External tuning of mopeds and motorcycles - painting, airbrushing, upholstery


Almost every bike owner eventually comes to the desire to make his motorcycle unique and convenient for everyday use. You can bring this to life in different ways. Some people purchase special kits consisting of linings, deflectors, moldings, and do the tuning of the motorcycle with their own hands. It’s easy to do this kind of work yourself in your garage. But to carry out modifications to increase engine power or improve safety systems, it is better to entrust them to specialists and carry them out in specialized workshops.

For both cars and motorcycles, tuning can be cosmetic, technical or combined. Each type involves a specific set of work.

Blog named after binicool → I can’t drive a stock car... or how I cut down the “Black Cuttlefish”.

Rizoma

First, a thought is born (I think somewhere deep, in the left hemisphere)))…) and does not give you peace either at night or during the day! You can’t sleep peacefully (even at low temperatures))) or concentrate on work! This thought does not leave you, it blocks and eclipses all other thoughts. All! If you manage to think about something, then only in parallel with it! And she keeps gnawing at you and gnawing at you! Getting stronger and stronger! Eating your brain, crawling from the left hemisphere to the right, it paralyzes your consciousness and normal functioning. And it becomes clearer, clearer and more beautiful. And when you finally (with your remaining brain) realize that until you bring this to life...

FIAT Yamaha M1 Replica

Design, types and purpose of fuel filters

Well, here's another proof that anything is possible! We all know that there are a lot of people who are simply crazy about sports motorcycles or racing! And we are ready to give everything for the autograph of the same Valentino Rossi! Well, and even more so, make an exact copy of the sports unit from your moto that their idol races on! This is exactly what the Portuguese company LakoMoto does, which produces everything you need to make your bike an exact copy of a racing motorcycle! I bring to your attention a small photoset of how the M1 Valentino Rossi 2008 was made from a simple R1 2006. The price of all this joy comes to about 4500 Euros...

Engine

Injection maps and exhaust system

A useful modification that allows you to make the engine more responsive, eliminate jerks and explosions in a certain speed range. Well, the power can be increased (for those who need it). You cannot do without this change if you have forward flow. Quite expensive + requires testing on a stand, but worth the money

  1. Deep engine tuning (shafts, piston strokes, etc.)

Last but not least! Yes, although this is a popular type of tuning, it does more harm than good for an intermediate or entry level rider. Firstly, a more powerful engine relaxes you and makes you have to wait on the straights to overtake in races; it always forgives mistakes and allows you to make up time on the exit of a corner. The situation is similar to that when a beginner on the track sits straight on a liter and learns from it, bypassing the junior classes. Secondly, a more powerful engine constrains the rider, he is afraid to open the gas to 100%, and throttle control worsens. This is why a shorter throttle also makes the bike less controllable (although many riders find it more comfortable). Thirdly, the engine life is dramatically reduced. The cost of 1 km of track running can jump by 0.5-1.5 euros

  1. Tuning radiator

Expensive! A sports radiator allows you to change the operating mode of the engine, protect it from overheating, ultimately saving resources. A controversial investment, especially if you ride in a temperate climate and don't expect constant racing in 40-degree heat. But not the most useless modification. Sometimes, if the engine is constantly overheating, you just need to clean the radiator and that will be enough. However, installing protection for the stock radiator on the track is mandatory (it will protect you from punctures by sharp stones during falls or when the surface is dirty)

Improving operational and technical characteristics

Roll insulation: soft and self-adhesive, plate or rolls, thermal insulation for walls 150 mm, types and properties of thermal insulation materials

Tuning a motorcycle engine on your own is almost impossible. This will require unique parts and extensive experience. Therefore, in most cases, such motorcycle tuning consists of completely replacing the standard engine with a forced one. And this work can only be carried out at enterprises that have the appropriate permit, because they directly affect the safety of the vehicle.

Motorcycle tuning related to improving performance can be done independently. Additional elements for this can be purchased at a motorcycle store or made with your own hands. Motorcyclists who travel a lot usually lack space to store their belongings. For this purpose, trunks are installed. They come in fabric, plastic and leather. At the location of attachment - central and side. To ensure a comfortable ride in cold weather, motorcycle tuning involves installing heated steering grips. At first glance, a minor change brings great benefits to the rider in controlling the bike. Installing additional fender liners will allow you to drive in rainy weather and off-road without fear that the passenger's back will be splashed with mud.


