V4s mods, where to start?

I just bought a 2018 V4s, 4400 miles. The price was too good to turn down and I’ve wanted one for a while. I spent a fortune modifying my 1199s, but obviously the v4s is a whole different world in which I currently reside.

I have never worked on a v4. I’m fluent and capable when it comes to working on my machines. I don’t know everything and I wouldn’t be asking if I did. So, I’m humbly asking for advice on where to start. This thing is bone stock. Nothing has been removed from the engine or chassis. With the 1199s, I started with the basics. Evap can, the exhaust servo, etc.

Over the course of this year I will be getting it ready for the track. I’m 43 with nothing to prove and just want to have fun with my bikes because the streets are just too filled with idiots and navigating around the risk is not enjoyable.

Any thoughts or suggestions are appreciated. Thank you all kindly, and stay safe wherever you choose to ride!

Howdy man!
Ive got a 2020 V4s and Ive started the same journey you have!

Ive read the early V4's were a lot more aggressive and raw, just like your (and mine 1199!)!

• Much like the 1199, I'd get rid of the throttle slop with some 3D printed inserts, or get creative with what you have in the garage, i used a zip tie head.
• The slave and clutch are still WEAK points like on the 1199, youll need to dump the crappy stock fluids and get some Castrol SRF (or something with very high boiling point, the motul stuff did not work for me, but the castorl did)
• If still having issues replace the slave with oberon or CNC unit
• Brake pads for track use here (dont spend so much for the Z04 or brembo pads) all you need is EBC Brakes EPFA447HH for track/street, 50% cost of OEM
• HEAT is still an issue, if you never drive in winter or see sub freezing temps than dump and flush with a gal of distilled water and then fill with water-wetter and distilled mix.
• dont mess with front sprocket, OR go more than +2 in the REAR...your asking for a world of hurt otherwise...get used to the rev happy motor and get used to living in the 9k to 15k band, thats where the power is! honestly the stock gearing is solid!
• if you want more grunt (like your 1199 had) get a full exhaust and tune...I already knew the stock mapping was garbage so ensured the V4 i got already had this. I drove several back to back and the throttle response and instant power IS there with race system/tune, but lacking with stock setup.
• change your oil often, dont use 300V unless your dumping every track weekend or 500miles MAX.
• stock filter, and spirit P08 filters WILL LET DIRT into the air box! BMC does not.
• do not overfill the oil. It can and will get sucked into the airbox...and accessing the airbox is 10x the job it was on our 11/12 '99 bikes! I mean it, its a full day tare down man, full of stripped ...... OEM screws and tabs. Dump the oil into pan, measure how much you got out of motor, and REFILL that amount only! Then check oil level in sight glass with bike level and ensure you are at 50% in the window or a little bit less. There will always be about 700ml of oil in the heads. Dont dump oil hot, that makes the drain longer from the heads...dump your oil after bike has been sitting overnight, that way youll get the most out of the motor.
• the chain slack spec is tighter than on the 1199, you wont be reaching down there and seeing an inch of slack anymore...much tighter on V4's
• get springs front and rear to your weight, unless you are already 165lbs with GEAR.

thats all i can think off off the top of my head partner, i'm sure others will add to this list as well!

Jag

That’s a really great response and I really appreciate the positive tone. I’ve seen and read some of your replies and posts on here in the past and I respect your opinions. Some are on here just to be .........s as if it’s the more widely used social media outlets. So I thank you, sincerely.

I have truly loved my 1199s and she is gorgeous. Raw power from that VTwin has a rumble and a brute strength that I don’t feel with the v4. Or at least not as much. I bought it because I want to have both for track days and whichever gives me the best feeling when I’m out there. I’m not trying to win anything but I do want to compete with myself and see how good I can be. I’ve ridden since I was 4, but never on a track. My first street bike was a YSR 50 when I was 10. I know tracking is different and I want to make sure I keep those tires stuck to the asphalt. I’ll take any recommendations on those that you may have. It currently has pirelli Diablo Rosso 4s and they are new, but those won’t fare well on the track will they?

I’m going to start tearing it down this weekend and see what’s under the fairings for the first time. Can I expect the same routine as I did with my 1199? Evap can,block offs, and does it have flappers in the manifolds?

The Rosso 4s (non corsa) are street tires, if new track rider, dont worry they will be fine...but once you start getting faster (prolly on your 3rd or 4th track weekend) youll start shredding them up.

I track with Rosso Coras 2s and 4s! Great tire...and once your shredding those in a single weekend, move to the Super Corsa's!...then when those are getting shredded in a weekend, move to SLICKS! (youll have to run warmers once you do that).

