[briderdt]

After installing bar end mirrors on my SVs, I ditched the stock mirrors because, as you have found for yourself, they suck. They do on most every sport bike on the market.

[briderdt]

…that has you feeling like you’re falling forward… Did you try that with both feet on the pegs? Most times people will jump on a bike in the showroom and try out the handlebar position with one foot on the floor. It’s okay, I did the same thing. And like you, the only one of the “sporty” beginner-ish bikes that seemed comfortable was the GS500. But something happened on the way to the purchase that opened my eyes — I found a 600cc sport bike on a showroom floor that had a center stand. So I sat on that one, and actually got on the bike like I would IF I WERE RIDING IT. The difference was amazing. Why? Because with both feet on the pegs, you can use your core to hold you up, just like you’re supposed to when riding. Voila! That position suddenly felt comfortable.

I had figured that with my bicycle racing background that the sport bike position would be comfortable, and was initially dismayed that I didn’t find it so, until I made this epiphany. So, while you’re out looking, if the bike doesn’t have a center stand, have the dealer HOLD the bike upright so you can test it out with both feet on the pegs.

I did this for a co-worker who has been looking at bikes for MONTHS, convinced that a cruiser was his only comfortable option. After a group lunch outing, we stopped at a dealer along the way who sold Hyosung’s. I had him get on the 250 sporty, and he just shook his head. Then I held the bike up for him and told him to put both feet up. You could actually SEE the lightbulb come on over his head as he made the same discovery I did.

So don’t write off the sport bikes just yet.

[briderdt]

The black belt. The idea is the belt that is given is to be worn, it’s not a ceremonial thing, and in wearing it and using it, it fades and becomes…

White. What is the color of the first belt that is given? That’s right — white. Full circle. The more you know, the more you realize you don’t know.

And I want to live like that. To always have that wonder of the beginner, to never think I have it all figured out, to never think that there isn’t something I can learn from any one.

[briderdt]

Mirrors were pretty useless. As you said, got a great view of my shoulders, or elbows…

I went with bar-end mirrors, and it solved the problem entirely. Now this is on a faired sport bike. Cruiser? I’d suggest mirror extenders as an initial attempt to make them more useful.

[briderdt]

Funniest part of the whole thing, and quite embarassing, was the 65-year-old lady who got out to help me pick the bike back up…

[briderdt]

Well, it was the second — the first doesn’t count because (1) it was in my garage, and (2) it didn’t go all the way down (I was pinned between my bike and my wife’s C50).

Anyway, the actual on-the-road drop was at a stop sign, with cross traffic. I was turning right, and as I started off, I thought I was in first gear (I was in second). Just as I was tipping into the turn, the engine died. I put my foot down and tried to save it, but I ended up stepping off and easing the bike down. No damage, fortunately.

[briderdt]

Cordura fabroc, double layer over the thigh and knee, reinforced pockets, “action” gusset, and (my favorite part) cargo pockets. I wear knee/shin guards under them. Haven’t crash tested any yet, but they’re pretty substantial, breathe well (for general wear), and don’t look horrendous.

[briderdt]

Gladius is the replacement for the SV650 naked. Engine is pretty much the same, with the same throttle behavior and power profile — great low-end power. I actually rarely get over 5K rpm unless I’m on the freeway on my SVs. You’ll be able to cruise at 3000-3500 rpm for a LOT of miles.

[briderdt]

…looking at the “Streetfighters by Design” site — they’ve got a lot of these types of things on there. Might find what you’re looking for, or maybe even something you like better. Also take a look at http://www.whaccessories.com (Wild Hair Accessories) for some other options.

[briderdt]

The aftermarket stuff may not be a safety concern, but they can be a legal concern. WHen I bought my SV650s, the person who had it before me had replaced the undertail (and turn signals) with a Hot Bodies kit. That made the rear turn signals into little 4-LED things underneath the fairing that were virtually invisible during daylight. I added some other, much larger LED strips which I glued to the outside of the rear fairing. MUCH better. I then added similar strips on the front (kind of like eyebrows over the headlights). The bike also had flushmount front signals…

Well, I had a contact by a state trooper on a ride… Funny thing was I wasn’t even moving at the time — I was stopped on the side of the road to take a Mt Dew slash before turning around and heading home. He was cool about it when I told him the history of the bike, saying that since I’d made an attempt to make the signals more visible he wasn’t going to write me up. But he also ran down the list of why all my signals were illegal.

Now this applies in Washington, and MAY apply in your state, as it’s a federal standard (states often just defer to the federal standard):

Turn signal lights must be 3.5 sqare inches in area (equals a 2″ diameter circle approximately).
Rear turn signals must be separated by 9″. Can be red or amber.
Front turn signals must be separated by 16″. Must be amber. Must be separated from headlights by at least 4″.

So I went to a lot of work to redo my fender eliminator, and installed stock signals in the rear (still have the LED strips active, but they’re strictly not legal and COULD get me written up, even though I have the stock signals working), and I installed stalk-type (though not original stock) signals in front.

So maybe that will help you out.

[briderdt]

A lot of threads on the SVRider board about doing just that — swapping the stock SV fork/triples/front wheel for the GSXR model (I haven’t done it, and I don’t know which year/model works). Same with the shock. Again, don’t know which year/model swaps in, and I think the dogbones have to be swapped as well, but everything I’ve read says it makes a HUGE difference.

[briderdt]

IN my BRC, if I stopped the bike in first, I could NOT get it into neutral. Even if I held the clutch in and used ALL my weight to pull it out of first, it wouldn’t budge. While riding it was fine, just not stopped. Fortunately the instructors were understanding, especially after they saw me standing on the peg and leaning back as hard as I could to get it to budge…

[briderdt]

I had a tendency to cover the front brake, and also use 2 or 3 fingers. What my instructors told me was that, while they want you to NOT cover the brake and use all 4 fingers when braking in the class, in the REAL world, especially with a bike like my SV650s, covering the brake and only using 2 fingers is actually a good idea.

[briderdt]

I used to race on that track EVERY Tuesday all summer when I was bike (bicycle) racing. Yeah, the picture doesn’t really give a perspective of just how wide the road is and how shallow that turn is.

To give any one an idea… one lap of that track is something like 2.25 miles. The road going into turn 2 is a good 3 lanes plus wide, and at least 4 wide going into turn 1.

[briderdt]

…there are only two corners that I feel comfortable taking at anything close to what I feel is an aggressive pace. And both of them are turns within the compound I work at (private property). So I commute on them every day (almost).

The supposed “proper” way to adjust in the corner is to press harder on the inside handlebar. But I’ve done the same — chopped the throttle mid-turn. So far I haven’t dumped it. But there’s nothing wrong with being cautious, especially in unfamiliar roads. Knee blasting just isn’t warranted on public streets.

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