This
"Common Modification" FAQ is in two parts. The first
part is the result of a survey done on the DML site in August
2003. The second part is a discussion of each mod, its pros and
cons. A big thanks to Jeffrey Fillmore for his assistance and
comments.
Owner Survey
The survey provides some insight into how frequently modifications
were made and how valuable they were perceived to be. There were
167 responses once duplicates were removed, and respondents were
asked to pick from a list of common modifications those that they'd
done. They were then asked to pick the three best
modifications. Comparing the totals to the number
of "best" ratings gives us a "value"
percentage. Lastly respondents were asked for any mods they felt
were not worthwhile.
Modifications
that were listed as being not worthwhile by at
least one person:
| Modification
listed as not worthwhile |
| Aftermarket
tach |
| airfoil |
| anything
carbon |
| battlefield
mods |
| Carbon
Bellypan |
| Corbin
Seat |
| desmog |
| DP
rear fender eliminator |
| DP
rear fender eliminator |
| exhaust
cans |
| headlight,handlebars, |
| My
Splash tank |
| pretty
much any carbon fibre is fairly useless |
| rizoma
mirrors are too small |
| Sargent
seat |
| Street
Fighter battle scars |
| tail
chop |
Discussion
of Modifications
Replace Stock Mirrors
| Applies
To: |
All
Monsters (not sure about S4R though) |
| Why
Do It: |
The
stock mirrors (aka "Mickey Mouse Ears") are pretty
much worthless for most folks. They give you a spectacular
view of your forearms, but not much else. The most popular
alternatives are bar-end mirrors, either motorcycle-specific
(CRG; Napoleon) or bicycle mirrors (Cateye) |
| Why
Not Do It: |
Barend
mirrors are usually more convex than the stock mirrors,
which means that much more than 20-30 feet back it becomes
hard to tell a Mercedes from a Crown Victoria. (I'll leave
it to you figure out why that's important.) |
| Manufacturers: |
CRG
Hindsight Mirrors, RoadRacing; Monstrack; Cateye
Bicycle Mirrors, Rizoma
|
| Recommended
Sources: |
CA-CycleWorks, MotoWheels, SpareShack,
Motostrano |
| Comments: |
Some
folks install the Napoleon mirrors in the old mounts. Plastic
plugs for the empty mounts can be purchased from Spareshack.
CRG mirrors require an adapter plug unless you can mill
the bar end weights or move the controls inward. Installation
is usually easy. Note that left hand mirror has reverse
thread. |
| Cost:
$-$$$ Difficulty: W |
Sidestand
switch
| Applies
To: |
2000-2001
Monsters |
| Why
Do It: |
Allows
you to start the bike on the sidestand, but prevents you
from taking off while the sidestand is down. This means
you can be getting your gear on while the bike is warming
up. |
| Why
Not Do It: |
Some
reports of switch or wire failure resulting in inability
to start bike or bike dying while at speed. No clear pattern
to these reports at this point. |
| Manufacturers: |
Evoluzione
Cyclesports
|
| Recommended
Sources: |
Spareshack, Motowheels |
| Comments: |
This
is a simple mod to do, although the wire routing can
take a little time to figure out. The instructions with
the Evoluzione unit are not very specific on this.
The
cheap mod here is to just remove the switch itself from
the sidestand, cut the wires and short them together
(Cost: 0). Of course, the downside is the one can now
ride off with the sidestand down. I hear some people
even with the post 2002 neutral override version are
now eliminating the switch all together because the factory
system is failing in a few cases, creating a hard to
troubleshoot starting problem. |
| Cost:
$$ Difficulty: WW |
Defeat self-retracting sidestand
| Applies
To: |
Monsters
with self-retracting sidestands |
| Why
Do It: |
Reduces
chances of accidental tip-over |
| Why
Not Do It: |
Chance
of ride-off with sidestand down |
| Manufacturers: |
Dr.