Super corsa on street SUCK, esp with your crappy roads in AR! (hey i'm from Oklahoma, i know about crappy roads!).

Yes you'll have a PAIR valve/tubes once your remove the fairings for your first look! I removed the valve, used the jumper from my same setup on the 1199 (to prevent error light), and CAP the hoses running to the rear and forward heads. ALSO must cap the airbox hole you will have after you delete the valve! ITS a much bigger job to remove the hose and put the plates on the heads.....harder than on our 1199. So i just capped hoses, but this winter plan on finishing that job up.

yes youll have an EVAP too...rip that crap out as usual, and youll need a "T" to mate the vent hoses from the gas tank...route the tube to opening in the fairing so it does not make the inside of your belly pan smelly and dirty! There is a plug for the evap too...I'm not sure where to get one though, my bike it came with the exhuast.

Yes stock exhaust has the flappers, you can saftey wire them open always, they are near the cans like always.

And the air box has adjustable super stacks! way more fancy than the 1199!

JAG

I have the v4 supercorsas on my 1199 and I really like them. Most roads in Arkansas can be treacherous but I live in Bentonville and Wal Mart has done a fine job of influencing the city to give us nice asphalt. There’s also a small airport nearby that I take my bikes through so I can wind them up. Admittedly I do have a ways to go before I need slicks. I want to do this the right way and learn the technique first, and consider the bike more of the tool to do the job. I’m a tradesman and some tools are all the same but certain tooling is expensive and makes the job easier.

I’ll have to learn the new electronics. They are far more advanced than my 1199s. As far as the suspension on the v4s, would you recommend going manual adjust? I put manual conversions fromWRS on my 1199s and got the jetprime block offs so it wouldn’t trigger the engine light. I’m 185 without gear. I guess they assume that most of us on the track are the size of Jockeys, or flyweight boxers.

What would you recommend suspension wise? What cartridge would you use? And how about the rear? I’ve been in touch with Penske about a rear shock but I am still trying to get some general feedback on the back shock from other riders. Is Ohlins still an elite brand of shocks? It seems like they are just a good container as often as I hear people inserting different cartridges.

I cannot comment on the base suspension for V4

I have heard that the S version is only marginally better than base, but as a guy with 3x superbikes panigale's, i can tell you the Ohlins is much softer, provides more feedback and is overall a very cushy ride...I love it personally, after i upgraded the front springs to 11.0s and the rear to 105n...before that I couldnt get my SAG in the range recommended by Ohlins.

Cartridge drop ins are an order of magnitude better than what is stock on S version Ohlins...perhaps someday Ill get some? For now, i'm a happy camper. There are only 2 options for cartridge drop in too..

Play with the setting alot, AFTER you dial in preloads front and rear to get your sag set.

I use FIXED for fast street and track riding...as when i kept in Dynamic, i could feel the damn adjustments being made as I brake HARD to the apex...then when I let off the brakes and transistion to GAS GAS GAS !! I could feel the front end get sloppy and I would push WIDE...not very confidence inspiring. But for my ride too and from the twisties, i switch back to DYNAMIC with + support added into the menu options (unsure if you have brake/shock support adjustments in 2018).

I recommend you just get your SAG set, even if that involves different springs...then ride the thing and as you get faster on street and track youll begin to feel where he weak points are....

Hey buddy enjoying the back and forth this morning!

Jag

For a bike non S with Sachs and Showa, throw the Sachs rear away and get a TTX. I found the high speed compression damping excessive on the Showa's so changed the fluid to Number 5 Ohlins. This pretty much fixed this. They're not as good as a set of Ohlins but good enough IMHO. I wrapped a piece of coke can around the handlebar and made spacers for the stock throttle from ty-wraps. This gets rid of the mechanical slop but there's still programmed slop in the stock throttle maps. There's a lot of power to be gained in derestricting these. I personally think the stock ETV maps are way too tame so on mine pretty not much of them has survived in the mapping I run. I would be very leery of the stock waterpump in the 2018's, some of these failed into the oil and killed the motors. This problem seemed to be resolved at the first revision as now they only seem to fail to the outside. And as I recommend to everyone I would put a real oil pressure gauge on the bike and take a reference oil pressure at idle. I did mine at radiator thermostat opening but realized that it would be better to take it at fan turn on to be more consistent. They've rev'ed the oil pump 4 times I think so taking an initial pressure and then one every so often can't hurt anything. These are expensive to fix so bikes with engine failures out of warranty a lot of times get parted out (I have an engine out of one of these that spun a rod bearing).