Sparty's Steed

[spartacus]

I really wasn't going to start modifying the Tracer so soon—I like to ride a new bike stock for a bit to really see what needs to change. I only picked it up a month or so ago. I got rear-ended in an almost zero-speed red light mishap on my first commute into work on it a few weeks ago, so I guess waiting to mod was not in the cards.
 
I was first in line in a left turn lane and the person behind me thought we were moving. We were not: red light was still red. They let off their brakes and slowly nudged the stock fender, bending its mounting bracket, bending up the license plate, and scuffed the rear tire. The bike was still road-worthy and I just rode it home. Their insurance (Geico) took care of everything.
 
 
So I replace the damaged items and added a few more:
 
[ul type=disc][*]Amazon tidy tail -
     Does its job. Much lighter than stock. Once I get the bike inspected I'm lobbing off its turn signal mounting ears for a cleaner look.[/ul]

 

 

 
 
 
[ul type=disc][*]LED front turn signals -
    They came with the tidy tail and are not very bright. Will be replaced at some point with bright-as-crap like the Proton 500 signals ... but on a stalk. I still prefer the front signals on stalks for visibility from the opposite side. Since I ride with saddlebags most of the time anyway, I'm not worried about being narrow. Lane splitting is illegal in MD, womp womp.
 
[/ul]
 

 
 
 
[ul type=disc][*]Custom LED integrated tail light -
    This thing is awesome. I juggled between it and the Moto Dynamic version. Opted for this because it looked brighter. I feel very seen now.
 
[/ul][/a]
 
 
 
[ul type=disc][*]Amazon swingarm spools -
    Again, cheap Chinese CNC parts, and again for under $10 US, shipped. The blue anodizing doesn't match the "blurple" wheels, though, so I'll probably replace them with gold, black, or silver in the future. I'll also go with a pair that extend further out from the swingarm as these allow my rear stand's teeth to come dangerously close to scratching the hell out of my swingarm's finish.
 
[/ul]
 
 
 
[ul type=disc][*]Amazon mirror extenders -
    I couldn't see anything but my elbows. These fixed it for cheap. I'll eventually go bar-end mirrors, I think.
 
[/ul]
 
 
 
[ul type=disc][*]Grip Puppies
    I've never had them before and I thought I'd give them a try. I like the added circumference. It also cuts some of the handlebar vibration—I've never owned a bike with anything other than a big V-twin, so the triple's resonances are new, but not really that bothersome. An air compressor aides installation to the point that it's trivial. *They are easy to install without air as well!
 
[/ul]
 
[ul type=disc][*]Cut stock windscreen down & vinyl wrapped -
     The stock windscreen caused train-like howl in my helmet (Shoei RF-1200) in any position at speeds over 40 mph so it had to go. I'd been running it without any windscreen at all, but I needed to do something to cover the mounting holes and support brackets. Quick hack saw job, some light hand sanding, and a vinyl wrap with some left over carbon fiber print and she's good to go for now. The wrap job was definitely a quick one, and I ran of material, but I think it'll be fine. I also removed the stock hand guards for the same reason: they don't really work and I'm more of a function guy.[/ul]

 

 

 

 

 
 
[ul type=disc][*]RAM X-Grip phone mount -
     I threw a RAM ball under the stock mirror stalk. Works perfectly. X-Grip from previous bike works without fail.
 
[/ul]
 
 
 
[ul type=disc][*]Battery tender pigtail -
    Because power. Ain't it cute.[/ul]

 
 
That's it for the time being.
 
 
Some things I'd like to add at some point, in order:
 
[ol type=decimal][*]The brightest LED stalk front turn signals
[*]Make a bracket for my Cortech soft saddlebags so they don't sag in[*]Make a padded backrest for my wife
[*]Oxford heated grips[*]Weighted bar ends (FZ-09?) or bar end mirrors[*]Engine protection, swingarm protection[*]Taller aftermarket windscreen (22–24" since I'm 6'3")[*]Aftermarket seat (to stop sliding forward and comfort. maybe heated)[*]Dropped or adjustable rubberized foot pegs (for my 33" inseam)[*]Upgraded suspension front/rear[*]Hard panniers (FJR? FJ?)[*]LED driving lights (on the forks or fab up an OEM copy under the headlights)[*]Yoshimura? exhaust and ECU tune[/ol]
 

[koth442]

Sucks ya got rear ended. Some people's children I swear....
 
Happy modding! Looks good so far.

[wordsmith]

 
 

I really wasn't going to start modifying the Tracer so soon—I like to ride a new bike stock for a bit to really see what needs to change. I only picked it up a month or so ago. I got rear-ended in an almost zero-speed red light mishap on my first commute into work on it a few weeks ago, so I guess waiting to mod was not in the cards. 
So I replace the damaged items and added a few more:
 
[ul type=disc][*]Grip Puppies[/ul]

That's an impressive list of early add-ons, spartacus - enjoy! 
Just a comment on the Grip Puppies, always the first things I put onto any new bike I own (and they have been many over the years).   Firstly - they must be the real thing, not the cheaper so-thin-you-can-see-through-them-when-held-up-to-the-light knock-offs.   I think the genuine article is from the UK.
 
More importantly, and with all due respeck, I hope your saying that an air-compressor makes it easier to fit them doesn't put folks off.   I've never had the least difficulty fitting them with the aid of only a bit of soapy water, for it's true they do not just 'slip on' as the can suggests, but otherwise it's an easy tool-free install.

