Modding info and help

[asletten]

Good evening everyone!

I am looking to learn anything I can about making my bike more comfortable, handle better and perform better. I am new to all of this and I just want to learn what will give me better performance. I know basically everything physically I change on my bike will change performance and want to know what to look for when changing such things.

I know changing handle bars will change control to a certain point and want to know what most people prefer. I have been told to go for club mans for better handling. I have also looked over a little info about some exhausts attachments giving a bit more power. What areas should I focus on learning about? Any tips and advice would be great. I currently have an old 1978 GS400X that I got for a good price and just got it tuned up. It is my first bike and I plan on getting use to it before changing anything but I know I will want to work on it and keep it around for a while.

Thanks!

[Big Rich]

Depending on your body type, clubmans might not be a good choice. They can force you to be hunched over so much and your elbows can hit your knees.

First things first: find a motorcycle safety course near you and take it.

As far as performance goes, start with general maintenance. Anything and everything should be operating the way it should before making any changes. Then comes upgrading the suspension, brakes, and tires.

[Guest]

Pretty much what Rich said really, you can go stupid with cam changes, expensive carbs, heaps of stuff but unless you get the basics right you'll always rob yourself of the gains they can give you.

I finished rebuilding my 450 about a year and a half ago and am only now really coming to terms with getting it tuned properly for a bit more performance.

Most gains I've made though are in feel and response, not power as such.

Suspension though is one thing that's definitely worthwhile investing $$$ in... I have Ikon fork springs and shocks on mine and they're a world of difference to the stock ones.

[asletten]

Thanks for the tips. I have ridden it around and have brought it in to a local repair shop owned by a guy who races cafe racers nationally. He won a championship a few years back. He tuned it up and suggested I get new fork seals soon and a new oil pan when I can.

I haven't taken the course yet but I plan on doing that sometime this summer when my schedule permits as my wife works every other weekend and she always has plans so I have my baby boy on the the weekends she works/has something going on. I also have to travel a distance to get to the classes. I do have my permit though and plan to ride my bike more and more to get a good feel for it.

As I said, I am just looking for info as I am one who loves to 'think' about changing/upgrading things even if I am not even at the point of doing so. Gives me time to analyze my finances, research, learn and dream! I'd rather know what to do when I get there than get there and spend the time looking for it .

I don't mind the bars right now as that's all I've had to use, however the seat is a bit higher than I like which I would like to cut down which would make the bars a little higher afterwards. I am 6' if that means anything. Before I change anything though I will continue to ride until I notice the main things that do bother me. I do intend to customize my bike at a certain point, keeping the stock parts but replacing them with other parts...looks mainly. I would like a 2 to 1 exhaust and a lower seat without the rear tail piece with a custom tail light below the seat. I would also like to get a different or same tank that I wouldn't feel bad about repainting and some GS450 rims as I would rather have them instead of spoked rims.

This bike will be 'my bike' for years to come. I want it to be my baby. I want it to be what I love and what I'm proud of and I would love to put any birthday/xmas/father's day gifts towards making it a better looking (in my opinion) and a better running bike. I'm not about power or huge engines like most people, I like the feel of the smaller bike. I want it to be fun but I also want it to suit me personally.

I have spent the last few months looking/reading about riding tips, building tips (mainly looks) including anything creating fiberglass tanks (which I'm not interested in) and seats to proper ways to spray paint your wheels to building seats (fiberglass, using a gas tank as a cut out, using your own seat, or using a wood base cut out). I have looked at cutting frames to fit seats but I am not even close to ready with cutting anything.

Thanks for any info! I spend a few hours a day reading about projects and how they did it to give me an idea of how to do things myself.