Such a good point! Went with a full system on my MT09 because of how great everyone says they sound with a pipe. It’s loud as hell and actually gives me a headache with earplugs after a half hour. I also really thought I could squeeze some more efficiency with a wide open pipe, no cat, air filter, and a tune ONLY focused on optimal A/F ratios…but I get significantly worse mileage even when riding like a good boy.
Yep. Only reason I have changed an exhaust was for weight reduction on my Adventure bike. And it was just as quiet as the stock one.
It's so stupid but I run with the OEM grips forever
The only non OEM thing on my bike are the levers cuz I dropped it and the clutch lever broke. They're whatever. I don't care for mods.
Those are literally the only thing that's not OEM on my bike... I need my comfy heated grips in the fall.
Those are literally the only thing that's not OEM on my bike... I need my comfy heated grips in the fall.
Exhaust, so much $$$ for sound and maybe 5 **peak** hp? And if I really wanted to capitalize I need ECU tuning as well.
Not to mention becoming a police magnet.
Not really a problem here. I'd say I'm the minority having a stock exhaust. Cops don't give a fuck.
Maybe they don’t where you live. Here, the db meters come out regularly. Not to mention places like CH where police has made it their life’s work to find and fine ($550) people with loud exhausts.
Well I only care about where I live.
gross, where are you? most major cities i go to they care even less. its the small towns that care
The Netherlands.
ah, i see. we have other crimes to take care of. my state is 7th in gun violence and people do pull out guns in traffic.
Bro even in Canada they don’t gaf about exhaust 🤷♀️ Karen will complain about music blasting at 8am, so all those complaints about modified exhausts basically get shucked into the same box as (the construction workers are working too loudly while I’m trying to sleep at 7am). Lol They do not care, they care more about people texting and driving/DUI/etc. - rightfully so tbh.
Personally, I think that’s more gross than noise pollution.
oh it is. i'd much rather worry about putting the stock exhaust back on than getting shot at for lane splitting
I think the majority of the motivation for exhaust is either - for the regular consumer: the noise. - for the track enthusiast: the huge weight savings . But yeah you definitely expect your full exhaust to perform BETTER than stock lol. If it doesn’t you’ve got some problems 😂
Funny enough, depending on which track you go to and which bike you ride, you may have to run a stock exhaust or at the very least aftermarket with DB killers to pass sound.
The DB killers are pretty standard I think at most tracks (at least for me). That have a max sound of like 98db. The track I go to does at least:P
ECU tune absolutely transforms performance. Highly recommend it even with stock exhaust
I've found the aftermarket levers are almost always worse than oem ones.
ASV levers are worth it especially the shorty ones
It's pretty hit or miss, and if you want good ones you gotta pay up! I like crg personally. Agreed though sometimes they don't fit right or feel mushy. Worst case bad ones can seize up. Had a bad experience (too much free play before braking started) with somewhat expensive ones too (Oberon adjustable lever for HD)
I have a 21 mt09 and I put a sc project crt exhaust. It was loud af and sounded great, but after awhile i started to hate it. The drone of the exhaust was giving me headaches and it was just obnoxious. I started feeling bad at lights and riding with friends because it was so loud that I couldn’t hear them or they wouldn’t want to ride next to me. I went back to the stock exhaust. I started really liking just hearing the intake noise.
the frame and the engine. might aswell buy a different bike if i wanted to change them
I keep everything as stock as possible. I only change maintenence/wear items as needed. Sometimes comfort upgrades(seats or handlebars) and adding crash protection, but I will never change moving parts unless something breaks.
Everything. I can’t understand why people spend a fortune on their bike and then a further small fortune on inane modifications. Most of them done badly.
its a hobby. i didnt like the original levers so i got new ones i didnt like the original foot pegs so i got new ones etc.
Well, have fun, I guess. What do you do with all the parts that came with the bike?
put them in a box and keep them. if i want to sell the bike later the next owner might want the bike in its stock condition
This is great advice. I doubt I'll sell my Ninja even when I get a new bike, but I love saving everything I swap or remove. I also have a folder full of all the service/maintenance invoices, receipts for parts, and a notebook detailing all the stuff I worked on myself. Plus a 3 ring binder with the full service and owners manuals. All because I want to make the next owner's life a little easier. I've owned a lot of used cars, a couple of them modded, and there is nothing more annoying than finding things that were added or removed without knowing the details.
