To Mod or not to mod...
 

First off let me say Im using this for the deciding factor as to which way I am going to go with bike...
I have been going back and forth on making custom bits out of aluminum and Carbon Fiber and making the bike as light and ridged as possible and not have to worry about integrity issues, then working on the :brakes, suspension, engine, wheels, gearing, ect... Yet I feel if I do all this I would be taking away from what makes the Superhawk. Yes, The 996cc liquid cooled engine is the heart, which makes the beast live, but the frame and fairings are the skin. I hate plastic surgury, like getting a face lift or fake breasts beacuse that person thinks that they arnt big enough... Would I be doing that to my bike?
Im torn. I can not get a nother bike. Otherwise I will no longer be married.
What it comes down to is... Has anyone on here felt the same way I am feeling now and gone thru with it and NEVER regretted the mod(s) that you chose to do?
This was long and drug out so I'll Shut the hell up now. -Squid-

Having indulged in the dark art of modding myself, I can attest that there is a great deal of satisfaction to be had in "refining" the VTR (or any other vehicle for that matter) and bringing it closer to your personal ideal. Does the VTR absolutely NEED modding? No, it`s a fine bike as it is. However, my goal in gong down that road was to both personalize it and make it perform better for my intended use.

For me, I agree with the two previous posts. Modifying as you the rider see fit.
What is your riding style and what do you want to do. I no longer do much
aggressive riding nowadays, mostly sport touring. My S/H and I have been together
for some time now. I look to keep the charactoristics of the V-Twin foremost.
To me it is much more "alive" than an inline. Comfort and safety along with performance.
I do occasionally switch back and forth betweem my carbon fibers and stock mufflers.
Stock- super quiet but heavy, carbon fiber-noticeably lighter and better thru rev band
performance- louder but love the sound (two-bros.). Run carbons 99%. Heli-bars, Seargant Seat, vista-cruise,double bubble, Renthals, are some mods that make my ride for me. MCCTs might be one you could consider(insurance-peace of mind). ENJOY:).

E.Marquez nailed it...

There's a Superhawk in a museum somewhere that's bone stock and in perfect condition, so don't worry about ruining the legacy.

careful it's a slippery slope:fight:

Modding is natural for the human beast. It's a way to personalize a possession, especially one based on enthusiasm rather than necessity.

Every good recipe allows for "season to taste".

What started out as a simple streetfighter build for me has snowballed into something that isn't recognizable as a Superhawk (to the untrained eye). FLO is right...it is a slippery slope.

I set out to build a bike that appealed to me. I get more compliments on it now than I ever did while it was in stock trim. I've had every conceivable type of rider approach me to find out what it is and became some sort of guru to this kid down the block building a GS500.

Once I pulled the trigger I never looked back and have no real regrets. To me it's a project that will never be finished, as I'm always seeing little things I can do to make it more aesthetically pleasing and my mind changes daily on changing the paint scheme. In the end though, I have the bike I want, built by me and I know this bike better than any other I've ever owned.

Now to focus some of this energy on the Bandit 1200 sitting neglected in the other corner of the garage :)

Alright. So i made a list of stuff now that I have the guilt gone... But everything I am modding I will be able to take back to stock Just in case. Thank you ALL for your input. It helped me take the plunge into this, now... anyone out there have a roll of carbonfiber and a vacume bag kit that I could trade my wife for, since she probably wont put up with the long days ill be spending in the garage and the amount of money I will be spending on it.

We're probably gonna need pics of the wife first..LOL!

Sorry guy, thats a deal breaker. You get her sight un-seen.:rolleyes:

No deal. I don't need two women mad at me for spending time/money on my bike.

+1

Just look at what 7moore7 and Kai Ju and others have done, fun fun fun!

Stock is the starting point, not the end result if you ask me... ;)

All valid points. Deployment is looming some time in the near future and the weather is starting to get snotty. For right now its looking like I'm just drawing up plans and will probably just start stock pile parts and materials till I get back and tear into it then. Have some good ideas... and my wife says that this site "Has created a monster that draws parts on any paper in sight and spends more time thinking about your bike than me." Guys, I think she is starting to understand.