The Golden Age of Mods
by Dave Preston
No doubt about it, this is truly a golden age for motorcycle
design. Never has the consumer been presented with such a cornucopia
of performance features, usage themes and styling ideas in
purchasing a new or used motorcycle. And that purchase is only the
beginning!
It really makes no difference what brand, model or style of
motorcycle you have - before long you’ll have thought up lots of
ways to move it toward that mythical "perfect bike" that is parked
in your head. We all have different heads, so we all have different
"perfect bikes" and different routes to the end result.
One of the reasons we like to do this is – we can. There are so
many products available at reasonable cost from so many sources -
the design that tickled your wallet can now create real economic
mirth as you move it several iterations further down your chosen
path.
It distresses me at times to see customers purchasing accessories
and mods because "Everyone is doing that," or because "My friend
told me this is what I should do."
Bollocks to that! It is your motorcycle – any modifications
should be based on your own needs, taste, budget and riding. What
anyone and everyone else does can serve – maybe – as an example –
but never as a dictate.
Let’s spend some time looking at options and create a rational
plan. Along the way I’m certain to irritate one or two folks – and
isn’t that part of the fun of publishing?
Tires – probably more bandwidth has been wasted with Internet
babble on this topic than any other. For those of you who are track
day enthusiasts or racers - OK – you have a right to obsess over the
latest reports and to seek out the black hoop that provides just
that extra degree of sticky in Turns Three A and B. For the rest of
us - the black magic of street tire construction is a moving
science, and the products get better all the time. When tires are
needed I simply ask Service folks for their thoughts on the current
state of the art for the type of riding I do, …and go with that.
Pause for a "back in the day" funny - those of you who are old
enough may remember inexpensive Cheng Shin tires that were "good for
the life of the bike." That was because the tire compound was so
hard and unforgiving that you were very likely to crash the bike,
particularly in the rain, destroying it – long before the tires wore
out! Those days, thankfully, are long gone.
Just how strong is our mania for tires? People often ask me what
tires I’m using, and look positively bewildered when I have to go
over and read the sidewall! Good tires - yes, you need them. The
perfect tires for your brand, model, and style of riding? That
answer will vary over time.
Ergonomics. Riding is so much more fun if you’re comfortable.
Rarely is a bike designed for a person of exactly your size and
weight, arm and leg length. Exceptions are so rare they are mildly
surprising. A Triumph Speedmaster fits me so well it is eerie, for
example. For most bikes you can make changes along the way to
improve the comfort, but wait – not so fast!
Whenever you purchase a different bike it will feel "weird"
compared to what you’ve been used to. Give yourself a couple of
weeks to acclimate. In many cases you will adjust, and when the new
becomes familiar you may find you do not need or want to make as
many changes as you thought.
Most ergonomic needs come down to handlebar height, knee to foot
distance, seat height, and saddle comfort. Handlebar height can be
altered by purchasing various brands of risers, or (going the other
way) "café bars" or clip-ons. Sometimes you can save money and
expense by simply loosening the clamps and rotating the handlebars
just a tad to your desired angle. Er – don’t forget to tighten the
clamps when you’re done! Knee to foot distance is a little harder,
and can be altered with a lowered (or raised) seat. Reading the
owner’s manual is a good idea, as in some cases the footpegs are
actually adjustable and you may not know it. Seat height is a
similar issue, as the height may be adjustable. If comfort is not an
issue, you could simply whack out a couple of inches of seat foam.
This was the quick way to look really fast back in the early days of
AMA Superbike racing, as it was a legal mod for racing and that is
what all the pros did.
You can lower the suspension on most bikes, and for some people
of shorter stature this may be the only viable option, but there are
usually better and simpler solutions. Even something as basic as a
new pair of riding boots with thicker soles can make a huge
difference. Shorter rear shocks (or shock) will probably not help
the suspension compliance, but will lower the bike for sure.
Seat comfort gets almost as many Internet forum "bytes" as tires.
There are local shops than can make you a seat that is perfect for
you, of course, and there are lots of aftermarket seats. My own
experience? Get to the gym and work out a bit! A smaller butt is
actually a better butt for long distance comfort. A pair of padded
riding shorts and there you are. Worked for me. If you have a Ducati
Multistrada or 916, however, all bets are off – surely the worst
seat in history!
How about "gadgets"? You can go nuts these days with electronic
add-ons to make your ride more comfy, safe, and utile. Heated grips
are a personal favorite, and there are many options in heated
clothing as well. Radar detectors (surely you’ll never need one of
those), stereos, driving lights, phones, GPS – the sky is the limit.
More accurately, the strength and ability of your bike’s electrical
system to charge itself is the limit. Do keep that in mind.
Weather protection. How much do you actually want? True, you can
hide yourself behind a windshield the size of your average barn door
if you want to. Do you want to? Do you enjoy wind on your
faceshield? I do, and you should make your decisions based on how
you ride, and where. If you only ride on sunny days in temperatures
of 65 or above - you are missing out on a lot! – but you may not
need any additional wind protection.
Fuel range? You can probably buy a larger fuel tank for your
bike, or add a second tank in the rear, but this should be
approached with considerable caution and the tank installed by
people who really know what they are doing. There is little to be
gained by converting your own bike to a terrorist bomb waiting to
take out several bystanders, …and you. Most prefer to get off the
bike and take a break at least every couple of hours, so the
standard tank is fine.
Clothing – wow! I now have more money sunk into varieties of
jackets, boots, gloves and assorted paraphernalia than I used to
have invested in the bike! No complaints, as it is a great luxury to
"tailor" your choices (sorry) to the ride and weather at hand.
As for chrome, paint, and other appearance items – there are
simply too many yummy options to even begin to discuss. The same is
true for performance upgrades. At least you have a good reason to
peruse every page of a printed motorcycle magazine – the ads as
well.
Here’s an example of how all of this works. Two years ago I
purchased my Speed Triple. Sometime later Stan Thomas, the Service
Manager at my dealer, purchased one also. They’re usually parked
next to each other in front of the Service area. At the beginning,
the only difference was that one was yellow and the other white.
My goodness, how they have changed! As the modifications
progressed, individual design themes began to appear. Stan has
invested in smaller turn signals, a Leo Vince pipe, different
levers, and most recently, a modified fly screen off the new Street
Triple. His bike is shorter and stubbier than the original short and
stubby design, sounds gorgeous, and is exceptionally cool!
Mine is now referred to as the "Barcalounger" of Speed Triples
with a center stand, heated grips, a Triumph tank bag, and most
recently a Ventura Rack system. Mine has been modified in the
direction of rides where I can carry things, up to and including
multi-day rides, while still retaining the naked sport flavor I
love. I did go with the optional Triumph exhausts, which look
identical to the originals and sound just the right tone.
The point? Both of us have modified our bikes to make each more
usable to the owner, and both of us think our bikes look better than
they did new – but they no longer look very similar at all. The
sales staff at my dealer now takes customers out to show them the
"Speed Triple accessory catalogue – full size."
It is your bike. As you enjoy the ownership experience, you can
make it more your own – based on your own needs, taste, and
decisions. And you should!
Ride safe, ride well and ride often!
Dave Preston is the author of Motorcycle 101, a sensible book
for the new and returning rider. |
