Why do we Modify?

I was just reading the posts of some new members to the forum and their desire to upgrade and add their personal touches to their Bandits.

Exhausts, air filters, chain oilers, heated grips, custom seats the lists can go on and on and on.

We could all spend a bit more money and get a bike with all these modifications already taken care of, Ducati's and BMW's come to mind, but we decided to buy a bike and then spend extra to upgrade them.

I think this allows us to feel part of the actual construction process of the bike. I think if Suzuki released a model with these modifications already done, a few of us would be but a lot of us would still change something to make it our own.
As a standard bike in standard trim, the Bandit would probably be good enough to challenge and win the Isle of Man TT in the mid to late 80's, against the top notch race bikes of the day. (Pretty good really!)

No matter how good a bike is, we all have our idea of the best bike and we will always modify our own to suit.

I'm sure those that own a 100k Duc GP replica from a few years back, managed to find something on it to modify.

I'm a fan of the little touches that people add and hope that it continues over the years.

Each to their own I guess.
For some its a pissing contest. For others its getting the bike to do what they want for a particular purpose.
There's hardly a Busa on the road that doesnt have a PC fitted. As if a million HP isnt enough

I'm all for personalising in whatever way puts a smile on owners faces. Just dont pull up at the servo and announce to me your Bandit is putting out 170hp because you have a Yoshi and a K & N fitted (happened once) because that does make you look and sound like a dickhead.

The perfect Bike, Car, Woman  has not been made yet.   

The attractiveness of modification (personalisation) is evident in the marketing approach BM have adopted with the R ninety T, and H-D with the SVO models.  At the end of the day, my bike (IMO) is channelling the sit-up-and-beg superbikes of my youth (the Moriwaki Kwaka's, Yoshimura Suzuki's etc.), but with the benefit of 35 years of chassis development. 

Surprisingly, the GSF does feel a whole lot like the GSX1000E of the late 70's/early 80's.

You're right about the new BMW R90T, the cafe racer style nortons coming out etc.

I think the manufacturers are seeing a burgeoning market place for this type of bike and customization and are giving the customers the options from the start.

Those bikes of the 70's and 80's were my poster bikes as a kid and I think that is why I am happy with the Bandit of today. The modern Sportsbikes all faired up ready to race look cool but I don't think I'd ever buy one.

I haven't done anything to the engine of my Bandit as I consider it powerful enough. I just wanted to liberate the sound via an exhaust, personalize the look with a black visor, paint some of the aluminium parts black, install black barkbusters, small blinkers and a Hotbodyz undertail. I consider my Bandit to be unique and have satisfied my desires in the look I want.

I don't think i'll change anything more and will just ride it, change tyres, fuel up and have fun!!!

I guess there are a variety of reasons.  Here's some off the top of my head:
(a) some are because of ergonomics, ie a 6' 3" tall rider will have a very different riding posture to a 5' 3" rider (arbitrary heights of course).  So that may mean changes to the standard screen, bar height and reach, seat height, to name the probably most obvious.
(b) some are because the manufacturer didn't install some fairly basic but essential item, ie radiator guard (even more important to those that live on dirt roads (of which Oz has lots obviously).  A fender extender, brighter indicators, headlights, GPI and even a hugger might also fit this category.
(c) some are because the rider wants extra ponies - too many to mention.  This is probably the category that comes in for the most stick, ie "should have bought a different bike", blah, blah, blah.  As others have said, each to their own.
(d) some are because riders just want to personalise their bike, ie like my soon to be JPS Bandit replica!  You might really like a Bandit (say) because of fit and price but are not happy with Suzuki's one color approach (maybe you grew up when bikes had proper colors!).  One member's choice to have his new GSX1250FA delivered in GSF750 pearl white is a good second example.
(e) some are to improve on other bike characteristics, eg handling - fork braces, spring and shock changes, even rim size change.
(f) fuck it - I just wanted to change something because I felt like it!

Ok, I just threw in (f) because I couldn't be bothered to add any more categories.  

Ewok1958 wrote:I guess there are a variety of reasons.  Here's some off the top of my head:
(a) some are because of ergonomics, ie a 6' 3" tall rider will have a very different riding posture to a 5' 3" rider (arbitrary heights of course).  So that may mean changes to the standard screen, bar height and reach, seat height, to name the probably most obvious.
(b) some are because the manufacturer didn't install some fairly basic but essential item, ie radiator guard (even more important to those that live on dirt roads (of which Oz has lots obviously).  A fender extender, brighter indicators, headlights, GPI and even a hugger might also fit this category.
(c) some are because the rider wants extra ponies - too many to mention.  This is probably the category that comes in for the most stick, ie "should have bought a different bike", blah, blah, blah.  As others have said, each to their own.
(d) some are because riders just want to personalise their bike, ie like my soon to be JPS Bandit replica!  You might really like a Bandit (say) because of fit and price but are not happy with Suzuki's one color approach (maybe you grew up when bikes had proper colors!).  One member's choice to have his new GSX1250FA delivered in GSF750 pearl white is a good second example.
(e) some are to improve on other bike characteristics, eg handling - fork braces, spring and shock changes, even rim size change.
(f) fuck it - I just wanted to change something because I felt like it!

