Sportbikes are among the most fun styles of motorcycles out there. With their aggressive riding position and aggressive styling - these bikes are built to take on speed and always do best zipping away at highway speeds and especially on a the track. While these bikes do come straight from the factory with pretty cool features...it's always a good idea to look into ways to improve your ride! Modifying your motorcycle is a great way to make it more personal and it also can improve performance of your two wheeled machine. Let's dive into some of the best mods you can do to any sportbike!
5. FRAME SLIDERS
It's a sad thing, but eventually, we all drop our bikes. No matter how experienced you are...it will happen. That being said, the best way to confront this awful reality is to be prepared for a drop or even a low side. For us bikers being prepared means wearing motorcycle gear...but what about our bikes? Protection for motorcycles comes in the form of sliders. Sliders come in all sorts of shapes and forms. Frame Sliders in particular usually bolt onto a motorcycle somewhere around the middle of the bikes frame. Basically these devices add some clearance in the form of a puck that sticks out about 2-3"'s from the bikes engine case and frame. Their job is to take the brunt of force and damage in a drop or low side. Since sportbikes often do rounds on a track, in the event of a low side in a curve....when the bike hits the ground...this will keep vital parts from being damaged in the crash. Imagine having to replace all those fairing on a sportbike all because you didn't have some sliders on there!? Ouch!
4. FENDER ELIMINATOR
This one is more of an aesthetic mod. Fender eliminators also known as tail tidy's are a great way to remove those clunky rear fenders that come stock with sportbikes. These really elevate the looks on any bike but especially sportbikes. This also can save you some weight which is always a good idea when you try to get the most out of your ride. While not everyone really needs a fender eliminator on their bike - it's something I always highly recommend!
3. TIRES
The tires that come stock on most bikes are good, but there are a lot better ones out there. Upgrading your tires can get you a lot more performance out of your machine in more ways than one. It's important to know what you're trying to achieve when looking into an upgrade. If you're trying to get more miles on your sport bike a set of nice touring tires can go a long way! If you're looking to hit the track - you'll want to get something that is sticky and with little to no grooves in it. Tires are what stand between us and the ground literally so it's always good to pick the right ones for your purpose.
2. SLIP-ON OR AFTERMARKET FULL EXHAUST SYSTEM
A way to turn heads on any motorcycle is to switch out the stock exhaust system. When doing this we normally face these two options: Slip-On or Full Exhaust System. Slip-ons are meant to replace just the can on a stock muffler can. This can improve sound and reduce some weight on a bike. These are pretty affordable and can change the look on most sportbikes. A full exhaust system is exactly what it sounds like. These replace the entire stock muffler can and also the stock headers which are all of those fancy pipes that you see. Upgrading to a full system can get you some more horsepower - but to access that horsepower it's always a good idea to get a new high flow air filter and also flash the ECU. This can get pretty pricey but for most motorcycles, it's worth it!
1. SUSPENSION
The suspension or shocks motorcycle that comes straight from the factory is made to fit all sorts of riders of all weights and heights. In order to get your bike to work the best for you - you've got to get that suspension dialed in to fit your body. It really can make a world of difference if you get your suspension just right for you. There are also many aftermarket brands that offer a better feel and better dialing than many stock shocks or forks that come stock with most sportbikes. It's always worth checking out with a professional just to see how much better they can get your suspension to work better for you!
So there you have it! 5 mods for sportbikes. While these are not exclusive to this style of motorcycle - it definitely is a great start to get the most out of them!
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