Five Great Motorcycle Mods that Won’t Break the Bank
Motorcyclists take great pride in their bikes and in custom modifications they add to personalize their rides. The motorcycle accident attorneys at the Ellis Law Corporation in Los Angeles work tirelessly to keep riders on their bikes and to help them recover the compensation they deserve when a careless motorist damages those modifications and causes injuries to a rider in an accident.
Based on the many modifications that our attorneys have seen in their years of representing riders, we believe that the following five mods are good, low-cost ways both to personalize your motorcycle and to enhance your safety and security when you are out in traffic.
Frame Sliders and Engine Guards
Frame sliders can limit the damage to smaller bikes by taking the brunt of an impact when a bike crashes or tips over. Engine guards are the beefier big brothers of frame sliders that minimize engine damage on cruisers or larger V-twin bikes. Engine guards can also provide additional footrests to ease fatigue over longer rides. Good quality aftermarket frame sliders and engine guards are available for a few hundred dollars.
Custom Exhaust Systems
Riders who subscribe to the theory that “loud pipes save lives” often add modified exhaust systems to their bikes to create a more guttural roar that might better alert drivers to their presence. Even with louder pipes, riders should never drop their guard on an assumption that a loud exhaust will cause automobile drivers to be more cautious. Still, modified exhausts can improve a bike’s performance and help a rider to reduce hazardous situations. Coming in at prices from $200 to over $1,000, exhausts are not inexpensive, particularly when compared to other motorcycle mods, but they can add a distinctive flair to virtually every type of motorcycle.
Grips
Both new and seasoned riders will suffer hand fatigue on longer rides or in stop-and-go traffic. Softer foam grips or grip puppies that fit over existing grips can reduce that fatigue and numbness and give riders a more comfortable riding experience. New grips are also inexpensive (typically less than $100) and are easily installed with few or no special tools.
Battery Tenders
Ellis Law’s motorcycle accident lawyers know that a properly charged battery is essential to keeping your ride on the road and that a battery tender is the easiest way to maintain that charge. Most battery tenders cost around $50. They are easy to install and are the simplest way to assure a rider that a short in a bike’s electrical harnesses will not drain the battery’s power or keep the rider off the road.
Air Filters and Oil Coolers
Riders can extend the mechanical life of their bikes’ engines with air filters and oil coolers that reduce thermal stress on a bike’s mechanical systems. Oil coolers are particularly important for riders who will take their bikes on longer rides in hotter climates. Better air filters will also add tens of thousands of miles onto a bike’s lifespan. You might spend a few hundred dollars for each of these mods, but you will see a long-term payback in longevity and performance that will make your riding more satisfying and enjoyable.
Call the Ellis Law Corporation When You Have Been Injured in a Motorcycle Accident
California’s roads and highways present high risks to riders. If you have been in a motorcycle accident in southern California, call the Los Angeles motorcycle accident attorneys at the Ellis Law Corporation for representation and assistance in dealing with the insurance companies that will inevitably try to place the accident blame on you. We understand the challenges that motorcyclists face and we know how to fight those insurance companies to recover the compensation you deserve and need to get you back on your bike.
Additional Resources:
- BikeBandit.com, 10 Essential Mods for New Motorcycles. https://www.bikebandit.com/blog/10-essential-mods-for-new-motorcycles.
- Ultracoolft.com, Advantages of Using a Motorcycle Oil Cooler. https://www.ultracoolfl.com/motorcycle-tips/motorcycle-oil-cooler-advantages/
- SuperStreetbike.com, Top 15 Mods Under $100. https://www.superstreetbike.com/top-15-mods-under-100
- Writteninchrome.com, 20 Awesome Motorcycle Mods for Under $100. https://www.writteninchrome.com/view-post/20-Awesome-Motorcycle-Mods-for-Under-100