(Sponsored post for our North American readers)
When buying a new motorcycle or sports car, there are things you wish you could change. Most of the time, you end up living with these things, perhaps because you don’t have the time to make tweaks, or you dread the prospect of ruining your newly acquired asset.
Motorcycle customization has been around for as long as the motorcycles themselves, and achieving great aesthetics hasn’t always cost an arm and a leg. Here are a few tips to customize your bike in the most seamless and hassle-free manner.
1 Change the seat
Whether you don’t like the seat your bike came with or the old one has developed tears and cracks, there are always more comfortable and appealing alternatives.
The new seat should be aligned with your bike’s aesthetics and be comfortable for long rides both for you and your passenger.
2 Choose heavy-duty tires.
Heavy-duty tires are both a visual and functional upgrade. From a performance standpoint, they help keep your bike on the road, especially when you need to make sharp turns at high speeds, helping you to avoid a motorcycle crash. If you are an off-road junkie, look for tires that are designed for all-road conditions.
3 Turn signals
Standard motorcycle turn signals often stick out on the sides of the bike, giving it an undesirable dorky look. These signals can also be a hazard in the event of an accident. For this reason, you should consider installing custom signals that suit your preferences and improve the look of your bike.
Online bike accessory stores offer a range of turn signals and other bike lights to upgrade your motorcycle and improve your safety on the road. Consider getting a professional to install your new turn signals to avoid clashing with the law.
4 Invest in a battery tender
Charge retention is not one of the motorcycle batteries’ most famous attributes. Bike owners often get hit by rapid battery drainage during winter when the bike sits idly in the shed or garage. Consequently, batteries built to last many years give up the ghost two or three years into their usage.
There are a few ways to circumvent this problem, and one of them is the use of a battery tender. A battery tender will keep your battery charged and in perfect condition throughout the year.
Installing a battery tender is a DIY affair; you only need to connect a few cables to your motorcycle battery and then plug in the tender.
5 Install tank pads
The role of inner thighs and knees is often under-appreciated when it comes to the comfort of the motorcycle rider. Tank pads are fittings that sit between those body parts and the fuel tank. Their work is to enhance the motorcycle’s grip on your body. For style, find pads that fit well into your bike’s color assortment.
Conclusion
There are many ways to improve the look and performance of your bike. The above are a few upgrade examples that offer the best balance of aesthetics and functionality. Over time, you can invest in other things such as a helmet, a leather jacket, grips, footpegs, rear sets, and foot controls, and slowly turn your motorcycle into the beast you have always dreamed of owning.