Desmo
|
| Recommended
Sources: |
|
| Comments: |
A
bolt is used to defeat the self-retraction. |
| Cost:
$ Difficulty: W |
Ground
off sidestand nub
| Applies
To: |
All
monsters |
| Why
Do It: |
Improves
left side cornering clearance |
| Why
Not Do It: |
Makes
it harder to put down the sidestand. |
| Manufacturers: |
N/A
|
| Recommended
Sources: |
N/A |
| Comments: |
Cut
off and smooth with an automotive grinder wheel. |
| Cost:
$ Difficulty: W |
Emissions
removal
| Applies
To: |
US
bikes with emissions equipment; all years |
| Why
Do It: |
Lightens
bike, cleans up right side appearance, no effect on performance |
| Why
Not Do It: |
Illegal
in states that have motorcycle emissions laws; may void
warranty |
| Manufacturers: |
TPO
Parts
|
| Recommended
Sources: |
TPO
Parts |
| Comments: |
Simple
removal of a fairly ineffective emissions system. As near
as anyone can tell the emissions system doesn't clean your
tailpipe emissions, it only re-circulates gasoline vapor
from the tank through a charcoal canister, however there
is a second hose that vents to the atmosphere from the
tank. See the FAQ page for more info and how-tos. |
| Cost:
$ Difficulty: W |
Airbox/Filter mods
| Applies
To: |
All
Monsters |
| Why
Do It: |
Increases
airflow to engine; K&N and other filters are re-useable,
a convenience factor for those who don't live near a dealership
or live near a dealership that doesn't maintain a good parts
supply. |
| Why
Not Do It: |
Some
people find the increased intake "honk" objectionable.
(Like Ross Perot's "Giant Sucking Sound") Also, open
airbox on EFI bike without re-mapping can reduce performance. |
| Manufacturers: |
K&N;
Dr. Desmo; TPO
|
| Recommended
Sources: |
Filters
and filter rings available from Motowheels, California
Cycleworks, Motostrano and
many Ducati dealerships. The Dr.
Desmo filter
ring works better than most with the OEM airbox clips. Pod
filters available at TPO |
| Comments: |
Some
people cut the airbox housing with a saw instead of buying
the filter ring. K&N filters need to be cleaned
and re-oiled periodically, unlike the stock filters which
can be disposed of. Airbox & filter changes are usually
done as a package with exhaust can changes and rejetting/ECU
changes. Simple, do-it-yourself modification. |
| Cost:
$$ Difficulty: W |
Jetting
/ ECU Remap or add-on
| Applies
To: |
Jetting-pre
2000 M900 & Pre-2002 M750; ECU - all fuel injected
bikes |
| Why
Do It: |
Richens
mixture going to engine. Typically done as a package at
the time airbox/filter and exhaust can changes are made.
Improved ECU maps can smooth out the midrange and give
a small horsepower boost. Better starting, idling, and warm-up
on carbureted bikes. |
| Why
Not Do It: |
Gas
mileage and range may suffer on
EFI bikes; in most cases mileage has
stayed
the
same or improved on carbureted bikes after re-jetting. |
| Manufacturers: |
Factory
Pro, Dynojet
|
| Recommended
Sources: |
Motowheels,
CA
Cycleworks, Motostrano |
| Comments: |
Jet
KIT FAQ; No ECU FAQ yet |
| Cost:
$$ Difficulty: WW |
Exhaust Can upgrade
| Applies
To: |
All
Monsters |
| Why
Do It: |
The
Sound baby! Also aftermarket cans are lighter than stock and
can improve ground clearance. |
| Why
Not Do It: |
May
be too noisy for some (some brands will set off car alarms),
can make the bike run lean. No real effect on performance
if done by itself. |
| Manufacturers: |
See
the exhaust FAQ for
details.
|
| Recommended
Sources: |
Motobella,
Spareshack, CA
Cycleworks, Motowheels, Motostrano |
| Comments: |
Very
simple mod to do. If getting high mount pipes can be more
work to install. If willing to spend a lot more you can
get a "full system" which replaces all the pipes
with larger diameter versions. Full systems with larger diameter
pipes can decrease performance on unmodified engines. |
| Cost:
$$$ Difficulty: W-WW |
Replace
Stock Seat
| Applies
To: |
All
Monsters |
| Why
Do It: |
If
the stock seat is uncomfortable for you on longer rides,
or if you're shorter than average and need a lower seat.
