And the survey said...

[YeeHaw]

<div></div><div>Alright, let's try to get a good thread started here! What's the best part or accessory you have purchased for a motorcycle? Why?</div><div> </div><div>Second question; ever bought something that hit the trash can soon after purchase?</div><p>Message Edited by YeeHaw on <span class="date_text">01-25-2007</span><span class="time_text">08:45 AM</span></p>

[Honda919Rider]

<div>Best accessory, man, I could not pick one at this time.</div><div> </div><div>Worst, had got to be a set of really cool custom mirrors - looked really cool, awesome - but, totally worthless.</div><div> </div><div>So bad, they made it one ride, enough of that B-S . . .</div><div> </div><div>Mirrors, good mirrors are hard to find.</div><div> </div><div>Back to the Napolean (1) . . . .</div>

[UncleErnie]

<div>It's dumb, but I love my Indian stand to death. Not sure how to describe it... It's sort of a rectangle with a long handle on one end that lays along the side. Put the rectangle under the frame and pull the handle up and over. I don't know why, but I just love it.</div><div> </div><div>Not in the garbage, but on Ebay- I got a Corbin seat. I knew they are crap, around here they have a bad rep, but I got one anyway. What a POS. Got my money back, though.</div>

[Fid_Hawser]

I rave to everybody who sees it about my ThrottleRocker (non-velcro type). My adjustable-reach brake lever was also a good buy. I can't afford fancy riding boots, but I bought a couple of 2-hole cord adjusters at a fabric/craft shop (you know, they have them on duffel bags, jacket hoods, etc.). I'll never tie bootlaces again! But those are all to compensate for my arthritis.<br><br>Then there's my assortment of bandannas: keeps my touring jacket from chafing my neck, gives a little warmth (can be pulled over my nose before donning my helmet and still extends into my jacket), and in the heat, mops sweat. Also helps hide my sagging old-man throat.<br><br>The SpitFire windshield helps at freeway speeds. The luggage rack comes in handy. A length of cable and my disk lock substitutes for not having a helmet lock.<br><br>My home-made camera/helmet mount brought you all those keen videos (youtube.com - search Fid and Neville).<br><br>I have a motorcycle jack, but I've yet to see one that really helps with oil changes.<br><br>Probably my best purchase was full size convex dot mirrors applied over Neville's stockers. They require a brief mental adjustment the first ride, but let me see so much more.<br><br>I think most will agree, though, that the best things to have on a ride are a credit card and a cell phone. I'm finally getting close to giving in to the latter in a pay-as-you-go type.

[Kev_M]

<div>Hey Unc E, did you break that Corbin seat in before giving up on it? I list the Corbin I had on my RK as one of the best purchases I ever made. But during the first 2k miles it hurt worse in 50 miles than the stock seat on my solidmount Sporty would after 500 miles!!! AFTER it broke in a week of 500-600 miles days left me smiling and wanting more.</div><div> </div><div>So to me - Corbin was one of the best.</div><div> </div><div>My Hepco&amp;Becker Hard Bags on the Moto Guzzi rank up there.</div><div> </div><div>As do Jenn's LeatherLyke's for her Sporty.</div><div> </div><div>Harley's Quick Release windshield, that leaves no hardware behind is AWESOME.</div><div> </div><div>Their detachables are great too, luggage rack, sissy bar stuff like that.</div><div> </div><div>BMW Hard bags have always been great to me, especially the oilhead stuff.</div><div> </div><div>I'm real pleased with my Kisan Signal Minder, but mostly for plug-n-play running lights and features like that.</div><div> </div><div>Plus these days additional LED brake light strips are awesome.</div><div> </div><div>Only real GARBAGE I can think of were some cheap-ass LED 1157 bulb replacement clusters that SUCKED ASS!!!</div><div> </div><div>Oh yeah, and a set of cheap EMGO Mirrors I bought once. Total junk.</div><div> </div><div>Lesson I see in this post is YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR, buy junk and expect it to be junk.</div><div> </div><div>Kev</div>