Motorcycle panniers

Suspension

Another tuning component that has a significant impact on aerobatics. Riding on a good, tuned suspension is pleasant and easy, everything works out for you, the motorcycle is obedient, the track becomes smooth, without cracks or kinks. With a bad suspension you struggle a lot with the track, work, sweat and are very surprised at how easily others pass you in corners. Everything gets better with good suspension

But what if I have electronic suspension? Well, I feel for you. At the moment (2017), the mechanical suspension makes its electronic counterparts lighter. Yes, for leisurely movement along the city streets it’s nice to be able to make the motorcycle softer or harder, but in racing the speed of work is important, where the mechanics are a cut above

  1. Cartridges

The initial stage of working on the suspension is replacing the cartridges. Externally, the fork remains the same, but it has more adjustments and works more predictably. When choosing a manufacturer, it is important to pay attention not only to the price of the suspension, but also to the service that is available in your city or team. A good manufacturer will give all the specifications for the suspension, recommended geometry, help with tuning and solving problems. Our team chose FG Gubellini and does not regret it, but there are many other manufacturers that are no worse

  1. Full fork

If you have more money and a desire to win, consider a more expensive replacement - an entire fork. In addition to the benefits of new cartridges, you will get a stiffer fork, less friction in the shock absorbers and, ultimately, an even more controlled bike. Superbike forks now have separate settings for high- and low-speed damping, giving you additional tuning options. This is a tuning from the “budget war”, i.e. useful and very expensive

  1. Rear shock absorber

As a rule, it is worth changing to a sports one. It is relatively inexpensive, provides basic capabilities and guarantees stable operation of the motorcycle. Perhaps you already have good shock absorbers from a well-known manufacturer in your database (for example, if you are the happy owner of an Italian sportbike or other limited sports version)

  1. Damper

There must be a damper, no questions asked! But installing a tuning damper....? Based on racing experience, I have not seen any serious problems caused by the stock damper. This is the part that can be changed only after everything in the motorcycle has been tuned

  1. Additional suspension sensors

Rather relates to telemetry, but affects the understanding of the suspension. This tuning is from the category of “useful, but for those who understand.” Telemetry analyzes become more complex; a fairly deep understanding of the principles of suspension operation and the presence of good mathematical tools are required. At the amateur level, these analyzes can be carried out by 10-15% of all engineers/mechanics of motorcycle teams. In general, it allows you to tune the suspension better than others or get out of a dead end if it is not clear where exactly the problem is in the settings. To understand the value of these sensors, it is better to first talk to the engineer who conducts such analyzes and understand whether you have similar situations on the track that you need such analyzes. Or you can ride with the boxesmoto racing team and see how this work is done with other pilots J

  1. Adjusting the length of the shock absorber

This group of subtle improvements includes simple mechanical spacers, eccentrics, and washers that change the geometry of the motorcycle without changing the suspension settings. This is, as a rule, a rare and inexpensive tuning, but its scope is very narrow. These changes are resorted to when the suspension has already been adjusted, but you want to slightly change the behavior of the motorcycle in one or two corners, without losing much in others. Also included in the group of improvements “useful for those who understand”

Moto tuning → Tuned Kawasaki ZX-14R Tribal bike – Roaring Toyz

Roaring Toyz specialists, led by former racer Robert Fisher, are world famous for high-quality tuning of sports motorcycles. They love to modify modern bikes, making them more powerful and faster. For example, Kawasaki ZX-14R (ZZR1400) Tribal. By tradition, the Roaring Toyz team tried to make something unique and unusual, although the corporate style, of course, can be seen: power, muscular and aggressive design, fiery airbrushing. Unfortunately, there are no detailed specifications of the motorcycle, but without a doubt, the work done was insane. Every little thing, every detail is thought out and in its place.

