Today I finished my, make this damn thing a better street bike. I'll likely start a new thread on the results. This is what I did, and for what it's worth, these are necessary upgrades for me, others might have a different opinion or tolerance.
1) Race Seat
The stock seat is flat out atrocious. It might as well be a finely sanded piece of WOOD! My ... never hurt so bad after the first ride. (That's what she said!) The race seat is not as soft as the comfort seat, but it is softer than stock, and you don't slide around. This is a sorely needed mod. If this is not a race bike for you, you have an iron butt or you need a race or comfort seat.
2) Heavy bar ends
This is to reduce vibration. Vibs don't bother a lot of you, but for me it's a killer. This bike is the worst of any bike I have owned, not because of the magnitude of the vibration in the bars, but the fact that it is hard to quell the vibration. Normally heavy bar ends do the trick. Not here. At the suggestion of another, I put a truss rod through the clip on and have torqued it a little. May do more but don't want to strip anything. M6 threads don't have a high torque rating. What I have so far seem to be doing just enough that it's bearable. In fact, I'm pleased with the results after a short ride.
3). Tuneboy software
I really wanted cruise on my next bike, and had Tuneboy not offered this option I'd be riding a new RSV4 RF right now. I have the standard tune and their dyno tune loaded. The cruise is nice and I do spend way too much time at highway speeds on my way to the good back roads.
Notice I didn't say any mods about the heat. Yes, this is by far the hottest bike I have owned. It's absolutely ridiculous. The only reason I have not added some kind of better heat shield is because of what it takes to put the damn thing on. I have no desire to do all that. So for now no riding in 85+ temps. I can deal with it below 80 and 80-85 is the maybe zone. Lol
Here are the parts I put in the bars for vibration control
1) RSV4 motivation bar ends, yes they fit
2) Sato racing weight inserts, you will need at least a 10 mm longer M6 bolt to attach
3) 160 mm bolt as a truss rod
4) bar end for the other end of the clip on, or anything you can use to guide and hold the long bolt. Another set of flat bar ends is not the best solution.
In the picture, you see the pin that aligns the levers, that has to be removed to put bolt through the clip on. Once you have it on you no longer have to worry about losing your bar ends! Lol
By way, the motivation bar ends do an okay job by themselves.
I've got 10 miles on this set up and the initial response is damn, I might be able to do some miles on this thing. It's definitely better.
In all stock form I was wore out after 30 minutes of riding. The heat and the vibration was pretty taxing.