If you don't like "mashed potatoes". |
| Why
Not Do It: |
Some
people find the seating position on aftermarket seats less
'sporting' and feel less connected to the bike. Both aftermarket
saddles are heavier than OEM. |
| Manufacturers: |
Sargent
Cycle; Corbin
|
| Recommended
Sources: |
Motowheels, Motostrano |
| Comments: |
Seats
can usually be swapped in and out quite easily, so if you
want one for long rides and one for short, sporting rides
it should be no problem. The Sargent seat also has nice
underseat storage and bungee net hooks. |
| Cost:
$$ Difficulty: W |
Fender Removal/Tail Chop
| Applies
To: |
All
Monsters |
| Why
Do It: |
Purely
aesthetic mod - no functional improvement. |
| Why
Not Do It: |
If
you live and ride in a wet climate you probably want that
fender. Also some license plate brackets may hold the plate
at too oblique an angle and get you a fix-it ticket. |
| Manufacturers: |
Pro
Italia
|
| Recommended
Sources: |
TPO
Parts, Motowheels, Motostrano |
| Comments: |
Fender
removal can be done easily with a socket wrench, and a
license plate bracket can be made or bought fairly cheaply.
A full tail chop requires cutting the frame and relocating
the rear turnsignals. |
| Cost:
$-$$ Difficulty: W-WWW |
Gearing
Changes
| Applies
To: |
All
Monsters |
| Why
Do It: |
Monsters
are geared quite tall, probably to satisfy the EPA/DOT,
but most of their use is in town and on twisty roads. This
means you have to slip the clutch quite a bit with stock
gearing. Lowering the gearing makes the bike easier to
live with at slower speeds and in town. With stock gearing
most people with 6 speed transmissions don't use the top
gear much. It is also easier on the clutch. |
| Why
Not Do It: |
Reduces
your top end speed; may increase fuel consumption. |
| Manufacturers: |
|
| Recommended
Sources: |
CA
Cycleworks, Motowheels, Motostrano |
| Comments: |
You
can either make the front gear smaller by 1 tooth, or increase
the rear gear by two teeth. When changing sprockets it
is usually a good idea to change both together and put
on a new chain at the same time. |
| Cost:
$$ Difficulty: WW |
Slave Cylinder Replacement
| Applies
To: |
All
Monsters |
| Why
Do It: |
Reduces
the effort needed to pull in the clutch lever. Also makes
the clutch engagement more progressive. If your slave cylinder
has been recalled it may need to be replaced anyway. |
| Why
Not Do It: |
If
you like the way the clutch engages in stock form. |
| Manufacturers: |
Evoluzione; Yoyodyne
|
| Recommended
Sources: |
Motowheels, CA
Cycleworks, Motostrano |
| Comments: |
|
| Cost:
$$ Difficulty: WW |
Remove
Stickers and Ties from Frame
| Applies
To: |
All
Monsters |
| Why
Do It: |
Clean
up the frame's appearance |
| Why
Not Do It: |
EPA
or DOT might not like it. Oh, and if you don't secure the
hoses or wires elsewhere, they might get frayed or crimped. |
| Manufacturers: |
N/A
|
| Recommended
Sources: |
Hardware
store for zip ties |
| Comments: |
Stickers
are nasty to get off |
| Cost:
n/a Difficulty: W |
Open/Vented Clutch Cover
| Applies
To: |
Dry
clutch monsters |
| Why
Do It: |
Lovely
clatter of the dry clutch; lets some clutch dust out; looks
cool to see spinning bits. |
| Why
Not Do It: |
Stock
clutch internals not so pretty so you'll spend $$ replacing
clutch parts or having them powder coated. In a really
wet climate lots of water might get in?? Carbon Fiber clutch
housing could fail in a crash and damage the clutch, leaving
you to push your bike home. Noise might not be so lovely
to the neighbors, and you may get tired of answering the
question, "Is it supposed to sound like that?" |
| Manufacturers: |