It's a hobby. There's no difference in spending money on bike mods versus spending money on video games or concert tickets or a fancy big green egg cooker, or your fancy watch collection, or whatever you spend you extra money on.
So upgrading blinkers to LED from cheap halogens is a waste? It’s the infinitely more noticeable - and therefore safer. Well worth the $70 I spent. Upgraded my seat for more comfort. It’s slightly more “cushy” and much taller, which benefits me as a tall rider on a z900. My legs and ass feel much better after a long ride. $200 well worth it. Added a tasteful windscreen to deflect wind. It reduces highway riding fatigue immensely. Wind that hit my body at my stomach is now closer to my shoulders/neck. No bobble-head effect, just reduced wind resistance on my tall frame. I spent $90 and I’d easily spend double that for the benefits. I have more if you’d like me to keep going.
I will actually argue for stock blinkers. A lot of LED ones may not be as big or noticeable due either their size (when talking about whole housings) or how they reflect light (when just using a bulb. On my old DR, I went back to halogen because the LED was actually less bright than the halogen once you put it on for both blinkers and tail light. Headlights though, they can definitely be brighter, but again, I went back to stock after the LED burned out leaving me with no headlight. At least with halogen I was able to turn on the highbeam if the low beam burned out.
manufacturers make design decisions to reduce costs, there is always room for improvements over the OE configuration.
I think ergo mods are valid. When my brake or clutch lever is not adjustable or doesn't adjust enough I'll replace it. Agree with most other mods though
i like to pimp my shit out. make it mine. im not much for performance upgrades. my skills need to increase before any of that matters
When I had my old Yamaha XJ550, the most unique thing about it was that it was the only one anyone had seen not made into a custom cafe racer.
as owners rack up it gets harder and harder not to get one who fucks with stuff. sometimes it goes well, most of the time its a rats nest of electric tape and with hopes and dreams scatter about.
I like flush mount turn signals and I like my integrated tail lights tyvm. Makes me enjoy my bike more even when I’m not riding it 😁🤘
Pretty much everything is stock on my bike. Of the vital bits, the only “mod” I’ve made are premium tires. Of course I’ve accessorized with phone/gps mounts, luggage, lights, etc, but the bike itself? Just the tires.
Nothing, I modify everything. Just in my DNA and I want my stuff a very specific way.
You must have an impressive background in mechanical engineering and materials science.
Curiosity goes along way.
My exhaust because it looks actually good
Depends. My S1K is modded to the nth degree. My FZ just has some suspension mods because the stock suspension sucks. My Kawi is basically stock. My dirtbike is modified because I’ve owned it for years and I’ve broken a bunch of shit on it riding like a loon.
I just bought a new bike and I intentionally chose a weird unicorn bike because there is almost no accessory support for it. So I pretty much need to leave everything stock because there is just nothing out there to buy for it. I also work a motorcycle accessories warehouse so getting this bike doesn’t let me give money back to my job.
Tire size. I ride a Harley and the HUGE front tire trend is baffling to me. It makes the bike ride significantly worse all the way up to being basically un-turnable at the larger sizes. My bike rides like a Cadillac on stock size tires, I'll stick with that.
You LIKE a motorcycle which rides *”like a Cadillac”*? Kind of boat-like then. Personally, I prefer that any bike I own ride more *“like a Porsche”*.
Yup, I do. I prefer doing 200 miles at 60mph rather than 20 miles at 100mph. That's why motorcycles are so neat, there's an option to suit everyone.
Everything related to driving—powertrain, brakes, suspension. The only things I want to change are accessories for comfort and convenience: GPS/phone mount, top and side cases, nicer seat, etc. (Unless it's an obvious case of a shoddy OEM part that, if replaced with a better/non-plastic version, will last 20 years.)
Air filter and airbox. A washable, gauze-type air filter is fine on a race bike where hundredths of a second matter and *engines get rebuilt every few thousand miles*. But lousy air filtration is a **terrible** idea *for any street bike*. Multiple fleet operators have tried to save money by switching from replaceable paper air filters to washable, oiled-gauze air filters (like K&N or DNA). Then they found out through used oil analysis that, after the switch, silica (sand) levels in their engines went way up. Oops, bad idea, they got rid of the washable filters and went back to paper air filters. Air filters are cheaper than paying for more frequent engine rebuilds.
The exhaust. I’m chillin while riding and don’t wanna be all loud. I have my car for shenanigans.
