Top 5 mods for a 97 1500CT?

[MoriceCR]

Beeing a newbie in the valk world, Im a little overwhelmed at all the info in this forum .
What do you guys consider to be the top 5 "must do" modifications to a stock 97 valk tourer?
Lights,seat,tires,desmog,peatcock,suspension?

Regards

 

[The emperor has no clothes]

Seat

[gordonv]

For me, it's safety first.

I like the head light and brake light modulator.

Then there is more lights up front to be seen, running lights.

The to be heard, LOUD horns.

Next would be comfort. Seat, hwy pegs, throttle lock, things to make a long ride more comfortable.

Personally, tunes. I don't like listening to the voices in my head while I'm riding. I ride to chill, tunes help me.

[mello dude]

What do you guys consider to be the top 5 "must do"  to a stock 97 valk tourer?

Get out on a hot summer day and ride it at a quiet woods country road with the sun out and a canopy of trees on both sides of the road. Praise God, who needs modifications?

[hubcapsc]

Here's what I wish I'd done... wait on the de-smog, like I waited on the petcock.

I got a Ultimate seat and good shocks right away, never regretted it...

-Mike "what's the date code on your tires..."

[da prez]

  Get it a mate for when it has to be parked (god forbid) and they will reproduce. Mine has had six more.
  Oh , yes, the seats and tires.

                                                          da prez

[Jess from VA]

Seat, handlebar risers, new shield (if the OE is cloudy).

[Tfrank59]

Yeah, get out and ride, ride some more and figure out what's best for you, cuz some of us don't have to change much.  It is after all the best motorcycle ever built.  I know you're talking about mods but first thing I do with any new-to-me bike is basic maintenance, so knock that out if you haven't.  I ride year round so I wanted my bike to be able to protect me from cold weather, so I did windshield extensions and hand deflectors, then I did airwings--uppers and lowers.  If there's anything OEM that didn't work for me it's the seat, at least for long rides.  If you want to ride more than say 5 hours and not get monkey butt you'll probably have to upgrade.  I ended up with a mustang seat and I add an airhawk pad, which works for me all day long.  Other than that IMO it's all about personal preferences.

[Glaserbeam]

Footpeg relocation kit (moved mine down 1" and forward 1") for leg/knee comfort; Interstate tank to add 30% more range.

[MarkT]

Stuff I did to Jade (97 Tour) after learning on Deerslayer.  Planned in advance with a relay panel installed under the seat and a PC-8 fuse panel behind the right cover.  Has 21 relays now IIRC.  Only 11 fit in the panel; the others are behind the right cover, behind the fwd tank gussets, and in the bucket.  Also added extra wires run under the tank to support future mods w/o having to pull the tank.

In no particular order, just as I remember them.  Pardon the dust & clutter in some pics:

