Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge Stock bike

Personal observation. Here it is, almost three years since I bought the America, and I haven't changed hardly anything on the bike. I have built and rebuilt choppers, street rods and British cars, and love to fabricate and customize machinery. But, strangly enough, I've done very little to the BA. I loved the looks of the bike from the start, and I still do. Sure, I've shortened the rear signals, added a centerstand and did a little custom paint on the fenders, but that's about it. Heck, I haven't even gotten around to taking off that stupid AI! Can it be that the bike falls into that singular category of, just right? I enjoy reading and looking at the mods lots of fella's have done, and I consider them. Then, I think, Naaaa... Hope I'm not gettin old and stable!

I feel the same way, I don't mine changing internal or things that aren't that noticeable. I love the stock look of the bike.

Got my '04 SM six months ago. Only mod is a home-made rear carrier. I bought it 'cos it looks cool as is! Runs like a dream. May add a screen.

I have a few factory add on s like a fly screen,light bar and luggage rack.

I've felt the same since '04. I've said it before - There just isn't another bike with a shape that flows so naturally, or for which I've felt so comfortable. I've certainly seen some nice alterations on other's, but I'm just not interested for my own tastes. Its always been as though they made it just for me.

I agree - the BA and Speedie are bikes you could leave alone and be very happy. Stock or modified, they are great bikes.

Except for bling, several different luggage configurations, different bars, different wheels, different lights and turn signals, different seats, different exhaust, and the usual non-destructive carb and intake mods, I like my TA just the way it is too.
You can tinker your way to the poorhouse and still not change the basic look and flow of the bike. I'm still in love.

I left mine pretty much stock too.

I changed from BP to Shell gas and back again, but that's about all except a windshield and a sissy bar--keeps me from sliding too far forward or too far backward

Yeah, I hear ya Rich. I love the stock look too... well, except for that chunk o' plastic on the tank. Oh, and the George Foreman stuff. My bike will never quality for the 'Custom' section of this forum either. Any mods I make are to make her ever prettier and more comfortable.

like you Moe, my bike?? pretty much stock, a few chrome goodies, a backrest for the pillion and the front lights and those new mirrors i just installed. I think there is something to be said for leaving the 02 prefire bikes stock. i mean a true collector in the very distant future will be happy to see a limited edition Bonneville America in stock condition as only the prefire 02's are truley T.B.A's the rest are all just America's

Mines still stock except for 2 baffles removed. Thought of adding a wind screen but nah i just wear a full face helmet,wind never bothered me. Thought of adding saddlebags but nah I strap a backpack to the rear seat, acts like a back support. Thought of removing the AI but nah kinda like the way the pipes are turning a nice blueish hue. Thought of getting a sissy bar cuz the girlfriend wont get on it without one, but nah because then i wont have room for the backpack.

The only things i might do is add a rubber trim under the tank console-that space always bothered me.


07 mulberry red speedy

Actually, I really like the chrome dash on the tank. Though I would like it a lot better if it wasn't crappy plastic. I could lose the George Forman, though. Maybe I'll borrow someone's mod off this site, as I have seen some pretty good ones. And the matching sprocket cover could use some modding. Dogg's embellishment comes to mind.

35 pounds... most of that is probably in the rear peg hangers, those things are heavy! And thanks for the compliment.
Funny you should mention hovering over my seat, I always just thought you were sniffing it!

Ya know, other than the footboards, Corbin seat and Windvest, I sometimes I wish I hadn't done a thing to mine. A lot of times all these mods just get in the way of riding. My candy orange paint job looked awesome for a few years but it's pretty trashed now (the fenders especially). As much as I like my paintjob, the original black and silver was dead sexy. The battery box mod and K&Ns (pre-Freak) probably caused me more grief than they were worth in the long run.

I suggested to Freedom not to do the Freak or even the Ghetto Freak this time on his new Speedmaster. Just ditch the AI, pull the snorkel, drill some holes under the air filter, rejet and ride the p!ss out of it.

I wish I could afford like 3 or 4 different sets of tins for different paint jobs. I love mine, but think about going a more traditional British way, I really like the green/cream of Bucky's. I like the flat blue that H-D has out now, and I like most of the stock color schemes that Triumph put out. When I bought my bike it had some janky gold flame (not the factory one) paint job. Looked pretty bad within 10 feet, the lines were cruddy and you could see where the tape didn't hold. I only ever took two pictures of the bike before I had it repainted, and one I couldn't get to scan right...



She looks so different now, and yet still looks the same...