[AulusGabinius]

I've been testing out practically everything that I can think of that is going to fit my daily requirements, and everywhere I felt I was compromising here and there on something or the other. So, I thought I'd create a thread where we can post our fantasy bike builds and the potential mods on existing bikes that would fulfill our fantasies and would fix the things that we feel we're compromising on. I'd also like to put up costs for that, so that the potential mods would also have a realistic figure to it so that anyone who thinks about modding something or the other could still try it out if they had the cash to spare. I'll start out by listing my use case, the bikes I considered, what annoyed me about them, and the mods I really would like to do along with the costs of them all.

P.S. I'm still saving up to buy a bike, and I know what I'm going for, but I'd still really like to see if anything can be done to get something that would fit perfectly.

My Use Case: I do a 7 km commute to work every day, and I use the car only when it's going to rain heavily. The commute is split evenly between city roads, highways, and outright pathetic roads. I also go on weekend rides (currently with my car), which can be as much 500 km or so, and easily spending a minimum of four and max of eight hours in the saddle. I almost never travel two-up, except on errands, and therefore have no need for anything that makes two-up touring more comfortable than what the stock set-up offers. Touring in Maharashtra means good roads, bad roads, moderate slush, even occasional river crossing-like washed-out roads, so some off-road comfort is a huge plus.

Another point to consider is that I'm 6'2" tall and not in the mood to travel tucked in, but a moderately sporty posture a la a sports tourer is not out of the question. Looks-wise I quite like bigger front wheels, but the handling trade-off can be an issue for mostly tarmac, so that's one thing I'd really like to mod if possible, if the bike has smaller wheels.

Bikes I'd consider and their mods:


1. Triumph Scrambler 400X: As it stands, this bike is pretty close to exactly what I want and need, and our admin Axe-77 has done pretty much everything I'd like on this (here:

Originally Posted by Axe77

Got my Scrambler 400X delivered over the weekend and did a nice maiden ride today from Pune to Mumbai.

The stock accessories on the bike I'd have are the quilted seat covers (purely aesthetic), the flyscreen, the mud splash kit, and the bashplate (I think that's standard).

Several others on the thread have also done quite a bit of modding on theirs, so I'll put a summary of the points I'd like to change about this motorcycle, who's done them, and so on:

• The handguards are flimsy in the event of a fall, so I'd take what Axe has done and upgrade to Barkbusters. Approx. cost seems to be about 6k on Bikenbiker.

• Grip wraps from Trip Machine Co., just to enhance the retro look. Approx. cost 2k.

• The front brake pads are organic and seem to be entirely useless after exuberant riding, so I'd change them to the Speed's sintered ones. Approx. cost seems to be about 2k at the dealership.

• The fuelling sometimes left me (on a friend's bike) wanting more of a throttle response in the higher revs (vibes aside), so I'd get a FuelX Pro to modulate that. Approx. cost is 10k.

• The BMC air filter is a no-brainer, both for long-term engine health and better airflow. Seems to be for about 5k.

• The seat foam is a little bit soft, so I'd probably try and get a harder, denser foam like what nasirkaka has done. (Here's the link to that thread:

  Originally Posted by nasirkaka

  SEAT SLOPE CORRECTION DIY FOR SCRAMBLER 400XSince the day of test ride, I was not very convinced with the seat profile of the Scrambler 400X.

• The tyres need to go for sure, and I'd probably get Apollo Tramplr XRs or Reise Moto TourRs, and then move up into Pirellis or Metzelers based off those.

• The final item would probably be the battery. I'd like to explore whether a Shinko Li-ion battery would be safe to fit on this, and it would save a pretty decent chunk of weight from the bike itself, about 3 kilos if I'm not wrong.

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by AulusGabinius

1. Triumph Scrambler 400X: As it stands, this bike is pretty close to exactly what I want and need, and our admin Axe-77 has done pretty much everything I'd like on this (here:

Great list of add ons. I’d just add that the stock lights are REALLY rubbish and if you’re doing any sort of night time riding, specially on highways but even within dimly lit city conditions, I’d definitely suggest you consider some sort of Aux light support.

Separately, not sure if Barkbusters will be for 6k IIRC - might be another brand which performs the same function. I actually did it for visual appeal as much as for practicality. The bike is so light and nimble that the fear of dropping it, despite its ADV height, is minimal.

