- Wed Aug 26, 2020 11:36 am
#92485
Hi guys! Just a reflection on "customization" that I would like to share with you and the possible effects is can have.
When I bought my RE500 Classic MY 2010 last year, it only had 1000 km on the meter. It was at that time modified in a number of ways: higher handle bar, longer rear swing, fatter rear tyre, wider rear mudguard, shorter shock absorbers, modified tail light and number plate holder, customized single seat, other indicator lights, extra lights, a shorter silencer.
It was (and still is) painted in a special "Royal Postal red" colour. All in all, a very nice composition if I may say so myself. I got all the original parts in a couple of boxes.
However, the fat rear tyre was a bit too "good to be true": at 140/90 - 15 it was a bit to wide. The modified rear swing could handle it but the tyre side was shafed by the chain, just a bit but anyway. I replaced it with a 130/90 - 15. It worked, but now the wheel diameter got smaller and it simply didn´t look "right" if you know what I mean. It also meant that I got problems with the headlight adjustment.
I therefore replaced the wheel with a 130/70 - 18 (the original rear rim). That was OK, but now I realized something else: the rear swing was not completey aligned, making the rear wheel look a bit askew seen from the rear. I decided to install the original rear swing, together with a 120/80 - 18. This of course meant to also install the original mudguard and original taillight.
Meanwhile, I started to question the slighly higher and wider handlebar; whilst it made you feel like "king of the road" in slow traffic, the upright position when reaching 90 - 100 km/h was somewhat tiring. Would the relatively small difference to the original handlebar be noticeable at all? Only one way to find out: I changed to the original handlebar. This of course meant that I had to replace the longer cables with shorter ones (that I happended to have in one of the boxes). What a difference it made! The bike became much more nimble (if that word can be applied to a RE500...) and the ride much more smooth in all respects.
So, what´s left? Yesterday I replaced my loud silencer with the original, long "cigar" and I also installed the original seat, the one with springs. Perfect! I think I prefer the somewhat muffled thump to the sharper and louder sound from the small silencer and the slightly higher seat gives a better overall riding position, in combination with the handlebar.
Well, I am still not so happy with the original tail light and have started to build my own design, based on the Wipac "Sabrina" lamp, together with smaller bullet like indicators. The two "pointy" things on the lamp will harmonize with the jet shaped bullet indicators. A typical winter project.
I have done some other modifications though: lithium battery, improved wiring for the extra lights, LED headlight, simple bag holder for Ortlieb bags etc, but that´s another story.
Just wanted to share this with you all. Does anyone have other experiences from modifications vs standard configuration?
Best regards,
Gunnar
When I bought my RE500 Classic MY 2010 last year, it only had 1000 km on the meter. It was at that time modified in a number of ways: higher handle bar, longer rear swing, fatter rear tyre, wider rear mudguard, shorter shock absorbers, modified tail light and number plate holder, customized single seat, other indicator lights, extra lights, a shorter silencer.
It was (and still is) painted in a special "Royal Postal red" colour. All in all, a very nice composition if I may say so myself. I got all the original parts in a couple of boxes.
However, the fat rear tyre was a bit too "good to be true": at 140/90 - 15 it was a bit to wide. The modified rear swing could handle it but the tyre side was shafed by the chain, just a bit but anyway. I replaced it with a 130/90 - 15. It worked, but now the wheel diameter got smaller and it simply didn´t look "right" if you know what I mean. It also meant that I got problems with the headlight adjustment.
I therefore replaced the wheel with a 130/70 - 18 (the original rear rim). That was OK, but now I realized something else: the rear swing was not completey aligned, making the rear wheel look a bit askew seen from the rear. I decided to install the original rear swing, together with a 120/80 - 18. This of course meant to also install the original mudguard and original taillight.
Meanwhile, I started to question the slighly higher and wider handlebar; whilst it made you feel like "king of the road" in slow traffic, the upright position when reaching 90 - 100 km/h was somewhat tiring. Would the relatively small difference to the original handlebar be noticeable at all? Only one way to find out: I changed to the original handlebar. This of course meant that I had to replace the longer cables with shorter ones (that I happended to have in one of the boxes). What a difference it made! The bike became much more nimble (if that word can be applied to a RE500...) and the ride much more smooth in all respects.
So, what´s left? Yesterday I replaced my loud silencer with the original, long "cigar" and I also installed the original seat, the one with springs. Perfect! I think I prefer the somewhat muffled thump to the sharper and louder sound from the small silencer and the slightly higher seat gives a better overall riding position, in combination with the handlebar.
Well, I am still not so happy with the original tail light and have started to build my own design, based on the Wipac "Sabrina" lamp, together with smaller bullet like indicators. The two "pointy" things on the lamp will harmonize with the jet shaped bullet indicators. A typical winter project.
I have done some other modifications though: lithium battery, improved wiring for the extra lights, LED headlight, simple bag holder for Ortlieb bags etc, but that´s another story.
Just wanted to share this with you all. Does anyone have other experiences from modifications vs standard configuration?
Best regards,
Gunnar