Ok, I just threw in (f) because I couldn't be bothered to add any more categories.  

And you just wanted to drop the F bomb

I mutare ergo sum


(I modify, therefore I am)


I have sort of come full circle, enjoy the quiet civility of the standard pipe due to leaving home at 0530 each day and getting in the crap for waking the kids

kewwig wrote:I mutare ergo sum


(I modify, therefore I am)


I have sort of come full circle, enjoy the quiet civility of the standard pipe due to leaving home at 0530 each day and getting in the crap for waking the kids

How much do you think it cost you power wise?

Expecting that it is not that much but can't remember any specific (dyno) results.

Because I like to pull things apart ,

Dekenai wrote:

kewwig wrote:I mutare ergo sum


(I modify, therefore I am)


I have sort of come full circle, enjoy the quiet civility of the standard pipe due to leaving home at 0530 each day and getting in the crap for waking the kids

How much do you think it cost you power wise?

Expecting that it is not that much but can't remember any specific (dyno) results.

I have the secondaries out still, K and N, but standard airbox and TFI set to Stage 1 and the standard pipe.  Not as fast as Stage 2 with the Yoshi, but better than standard.  Hard to say, but realistically I don't wind the thing out every day so it all gets rather theoretical.  Stage 2 is suppsed to be around 126 hp, so I'd guess at 110, but who knows without the dyno. I'll get bored and 30 mins will see it full stage 2 again, but for now it's just, well, nice.  Still gets up and hustles when I want it to, but mainly I commute.

We modify because the weather is to crap to ride sometimes

reddog wrote:We modify because the weather is to crap to ride sometimes

Sadly I enjoy working on my bike almost as much as riding it. Something cathartic about making machinery reflect your own wants

I don't mind it either. But I enjoy riding much more.

It's a pity I haven't been able to get out on my Bandit for well over 2 months.Suffering from withdrawals atm. Might wheel the dirt bike on the weekend to get my fix.

In the words of my 16yo "L" plating son when asked why he painted the front mudguard fluro red


Cause it's my Chinese POS and it gives it character


Nuf said

So many great reasons.

Maybe the answer should be that there doesn't need to be a reason or that any way we justify it to ourselves is OK.

It reminds me of the first bike I owned, a 1985 GPZ 250 Kawasaki belt drive with a hole in the left side header and oil leaking from a gasket. All I cared about was re-spraying it Red with a Purple seat section so that it looked like the ZXR 750 of the early 90's - a favourite of mine. I didn't care that the Kwakka 250 was a bit beaten up and dirty and rusty, I just wanted to have my own mini ZXR!!! and I loved it.
The very first time I went to clean the bike, after i'd bought it of a University friend, I started out using a toothbrush on the wheels for every nook and cranny! It was a proud day when i actually got the wheel rims to shine. That's why I do it, to satisfy my own personal urge.

Any modifications that others have done that have been successful / unsuccessful?

Why?

It's the best bike I've ever owned (also the third), and I want it to be my very own.

I'm sure there's a space for cup holders on the handlebars...

  

OT, but as I commute from Yass to Canberra on the bike about twice a week, I've been thinking of filling a hot water bottle with coffee and stuffing it down the front of my jacket before setting out in the morning. By the time I got to work, all I'd have to do is add milk.

Cup holders??

Got me thinking of unneccessary accessories to add.

What about:

Radio (Why Harley and Goldwings have them I just don't know, just listen to the engine, the wind and your thoughts I say!)

Mohawks on Helmets (They just look tacky!)

LED lights inside fairings and the engine (How much do you want to pose?)

Spikey nuts and bolts (Wear an 80's punk dog collar while you are at it.)

Metal testicles hanging from a tow ball (This one's for the 4 wheel vehicles!)

Truck bandit wrote:Cup holders??

Got me thinking of unneccessary accessories to add.

What about:


Metal testicles hanging from a tow ball (This one's for the 4 wheel vehicles!)

While you're on metal testicles, how about the stupid eye lashes for the headlights, (hopefully once again, only for those people driving 4 wheel vehicles)

Givi

gus wrote:Givi

Here we go again.........   

Ugly racks
Floppy Bags
power commanders
heated grips
Honda badges
custom seats
carbon fibre

Who haven't I had a shot at now?

Gen 1....

How far is to far?

Jacked up 4wd's with huge tires and those valves that go pheeeefff every gear change .

gus wrote:Jacked up 4wd's with huge tires and those valves that go pheeeefff every gear change .

4WDs with huge rims and low profile road tyres.