• Russell Daylong seats, custom embroidered, built with Russell-upholstered Mustang pass. backrest (so passenger sits upright, not on tailbone).  http://www.horseapple.com/scratch/Jade%20Russell.JPG
• Kuryakyn Hwy pegs.  http://www.horseapple.com/scratch/JADE%20bakers%20and%20highway%20peg.jpg
• BBT Fwd controls.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltgVugCRfFg
• Ammpro Shifter anchor mod.  http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,81509.msg819570.html#msg819570
• High-power 130/90w headlight mod (relays).  http://www.horseapple.com/Valkyrie/Tech_Tips/Headlight_Upgrade/headlight_upgrade.html
• Fwd spots which are actually H4 headlights with my custom circuit control.  http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,93054.msg924843.html#msg924843
• Belly tank with my gravity feed custom install, electric controls and fuel sharing - my "Oiler" petcock.  http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,84264.0.html
• Desmog.  http://www.valkyrieriders.com/shoptalk/desmog.htm
• Large (1/4" orifice) Dan-Marc - wired with latch relay, hidden pushbutton for fuel security - hijacks, theft and tipovers.  http://www.horseapple.com/Valkyrie/Tech_Tips/Fuel_Shutoff/fuel_shutoff.html
• Pingel petcock JB-welded a lever extension handle.  http://www.horseapple.com/scratch/Jade-Pingel.jpg
• Powder coated wheels.  http://www.horseapple.com/scratch/Jade%20powder%20frnt%20wheel.jpg
• Double-row rear wheel bearing mod.  http://www.valkyrieriders.com/shoptalk/5204_bearing_mod.pdf
• Hitchdoc towing hitch with Swivel and Tekonsha trailer brake control.  http://www.horseapple.com/scratch/Swivel%20hitch2.jpg
• My Highlighter sissybar plate LED panel - custom made as a Spartan Helmet outline, Run-Brake-Turn with eyes that wink blue.  http://www.horseapple.com/scratch/JADE%20back.jpg
• Run-Brake-Turn red LED rear marker lights using my relay circuit.  http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,104928.msg1049631.html#msg1049631
• Front markers orange LED arrays with indicator LED mod.  http://www.horseapple.com/scratch/JADE%20fwd%20marker.jpg
• All light lenses smoke or clear.
• Radiantz rear LED tailight.  http://www.horseapple.com/scratch/JADE%20back.jpg
• 2 additional fwd-facing LED lights for add'l visibility.  http://www.horseapple.com/scratch/JADE%20fwd%20small%20LED.jpg
• Instrument LED lighting with dimmer control.  http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,105417.msg1056135.html#msg1056135
• 300w amp, 300w preamp & mixer with Lanzar Crossover with Bluetooth and Subwoofer support, speakers on handlebar.  http://www.horseapple.com/scratch/Jade%20Lanzar%20Crossover.jpg
• Brakeaway throttle lock.  http://www.horseapple.com/scratch/JADE%20brakeaway.jpg
• Rostra electronic cruise control.  http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,86066.0.html
• Butler drink holder.  http://www.horseapple.com/scratch/JADE%20Butler.jpg
• Pullback risers (I think they are 6"). http://www.horseapple.com/scratch/Jade%20risers2.jpg
• Leather gas cap Dragon Eye from Clint (cool look).  http://www.horseapple.com/scratch/Jade%20cockpit2.jpg
• Another drinkholder - works with paper cups.  http://www.horseapple.com/scratch/JADE%20drinkholder.jpg
• Garmin Zumo 650 with XM/Sirius antenna (supports satellite radio, weather and traffic maps)  http://www.horseapple.com/scratch/JADE%20ZUMO%20650.jpg   http://www.horseapple.com/scratch/JADE%20XM%20antenna.jpg
• "X" phoneholder with USB power port.  http://www.horseapple.com/scratch/JADE%20X%20phone%20mnt.jpg
• Escort Passport to monitor charger voltage and the cops monitoring me.  http://www.horseapple.com/scratch/JADE%20Escort.jpg
• Clearview shield with vent.  http://www.horseapple.com/scratch/JADE%20front%20shield.jpg
• Baker Wings.  http://www.horseapple.com/scratch/JADE%20bakers%20and%20highway%20peg.jpg
• My custom pipes with glasspacks, silencers and Organ Pipes.  http://www.horseapple.com/Valkyrie/Valk_Products/M2W_Exhaust__System/m2w_exhaust__system.html
• My permanent mounted lightweight lift adapter.  http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,105040.0.html
• Luggage rack.  http://www.horseapple.com/scratch/JADE%20back.jpg
• Wolo air horn.  http://www.horseapple.com/scratch/Jade%20Wolo%20side.jpg
• Power plug to connect heated clothing - also great to connect charger w/o pulling seat.  http://www.horseapple.com/scratch/Jade%20Wolo%20side.jpg
• Evans permanent waterless coolant.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7PykrgzWPQ
• Double Darkside - Austone in back, Batlax BT45 130/90-17 rear tire in front.
• Progressive 444-4057B shocks - have 140/200 springs.  http://www.horseapple.com/scratch/JADE%20progressive%20444.jpg

That's all I can recall right now.  I've documented many of these installs on this board - use the advance search fn with my board name and keywords to find them.  Also on my web site at http://www.horseapple.com/Valkyrie/Tech_Tips/tech_tips.html  All of the electric mods use relays and are fused; every relay and fuse is labelled; looms are used to run the wires as much as practical.

Hard to say which of these are the best for me. Of course preventing hydrolock (Dan-Marc & Pingel) is important.  The Russell seat for long distance comfort, the highway pegs with fwd controls, cruise control, pullback bars, and heated clothing for comfort long or short; GPS and the phone mount - both provide navigation and weather radar; both powered/recharged by the bike. Belly tank for range especially when pulling trailers.  Wouldn't be w/o my tunes; have 3 sources - 2000 mp3's in the Zumo (more in the phone), Satellite radio from the same, Pandora and other sources from the phone via the Bluetooth.  When we have club rides, are spinning Markarita's on the motel parking lot, have a big mix of music to go with the beverages chips and salsa.  I wired the amps so they can run with ignition off, and plug in a charger.

[crow]

Dark side or not,. Type of tires,  Tire air pressure,. Type of oil,.

Type of oil filter,.

[Bighead]

Footpeg relocation kit (moved mine down 1" and forward 1") for leg/knee comfort; Interstate tank to add 30% more range.

And drag , make sparks in every corner. I am not a peg dragging rider but have many times scrapped with the pegs where Honda put them. Just saying.

[98valk]

if u don't like the stock seat, get a 2000-03 seat. much better for $100.  adding a sheep skin cover is well worth it.

[..]

Footpeg relocation kit (moved mine down 1" and forward 1") for leg/knee comfort; Interstate tank to add 30% more range.

And drag , make sparks in every corner. I am not a peg dragging rider but have many times scrapped with the pegs where Honda put them. Just saying.

Ydp. Ground clearance on a Fat Girl is already limited.

[Glaserbeam]

With stock-size tires, I rarely scraped pegs before relocation, and still rarely scrape pegs after relocation, even when diving deep into corners.  Sometimes scrape the heel of my boot if not centered on the pegs, but that's a small price to pay for the huge increase in comfort on my old knees!

Footpeg relocation kit (moved mine down 1" and forward 1") for leg/knee comfort; Interstate tank to add 30% more range.

And drag , make sparks in every corner. I am not a peg dragging rider but have many times scrapped with the pegs where Honda put them. Just saying.

Ydp. Ground clearance on a Fat Girl is already limited.

[flash2002]

One of the mods I did on my bike is, install double row bearings on both sides of the rear wheel. On the valk one of the rear bearings is a single row and don't last as long. For this mode, you have to have the spacer cut down for the difference.