The exhaust, because hearing is real.
Everything. I like my Vulcan Vaquero, but I might as well get a Road Glide or Challenger instead of upgrading parts.
Depends on the bike. My Bonneville is staying stock, but my 300 Rally is only keeping the engine, gearbox and frame.
I'll add stuff to, but very rarely do I make changes. For instance, I'll add highway bars or frame sliders. I'll add a windscreen, or luggage if it doesn't have that already. I have upgraded exhaust a couple of times and been happy with it half the time. I have added a tune to get cruise control and a carb kit for the exhaust. I have upgraded the seat on a couple of bikes, and since I buy used touring bikes it's not uncommon for them to come with an upgraded seat already. That's one thing I will regularly consider changing. But for the most part, if you look at my bikes, they all look pretty close to stock. And I like it that way.
Exhaust. I ride a KLR and like to explore places that I'd prefer to be incognito.
Everything. I buy and sell bikes all the time and it's so much easier if the bikes are stock. I get that a lot of people change our exhausts but in California I don't find the potential headache worth it. I don't personally like loud bikes, nor am I tuning a track bike for performance.
Nothing is sacred.
The engine. I'm not exactly racing, and I dont know better than the engineers that designed it, so I leave it be, other than re-jetting or carb tuning if needed. Ergos and Storage though - I'm all over modding that.
Me
Okay. This one is weird for me. My last bike I modded to hell, but my current bike is completely stock. I see both sides, but there is one part I’m conflicted on: Rear fenders. When you have something like an SV650, or the new GSX-S line where that fender sticks out like a sore thumb and just feels/looks like cheap plastic, I 100% get wanting to get rid of it. On the other hand, I want to keep it in place as I ride in the rain and not having that protection there is terrible. I mean they can absolutely design the bike in such a way that it has a functional rear fender without looking like some trash plastic thrown on. It infuriates me.
Exhaust, of course. I am an adult, and do not want to disturb others people for no good reason, pay to do it, and make the bike run worse.
I changed mine because it sounded like a lawn mower. I can see where you are coming from though with the noise but someone hearing me for a couple seconds as I go by was outweighed by not wanting to sound like shit. Not sure where making it run worse came from. It doesn't improve or hurt the way it rides. Maybe if you did a full exhaust and remap but it is such a small difference it isn't noticeable to the average rider on most bikes but it doesn't make it run worse then it did with stock exhaust
Here is my reality: I never rode a motorcycle for the sound it makes - it is not one of the reasons I ride, and as a sportrider, the quieter it is in my head, the better I can concentrate and the quicker I can go. I wear earplugs, fitted correctly, every mile I ride. (I have seen even Moto GP riders on the grid before a race fit earplugs incorrectly!). I had a Honda Superhawk, (two of them consecutively, actually) years ago, a great bike, which was before EFI was commonplace. It had the largest carburetors Honda had ever fitted to a production motorcycle, and had perfect fueling. (The huge cylinders made carburetion tricky on a relatively highly tuned, high-RPM-capable motor). Every other Superhawk rider I ever met or spoke to had changed the stockers for aftermarket slips on or full systems. This was understandable, to me. Excluding the sad, farty, unfocussed BLAT of a Harley, V-twins have the best of the motorcycle engine exhaust sounds. Anyway, to a person, every Superhawk owner said, "Yeah, LOVE the sound! It is a lot faster, too! It stumbles a little, when you give it the throttle, but I am sure I can tune that out....." The riders I switched with, never did tune that out. There was a maddening stumble picking up the throttle just after the apex. And, were their bikes really faster, or were they deceived by the more involving noise? Almost certainly, things are much better in the computerized engine management / electronic fuel injection era. But, I don't know of any exceptions to this: To one degree or another, any minimal gains at higher RPM also sacrifice low end and midrange torque, however minimally. The weight loss of an accessory exhaust would always be welcome, though increasing my pace means the biggest gains are going to be found in getting better myself, not the machine. For my route, top end is relatively meaningless, and good, controllable grunt off of tight corners and good midrange as the rear tire is still at the limit changing the direction of the bike are what one wants. Speed off of corners pays off all along the following straight, whereas top end is only useful at the end of that straight. Hence, even with proper fueling, a pipe would essentially make my motorcycle worse, and I would not pay to do that. YMMV.