Cycle
Cat; Rizoma
|
| Recommended
Sources: |
Spareshack, CA
Cycleworks, Motowheels, Motostrano |
| Comments: |
Easy
DIY, although clutch replacement is a little more involved. |
| Cost:
$-$$$ Difficulty: W |
Suspension upgrades
| Applies
To: |
All
Monsters, except perhaps S4R |
| Why
Do It: |
You
need good handling 100% of the time you ride. Adjustment
is cheap, replacing parts gets more expensive. Most bikes
set up for ~160lb rider (fully geared). |
| Why
Not Do It: |
Cost
is only deterrent |
| Manufacturers: |
Front:
Used SBK forks/Cycle
Cat, Racetech;
Rear: Ohlins
|
| Recommended
Sources: |
Motowheels,
CA
Cycleworks, Motostrano |
| Comments: |
Non-adjustable
forks can be re-valved and/or resprung. Oil weight can
be changed to better match your weight and riding style.
Raising rear ride height can improve responsiveness. Rear
shock can be rebuilt or replaced. Replacement shocks and
forks are very expensive. Ducati Superbike forks are available
very reasonably on the used market ($200 - $300) and are
already valved and sprung for a heavier bike/rider and
are adjustable. One will, however, have to modify the Monster
fork clamps or get the Cycle Cat kit, and in the case of
some older Monsters, upgrade wheel and brake parts. |
| Cost:
$$-$$$$ Difficulty: W-WWW |
Steering damper
| Applies
To: |
All
monsters |
| Why
Do It: |
If
you find the front end sqirrelly or unstable, esp. if you
have lowered the front or raised the rear. Could prevent
a tankslapper from happening. |
| Why
Not Do It: |
Alters
handling |
| Manufacturers: |
Matris/Extreme
Tech, Arrow, Ohlins
|
| Recommended
Sources: |
Spareshack,
Motowheels, Motostrano |
| Comments: |
|
| Cost:
$$-$$$ Difficulty: W-WW |
Keihin
FCR Flatside Carburetors
| Applies
To: |
1999 and older M900, 2001 and older M750, all
M600. |
| Why
Do It: |
Increases power and throttle response throughout the power
band. Cleaner installation than OEM Mikuni carbs. Better
starting platform for advanced engine modifications |
| Why
Not Do It: |
FCR kit has no choke and MAY make bike harder to start.
Cost. |
| Manufacturers: |
Keihin
|
| Recommended
Sources: |
California Cycleworks |
| Comments: |
See DucatiTech FAQ |
| Cost:
$$$ Difficulty: WW |
Lightened Clutch/Slipper Clutch
| Applies
To: |
All
Monsters |
| Why
Do It: |
Allows
engine RPM to spin up/down easier for better throttle control.
Most aftermarket clutches are better quality than OEM.
Slipper clutch prevent rear wheel hop or lock-up during
rapid downshifts. |
| Why
Not Do It: |
Cost,
can effect engine idle. |
| Manufacturers: |
Barnett,
Nichols, STM, Motowheels
|
| Recommended
Sources: |
CA
Cycleworks, Motowheels |
| Comments: |
Similar
effect to a lightened flywheel. |
| Cost:
$-$$$ Difficulty: WW |
Aftermarket
Brake Braketech rotors/brake lines
| Applies
To: |
All Monsters |
| Why
Do It: |
Aftermarket rotors can be lighter than OEM rotors to reduce
rotating and unsprung mass. Often, aftermarket rotors are
made from better friction materials than OEM, such as cast
iron. Aftermarket braided or Kevlar lines resist fluid pressures
better than rubber lines found on older Monsters. Looks. |
| Why
Not Do It: |
Cost, rider may experience a change in braking behavior. |
| Manufacturers: |
Galfer, Braketech, Braking, Fren
Tubo
|
| Recommended
Sources: |
CA Cycleworks |
| Comments: |
Be sure to use compatible (manufacturer
recommended) brake pads with new rotors. |
| Cost:
$-$$$ Difficulty: W |
Clipons/Rearsets
| Applies
To: |
All
monsters |
| Why
Do It: |
Increased
weight on front end improves handling and feeling of "oneness" with
the bike. Rearsets can improve lower body control of bike.
