This is what my bike looked like when I first purchased it in June, I laid it down at the beginning of august, and figured since it is incapacitated over the winter, and I wouldn't be able to ride anyhow, I want to make a few modifications to it. First of all, I need new plastics, so I was curious about some compatibility of other parts. anyone know any? also, I need a brake lever, so if anyone, ANYONE at all has one for REALLY REALLY cheap, I would be extremely greatful. I am also looking to do a few mods myself, but want to know if anyone has a few good ideas to make my bike stand out more.


I am also looking for a Honda OEM spark plug wrench because my spark plugs are bad, and I will be performing a complete tune-up of the bike over the winter while I am home from school.

Any help at all would be greatly appreciated.

 

Personally, I think smaller front and rear blinkers are a huge way to take the factory edge off a bike. Also, get a new windshield. Not only do they look cool and add a aire of "I have a sportbike, and I know how to use it", but the affect they have on high speed stability and the bigger sir pocket they produce is WAY more helpful than one may think. I got a Puig, which are race-specific and it has been a great addition.

Does your bike still have the OEM muffler? because if it does (and you aren't putting a new can on it) bead blast the **** out of it. The matte finish look really nice with the matte frame/swingarm finish the bikes come with. What color is your bike, the yellow and black color scheme with the blasted pipe may look better than the black and red. Also, a few stickers are a nice touch. They help personalize your bike, and are a little way to show what you have for mods. Stick to stickers of what you have on the bike, there would be nothing like pulling up and having someone ask how you like your Brembo's when you don't have `em! Frame sliders are also a great investment, but don't get the metal ones unless you are going only for looks. Metal on pavement equals bad. The plastic ones will grind away when sliding whereas the metal ones have the possibility of catching and flipping your bike up.

On a side note, I did the attached mod to my bike and it will be a huge aid when it comes time to get low again in the summer!

If you are looking for performance upgrades, heres what I have on my `99 F4, and each one has had a distinct effect on the bike:
Vortex front and rear drive sprockets (OEM gearing)
RK XSO525 lightweight racechain
Stiffened suspension all around
K&N airfilter
Puig dubble bubble race windshield
Vortex Frame sliders

*I also removed the plastic fairing part behind the front wheel, and the bike seems to breathe better and stay cooler when run hard.

If you have any questions, I am glad to help.



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Now that my picture is working, you can see that it is the yellow and black color, but wont be for long. Like I said I laid it down and did some damage to the plastics, so I am looking at getting all new, and painting it.

Also, I have the D&D full system on there, and wouldn't change anything about that.. I love the way it sounds. Flush mount front blinkers, and I did a mod on the back ones to lower the profile on them, and I think they look great now. I also trimmed down the rear license holder, and got rid of all the black plastic around it, minus what the blinkers are on.. I will more than likely remove them completely and do the l.e.d. peg lights, but that will make the bike a lot sleeker.

Also thinking of a rear tire hugger, and getting my rim's polished.

on the upper half of the frame, it looks to me like someone polished that part, but didn't finish the project. I may also look into getting that completely polished. I now have low-profile carbon fiber mirrors, anodized silver front pegs, and I took the bra off and replaced it with a tank guard.

What would you suggest about covering the side hole with mesh covering? I have seen it before, and it looked rather good, but am unsure how to go about getting the mesh or doing the project myself. I will be doing this all myself because I am low on money and am wanting this to be a one of a kind job by myself.

 

Aha, now that your picture works I can see that you already have the D&D on (and the other little bits you have done). Nix the tailpipe ideas then! Mini stalk blinkers look really good and because they stick out from the bike more, also give better visibility. Plus they are only $16 a pair from most retailers.

I think the mesh is cool, but it may get in the way if you want to work on your bike without removing the fairings. The mesh would probably just push into the foam on the inside of the fairings, i'm assuming. I would get thick mesh (like the stuff you put on gutters to keep leaves out?)- and probably steel if you can. Plastic would be lighter, and black in color, but its up to you.

As far as fairings, if you are looking for OEM they are going to be expensive. If its light-weight after markets you are after, stick to Shark Skinz or something of that ilk. Light, very durable, and come primer grey and ready to paint. Shark Skinz don't have the inside foam that your OEM plastics have, so you would need to find a different way to attach the mesh, and I haven't done it so I would hate to tell you the wrong way.

As far as brake lever, do you mean the front or rear? Either one probably won't cost that much if purchased at a storefront location.

 

I was talking with a buddy who highly recommends Vortex frame sliders. They will set you back about 65 bucks but they are worth it. I have replaced my fron stock blinkers with LED ones from www.hardracing.com. They weren't cheap but look great. Targa-acc.com has a rear seat cowl that covers the rear portion of the seat and makes it look like a solo seat. A little expensive but it looks great. Look into steel braided brake lines and a intragrated tail light with fender eliminator. That would really tighten up the back end of the bike. I too wil be doing some of these mods over the winter. I'll post a pic soon of the front blinkers to show you what I mean.

 

looking for the rear brake.. from my dealer locally, it cost 50 bucks, but if I could find a used one pretty cheap, I would take it.. I am also getting carbon fiber hand levers to match the mirrors and other carbon acc. I have added. I will also be putting on new grips, end caps, and I am looking for a black, non see through windscreen.

 

Carbon fiber levers does look great, and if they match the mirrors, even better. I have been looking to do the F4i solo seat swap in my F4 banana seat for quite some time, but If there is a cowl, then I don't have to spend days re-fabricating parts.

 

Yeah plus I heard the F4i's seat is a little bit stiffer (not sure, havn't sat on it). But as for a rear tire hugger; Do you have chain lube/grease/nasty *** gunk junk flying up and hitting your left tail fairing? Man I do and it's blasted on there and all over the swing arm. I need to figure out which product is best to get that gunk off! A side note, I was riding out of a parking lot and turning left, as I did my chain fell off and I had to grab that bitch with my gloves (which are ruined now) and in the process I put my hands on my tank and my grips... so now there is smears on the tank where I tried to wipe/rub it off and it didn't come off. ****!

As for a new windscreen, I don't know about the rest of your F4's but getting those little rubber beads out of the old one (without cracking them) and putting them on the new smoked windscreen (which I cracked at some parts) were such a pain in the ***!

 

To answer, yes, I do get chain grease on my left tail section from time to time. It is very annoying. I talked with one of my buddies and it is because you (we) used chain wax over spray. To get off grease (in general) us that Orange Clean stuff (citrus is the active ingredient, and it eats grime without hurting your finish). But make sure you get the non-foaming spray bottle, the stuff that comes in the windex-like spray bottle. That stuff is AMAZING!!!

Hope that helps.

-Ian

PS. Try using liquid dish soap as lube if those little rubber washer/nut things are annoying.

 

Yeah the lube is hella sticky if I get it on my fingers. Btw I have one of those half tank bras and I can't figure out where the long cord goes thats at the front/top do I take off my gas tank and put it under there? I got it frm ebay and there is no instructions, I thought I wouldn't need them since it looks self explanitory but that long cord doesn't look like it goes anywhere except under the tank...