SuzukiSavage.com - A few easy mods that seem to make a nice diff

Scott McCrory

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A few easy mods that seem to make a nice diff
05/05/12 at 14:47:07

Hi All, I'm one of the newest of the newbies here, but since I'm learning so much from everyone, I thought I'd share a few easy modifications that I've been enjoying.

The first one is a Koso digital tach for just under $60. I found that at higher speeds wearing a full helmet, I couldn't hear the engine over wind noise and wanted confirmation that I'm running within good power bands. I love it, and although it doesn't say it's waterproof, I did ride a half hour in sprinkles last week and didn't have any problems with it whatsoever. Do a google for Koso Motorcycle Tach and you'll find a few options. This one worked right out of the box.

The second mod is a handlebar-mounted quartz clock (same photo) - I think it looks good and it sure is handy when I'm riding and don't want to get too far past dinner time... Wink

I found it on eBay for I think around $40. Not cheap, but it's a real Seiko movement, is totally waterproof and is inset into a really nice milled case.

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Scott McCrory

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Re: A few easy mods that seem to make a nice diff
Reply #1 - 05/05/12 at 14:49:31

The third mod is a couple of highway pegs attached to my stock engine guard. They don't have the same effect as forward controls, but it's really nice to put one or two feet up to stretch the muscles a little. I got these at Iron Pony in Columbus (a 5 minute ride!) but plenty of similar pegs are available everywhere for under $30.

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Scott McCrory

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Re: A few easy mods that seem to make a nice diff
Reply #2 - 05/05/12 at 14:56:19

The fourth mod is an Air Hawk 2 cushion for small cruisers - Amazon has them for $88 at http://www.amazon.com/Airhawk-Motorcycle-Small-Seat-Pad/dp/B0045WHM7S/ref=pd_... but I got mine for a little more at Iron Pony for local convenience. I had to take off the seat and custom-adjust the straps, and play with the air pressure a little until I liked it, but now I think it's working out nicely. The internal bladders move air around to cup one's butt, and since I've been using it, I haven't had a numb arse yet. Tired back muscles after a long ride, yes, but no numbness. It probably isn't as nice an option as Corbin, but it's $200 less and seems to be working out fine so far.

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Scott McCrory

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Re: A few easy mods that seem to make a nice diff
Reply #3 - 05/05/12 at 14:59:44

The fifth mod is a pair of mirror lifts/extenders. I don't know if my mirrors are stock or not - they came with my used '06, but I couldn't see more than half the road behind me aside from my shoulders. No amount of mirror adjustment helped. So, I bought these little things for about $25 shipped, off eBay, and they've made a world of difference! They're solid, made out of billet aluminum, and took no time to install. I did use a little blue loc-tite on the mounts to make extra sure nothing wiggled around, and have been really happy with them.

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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: A few easy mods that seem to make a nice diff Reply #4 - 05/05/12 at 16:46:22 I like all of them,, If someone said I could just have 4 of them, Id pass on the seat,, no,, the clock,, wait, no,, I like the clock,, dangitt! Ill take all 5,,
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Serowbot YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline OK.... so what's the speed of dark? Posts: 28685 Tucson Az Gender:	Re: A few easy mods that seem to make a nice diff Reply #5 - 05/05/12 at 17:10:20 Now,.. you've got the bug... ...
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damiancds YaBB Newbies Offline I've caught the bug and can't/won't stop! Posts: 33 Upstate NY Gender:	Re: A few easy mods that seem to make a nice diff Reply #6 - 05/11/12 at 09:13:14 I like the clock and will definitely do something similar for the mirrors. May do the tach, not sure though. also, where did you get that clock, I can't seem to find it very easily...
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Cavi Mike Serious Thumper Offline Thumper n00b Posts: 1005 Rochester, NY Gender:	Re: A few easy mods that seem to make a nice diff Reply #7 - 05/11/12 at 23:08:40 I really like that clock. It's just simple and clean. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Black-Motorcycle-Handlebar-Clock-made-by-Clocks4bikes...
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heroicseven Full Member Offline oops, I broke it. Posts: 245 San Diego Gender:	Re: A few easy mods that seem to make a nice diff Reply #8 - 05/12/12 at 00:36:11 what is involved with installing that tach? I likey
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prechermike Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Kalashna Kitty, from Skat Posts: 1190 Ponzer, NC Gender:	Re: A few easy mods that seem to make a nice diff Reply #9 - 05/12/12 at 05:23:40 Good job on those things. I got a watch for Christmas and strapped it to the bars. I need to do something like yours for the mirrors, though.
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bill67 Serious Thumper Offline old tired Posts: 8517 genoa city wisconsin Gender:	Re: A few easy mods that seem to make a nice diff Reply #10 - 05/12/12 at 06:18:17 I've always strapped a watch with leather band around the brake reservoir.
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Scott McCrory