[UncleErnie]

<div>&quot;Hey Unc E, did you break that Corbin seat in before giving up on it? I list the Corbin I had on my RK as one of the best purchases I ever made. But during the first 2k miles it hurt worse in 50 miles than the stock seat on my solidmount Sporty would after 500 miles!!! &quot;</div><div> </div><div>OK- that's the other greatest tool I have- my sheepskin from Alaska Leather. A lot cheaper than Corbin and no break-in. (In a similar vein- I LOVE my Smartwool socks all year.)</div>

[Wolf]

<div>Best accessory I've purchased so far was a hugger for the rear tire. It was color matched to my bike and worked perfectly to keep grime off the rear shock.</div><div> </div><div>Second worst was a pair of $10 OEM mirrors I picked up. The housings were plastic and they shook right from the start. Lasted just over a week. Yeah, you do get what you pay for. :(</div><div> </div><div>Absolute worst was a set of small LED strips I'd planned to use as additional brake lights. The tiny braided wires broke free of their solder to the circuit board before I even got them hooked up! :mad:</div><div>Lesson from that one is to add a bit of silicone sealant where the wires attach, to avoid crimping.</div>

[bsanorton]

<div></div><div>Best:</div><div>Battery Tender!!!!</div><div>AEROSTITCH suit</div><div>T-BAG</div><div>MEMPHIS SHADES Detach windshield - &gt;&gt;&gt; better then the HD</div><div>S&amp;S Super 'E' on my carb models.</div><div>Cable lube thing a ma geb</div><div>Good rain suit</div><div>Iso pegs</div><div>Corbin seat.</div><div>Mirrors with built in blinkers </div><div> </div><div>Worst:</div><div> </div><div>another pair of custom mirrors that always came loose</div><p>Message Edited by bsanorton on <span class="date_text">01-25-2007</span><span class="time_text">03:24 PM</span></p>

[hacksaw]

<div>slash cut straight pipes for my then brandy new 1979 FLH King of the Highway.</div><div>they were <strong>LOUD,</strong> and saved my live all the way from Ct to sturgis , SD and back.</div><div>they also helped (with the stock pumper keihens choke plate removed and rejetted) a fully laden 74ci shovel with stock bags and batwing fairing haul ass(for its day) across a blazing hot august landscape at speeds constantly 80-90 and more for hours ata a time. days actually. never leaned out, never loaded up. i should have added an oil cooler in retrospect, but i really didnt need it. free flowing lets you flow free. the essence of motobiking to me.</div><div> </div><div>plus it just frukking sounded good! ;)</div>

[Geoff]

<div>Best part I've ever purchased was a Corbin seat for my BMW. I believe all stock seats are made by Vlad the Impaler.</div>

[YeeHaw]

<div>Wow, y'all are taking me to school on this one; some stuff I've never heard of. I think just about all motorcyclists are gadget freaks; opps, cycleworldists.</div><div> </div><div>I was going to list the battery tender like bsanorton did. My wife really likes the &quot;big buckets&quot; on the side of my new bike (FLHR).</div><div> </div><div>Believe it or not, those wash mitts are about the best thing I've found for cleaning wheels.</div>

[FLHRI_OK]

Worst is a toss up between the velcro throttle rocker and the chrome visors for the passing lamps and headlight.<br><br>Best tool is the Craftsman MC lift.<br><br>Favorite part - Andrews gear drive camshafts.

