I sometimes wonder why we modify our bikes. Is it to add power, or merely put our own spin on our rides. I started this poll actually just to see how many out there are interested in performance. I gather from the myriad of "what exhaust should I buy?" threads on this forum that most only care about looks.

When I say modifying for performance please understand I am not just talking horsepower. This includes any bike upgrade designed to make the bike handle better, make it lighter, or add to the ridability of the bike. Examples include power commanders, shift star kits, timing modules etc.

Modifying for looks prodominently includes bolt on plastic parts, paintjobs, rims, mesh grills etc.

Why modify?

 

I voted performance because my bikes don’t look good by any means. I just do what I have to in order to get my bikes road legal and still go at fast speeds with confidence.

 

All my plastics are scratched and cracked, tank is dented, and frame/ swingarm has scratches. The first project is brakes (lines and pads) then the suspension. I'd rather brag about my setup rather than my pain job.

 

Once you get the suspension properly set up, the bike probably has more performance than most of us know how to use anyway.

Is there another category for mods like a Corbin seat, trunk kit, tank bag?

 

To modify for performace gains on a 600 seems dopey to me. The factory makes a 1000ccalternative that will be better in every way, spend your money on that. If you are gonna race it, mods make sense, spend whatever you can to win. But to put on a slip-on, then a pcIII and then dyno tune it for 700 to $1000 and get only a handful of HPs is really kinda crazy, unless of course you have more money than brains.

 

I like my bikes to look good but handle really well. I do the normal, windscreen and flushmount and minor cosmetics but other than that I worry about suspension and braking.

 

track day bike: all performance
race bike: performance is the most important but appearance isn't too incredibly far behind (sponsors care about appearance)
street bike: appearance is more important to me when considering mods, cause I don't need an AMA FX level bike to ride to work but I don't like my stuff looking like crap.

I'm actually working on a project right now making a street/trackday bike, so the balancing act between performance and appearance is a constant issue. Its got to look good for riding around on the street but perform really well on the track. Luckily trackday orgs don't have quite as specific rules on number plates as racing so I can have some fun with that kind of stuff. The only real "bling" that I'll have is piece of carbon fiber as an undertail (got a sheet of CF cheap), that the plate/brake light/turn signal brackets will bolt on to. I'm using DZUS fasteners for everything I can including the entire undertail and headlight so all the street stuff can be removed and the bike ready to get back on the track in about 30 seconds while still looking good and performing great.

Power is of little use to me on the street or at trackdays. My F4i still has a slip-on exhaust and hasn't been dyno tuned (despite needing it after removing all the emissions stuff lol) but it does have top of the line suspension, brakes, tires, etc.

 

I like my bike to look good and stand out from the rest. So keepin git clean and modded a little bit is priority. A few performance mods don't hurt either...but nothing to crazy

 

track bike (f4i): performance. some ergonomics, though it ties into performance. i do sometimes care what it looks like, but the effort i put in never extends beyond respraying the plastics or covering a scratch with a new sticker. handling is most important, power is least, but i am planning on dynotuning the PC + yosh full system to help me overcome literbike syndrome (when literbikes park it in corners and smoke you in straights at track days), and doing a 520 convo.

To the guy saying that modding a 600 is ridiculous b/c you should just get a 1000...the great thing about modding a 600 even for a few ponies is that it still TURNS like a 600. i'll never be too into literbikes because i don't like the way they make me work when turning. italian liter twins might be an exception.

For the streetbike (675), looks, performance, sound, and quality all play a role in what mods i decide to do.

 

I bought a 600 because its what i can afford...Saying instead of modding a 600 buya 1000 is dumb. With me being 17 they wanted $400+ to insure a 1000 i pay 50 a month on my 600. thats a 350 dallor a month difference. over a year that 4200 dallors in just insurance...so u still spend way less on mods on a 600 than even just riding a 1000...