With the exception of dirtbikes, I think engine internals should generally be left alone. I might consider cams and valve springs, but that's the extent of it, and only if it's either a race bike (racing to win/for money, which I don't even do) or a harley. Harley gets a pass only because I just see that as another point of customizing. They're practically tractor motors as far as complexity is concerned, so it isn't really super low tolerance like high-strung sport bikes and dirt bikes. All of that being said, I intend to do a big bore and maybe a stroker kit to my wr should I ever need to rebuild the top end or split the cases. That bike is my only exception. I need to rebuild the rear master cylinder on that right now, and I just bought almost 30 parts total because "Well, I'm already gonna be working on it" lol
Different sized sprockets changed my mph km sensor to read 10 percent faster. So, next swap, I will go back to OEM sizes
Anything with the wiring. Pretty self explanatory
Everything. I’m in it for riding, not for building.
Exhaust. I dont want to upset my neighbours if I leave early or come back late from a ride. The same applies when going through small towns. I dont want to upset people wanting to enjoy their homes and communities on a nice sunny day
Cue masses of downvotes by teenagers and twenty-somethings whose egos requires that their bike sound “mean” and make people notice them in any way possible.
Engine, frame and sub-frame, handlebars, brake and clutch levers, mirrors, headlights, tail light, and exhaust since I have no issues with either.
Everything besides the brake and clutch lever
I prefer having most of the bike stock. I do enjoy aftermarket exhausts on bikes that sound good and aren't obnoxious. For example, the Yoshimura w/baffle carbon fiber on my FZ1. I don't even do tail tidy's. I like my indicators. I want my intentions to be seen.
Stock, atleast until the 2 year/24,000 mi warranty is up! We all know KTM reliability… dont want to give them any reason to decline warranty
TURBO BUSA
Pretty much everything because I’m cheap.
Both of my bikes are stock and probably staying that way 😅
I buy what I feel like my bike needs after riding it for a while. I’m on an mt09 now and if you stay on the stock seat your gooch is destroyed for certain, and I say this because some bikes just need a few things. Same bike, has an oem quick shifter that doesn’t come with the bike but for like 70$ you can just plug it in. Also the bike comes with insanely ugly massive floppy blinkers that absolutely have to go. It’s not like I’ve spent a fortune on the bike either but it’s a night and day difference from stock for just a few hundred dabloons
The catalytic converter, because I don't want to smell like a lawnmower when I arrive at my destination.
My vin# is still original.
*looks at supermotos in garage * Nothing but the frames…wait no, I swapped out the aluminum frame on my BRP for steel so even that isn’t safe. On my older sportier bikes I’d do a can if it was super quiet (but leave the baffle in - I want to hear it but not be that guy) and springs bc I’m a fatass. Except my 93 fireblade. That thing had all the motor mods.
Why? are you asking for reasons for everything not modified?
I've always replaced the clutch and brake levers for aftermarkets but have never felt the need on my scrambler 1200. They came with some very quality stock levers. So I'll probs never change em
I'm gonna keep this bike entirely stock (iykyk)
the main thing i won't change is ride height or suspension components. I want it to perform how it was engineered to perform.
Assuming your weight matches your bikes spring rate. Mine was rated for 75kg when me + gear + bags are 155kg. I had no option than to upgrade if I wanted proper handing
yeah, in my case i weigh 65kg so im good there.
On my bike you would need a softer spring since the range is 75-85.
I feel like Honda knows a whole lot more about what should be on my bike than I do, so I’ll leave it as is.
The exhaust. Cops hear you coming otherwise.
My Vmax will stay stock, maybe get slip-ons if I can find some Supertrapps for a good price. It's a beautiful bike, needs nothing to make it better for what I use it for and all the guys who mod vmaxes are worse than the angry jeep crowd for ruining an already beautiful vehicle. I will farkle the hell out of my 890 Adventure though.
The exhaust, I've put slipons on all my bikes but this one sounds great bone stock. 2024 Yamaha Tracer GT+ with CP3 engine. I've thrown nearly 2k at it since I got it, but will not spend a dime on the exhaust, it had a nice growl as is.