[vnsfxr]

<div></div><div>Best</div><div>1) Throttle lock............best $15.00 I have ever spent on a bike...........(they cost more now) Harley came with one stock guess that's what spoiled me.</div><div>2) Aftermarket seats</div><div> </div><div>Worst</div><div>1) A bigger aftermarket shield for the Sport Glide. So much buffeting needed head ache medicine</div><div> </div><div> </div><p>Message Edited by vnsfxr on <span class="date_text">01-25-2007</span><span class="time_text">09:28 PM</span></p>

[Honda919Rider]

<div></div><div></div><div>Huh, I had a Corbin seat that made I stuggled with for a thousand miles because everyone told me it would &quot;break in&quot;.</div><div> </div><div>The stock seat on the 919 was far better IMO - at least I was able to sell the Corbin for what I had in it.</div><div> </div><div>Another favorite was a set of Handy Stands, front and back cost under a hundred delivered on a group buy.</div><div> </div><div><a href="http://www.handyindustries.com/shop/subdepartment_view.asp?D=1&amp;S=4" target="_blank">http://www.handyindustries.com/shop/subdepartment_view.asp?D=1&amp;S=4</a></div><p>Oh man, sorry, I guess this was American bike specific . . .</p><p>Message Edited by Honda919Rider on <span class="date_text">01-26-2007</span><span class="time_text">06:29 AM</span></p>

[YeeHaw]

<div>Monkeyshines, who's your Bubba? VStarMan, dj, we're waiting for your input.</div><div> </div><div>Steve, I probably should have posted this elsewhere, but everybody usually ends up here anyway. You know me, I'm not brand specific. I've always wanted one of those Handy Lifts, maybe one day...</div><div> </div><div>Wolf, this is a stupid question; but, what is a hugger?</div><div> </div><div>uncle ernie, after your testimonials, I've told my wife not to come home without a pair of those socks! ;)</div>

[Wolf]

<div></div><div><br></div><blockquote><div><hr><em>YeeHaw wrote:</em><br><div>Wolf, this is a stupid question; but, what is a hugger?<hr></div></div></blockquote><div>Not stupid at all. It mounts to the swingarm and wraps part way around the rear wheel. Basically, it just protects the rear shock from road grime and small stones the tire might fling up. One comes stock on the 919, and I think the new Hornet (599 in Euro speak) will have one too.</div><div><br> </div><div>Here's a decent pic</div><div> </div><div>http://home.cfl.rr.com/wolfsplace/ErmaxHugger.JPG</div>

[UncleErnie]

<div>Mr Haw, once you try Smartwool products, you won't shut up about them. The socks cost WAY more than cotton- and worth every penny. You'll know what I mean as soon as you put them on.</div>

[Kev_M]

<div>I'm telling you, I think most people who bad mouth a Corbin seat either haven't let it break-in to their particular butt (up to 2k miles for that to happen) or just have the wrong shape seat for their ass.</div><div> </div><div>What was remarkable to me is that the Corbin FELT like it was hard, but after 10 hours in the saddle you weren't sore. It has absolutely NO high spots (when broken in). It slowly conforms to your particular butt.</div><div> </div><div>Now BATTERY TENDERS, I know some people love, but after that time I had that battery blow up when hooked to one, I'm a little sheepish about em now.</div><div> </div><div>Aerostich - ok now we're moving from BIKE accessories to GEAR, but that's cool. Beyond a doubt the best bike Jacket I've ever owned. But Jenn is quite fond of her Joe Rocket, Alter Ego jacket.</div><div> </div><div>K</div>

[Honda919Rider]

<div></div><div><br></div><blockquote><div><hr>UncleErnie wrote:<br><div>Mr Haw, once you try Smartwool products, you won't shut up about them. The socks cost WAY more than cotton- and worth every penny. You'll know what I mean as soon as you put them on.</div><br><hr></div></blockquote><div>I buy the socks the Snap On man sells, they work really well for work at least.</div><div> </div><div>I'll have to look for some of those &quot;Smartwool&quot; socks, good socks are a good thing!</div><div> </div><div>Kev M - The biggest issue I had with the Corbin on the 919 was it locked me into a position, making it real hard to move around on the seat (for spirited cornering, wheelies, you know, stupid stuff).</div><div>No length of time would of corrected that.</div><div>I have liked Corbins in other applications, they make a very good product.<br></div><div></div>