Fully agree with brakes and tyres (must change) and the air filter upgrade is a nice change too. Some have also considered playing with going back to Speed front sprocket and in due course once you’ve run the bike you can take a call with something like that.

EDIT: Check this post from Nasirkaka for more on this modification - he has just posted this.

The Scram is a wonderful canvas to customise and upgrade in your own unique way. Look forward to seeing how yours comes out once you get to it.

Do watch out for the next gen KTM 390A too. I’m hoping that will be a fabulous machine as well if the all new Duke 390 was anything to go by.

Cheers.

[AulusGabinius]

Originally Posted by Axe77

Great list of add ons.

Thanks! I'm going to go over a few others too, since most of this segment, a few above and a few below are just so nice, but somehow have some niggles for me personally.

[AulusGabinius]

2. Royal Enfield Himalayan 450: I would get this if I felt the need for a more substantial bike, and of course if I'm going to be doing more touring than maybe once or twice a month. This is a more off-road oriented adventure, and I would mod it to be a little more road-biased, a Himalayan Re like the the V-Strom 800 RE. Much has already been said about the bike on the relevant thread, but I've ridden a few examples among our riding group, and the only really annoying things that bothered me were:

1. The big front wheel gives just a tad less response than the 19-inch on the scrambler, and that's fine.
2. The stock seat is a little uncomfortable, but the OEM adventure seat fixes that pretty well.
3. The weight. I don't have any physical issues, it's just somewhat annoying. Reminds me too much of the TB500 I had.

Other than that, here's my fantasy build for a road-biased Himalayan 450:

• OEM parts: Adventure rider & pillion seat, rally sump guard and bars, touring mirrors (reinstalled with loctite).

• That front beak is really not to my taste at all. Personally I'd take it off and install something 3D-printed on the lower front mudguard, which would be about 4 inches in circumference longer than the stock one. That would change the profile of the bike too, and bring the weight lower, whatever it would add. I'd estimate the cost of this mod to be around 7k all-in.

• The front wheel I would probably change to a 19-inch rim, steel because I'd still like to maintain the robustness of it, and I think I'd need new spokes as well because of the reduced length. I can use the hubs as they are, an advantage of the spoked wheels. I know, this would compromise the bike off road and possibly the suspension as well, the overall gliding quality of the Himalayan would reduce, but I would trade that for the lighter handling that it would produce. This could be reversed if I don't like it, but it' still worth a try. This is an expensive one, could go up to 30-35k.

• Tubeless conversion for the wheels. Easily going to cost about 20k if I go for the way2speed option, but there are several others. Barring that, I would certainly get OEM tubeless wheels if they're available.

• The upper cages have got to go. They're too heavy for the occasional use of mounting two tanks bags or tanks on them, and I can always put them back if needed. I can get some indicator holders on a much smaller, custom-built crash guard that mounts using the original bolts, which is only going to keep the tank from getting scratched. This would probably cost me another 20k or so.

• BMC air filter again, just can't let that low hanging fruit go.

• I'm not entirely sure the FuelX Pro is really necessary, but I have found myself wanting slightly more punch under 2000 rpm in the twisties. So probably a yes.

• The mount plate on the rear can go too, since I'm more of a soft luggage person, and it's always going to be either luggage or person. I can easily build a grab-rail/backrest that will do the job in its place and be a whole lot lighter.

• I'd also flip the handlebar mounts to the higher position, I don't need any bar risers after that one.

• A Carbon Racing Touring windscreen seems a more protective option than the OEM screen, so I think I'd like that one too!

All in all, I think I'd cut down about 10 kilos, may be a little more or less, but at the end of it I'd have a more responsive, lighter and more city-friendly Himalayan.

[that_sedate_guy]

Originally Posted by AulusGabinius

[b]more city-friendly Himalayan.

Quite along the lines of what I would do if I had a play-budget (and a himmy of course) Because the drivetrain and suspension on that bike are daydream-worthy IMO

Lesser diameter front wheel which will contribute to better dynamics and lesser ride height making it a great tourer actually.

I'm not a fan of the tall, thin designs of ADV bikes. That narrow windshield will be the first to go and get replaced later.

I'd chuck that moto-cross style front mudguard out of the window and replace it with a proper tyre hugger.

A huge work I might want to do would be to give it a larger and lower sitting headlamp because otherwise the bike looks like an ostrich with a tiny head too high than the rest of the body.

Not too concerned about the complex crashguard but I would be adding panniers to the rear; not the typical rectangular ones but more subtle DIY ones.