[spartacus]

That's an impressive list of early add-ons, spartacus - enjoy!
 
Just a comment on the Grip Puppies ... they must be the real thing, not the cheaper so-thin-you-can-see-through-them-when-held-up-to-the-light knock-offs.
 
More importantly, and with all due respeck, I hope your saying that an air-compressor makes it easier to fit them doesn't put folks off. I've never had the least difficulty fitting them with the aid of only a bit of soapy water, for it's true they do not just 'slip on' as the can suggests, but otherwise it's an easy tool-free install.

 
Thanks!
 
The young whipper-snapper was 86 years old and she was lovely. Just got a bit confused and rammed into me—she felt horrible. I gave her a hug. With all mistakes forgiven, we had a serious moment of reflection that took her age into consideration ... she promised me she will not let complacency run amok!
 
As for the Grip Puppies, this was the first time trying them and I really like them. I got the real deal, which are fairly thick but do not absorb moisture. Please read people: these are as easy as slipping a sock over a foot. The sock has a bit of grip on the inside, however, and is one size too small. It will slide over, but as @wordsmith said, aides such as some soapy water (which evaporates leaving no trace) or compressed air can ease the process.
 
I'll have to slip them off and on again when I do the Oxford heated grips in the future, and I'm not sweating it in the least bit.

[spartacus]

I was able to adjust the APS yesterday and took a quick jaunt to the end of the driveway and back. It felt much smoother during the on/off throttle transition and I’m excited to see how effortless traffic will be now.
 
The actual procedure is a breeze: I used a 1/4”-drive socket wrench with a 5/16” (or 8 mm) thin wall socket and didn’t have to make any special tool or anything to get the two APS screws.
 
Before:
Menu 14 — 17 closed, 101 open
Menu 15 — 16 closed, 100 open
 
After:
Menu 14 — 13 closed, 97 open
Menu 15 — 13 closed, 97 open
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[spartacus]

Put two tanks of gas through after the APS adjustment and my opinion is the bike should have come stock like this. Everything has smoothed out, even in A mode. Much, much nicer overall.
 
I changed the oil and oil filter over the weekend and secretly hoped that would quiet the engine down a bit, but it didn’t. Shifting is much nicer, though (I just used Yamalube).
 
The rattles at idle with the bike in neutral and clutch out worries me, though I know this CP3 engine is kind of clanky. I think I want to do the manual CCT soon.

[spartacus]

I had the stock exhaust modified to be a bit louder and deeper. Performance gains are definitely not the goal, though welcome. I miss the torque of the 1125. It definitely achieves the sound goals: much deeper, only a bit louder than stock at idle. Once you rev it, the volume increases with rpm and gets a pinch raspy. I imagine downshifts popping a bit (too rainy here to test ride).
 

 

[kingofthenorth]

I did the same with my exhaust, sound is so much nicer BUT the popping is killing me. While coming slowly at a stop, I sometimes grab the clutch way too early just to avoid the annoying, never ending popping.

[spartacus]

Here’s some shots showing the muffler looking as stock as can be, albeit a few welds on top. Polished up those headers, too.
 

 

 

 

[spartacus]

I did the same with my exhaust, sound is so much nicer BUT the popping is killing me. While coming slowly at a stop, I sometimes grab the clutch way too early just to avoid the annoying, never ending popping.

That's unfortunate ... I really hope it doesn't do that. We'll see! The extra hole he put in for me definitely wasn't a small one.

[norcal616]

the popping can be practically eliminated by installing AIS block off plates or having it disabled via ECU flash

[spartacus]

the popping can be practically eliminated by installing AIS block off plates or having it disabled via ECU flash

Always room for more mods! My wallet dislikes your comment, especially after saving some money by modding the muffler myself! 
So I was able to take a 30 min ride in between storm clouds and the exhaust definitely sounds better. It's deeper and louder overall, especially climbing past 6k rpm under heavy load. It pops and cracks decelerating under about 3k rpm while downshifting. I kind of like it. For now. I know when it gets super hot out and I've been riding for a while it'll get annoying. We'll see! I definitely enjoy being able to hear the engine over the intake howl and engine noise, even with earplugs in.
 
It could be louder and deeper, though. If I were to do it again, I'd have the hole in the catalytic converter partition wall made larger. It's about 1.75" dia now; so like 2.5" perhaps.
 
Worthwhile mod, though.

[spartacus]

I was tired of my Cortech saddlebags sagging so much, especially when I had them packed full for commuting to work. Gym bag, lunch, laptop and such. They unzip and expand so I might was use it, right?
 
Grabbed two pieces of 1x12x3/16” steel and two pieces of 1/4” or 3/16” (I can’t remember) steel rod from the orange Depot. Cut the steel strips to length (about 12”) and drilled two holes to mount. Used the stock hardware and spacers. Heated and bent the steel rod to shape, by eye for the most part. I went back to the bike constantly with the bags mounted to make sure the shape was right.
 
Then I welded the rods onto the bars, ground down the monstrous boogers that I call welds down nice and smooth, and shot it with a few layers of gloss black.
 
They work great and I’m very pleased. I don’t really load them down that much, not compared to if they were hard bags, so I don’t think I need a cross bar for support. The stock is thick enough and I believe my welds were good enough that they aren’t going anywhere. I’ll monitor and add one or two if need be.
 
 

 

 

 

 
 

[koth442]

Nice work! Looks clean.
 
And LOL at your giant booger welds. That's how I weld too