Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge Upgrades...

Ok, here's the story. I've got a little over a year and about 8k miles on the Speedmaster. It's a wonderful machine, but a couple of things have been bugging me. First, I'd like my feet a little further back (more 'under' me). Also, I'd like a little more 'gigady' when I twist the go-fast handle. So, I tried a few bikes that will surely give me both of those things.
Street Triple: Quick and agile, but I'm no hooligan. The posture is wrong for me and the triple just doesn't have the same feel as a twin.
Monster 1100: Lots of 'gigady', lots of twin grunt, but still not a good posture for me.
Guzzi Griso: AMAZING! A fantastic bike!... Lots of big twin grunt... lots of go-go...Comfy as ******... BUT, with replacing the wife's Mini soon with something a little more kid-friendly... $15k is a little steep for a bike.

But something I noticed after trying the Striple and the Monster: After riding each, I thought 'what an amazing ride', but as soon as I got on the Speedy to ride home... I felt AT HOME. One of those "what you're looking for is in your own back yard" kind of moments. So I decided that instead of replacing my dear friend, I should upgrade a few things and customize it to fit what I want. It's already most of the way there.

Here are my ideas:
Wiseco 988 big bore kit. More 'gigady', 'nuff said.

Norman Hyde 'footrest kit'. To bring the pegs back about 4 inches. I'd like a little more, but I'll give it a shot.

Progressive rear shocks: I've got progressives up front and love 'em so far. Maybe putting them on the back will save a few vertebrae.

Anybody have any experience with these (especially want to hear about the big bore kit)? Any other ideas?

Thanks.

Lance

Nice post here, Dorothy...err, I mean Lance.

(sorry, but after that "what you're looking for is in your own back yard" line of yours above, I just HAD to reference "The Wizard of Oz" here)

I think you're E-X-A-C-T-L-Y on target with what you're thinkin' of doin' to your Speedy in order to make it T-H-E perfect motorcycle that you're lookin' for.

I already have Progressive 412 shocks on my BA, and those make a world of difference in not only the comfort factor but also in the way the bike now handles. There's no more "wallowing" in the twisties if you happen to hit a road irregularity or tap the brakes mid-turn.

Regarding the mid-pegs, check out mikemm03's recent thread in the classified section...

http://www.bonnevilleamerica.com/forums/...0&fpart=all

And re the big bore, there a whole lot o' guys here who have gone that route, and from what I hear, they have nothing but good things to say about doin' that to their bike. I know you'll get a lot of feedback from 'em.

I just wish I had the extra cash layin' around to go the big bore route too, but lately I've been spendin' big BUCKS on this house of mine.

I like where yer going with this, Lance. The BB kit is something I need to consider... I own a 1200 Trophy and believe me when I tell you... 'gigady' as you say, or giddy-up-and-go is a wonderful thing when all you have to do is twist the throttle. As for Progressive suspension... yeah. Stock sucks, Progressive rules... for safely, comfort and overall enjoyment.

Like you I believe we all own a gem, a rare blend of function and form... what I believe will become a classic to the future of motorcycles. It is worth the investment to 'make it right' and tune it to your own individual needs and wants. I own a TA and a Trophy as mentioned... and the TA far outreaches the Trophy for adaptability and personalization. The Trophy (a gem in it's own right) is rather static compared to the TA. The TA is easy to work on, change, adjust or otherwise customize to my own particular whims. I encourage you to continue on the train of thought you are on with your Speedy. Please share you journey as you work towards the perfect bike for you. Speaking on behalf of everyone here... I am very interested in your progress.

Balance.... according to Websters dictionary is : owning a Trophy and a Bonnie ( America or Speedy)

Ok... reality check time. From reading a bunch of posts on other forums, the 988 kit ends up costing MUCH more than would be realistic... Anybody actually had this done (or the 904 for that matter)? What was the cost? Was it worth it?

Thanks!

The 904 is more affordable. Many have done that and say it's worth every penny. My buddy Dave(roadworthy) has the 904(with other upgrades like head work, carb work) and it has a ton of torque of power.
I'm sure they'll chime in or do a search on 904 BB and you'll get a lot of previous posts on this topic. There is also a lot of dyno sheets on here you can look at too showing the diff between the stock motors and their performance after their upgrades. You can get a LOT of power out of a 904.

Thanks for the encouragement... Not it's time to dive into the research.

Try the tiger,easier on an older frame,more upright position.Fast as the speed triple and handling almost as good.Grunt far exceeds any grunt attainable with the par twin,in other words bucket loads of giggety !

T-BIRD !!!!!!

You'd be surprised at how much extra you'll get out of getting rid of that pesky airbox. Look into getting a freak kit, in fact I think someone has one for sale in the classifieds. That with all the other stuff your doing you'll notice a nice difference.

Thanks... the airbox is already gone. Previous owner took care of that (and the AI removal). Don't know if it was jetted/tuned properly afterward though. Going to dive into that when I put the bombers on. It'll be my first time playing with carbs, but there's plenty of info online and knowledge right here if I get into too much trouble.

I had oil burning issues with my STOCK motor, ever since the 904 upgrade, I've not burned a drop!

They were the ones posted here Ed but I never heard the out come. All I know is at the time it seemed the common thing was coated vs. sleeved. May have been bad rings, can anyone confirm one way or the other?