Cycle Cat clip-ons can be adjusted to improve comfort and
reduce strain on wrists. |
| Why
Not Do It: |
Might
well be less comfortable on longer rides |
| Manufacturers: |
Cycle
Cat, Rizoma,
S&P/Red
racing
|
| Recommended
Sources: |
Spareshack, Motowheels, CA
Cycleworks, Motostrano |
| Comments: |
The
comfort and value of this mod is highly subjective. Best
thing to do is try someone's bike that already has clip-ons
and/or rearsets. Cycle Cat rearsets can be adjusted to
match or even be less radical than stock, however the clip-ons
will always be lower relative to stock. Article on installing
Red Racing here. |
| Cost:
$$-$$$ Difficulty: W-WW |
Aftermarket Tach
| Applies
To: |
Monsters without stock or functioning tachometers |
| Why
Do It: |
To know the RPM range in which the bike is operating. May
help in tuning or changing shifting habits. |
| Why
Not Do It: |
Cost. |
| Manufacturers: |
Ducati
Performance (pdf), RoadRacing, SPA
|
| Recommended
Sources: |
Motowheels |
| Comments: |
You
don't miss one until you've had one.
See Scott
Nelson's installation how-to for the Ducati
unit. |
| Cost:
$-$$ Difficulty: W |
Turn
signal / Headlight changes
| Applies
To: |
All
monsters |
| Why
Do It: |
Mostly
cosmetic, although higher wattage headlight might increase
visibility |
| Why
Not Do It: |
Small
turnsignals may reduce visibility; higher wattage headlight
might put increased strain on wiring and charging system.
LED brake lights or turnsignals may not be legal in all
states. |
| Manufacturers: |
|
| Recommended
Sources: |
Motostrano |
| Comments: |
Headlight
swap is relatively cheap and easy. |
| Cost:
$-$$$ Difficulty: W-WW |
Fairing
| Applies
To: |
Unfaired
monsters |
| Why
Do It: |
Can
reduce wind buffeting at higher speeds, which in turn reduces
fatigue on long trips |
| Why
Not Do It: |
May
increase buffeting at the helmet level if not a good fit;
will not provide the same protection as a full fairing. Vibrating
fairings can be annoying. |
| Manufacturers: |
Dart,
Ducati Performance (pdf),
Givi
|
| Recommended
Sources: |
Spareshack, Motowheels, Motostrano |
| Comments: |
Whether
this improves or detracts from the bikes appearance is
entirely subjective. Some handlebar mount fairings are
not very sturdy and flap a bit at speed, which can be distracting. |
| Cost:
$$ Difficulty: W |
Various
carbon fiber body parts
| Applies
To: |
All
monsters |
| Why
Do It: |
Mostly
cosmetic; some small reduction in weight. Not as tacky looking
as some of the molded plastic OEM parts. |
| Why
Not Do It: |
Many
things heavier on the bike that are cheaper to replace
(going on a diet is free). Carbon fiber can get dull or
discolor over time. |
| Manufacturers: |
Carbotech,
Ducati Performance (pdf)
|
| Recommended
Sources: |
Motowheels, Spareshack |
| Comments: |
Buying
carbon fiber bits for Monsters is almost as bad as being
a crack addict. Don't even start down this road! |
| Cost:
$-$$$ Difficulty: W |
|
