Archive: Farkles/Accessories
Table of contents
- V-1 re-install
- DMP S-Spec Steel Track Stand
- Beadrider bead seat
- Challenger-M custom earphones
- Mira-cool
- Motofizz camping seat bag - small
- Seat dimensions
- Blue Max Chair
- Audio mixer
- SPOT Satellite Messanger
- Hand Guards
- Datel voltmeter
- Second Look Tank Skin
- GPSuspensions - Penske Shock, rebuilt fork
- Zumo security screw
- Bill Mayer saddle
- Motofizz camping seat bag - large
- Garmin GXM-30
- Garmin Zumo 550
- V1 enclosure
- Steering nut RAM mount
- Audiovox CCS-100 cruise control with Skyway bracket
- Grip puppies
- Side-bag reflectors
- Skyway's hydration system
- LD Shorts
- Personlized license plate
- Skyway's windshield spacers
- Organizer
- Vista cruise
- Powerlets
- Camping gear
- XM Radio
- Stop & Go Pocket Tire Plugger
- Bike cover
- Tie down straps
- Throttle rocker
- Manic Salamandar bar ends
- Shure e2c earphones
- Valentine V-1 radar detector
- Cortech Mini-magnetic tank bag
- Amplirider mixing amplifier
- FJReady helmet holder
- Side stand base
- Radiator guard
- Magnum Blaster horns
- Kryptonite Disk Lock
- Helmet guardian
- Tank slapper
- Heli bar risers
V-1 re-install
On the road, I rely on my Valentine V-1 radar detector to keep me out of (too much) trouble. In the past, I've tried various mounting solutions for the V-1, but they all had problems of some kind, and I wasn't satisfied with any of them.
One of the most popular mounting setups is a plate mounted to the top of one of the reservoirs. Skyway, another (former?) member of the Forum, sells one that you see on a lot of bikes at rallies. In the past I bought a bunch of stuff from Skyway, including a CCS control bracket, a GXM-30 mounting plate, some windshield extenders, and his famous hydration kit.
Unfortunately a couple of years ago Skyway went goofy, and screwed a bunch of people on the forum out of $500 to $700 each on an auxiliary tank mount. He took their money, and never delivered. He is persona-non-grata on the Forum, for good reason.
Over the years I've purchased many items from garauld, a metal fabrication specialist who is well known on the FJR Forum for the quality of his work. I've got his hand-guard extenders, a auxiliary light mounting kit (which I have yet to actually install), and he powder-coated my Skyway CCS control bracket. His metal-work is always top notch, and the quality of his finishing work is second to none.
A few weeks ago I contacted garauld to see if he'd consider building a reservoir radar detector mount. He agreed, and we exchanged ideas on the basic design. The unit he fabricated exceeded all of my expectations, both in form and function. I installed it just before my trip to Hetch-Hetchy at the end of September, and the bracket worked great. I even piggy-backed my SPOT on top of the V-1. However, the V-1 audio adapter had to hang off the side, and I knew I had to come up with a better idea.
I wanted a setup that would make the V-1 install clean, secure, and easy to remove. The only way to do that was to mount the audio adapter under the seat. This gets the adapter out of the weather, and also removes some stress on the audio connection, which should help clean up the audio feed somewhat.
The coiled power/data cord that runs from the dash to the brake reservoir needed replacing too - there was too much corrosion on the contacts, and the clip didn't seat firmly.
On Sunday, I pulled the bike apart, and re-ran everything for the V-1.
- I removed all the dash panels, the seats, and lifted the gas tank.
- I clipped off the cable ties holding the V-1 cables, and pulled the audio cable back to under the seat.
- I removed the old coiled cord, and ran a new one to the power connector under the dash.
- I ran a new 8' phone cord from the second port on the power connector back under the tank to the under-seat area.
- I removed the thermometer.
- I tested everything.
- I wrapped the new coiled cord around the power cable for the Zumo, to help manage the slack needed for turning the handlebars lock-to-lock.
- I put on new cable ties to hold everything in place.
- I reinstalled the dash panels, which are still a pain, and bolted the gas tank down.
- I got everything setup under the seat, and adjusted the volume on the audio unit.
