Your Opinions on Modifications Please

**The Stranger:Me** · 13th February 2006, 08:34

As many of you know I now have an X11.
I wanted a bike to experiment on.

It already has Rhemus cans, which get rid of the cats. I have installed a K&N filter. I have an Ohlins rear shock assembly and new front springs on order.
There are a few more mods which I intend to do such as a power commander and at the same time will remove the restrictors in the air box and possibly add a set of Blackbird headers.

Now the question is this. What do you think when you see a bike advertised with a bunch of mods?

Do you think cool it has $5,000.00 of mods so it is worth more so the value goes up?
Or
Do you think Screw that the guy has caned it I'm not interested so the value goes down?
Or
What?

I am not crazy enough to think that I will get my money back on the mods. But still crazy enough to make them anyway though.

**Blackbird** · 13th February 2006, 09:19

I'd wonder why he didn't have a Blackbird in the first place

Seriously, customising should only ever be about what the owner wants for himself and forget about disposal price. If it was maybe a Senna with top aftermarket gear, it might have improved resale potential but unlikely with an X11. Just enjoy playing with it

Sorry to hear about your BB. Don't log on much these days.

Geoff

**R1madness** · 13th February 2006, 09:37

Just do it because you like the mods. Chances are if the mods improve the bike (and you keep all the std gear) it will sell better than a std one for the same price. It may not sell for more but should not ever sell for less.
At least if you keep all the std bits you can put it back to original and sell the extras for some cash. Or negotiate on the price (eg "i will sell it for $500 less without the OHLINS shocks")
Its all good, make the mods. Have fun with it.

**clint640** · 13th February 2006, 09:41

I don't think the amount of mods on a bike is a very good indicator of thrashedness, lots of people put all the $$$ bling on their bikes & still ride like nannas.

Cheers
Clint

**Hitcher** · 13th February 2006, 09:58

You must own New Zealand's only X11. Seriously though, for your other mods to work, you need a Power Commander.

I wouldn't be deterred from buying a "modified" bike, providing that the mods were appropriate and well done. I remember once seeing a Mean Streak for sale at ANZA where the previous owner had carved off the stock pipes and added some sort of two-into-one muffler that looked like it had come off a Massey Ferguson tractor. They had also reupholstered the seat into a stunning beige vinyl as well as some other touches to complete the "package". Needless to say it sat around for several months before it disappeared. Presumably the lucky buyer got it cheap enough so they could afford to undo the previous mods.

**Motig** · 13th February 2006, 10:07

Well I'd probably get the idea if the're all speedracer mods that the owner wanted to thrash it = wouldn't pay a lot if any over stock price. Sensible mods to make day to day riding easier OK. But that said modifying is the individuals choice to make something just that bit different to all the other leemings. So just have fun and do what you like.

**The Stranger:Me** · 13th February 2006, 10:14

Originally Posted by Blackbird

I'd wonder why he didn't have a Blackbird in the first place

Too much plastic to scratch and clean and repair/replace when dropped or thrown down the road. You really don't need it. Serves no useful purpose on a road bike, except maybe for old folks to hide behind.

Originally Posted by Blackbird

Just enjoy playing with it

Oh yeah, I enjoy playing with it!!!

**Blackbird** · 13th February 2006, 10:34

Originally Posted by CaN

Serves no useful purpose on a road bike, except maybe for old folks to hide behind.

Ouch

**R6_kid:Me** · 13th February 2006, 10:40

when i bought the R6 i got it because it was at a good price and had 'mods' done - wouldnt say it improves the value, but it does make it hold better.

I went to Mt Eden and they had a stock standard R6 with 22K on the clock for $11,500 - i bought mine with 23.5k on clock, and with a good $2k worth aftermarket bits on it.

As said, you mod it cause you want it how you want it, not because you want the next guy to enjoy it more.

I reckon you need to put a streetfighter head light on it to make it a bit more evil looking... and the more you mod it the less 'old man-ish' it looks

**Zed** · 13th February 2006, 11:37

Originally Posted by CaN

Now the question is this. What do you think when you see a bike advertised with a bunch of mods?

When looking at for sale ads, in my mind any modifications done are an added *bonus* which don't necessarily increase the sale price but most definately increase my interest. If I was looking at two identical bikes but one completely stock and the other modded, I would prolly buy the modded but I wouldn't expect the price to be too much higher!

**James Deuce** · 13th February 2006, 11:40

You won't make any money out of spending money on your bike.

You will however enjoy using it.

**Mental Trousers** · 13th February 2006, 13:17

Originally Posted by gareth_d

when i bought the R6 i got it because it was at a good price and had 'mods' done - wouldnt say it improves the value, but it does make it hold better.

It's been my experience that mods help a bike hold it's value better, rather than increasing value.

**Wolf** · 13th February 2006, 14:40

Originally Posted by Zed

When looking at for sale ads, in my mind any modifications done are an added *bonus* which don't necessarily increase the sale price but most definately increase my interest. If I was looking at two identical bikes but one completely stock and the other modded, I would prolly buy the modded but I wouldn't expect the price to be too much higher!

Depending on what the mods were and how well done they were I'd count them as bonuses. The 2nd-hand BMW F650GS Dakar I looked at had the low seat and BMW panniers and that certainly increased my interest as I would want at least the former. If that mod were already done, it would save me having to pay for it.

If the mods were just stupid or badly done I'd shy away.

The list of mods I'd want done to a BMW F650GS Dakar runs to quite a few items - lowered seat, centre stand (just so I can at least change the tyre out in the middle of nowhere), a few extra bits of protection for the bike - engine guard bars, extended bash plate, rear master cylinder cover, folding gear lever - and a few enhanced performance and handling mods. Any of those already present when I bought the bike would certainly be a help to me.

A few extra decals, a red "racing" stripe and a set of cans designed solely to make an in-line twin sound like a V8 would not be suitably attractive to me, however. Nor would "Innit cool, I stuck the forks and rear shocks off an XR400 onto my GN125..."