I'd probably end up with a urban tourer with ADV suspension. An abomination

[b16h22]

Originally Posted by AulusGabinius

2. Royal Enfield Himalayan 450: I would get this if I felt the need for a more substantial bike, and of course if I'm going to be doing more touring than maybe once or twice a month. This is a more off-road oriented adventure, and I would mod it to be a little more road-biased, a Himalayan Re like the the V-Strom 800 RE. Much has already been said about the bike on the relevant thread, but I've ridden a few examples among our riding group, and the only really annoying things that bothered me were:

1. The big front wheel gives just a tad less response than the 19-inch on the scrambler, and that's fine.

All in all, I think I'd cut down about 10 kilos, may be a little more or less, but at the end of it I'd have a more responsive, lighter and more city-friendly Himalayan.

I've done a rough concept render last year along the similar lines. A 19" H450 with alloys. Coincidentally I took the VStrom 800 RE wheels to achieve this

[Chugh_H]

Originally Posted by AulusGabinius

1. Triumph Scrambler 400X

In my view, this is a very good choice if someone wants to get into the mod / DIY scene, second only to the REs in our country I believe. I bought this bike a few months ago, and keep getting this itch to get a part / mod done every 2nd week. Obviously the latest thread on the 15T sprocket isn't helping much.
My dream build isn't very different from yours, here's what I'd do;

• (Done) Get the Triumph Scrambler 400x.
• (Done) Grip wrap from TripMachine Co.
• (Done) BMC air filter.
• (Done) Brake pads from Speed 400.
• Next up - FuelX Pro.
• Soon - 15T front sprocket.
• Soon enough - Better tires (and maybe even spoked wheels if I am able to upskill myself off-road). I like what Rally Raid has to offer.
• Evaluating - A better looking tail tidy, I don't like the ones on offer in India right now, but I absolutely love the one from British legends.

[Sudarshan42]

To present an alternative view, I'd go the old-fashioned route of converting a street motorcycle to a scram/touring one. I recently bought a Speed 400, and these are some mods I'm keen on to make it a better all rounder. It already has incredible tyres and brakes, so the only change I'd need are with ergos, wind protection and suspension travel.

1. Carbon Racing windscreen- even though it looks ungainly, it'll help protect me and my phone from wind. Also reduces risk of tinnitus by preventing constant wind noise.
2. Change in sprocket to increase touring speed, but at the expense of initial acceleration. Need to look into options on what works.
3. I don't know if the Scrambler front forks are an option, but even if I can't make this swap easily, I'm not losing sleep. The Speed's are just fine for now.
4. Mobile holder/Garmin sat nav- I don't miss connectivity on bikes because most implementations are faulty, so a good holder with vibration dampeners should suffice. Bought a Bobo BM17 recently.
5. A BMC air filter at the 5k km mark
6. Handlebar risers from Carbon Racing.
7. Triumph stock top rack and a Givi box should hold all essentials well. Tool kit, puncture kit, raincoat etc.

[AulusGabinius]

Originally Posted by b16h22

I've done a rough concept render last year along the similar lines. A 19" H450 with alloys. Coincidentally I took the VStrom 800 RE wheels to achieve this

Attachment 2648107

We could, in theory, replace the alloys with the rear from the Interceptor and the front from the Super Meteor, and I think they'd be fine since they're designed for much heavier bikes...but the only issue is the hubs. Maybe that would need just too much technical mods to get it to work properly. Loving your design though!

[RD410]

The only 90% perfect bike available in Indian market IMO is Triumph Scrambler 400X. It can corner well, it can off road, has more than enough power, the mechanicals are not too complex, bike is compact, service is affordable, it has got low end torque, looks are pretty neutral, quality is good, it's got tubeless tyres, overall a near perfect all rounder.

Other than that, I would like to see -

1. An ADV version of Apache 200, which TVS actually has (for racing) but will never launch in mass market.

2. Xpulse with same qualities, but a more potent engine. This fantasy is going to get real soon as Hero is all set to launch Xpulse 210.

3. A modern iteration of Pulsar 220F. Keep the engine and aesthetics the same, but add a rear mono shock, LED lighting. In short, make the 220 more modern. Yes there is Pulsar 250, but it's just not the same as 220 as the 250's lack the madness associated with the brand 'Pulsar'.