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Re: A few easy mods that seem to make a nice diff
Reply #11 - 05/12/12 at 07:00:50

Strapping a watching on the brake reservoir is a great idea and I would have probably done that with a spare Timex Ironman had I remembered it, but I'm also really happy with the one I got - looks like a part of the bike, I think.

The tach was SUPER EASY to install. Just pull the plastic battery tab, clean the reservoir top with acetone or whatever you have handy, apply the tach's velcro to the reservoir and get it positioned the way you want, then be neat and tidy with running the wire towards the spark plug line. I followed existing cabling and used small black wire ties to be inconspicuous, also remembering to test full handlebar deflection to make sure I wasn't assuming lengths incorrectly. I then ran the black ground wire to the regulator and the red pickup in a tight coil around the spark plug line, tieing it off and placing just a little RTV on it to make sure it wouldn't unwind under vibration.

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runwyrlph Serious Thumper Offline Semper ubi sub ubi Posts: 846 pa Gender:	Re: A few easy mods that seem to make a nice diff Reply #12 - 05/12/12 at 13:29:38 mirror extenders = great idea i'll have to look for those
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Scott McCrory

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Re: A few easy mods that seem to make a nice diff
Reply #13 - 05/12/12 at 15:56:12

runwyrlph wrote on 05/12/12 at 13:29:38:

mirror extenders = great idea i'll have to look for those

He has more of course: http://www.ebay.com/itm/190590307029?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m...

Here's the tach for $60 with free shipping: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Koso-Mini-LCD-Tachometer-Universal-Fitment-/360456963...

(Just posting for easy reference - I don't have any financial interest!)

Scott

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Scott McCrory

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Re: A few easy mods that seem to make a nice diff
Reply #14 - 05/12/12 at 16:09:34

Scott McCrory wrote on 05/05/12 at 14:56:19:

The fourth mod is an Air Hawk 2 cushion for small cruisers - Amazon has them for $88 at http://www.amazon.com/Airhawk-Motorcycle-Small-Seat-Pad/dp/B0045WHM7S/ref=pd_... but I got mine for a little more at Iron Pony for local convenience. I had to take off the seat and custom-adjust the straps, and play with the air pressure a little until I liked it, but now I think it's working out nicely. The internal bladders move air around to cup one's butt, and since I've been using it, I haven't had a numb arse yet. Tired back muscles after a long ride, yes, but no numbness. It probably isn't as nice an option as Corbin, but it's $200 less and seems to be working out fine so far.

Quick followup report - after 200 miles with the seat, I have to say I really like it for the money. I haven't experienced numb butt even once. The key for me was to position the pad so that my butt bones (a medical term) rest in-between air bladder rows. The picture above is pretty much where I landed. I also had to adjust the air pressure three or four times so that I neither floated (which provides insufficient "command" of the bike") nor bottomed out on the underlying seat, pun unintended.

I can't say if it's a better or worse solution than Corbin, HD Sportster or gel options since I haven't tried those, but for $100 I think it's a good way to go. The only down-side I see is that solid seats are easier to wipe dry after a mid-day rain than this cushion would be, so it's likely I'll suffer from wet butt returning from work someday...

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