Carlos840
Junior Member
Just wanted to give an update on my last modding frenzy...
I started by installing a 15t Renthal steel sprocket and a speedohealer.
The difference between 15t and 16t is pretty obvious, it doesn't feel like it has more acceleration as much as it feels so much easier to keep the bike in the 8000 to 10000 rpm range.
Whereas before i always felt that i had to work to get the bike out of the sub 7000 rpm zone i now find myself constantly between 8000 and 13000 without really trying.
The 6th gear is now actually useable rather than feeling like an overdrive or a fuel saving gear.
On the highway at 70 i do around 7000rpm and 90 around 8500.
Saying that, i ended up driving 250 miles on mostly highway keeping the revs between 8000 and 12000 all the way through, and the bike was fine with that! It felt strong and like it did not care at all being kept so high for so long.
I have not tried to see if the top speed was influenced by the change. Some people say it will, some say it wont since the bike is limited by lack of power not by gearing.
All i know is that i did 136mph, that it really didn't take long and that i was only at 12000 rpm.
Fuel wise i averaged 35mpg but i am sure riding slower would help that a lot.
The instal was very easy and i really recommend it if you are not a big highway kinda guy!
I then proceeded to change my fork oil. The bike is 09 with 6000 miles, and the stock oil was very thin, silver and smelly.
I swapped it for some Motul factory line 10W, which is exactly twice as heavy as the stock yamaha oil (according to viscosity charts), and is fully synthetic.
It hasn't completely solved the diving under breaking thing, but it has definitely slowed it down, and i don't feel the need to change my springs just yet.
The front now feels a lot more planted and more importantly it feels balanced with the rear set to 5. I was not able to set sag just yet, but the rebound speed with 10w oil seems to match the rebound speed of the rear.
When pressed down the fork goes down and then up in one stroke rather than bounce up and down like it used to. And when pressing on the bars and the seat, the bike goes up and down more or less level instead of having the front dive and come back up a lot faster than the rear.
In the twisties the bike feels a lot safer and i am not afraid to break late in the turn anymore. Bumps mid turn do not shake me out of the trajectory anymore, all in all, if you can't afford the whole front end mod, at least change the oil, it is worth it!
Lastly i swapped the footpegs for some all aluminium ones.
They really help a lot and make me feel a lot more confident in my grip.
My feet are literally stuck to the pegs and never slide like they used to on the stock rubber. If you use your legs at all when cornering it is really worth doing.
The pegs are really good quality, need no modding like the R6 ones as they are made for the bike and are manufactured in france!
(probably more interesting for people in europe as we don't have as many parts as you US guys have available!)
Alloy Ultima Footrests Racing
Alloy Ultima Support Repose-pied Pilot pour Alloy Ultima
Unfortunately i forgot my camera so i don't have updated pictures but here is the beast, it now also has FZ1 bars instead of the stock ones:
PS: my mechanics skills are far from great and i changed the sprockets in less than an hour and the fork oil in around 2.
If you have the correct tools and a bit of common sens, don't be afraid to do it!
I started by installing a 15t Renthal steel sprocket and a speedohealer.
The difference between 15t and 16t is pretty obvious, it doesn't feel like it has more acceleration as much as it feels so much easier to keep the bike in the 8000 to 10000 rpm range.
Whereas before i always felt that i had to work to get the bike out of the sub 7000 rpm zone i now find myself constantly between 8000 and 13000 without really trying.
The 6th gear is now actually useable rather than feeling like an overdrive or a fuel saving gear.
On the highway at 70 i do around 7000rpm and 90 around 8500.
Saying that, i ended up driving 250 miles on mostly highway keeping the revs between 8000 and 12000 all the way through, and the bike was fine with that! It felt strong and like it did not care at all being kept so high for so long.
I have not tried to see if the top speed was influenced by the change. Some people say it will, some say it wont since the bike is limited by lack of power not by gearing.
All i know is that i did 136mph, that it really didn't take long and that i was only at 12000 rpm.
Fuel wise i averaged 35mpg but i am sure riding slower would help that a lot.
The instal was very easy and i really recommend it if you are not a big highway kinda guy!
I then proceeded to change my fork oil. The bike is 09 with 6000 miles, and the stock oil was very thin, silver and smelly.
I swapped it for some Motul factory line 10W, which is exactly twice as heavy as the stock yamaha oil (according to viscosity charts), and is fully synthetic.
It hasn't completely solved the diving under breaking thing, but it has definitely slowed it down, and i don't feel the need to change my springs just yet.
The front now feels a lot more planted and more importantly it feels balanced with the rear set to 5. I was not able to set sag just yet, but the rebound speed with 10w oil seems to match the rebound speed of the rear.
When pressed down the fork goes down and then up in one stroke rather than bounce up and down like it used to. And when pressing on the bars and the seat, the bike goes up and down more or less level instead of having the front dive and come back up a lot faster than the rear.
In the twisties the bike feels a lot safer and i am not afraid to break late in the turn anymore. Bumps mid turn do not shake me out of the trajectory anymore, all in all, if you can't afford the whole front end mod, at least change the oil, it is worth it!
Lastly i swapped the footpegs for some all aluminium ones.
They really help a lot and make me feel a lot more confident in my grip.
My feet are literally stuck to the pegs and never slide like they used to on the stock rubber. If you use your legs at all when cornering it is really worth doing.
The pegs are really good quality, need no modding like the R6 ones as they are made for the bike and are manufactured in france!
(probably more interesting for people in europe as we don't have as many parts as you US guys have available!)
Alloy Ultima Footrests Racing
Alloy Ultima Support Repose-pied Pilot pour Alloy Ultima
Unfortunately i forgot my camera so i don't have updated pictures but here is the beast, it now also has FZ1 bars instead of the stock ones:
PS: my mechanics skills are far from great and i changed the sprockets in less than an hour and the fork oil in around 2.
If you have the correct tools and a bit of common sens, don't be afraid to do it!
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