Entry 2 – Preparation
Several hundred more miles now racked up on the Bullet Train. Because of the weather, more attention has been paid to making what Jason Camisa has called “plus” modifications: a balanced approach to opening up the overall performance envelope, but that also doesn’t compromise rideability, comfort, and looks.
After more saddle miles and spending way too much time reading over the decades-worth of info in the forums, I addressed (well, went a little crazy on…and still paying for) a few things, kind of in this order:
- side wind diverters installed just behind and below the windshield that actually helped calm airflow in the cockpit
- Yamaha skid plate (painted with black bedliner)
- hand guard extensions
- Givi pannier mounting frames
- Givi #360N hard bags
- Givi inner liner bags
- Fly Racing tail bag
- Oxford tank bag mount
- front fender extender
- rear mud guard (fender)
- Givi kickstand foot
- instrument panel anti-glare screen protector
- Denali SoundBomb horn
- Duraboost lithium battery
- EBC double-h sintered brake pads F&R
- 2WheelDynoWorks ECU flash
Was this worth the trouble and time?
Yes! It is. Completely stock, it’s a consummate mile muncher: very much at home with the cruise control set at, well, cruising speed (all speedometers are optimistic, right?), and the electronic suspension set to relaxed. Yet, with some on-the-fly tweaks to the suspension settings, it can carry serious speed into all kinds of twisting tarmac.
But the rest of the stuff makes it way easier to spend several days on the road with a lot less concern, not to mention a facility to pack an extra pair of socks, or two.