Moto tuning → Tuned motorcycle Ducati Monster MS4R 2007

Abroad, choosing a used motorcycle is extremely simple: there is a lot of equipment, but it costs a penny. Thus, if desired, anyone can try their hand at customizing without much damage to their pocket. Ducati Monster motorcycles have been produced for 20 years, so there are plenty of donors, and Italian bikes always look cool regardless of the year of production. In addition, some companies and specialists produce special kits for upgrading the Ducati Monster, which greatly simplifies tuning/customizing the motorcycle. One day, Canadian enthusiast Nelson Gonsalves saw the MS4R kit designed by Paolo Tesio and bought it for his Ducati.

Protection

All protective elements, such as sliders, engine covers, generator covers, clutch covers and frame and swingarm protection, are useful. They allow you to save on falls, not be afraid to ride more aggressively, and try new things. Be careful with sliders - for motorcycles that race on large tracks, these protection elements are not recommended (motor covers, etc.) When the motorcycle slides into a curb, the slider can catch on the side and launch the motorcycle into the air, significantly increasing the cost of repairs

Types and possibilities of tuning

Almost every bike owner eventually comes to the desire to make his motorcycle unique and convenient for everyday use. You can bring this to life in different ways. Some people purchase special kits consisting of linings, deflectors, moldings, and do the tuning of the motorcycle with their own hands. It’s easy to do this kind of work yourself in your garage. But to carry out modifications to increase engine power or improve safety systems, it is better to entrust them to specialists and carry them out in specialized workshops.

For both cars and motorcycles, tuning can be cosmetic, technical or combined. Each type involves a specific set of work.

Painless changes

There are quite a lot of them, but they can be divided into external and internal. The former are aimed at individualizing the design, the latter at improving driving and technical parameters.

If we talk about appearance, then it is initially classic, which means quite stylish and attractive, but nothing prevents you from customizing it to your own taste. In the case when you have the Urals or the Dnieper, for tuning you can:

  • raise and straighten the steering wheel;
  • make a single seat;
  • install mirrors, control knobs and fairings of a different shape;
  • move the footrests forward, thus adding convenience to the landing;
  • remove the wings, giving the bike more dynamics;
  • move the muffler to the right;
  • give preference to solid brake and clutch levers;
  • chrome all visually noticeable parts;
  • replace the rear wheel with a wider size, 130-150, but not more, otherwise you will have to buy a frame as well;
  • remove the original fuel tank and replace it with a streamlined one, from the Planet, 49 or 56 IZh, Jupiter or even Java-250 (if it fits).

Look how much such painless tuning of the Urals transforms the design of the bike: the motorcycle in the photo already looks completely different, and in real life this impression only intensifies.

Cosmetic work

This type of motorcycle tuning is also called appearance restyling. It is often carried out on motorcycles that have been in use for a long time, that is, more than 5 years. During this time, the paintwork fades or is damaged as a result of falls and the bike loses its external luster. And it’s worth a lot for a motorcycle.


Cosmetic work

The simplest option is to simply repaint or restore the damaged coating. But you can approach this process creatively and make motorcycle tuning. To do this, airbrushing is applied to the gas tank or plastic parts. It is better to entrust such work to specialists. You can cover some parts with vinyl film yourself. This will give the motorcycle a stylish look.

By using neon lighting, they make the bike unique. After all, not a single production motorcycle is produced in such a configuration. However, you should remember that you need to purchase the backlight as a complete set: with an ignition unit and a color control panel. By performing motorcycle tuning in this way, you can get an absolutely unique bike.

Quickshifter

If your motorcycle does not have a quickshifter in the base, then this modification is one of the top 3 improvements that will allow you to remove 2-3 seconds from your lap. Especially if the quickshifter is double-sided - i.e. allows you to change gears up and down without pressing the clutch. Braking and acceleration are significantly easier and more controlled

Is it worth replacing the standard quickshifter with a tuned one? Probably not. A more advanced quickshifter will allow you to shift more accurately and a little faster, but the benefit from this is not much. It's better to spend money on more useful tuning

Frame, wheels, plastic

  1. Sports plastic

Included in a large group of mandatory tuning. It does not increase speed, but reduces the cost of falling by an order of magnitude (it costs 3-4 times less than the standard one). In addition, it usually consists of a small number of parts on quick-release mounts, which makes servicing the motorcycle much easier. The appearance, of course, also deteriorates, but this can be treated with painting or stickers