4. Yamaha XSR155. Again something that may never happen as Yamaha India is not at all interested in launching it here.

5. More small capacity dualsports. India is totally missing out on these super fun machines. Yamaha Crosser 150, XTZ 250, Kawasaki KLX 230, Honda XR150 (Hero Impulse), XR160, XR190, XRE300.....so many but none available in India.

[AulusGabinius]

3. Honda NX200/CB200X Rebuild: I like to think of this one as the one that got away. The only close rival to this is the Xpulse 200T, and not the standard Xpulse, and the 200T is downright awful. The standard Xpulse is already very off-road biased, and I think Honda missed an opportunity to make something really special that would be a pocket-sized tourer. Looks-wise I think this bike matches the Transalp more than the NX500, so maybe I'll call it Piccole, which is a reference to the small hills of the Dolomites in the Italian Alps.

So with that in mind, here we go!

1. Switch the front wheel, brakes and ABS sensors with those of the V-Strom 250 SX. They're actually quite similar as far as I can tell, but the V-Strom doesn't get USDs. However, I'm quite happy to trade them for the better ones the V-Strom gets, and I'd take the ground clearance to. As for the brakes, they can be fit too, and the ABS sensor only needs to be replaced, not the whole system. I think the cost of this is going to be closer to 40k.

2. Better, harder seats, which are already available with a lot of seat guys. Probably will cost around 2k.

3. I'd go with a rear sprocket a tooth or two lower, just for more bottom end for bad roads, but I think it'll do just fine overall. Probably will cost another 5k.

4. The handlebars already come with a lot of fun stuff, but a couple of bar risers would certainly not hurt.

5. And now that we have the right wheel size, let's throw in a pair of Apollo Tramplr XRs or the like!

All in all, I think these would make it an NX200/CB200X worth the name and in the same level of capability as the CB500X/NX500.

[amyntor]

Originally Posted by AulusGabinius

3. Honda NX200/CB200X Rebuild: I like to think of this one as the one that got away. The only close rival to this is the Xpulse 200T, and not the standard Xpulse, and the 200T is downright awful. The standard Xpulse is already very off-road biased, and I think Honda missed an opportunity to make something really special that would be a pocket-sized tourer. Looks-wise I think this bike matches the Transalp more than the NX500, so maybe I'll call it Piccole, which is a reference to the small hills of the Dolomites in the Italian Alps.

So with that in mind, here we go!

...

So, a Sahara 300?

https://www.bikewale.com/news/honda-...s-the-xre-300/

[AulusGabinius]

Originally Posted by amyntor

So, a Sahara 300?

https://www.bikewale.com/news/honda-...s-the-xre-300/

Nope, even smaller. The Sahara uses what is basically similar to the CB300F engine, if I'm not wrong. This is to the Sahara what the Xpulse is to the CRF300L. If Honda had made this it would cost not much more than 1.45-1.5 L or so ex-showroom, about the same as the XPulse for that matter. And the Sahara has vastly better suspension etc, and can be taken off-road properly. This is a tourer, period, but its tiny size means that it's best used for long daily commutes on awful roads, which is pretty normal in India.

[gharika]

Seems like no one is considering a parallel twin. I have found Interceptor to be a very flexible platform. What I would like though is a water cooled 650 twin that can shed more of its metal. Perhaps something in between the Himy 451 and Interceptor. Also owned a Duke 390 earlier, so loved the frame. So what I would like is to mate the Duke chassis, Himy 451 suspension, and Interceptor engine, add more rigidity to engine cradle, reduce engine width with minimalistic casing of duke engine, tubeless ofcourse and torque delivery of 650. While I am dreaming, keep the electronics to be a minimum and have a underseat exhaust.

[AulusGabinius]

Originally Posted by gharika

Seems like no one is considering a parallel twin. I have found Interceptor to be a very flexible platform. What I would like though is a water cooled 650 twin that can shed more of its metal. Perhaps something in between the Himy 451 and Interceptor. Also owned a Duke 390 earlier, so loved the frame. So what I would like is to mate the Duke chassis, Himy 451 suspension, and Interceptor engine, add more rigidity to engine cradle, reduce engine width with minimalistic casing of duke engine, tubeless ofcourse and torque delivery of 650. While I am dreaming, keep the electronics to be a minimum and have a underseat exhaust.

There's an innumerable number of Interceptor scrambler/touring mods online, so I'm still going through them to find the best ones for my use. Will post when I'm ready!