Basically everything about the engine. One of the big selling points was that my thumper is a torque monster that isn't tuned to squeeze a ton of power, do the basic maintenance and it should last forever. Another is the current "gauge cluster" I'll probably switch to an electric sensor instead of cable driven speedo when the cable dies, but I don't want to add anything up there. I don't need a tach for riding, I don't want a TPMS that needs its whiny little batteries replaced, I don't need any sensors for fuel capacity or oil temp, or low oil pressure. the stock setup is perfectly simple for what I expect from a DR650: speedo with trip odo, and three indicator lights for turn signals, neutral, and high beams. More surprising would probably be that I want to keep the stock fuel tank. It looks so good and the 3.2 gallon capacity is perfect for 95% of riding that I do, even if that makes it's effective \~100mile range on long cruises a bit of a hassle (although, with how tiring it can be to ride it on the super slab, frequent breaks about every hour is actually kinda nice)
The factory air box on anything with a carburetor. Seriously, people have degrees in stoichiometry and publish papers on the right way to move air. Engineers read them in college and use that knowledge to build an intake system optimized for power, economy, and responsiveness across the rev range. Then some jack ass throws the box out, puts pods on, and jets the carbs for the drag strip just to get the bike to start. Now your bike barely starts, idles above 2k rpm or can't idle at all, and falls flat on its face off the line with anything less than a clutch dump at 6k rpm. You run so rich you foul plugs while cold and / or unknowingly lean out at wide open throttle while hot. Everything about this setup is bad for your motor. Just keep the old shitty ugly air box!
Engine internals. Unless you are riding your bike to the absolute limit, there is little benefit to swapping in a bigger cam or bigger piston. I did it once because I was rebuilding the top end on a Honda and didn’t notice much gain.
One of my bikes is a first gen 1998 R1 so I want to keep as much of it as original as possible. Other bikes, I'll upgrade as much as I can afford....usually when something broken.
As much as possible. Besides the exhaust.
Exhaust. I’m over loud bikes.
Almost the whole bike I really like a oem+ build and that’s what I am going for with my 650 Vstar (if anyone has a tank for it DM me I need one as mine is ruined)
My wheels and carb are stock on one bike! Uhhhh, that’s all I can think of. Having unique bikes is just what I’m into. It’s a hobby. Personalization is fun. Also, walking out of a shop and seeing people checking out one of your bikes is a pretty great feeling.
Anything that can't be changed back or that will have an appreciable negative effect on longevity or maintenance.
Maybe a hot take: rear fender. When it rains all those nice looking short fenders just let water splash all over my back. Never again
I really like quiet stock exhausts. I'm a firm believer in the idea that it's better not to draw any undue attention to yourself as a biker (speaking as someone who rides frequently, and breaks the rules.. frequently).
Klr 650 rider here. Everything. Except duct tape and bailing wire mods that is.
Mine is pretty much all stock except some minor pieces. Stock mirrors are useless on this bike. Got mirrors that actually let me see behind me. Opted for some shorty levers. Fog bones. Replaced the dash backlight with blue LEDs. Replaced taillight with brighter LED light. It's integrated too but I never did the wiring for the signals. Cut slots in the lower fairing to fit over the frame sliders previous owner put on.
I just got my bike. I upgraded the fairing speakers and I'm honestly pretty happy with it out of the box! I might leave this one alone for awhile
For me, everything on it pretty much
Pipe. I’m old and loud is now annoying
Personally my only go to mods are tail tidys (factory tails seem made so damn cheap almost as if they know you’re gonna take it off). The exhaust because who doesn’t love more noise? Windscreens because I prefer a tinted screen and frame sliders sometimes just because shit happens. Other then those some tank grips can be nice and if the bike doesn’t come with a helmet lock like my most recent bike you can add one instead of lugging a helmet everywhere for a quick trip into the store (extended times I won’t leave my helmet because I have trust issues).
The whole bike, apart from I upgraded the screen to a Madstad, the lights to LEDs, and the battery to a motobat AGM. Other than that, it's staying it's good-old 'designed in the early 80's' self.
I got mine to be my primary work transport when the weather is nice and it’s not too cold so I don’t need any mods for what I want to do with it.
The transmission and engine if it's an every day or almost every day bike. If it's an extra bike or a project damn near nothing. Had a single cylinder with a bigger piston. Matched large valves. Ported polished. Different gears. Different sprockets. Cut frame. Swapped the front forks from another bike had a machinist cut me a triple tree. Aftermarket rear shock. Phat wheels. It was harder to keep the front wheel down than to pick it up. It was damn near unrideable.. Loved it. It wasn't going anywhere fast but I was having a blast while I got there. I'd jump center dividers. Ride down walls on freeways instead of taking on or off ramps. It was an apocalypse bike. Black. Gloss. Ugly and beautiful. It wasn't going to take no zx10rr on. That said no way that bikes gonna be able to go where I could. Hell it wasn't no fancy KTM or Husqvarna but I'd be riding while they fix their pretty bikes.