This group also includes: 2. Sports clip-ons, 3. sports aluminum yoke and spider (they can be bent back after a fall, it is not necessary to change them immediately)

  1. Glass

It is cheaper, and the shape is slightly higher than usual. Allows you to gain a little time on straight lines, allowing you to hide behind it almost entirely. Attention: do not take dark glass under any circumstances. You can't see anything through it! On a straight line you must definitely hide behind him. If this is not the case, look for a landing. Only beginners on the track stick the number on the glass or use darkening

  1. Footrests

Not the cheapest, but still a necessary type of modification. Only with the help of adjustable footpegs can you change your seating position, increase comfort, change the pressure on the inner/outer leg, and allow you to lay the motorcycle even deeper. When purchasing, it is best to immediately buy spare legs and levers (they often break, and searching for the right part on the track is not always easy)

  1. Lightweight wheels

A pontoon cutter's dream J They look beautiful, are visible from afar, and seriously declare the financial status of the owner. But, alas, it’s not the most useful purchase for a track. Yes, they reduce unsprung mass, but this does not affect the time on the track much. All other things being equal, it is better to buy a second set of standard wheels for quickly changing wheels without tire fitting. When I see forged wheels on a motorcycle without, like, a telemetry system, I know someone made a good deal on this guy

Improving operational and technical characteristics

Tuning a motorcycle engine on your own is almost impossible. This will require unique parts and extensive experience. Therefore, in most cases, such motorcycle tuning consists of completely replacing the standard engine with a forced one. And this work can only be carried out at enterprises that have the appropriate permit, because they directly affect the safety of the vehicle.

Motorcycle tuning related to improving performance can be done independently. Additional elements for this can be purchased at a motorcycle store or made with your own hands. Motorcyclists who travel a lot usually lack space to store their belongings. For this purpose, trunks are installed. They come in fabric, plastic and leather. At the location of attachment - central and side. To ensure a comfortable ride in cold weather, motorcycle tuning involves installing heated steering grips. At first glance, a minor change brings great benefits to the rider in controlling the bike. Installing additional fender liners will allow you to drive in rainy weather and off-road without fear that the passenger's back will be splashed with mud.

Motorcycle panniers

Typewriter

If your car allows you to adjust the position of the brake lever, then you can leave it. The improved machine does not have any special advantages, but it costs a decent amount. Yes, the brakes become more responsive to small forces, but the degree of control increases only slightly. So you can bet if you have money left

Some advantage is the ability to adjust the position of the brake lever on the fly. As the race progresses, the pads and brake fluid heat up and become less effective. For the same braking on the 10th lap of the race, it may be necessary to put more pressure on the lever, pressing it even closer, at this moment the riders tighten the position of the lever on the fly, compensating for the “movement” of the brake lever

  1. Disabling ABS

Not a shutdown in the motorcycle control program, but exclusion of this unit from the braking system altogether. Must have! The fact is that on the track it is almost impossible to let the front wheel skid on a straight line while braking. More likely, the motorcycle will flip over the handlebars, but the front wheel will retain traction on the asphalt. Telemetry analyzes also confirm that ABS is not activated even once during the race. So this block is not needed

By throwing away the ABS and installing short reinforced brake hoses, we will significantly reduce the distance from the brake lever to the caliper. The fluid will not pass through the ABS unit, the sensors will not process the fluid pressure, the electronic unit will not, with a delay, adjust our pressure. The predictability of braking increases significantly - the brain can directly correlate the deceleration of the motorcycle and the amount of pressure on the lever. Also, this tuning is inexpensive. Highly recommended!

  1. Brake calipers

What is certain is that the brake calipers should be quite modern. All modern multi-piston designs provide sufficient braking predictability. In my opinion, the choice of pads that are in the brakes is much more important than the calipers themselves

However, if you install brake calipers from another manufacturer, you can often save on the cost of the pads (different configurations cost different things). But this is only beneficial if you spend a lot of time on the track

  1. Brake pads

Definitely change. City pads will burn out in the first one or two sessions. They are simply not designed for conditions where you are braking hard several times a minute. They just burn, so we choose a well-known manufacturer and look for pads to suit our taste with the inscription “for racing use only”. Basically, there is a choice of two types on the market - synthetic (sinter) and graphite (aka carbon, aka graphene, aka carbon). This is a matter of taste. They have a slightly different set of operating temperatures and performance characteristics (when the pads “grab”), but you can get used to both