[T150T]

<div>Best add-on: Tri-spark ignition for the triple. Made by a guy in Australia. Sequential fire, low idle stabilization. Spectacular compaired to the Boyer.</div><div> </div><div>Worst: POS mini bullet lights from JC Whitney. Total crap.</div><div> </div><div>Best tool: Cast alluminum hydraulic lift from Sams Club.</div>

[UncleErnie]

<div>Kev, I try to rotate 5 bikes. BC's life test from the other forum says I have about 15 years to live. I don't have time for a stinky Corbin to break in. A couple of folks here love Sargent. (Besides, I basically got the Corbin because of the looks- ahem...)</div><div> </div><div>The Yuasa tender is better quality than the &quot;Battery Tender&quot; brand. You might try them. Battery Tender is good about customer service, but when I worked at the parts counter, we never got a Yuasa turned in. I think MC Consumer News may have mentioned that, also.</div><div> </div><div>3 long-term Aerostitch users here have switched to Olympia Motorsports suits. Better venting and such. I prefer leather, but come replacement time, you might want to look into them.</div>

[S3bird]

<div>Worst part: The painted undertail tray for my 01' ZX6R I had. After I had everything apart and cut up the plastic undertay, then I noticed that the undertail was actually for a ZX7R. At least the instructions were for the right bike. After some head butting with the dealership I finally got the correct part. It looked very nice and clean until the paint started chipping away after about a season of riding. It wasn't too long after that I got rid of her.</div><div> </div><div>Best part: The pixie hat for my Speed Triple. Not only does it help with wind protection ( a little bit), but now with out it the bike looks likes it suffers from male pattern baldness.</div>

[UncleErnie]

<div>What the heck is a &quot;pixie hat&quot;?!</div>

[S3bird]

<div>A Pixie hat is that goofy looking plastic thingy that basically covers the gauges and pretends to be some sort of a fairing. The last generation 955 Speed Triples don't look finished unless you have them. They were standard on the 04' models, so of course I had to buy one separate for mine...</div>

[Kev_M]

<div></div><div><br></div><blockquote><div><hr>UncleErnie wrote:<br><div>Kev, I try to rotate 5 bikes. BC's life test from the other forum says I have about 15 years to live. I don't have time for a stinky Corbin to break in. A couple of folks here love Sargent. (Besides, I basically got the Corbin because of the looks- ahem...)</div><div> </div><div>The Yuasa tender is better quality than the &quot;Battery Tender&quot; brand. You might try them. Battery Tender is good about customer service, but when I worked at the parts counter, we never got a Yuasa turned in. I think MC Consumer News may have mentioned that, also.</div><div> </div><div>3 long-term Aerostitch users here have switched to Olympia Motorsports suits. Better venting and such. I prefer leather, but come replacement time, you might want to look into them.</div><br><hr></div></blockquote><div>15 years eh? Make the most... lol on the break-in...</div><div> </div><div>Yuasa's tender is better eh? When the time comes that I have enough bikes again that a tender is necessary, maybe I'll give it a go. Right now at 2 bikes they pretty much still charge themselves. I do use a craftsman charger on the tractor and boat batteries though.</div><div> </div><div> </div><div>Stich - going on it's second decade, not planning on replacing anytime soon, but I'll check out Olympia when the time comes.</div><div> </div><div><br> </div><div></div>

[Geoff]

<div>I'm with Kev on Corbin seats. I have one on my R1100R. It's a firm seat, but that's what I prefer on long rides. The top of the seat is made of perforated leather, which seems to get better with age.</div>

[grizz0844]

<div>Best part: CRAMPBUSTER</div><div> </div><div>Worst POS: Shifterskin it was only about 20 bucks but, I might as well of flushed that cash down the toilet. </div>