Best upgrades for the money

[Trackstar1.com]

So we get asked quite a bit what the best upgrades are for the money. I figured I would throw out my opinion and then get some opinions from you guys.

Performance:

Gearing is number 1. Changing to a 520 chain and sprocket reduces a bunch of rotating/driving mass. Also dropping a tooth up front and adding 1 or 2 in the rear will make the old ass dyno very happy.

Suspension: At the very least you should check that your fork/shock springs are the correct size for your weight. If not replace them with the correct springs. Setting correct sag/rebound/comp is the next step and will make your bike feel amazing. The next step up is a revalve or cartridge kits.

Tires: Correct pressure and some qulaity sticky tires makes life very very good. Remember tires are much cheaper than rashed fairings.

Steering Damper: It will probably save your life one day.

Power Commander and custom map: Smooth that torque curve and find hidden horse power. Dont think that a generic downloaded map is going to help...chances are it wont. Pay for some dyno time and get the map made for your bike.

Exhaust: This is the last thing I would do performance wise but one of the first for cosmetic/sound. The gains in HP from a slip-on are minimal and without the installation of a Power Commander or other FI controller are slim to none. You can probably get more from a Power Commander and a custom map with your stock system than just by adding an exhaust. Combining the 2 will give you some excellent gains.

Stainless brake lines/quality rotors: Brakelines will make a huge difference in both feel and performance. Good rotors will do the same. One of the first things I do to any new bike.

Wheels: Expensive but worth it if your racing. Otherwise they are just a very nice cosmetic addition.

Rearsets: Quality rearset will give you smoother shifting and rear braking. Also adjustable so you can get your feet and legs where you want them. A must have for the track to get those pegs out of reach of the asphalt.

Thats my personal thoughts anyway...whats your personal fellings?

[Cutty72]

mods I do, cause i ride to ride, not to race

F/E, cause the stock mudflap looks hideous
flushmounts (if required, depends on model)
Sliders, cause shit happens
Exhaust - pick your flavor (slip on/full) for the better sound... loud pipes save lives.
Tank pad, cause nicks on the tank suck

Tires, when the stockers are shot
SS Brake lines, on the list, when $$ available
Gearing - stock works for me on the street, but i got V-twin torque
Suspension - need someone smarter than I to f too much with that.
PC - if i get a full system, sure. No dyno near by though... tough to get a tune.

after that, it's up to you!

[Cole]

#1 More training. Skill before power.

[Trackstar1.com]

Cutty: Suspension isnt that tough to set up for good street riding. I would be more than happy to help you in any way.


Cole: You deserve a medal for that post. Good to see someone with more brains than ego!

[Cutty72]

Cutty: Suspension isnt that tough to set up for good street riding. I would be more than happy to help you in any way.


Cole: You deserve a medal for that post. Good to see someone with more brains than ego!

I'll take you up on that when i get my new ride.
There just isn't much to adjust on the SV... preload only.

[Dogbone]

#1 More training. Skill before power.

Track day.

#1 thing you can do to make your ride faster and safer.

[Cole]

Track day.

#1 thing you can do to make your ride faster and safer.

I disagree to an extent. Just riding on a track does nothing for your skill in handling abrupt manuvers, watching drivers, handling changing road conditions etc.

Riding on the track can make you more confident in a controlled environment. But that environment is static and the quality of instructors varies HUGE.

I have taught performance driving as a professional since the mid 90s. Unfortunately MOST instructors are only skilled enough to tell you how "they" get around a particular track fast. Very few of them can break down the specific skills to make you fast and/or skilled in any circumstance.

While there are skills for the track they don't equate directly to good road skills. I could only wish every corner were that predictable, smooth, clear of traffic etc.

Should track days be "part" of your training? Absolutely!!! But they should not be as large a part as many people give them credit for.

[Crash Test Joey]

I disagree to an extent. Just riding on a track does nothing for your skill in handling abrupt manuvers, watching drivers, handling changing road conditions etc.

Riding on the track can make you more confident in a controlled environment. But that environment is static and the quality of instructors varies HUGE.

I have taught performance driving as a professional since the mid 90s. Unfortunately MOST instructors are only skilled enough to tell you how "they" get around a particular track fast. Very few of them can break down the specific skills to make you fast and/or skilled in any circumstance.

While there are skills for the track they don't equate directly to good road skills. I could only wish every corner were that predictable, smooth, clear of traffic etc.

Should track days be "part" of your training? Absolutely!!! But they should not be as large a part as many people give them credit for.
Agreed.

Trackdays are great for learning how to ride fast safely, in a safe environment. I loved the two I did with my R1. And I'd love to go back and do more when I get another bike better suited to it.

But the track is not much like the open road, with traffic, potholes, stupid people, blind people and cops. Trackdays don't teach "defensive riding" like they teach (or are supposed to) in Driver's Ed classes. Maybe it varies a bit from state to state, but where I live if you don't ride defensively, you're gonna get dead in a hurry. We have more stupid people here than most other places, but everywhere has some shitty drivers on the road.

My vote would be to have trackdays but have designated "douchebags" scattered around the track - you know, people who pull out in front of you, change lanes without signaling, throw fast food bags out their windows at you, hit you in the chest with lit cigarette butts, all the everyday stuff that a rider on the street comes across.

[Pippi]

So we get asked quite a bit what the best upgrades are for the money. I figured I would throw out my opinion and then get some opinions from you guys.