Look - racing pads can be for endurance race or just racing. Endurance pads brake a little worse, but they last for a longer period. To begin with, to try, I would recommend taking synthetic pads from a not very expensive company labeled endurance. If they are not enough, you can try to move on. You can buy a brembo z04 right away, but if you haven’t tested the braking, or the ABS unit interferes with the work, it’s a waste of money

  1. Brake fluid

Change as problems arise. If you start to actively brake on the track, the fluid may begin to boil in the hoses. This will dramatically reduce braking efficiency. Choose the one that holds the temperature better and has a DOT 4 or even DOT 5.1 standard. It’s inexpensive, it’s better to always have a supply with you for bleeding or topping up the brakes

  1. Brake discs

Expensive, not the most necessary, but overall useful tuning. Especially useful for racing in hot weather. The discs heat up very much, some of the standard ones may begin to bend, which will result in vibration on the steering wheel. The cost of wheels is outrageous, especially if you have two sets of wheels (we multiply the target amount by 2), there are two disks on each wheel. This tuning can just allow a rich team to defeat a poor one (the budget war is obvious). Also, with this replacement we are fighting for predictability of braking and maintaining this predictability during the race.

Improvement of security systems

Motorcycle tuning in this area includes installing feedback alarms, immobilizers and brake disc locks. Based on the fact that motorcycles are the most stolen type of vehicle, it is recommended to use an original alarm system with a location sensor.

Locking the wheels will allow you to leave your bike on the street for a short time without fear. Statistics show that brightly tuned motorcycles are stolen less often. So it would be useful to bring it into this form.


Wheel lock

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Moto tuning → Tuned bike Triumph Thruxton 2004

The Triumph Thruxton is a motorcycle that looks great even in stock form, but is still often subject to modernization. For the most part, tuning a Triumph Thruxton comes down to easily perfecting all sorts of little things, since in the basic version the serial cafe racer is almost perfect. This Triumph Thruxton is the work of the Speed ​​Merchant team of mechanics from Southern California. They specialize in producing parts for Triumph motorcycles and the late model Sportster. The latest project of the masters was inspired by vintage street trackers with a mixture of modern trends.

Modern Girder type fork

Often, customizers use four types of forks when creating their motorcycles: “Glide”, hydraulic, “Springer” and “Girder”. The first three are used most often and are already boring. has developed a modern “Girder” type fork with good performance parameters. In December 2009, RCC purchased the intellectual property regarding forks and other parts from . Based on that knowledge, they created the modern “Girder” fork. It is designed not just for regular chopper-like customs, but also for more sporty motorcycles. All metal parts are made of high quality 6061 T6 aluminum alloy with micrometer precision.

Blog named after AlexRomantic → Steam motorcycle

Episode 3 We managed to make a really working engine. Of course, due to the fact that there is almost no equipment and everything has to be done simply by hand, there are many small imperfections, but it works. And I didn’t even think that such a small engine would have so much power. After a few minutes of work, the parts got used to it (break-in) and the engine started and ran just fine. But, these are still tests in air from a compressor. Now you need to try it all out as a couple. Well, I think no matter what problems we encounter along the way, we can always redo and rebuild everything. In the meantime, let's enjoy the work of our little steam engine.

Additional Notes

OK it's all over Now! We didn't talk about external tuning, about halogen lamps and colored circuits, but that was not the purpose. Finally, a few comments

  • When choosing tuning, it is important to take into account the requirements of the regulations, for example, in the superstock 1000 CEV regulations, you cannot change the entire fork, but you can change the cartridges
  • When changing a part, find out the recommendations for its mileage - so that you can accurately calculate the cost per km of the motorcycle. (For example, a tuned suspension obviously needs to be serviced more often than a standard one)
  • Having several identical motorcycles in your team, it is not always worth tuning them the same (for example, you can install telemetry on one of them to save money)
  • If you bought a new motorcycle and immediately buy a lot of tuned parts, be sure to look at foreign (German, Spanish) sites. Often, a round-trip ticket to Munich can save you several thousand dollars, and the tax refund is an added bonus to your trip.
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