 |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
T.I.P.S. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
Copyright © 2000 by M. Hilton Taylor. All Rights Reserved by T.A.M.S. It ain’t rocket science . . . is it. |
|
Part of the fun in owning a motorcycle is personalizing it so it makes a statement about you. The limit as to what you can do is only controlled by your free cash and imagination. It is best if you have a plan rather than just putting stuff on because it is real shiny. Adding a lot of chrome can really make your ride look great . . . but the more you add the more you have to polish. Trust me; it is worth it when you ride up and everyone starts looking for their shades to block the reflection from your cool ride. Adding a few comfort items are a great way to make your ride not only look good but also make it more comfortable to ride. Your will be holding on to the grips while you are riding so be sure they fit your hands and look good as well. Backrest, road pegs, and floorboards rank high on the comfort list for the long rides. Sound is probably the most important thing because if it is too quiet no one will see you when you are riding by. When changing the exhaust system to get a better sound may require other changes. If you change the exhaust and also change the air cleaner then you may have to have the ECU remapped if you have fuel injection. On a carbureted bike you may have to re-jet the bike. This is because the fuel to air ratio changes, not to mention it can make those shiny new chrome exhaust turn blue. If you are wanting to more drastic changes that are not just look good items you may want to leave it to the professionals. The big tire look for the rear, in most cases requires you to change the rear swing arm and other components to keep the bike geometry correct. It can also affect how the suspension works. Incorrect setup can be dangerous. Lowering your bike can give you a nice low appearance. If you decide to lower your bike check to be sure your suspension will still work. Most motorcycles can be lowered slightly without it greatly affecting the handling. Going too low can restrict the springs or shocks from absorbing the bumps or make some of the hard stuff drag. Believe me, you do not want your hard stuff dragging as it can cause wheel hop which in many cases will leave you hopping when you get back up. Sometimes you can lower one end without lowering the other end, but be sure . . . because done incorrectly it can cause many different issues. Lowering the rear end of a motorcycle is most times more complicated than the front forks. This is due to the complexity of the rear suspension which carries most of the weight. The front forks are most times lowered by putting new springs inside the front forks or by installing a shorter top spacer. When you lower the rear without lowering the front it will make the bike feel like it has more rake just the opposite when you lower just the front.
|