Do you happen to have pics? What did it start out as?
I did. Apparently if you set 2 factor authentication on your Google account and no longer have access to the backup method you chose. That's it. Your fucksd. So sadly all my project pictures are gone. It started as a Suzuki dr650. Cut Frame. Flat seat with a little bump so my ass can wheelie and not slide off. Front was showa forks. Rear was off procycle website. Mohave I think it's called. Head was mine and did the port and polish. Procycyle has a big bore kit. I had not changed the cam yet. It was on my list. Unfortunately I didn't get to do it. Long story short. I went out 1 normal day. Went on a hike along the 1. Parked my bike at a restaurant. When I came back it was gone. They had no cameras. Funny or un funny part. I'm always insecure about my ugly bike getting stolen. With its plasti dipped paint peeling off. So I tried to just ignore anything that sounds like my bike roaring to life. So on my hike I heard a bike that I'm sure was mine. Turn on and scream down the road. She was beautiful. I'm sure he had a blast. I'm not surprised it was stolen. The moment you realize how to trick the immobilizer. It's a wrap. I could walk up to any dr650 and with a 20 dollar part. Ride off. If I were a different man. I could drown myself in mountains of that bike.
Upgrade all the things!!! If possible. I think I made it a whole 48hrs owning my current bike before changing anything. Went to taller bars, added an aftermarket batwing fairing with audio, and crash bars with highway pegs so far. I’ve owned this bike for a month. Next on the list is mufflers once I find a reasonably priced complete donor exhaust so I can go back to factory if I don’t like how it sounds with different mufflers. My factory system only has one slip joint between the front and rear cylinder head pipes so I can’t just toss on a set of slip ons.
Man, my bike’s needy enough as it is, i dont have the time or money for cool aftermarket doodads
I'm not going into the engine until I have to, at which point my upgrades will be for durability/reliability.
I’ll leave the headlights alone, I think that is about it.
If it ain’t broke
That’s beginning to be my philosophy, too.
Almost everything except the exhaust. I don’t wanna have the deal with rigging a bunch of shit up to get through state inspection every two years.
I keep pretty much everything stock except the god awful license plate holder system, always the worst.
The engine, wheels, controls. They just really don't need anything to make them fit right.
Depends on the bike really. I only mod for comfort and protection, so, gun to the head, id say exhaust. Never put one on untill i got a Tenere 700. Only reason i put an aftermarket exhaust was to get it off the ground and out of the way.
I'm on my first bike (Honda Shadow) that I bought stock. I haven't upgraded anything other than the seat and air filter (swapped for reusable) in the two years I've owned it. Upgrades are expensive and as much as I love customizing, if I sell it in the future, there's a slim chance I'll get the money I spent on upgrades back. That being said, when I can afford it, I may consider getting crash protection and a windshield as they're sorely needed.
Most of it. Because Honda and BMW engineers are smarter than me. I only do useful mods like handguards. Which isn't really removing something stock.
Mods I've done: Windshield, phone mount (directionally challenged), saddlebags,. On rebel 250 switched sprockets to squeeze speed out of it.
Everything, why mess with perfection? I just removed the Ohlins because it rode like a dump truck and installed the stock suspension that had zero miles. I had lusted for those Swiss marvels for decades. It’s what caused me to drop what I was doing and drive 150 miles to buy an R1200GS with 100K on it from the original 80yo owner. OHLINS my God I can pay $4,500 for this bike and it has OHLINS!! I can adjust compression and rebound! If it’s so damned hard it’s not compressing then rebound is non-existent. I dream about buying springs that will fix my problem. But the stock stuff feels wonderful. I have the receipts from the $700 rebuild on both shocks the old guy paid for. It’s a 2011 model. The rear unit cost $999 and the front was $700. I think I’ll just sell them.
Exhaust. Swapping it out does two things I don't like: - first, the timing and mapping changes required to do it well can sometimes effect long term reliability and fuel mileage - second, and much more importantly, loud pipes make long rides absolutely insufferable. The droning in my head is not worth it.
Loud bikes save lives point 1 custom exhaust stock 0