Performance:

Gearing is number 1. Changing to a 520 chain and sprocket reduces a bunch of rotating/driving mass. Also dropping a tooth up front and adding 1 or 2 in the rear will make the old ass dyno very happy.

Suspension: At the very least you should check that your fork/shock springs are the correct size for your weight. If not replace them with the correct springs. Setting correct sag/rebound/comp is the next step and will make your bike feel amazing. The next step up is a revalve or cartridge kits.

Tires: Correct pressure and some qulaity sticky tires makes life very very good. Remember tires are much cheaper than rashed fairings.

Steering Damper: It will probably save your life one day.

Power Commander and custom map: Smooth that torque curve and find hidden horse power. Dont think that a generic downloaded map is going to help...chances are it wont. Pay for some dyno time and get the map made for your bike.

Exhaust: This is the last thing I would do performance wise but one of the first for cosmetic/sound. The gains in HP from a slip-on are minimal and without the installation of a Power Commander or other FI controller are slim to none. You can probably get more from a Power Commander and a custom map with your stock system than just by adding an exhaust. Combining the 2 will give you some excellent gains.

Stainless brake lines/quality rotors: Brakelines will make a huge difference in both feel and performance. Good rotors will do the same. One of the first things I do to any new bike.

Wheels: Expensive but worth it if your racing. Otherwise they are just a very nice cosmetic addition.

Rearsets: Quality rearset will give you smoother shifting and rear braking. Also adjustable so you can get your feet and legs where you want them. A must have for the track to get those pegs out of reach of the asphalt.

Thats my personal thoughts anyway...whats your personal fellings?

Awesome Thread! Here's my thoughts....

Gearing - YES! For me was a must and made a great difference.

Suspension - YES! We had a suspension set-up day with the club and definitely made a difference for me. You figure my bike (04 gixxer 1k) came out of the box with basic suspension set-up for say 180lb dude, not my 118 lb azz - the first year at the Gap (pre-suspension set-up) and the next year post suspension set-up felt WAYYYY better.

Tires- A MUST!!!!! If you don't have good tires and can't trust em -fo get about it!

Steering Dampner - not yet

Commander & map - nope, and probably wont.

Exhaust - Gotta love my dual highmount Devils :) Did em myself. Diddn't really gain more than a few HP but they are dead sexy and makes the bike IMO :)

Wheels - stock

Rearsets - just got em last year - LOVE EM! Vortex and just gave me a better position on the bike.

And track days? Yes, excellent. Done a bunch prior to the 1K on my old 6 and gsxr 750 but I wont take my 1K on the track. When one day I get some disposable $ (should be 92 by then) but I would get a 6 or an SV.

Just my 2 cents!

[Cutty72]

Awesome Thread! Here's my thoughts....

Gearing - YES! For me was a must and made a great difference.

Suspension - YES! We had a suspension set-up day with the club and definitely made a difference for me. You figure my bike (04 gixxer 1k) came out of the box with basic suspension set-up for say 180lb dude, not my 118 lb azz - the first year at the Gap (pre-suspension set-up) and the next year post suspension set-up felt WAYYYY better.

Tires- A MUST!!!!! If you don't have good tires and can't trust em -fo get about it!

Steering Dampner - not yet

Commander & map - nope, and probably wont.

Exhaust - Gotta love my dual highmount Devils :) Did em myself. Diddn't really gain more than a few HP but they are dead sexy and makes the bike IMO :)

Wheels - stock

Rearsets - just got em last year - LOVE EM! Vortex and just gave me a better position on the bike.

And track days? Yes, excellent. Done a bunch prior to the 1K on my old 6 and gsxr 750 but I wont take my 1K on the track. When one day I get some disposable $ (should be 92 by then) but I would get a 6 or an SV.

Just my 2 cents!

I love the look of you devils... how do they sound?

my next bike will probably be a GSXR of some type... 750 or 1K... and it will get on the track eventually.
Depends on how into it I get after that. I have thought about getting a full set of plastics, extra wheels with race rubber, and track gearing.
That's a lot of investment tho... so i wanna make sure it's something i want to do a lot of first.

[Dogbone]

Track days on the bike you ride is a must. I think it teaches you the limits of you and your bike. It does make you a better rider overall IMO. I know how my bike feels before the rear end breaks loose. I know how far I can push my bike in a curve. I do agree that a track is a PERFECT condition only. There are no rocks in the road, old ladies stoppin in a curve, dogs jumpin out in front of you....etc. Every new bike I get a track day must be done on it. Otherwise I don't really know the bike.

Suspension adjustment is the 1st thing I do.........most bikes are set up all wrong for a guy my size.

This was really my point, but I was being lazy....

In a controlled environment you can push your limits much further than you should ever attempt on the road, thus you can learn to control your motorcycle under different circumstances that you may or may not experience on the road. Slide the rear end in a corner? Not too big a deal on the track, but do it on the street for the first time and you might need a spatula to unhook your bunghole from the seat.....And when that dog or kid or dump truck is around that blind corner in the middle of the street, its nice to know you've already experimented with maximum braking.....

The open road can be a scary place, but if you're familiar with your motorcycle and the way it reacts from playing in controlled circumstances, you have a huge advantage over someone who is trying to learn on the fly....

[Britjoe]

Track days and Stainless Breakhose