Everything is much cleaner now, and the audio adapter and it's connections are now out of the weather. The main V-1 unit looks good on garauld's reservoir bracket, and it's both very secure and easy to remove when necessary. I still have to finalize where the SPOT will go, but for now it works fine piggy-backed on top of the V-1.
The bare bracket:
The bracket with the V-1 and SPOT in place:
DMP S-Spec Steel Track Stand
Jason surprised me today with a fantastic birthday present - a DMP S-Spec steel track stand. I tried it out on the FJR, and it works perfectly.
The FJR's center stand makes working on the rear end easy, but getting the front wheel off is a problem. When I replaced the front tire last time, I jacked the bike up under the headers, using Jeremy's floor jack and a 6"x6" square of one-inch pine. On top of my reluctance to jack the bike up that way, it turned out to be pretty unstable. To top it all off, it took me a long time to get everything in order.
The jack stand changes all that. With the bike on the center stand, it now takes about 15 seconds to lift the front wheel off the ground using the DMP stand. You roll it in from the front, align the rollers, and push down. Wa-la. (The stand goes under the bottoms of the forks, so you have full access to the axle and pinch bolts.)
Very cool. Thanks, Jas!
Beadrider bead seat
My biggest problem recently on long rides has been seat soreness, especially when it gets hot, and even with my Bill Meyer seat. Doug, Iggy, and many others swear by bead seats - beaded overlays for your seat that keep air moving between you and the actual seat. Iggy's famous quote is that it turned his FJR from a 1,000 miles a day bike into a 24-hour a day bike.
I ordered a BeadRider seat last week, and it arrived today. It took a couple of minutes of fidgeting to get the straps right, but it's on now. Justin (probably) and I (definitely) are riding to Bear Bear tomorrow to meet up with Carole — who's spending the night with her mom — which will give me a nice test ride.
Challenger-M custom earphones
My Shure e2c's work really well to isolate wind noise under my helmet when I ride, but I've noticed buzzing after long rides. I ordered a set of Challenger-M custom earphones on June 28. This morning, I visited an audiologist who says my hearing is really pretty good for someone my age, but that it was important to protect it. I had him make ear mold impressions for my new earphones. I really hope they come back in time for the trip to WFO.
Mira-cool
A Mira-Cool cooling vest is on it's way. My old Joe Rocket Sahara vest only stays hydrated for about 45 minutes, making it a pain to use. The Mira-Cool comes recommended by a bunch of riders on the Forum, including Toe, and should hold it's coolness all day.
Motofizz camping seat bag - small
My sister-in-law wanted to get me something for helping her on some tax matters. Her suggested price range was just about the same as the cost of a small Motofizz seat bag, and her generous offer was very timely since I was looking for something smaller than my large Motofizz bag for my trip to Arkansas. I needed more than just the side bags, but less (much less) than the large Motofizz, which can hold all my camping gear.
Aerostich has a tough time keeping these bags in stock, but the small is the least popular size, and it was delivered on time. It's a nice addition.
Seat dimensions
Here are the basic dimensions of my Bill Mayer seat:
It's 14" from the front of the tank to the back of the seat.
At the very front of the tank, the seat is 5.75" wide. 1" from the front of the tank, the seat is 7.125" wide. At the widest point, the seat is 15" wide, and at the back of the seat, it's 12" wide.
Blue Max Chair
After reading an encouraging review on Web Bike World, I just ordered one of the Blue Max chairs. If things work according to the (very early) plan, I'll be camping on my way to and from CFR '09 this June, and a small, packable chair should be just the ticket.
In the past I've looked at the famous Kermit Chair, but the price is a sticking point. Unlike the Blue Max, a Kermit has arm rests, which I'm pretty sure I'll miss, but we'll see.
Once it comes in I'll post a quick review.
Audio mixer
Using some plans posted on the FJR Forum, I built an audio mixer using some parts from Radio Shack. The mixer uses resistors to allow two audio input to mix into a single audio output.
I ran cables under the tank and seat, from both my Zumo mount and from the right side of handlebar where my V-1 mounts. A small coiled M-F audio cable attaches to the output jack of the mixer, and pokes out a few inches between the seat and the tank. I run my headphone cord inside my jacket, and plug in to the female jack down by the tank. There's plenty of slack, so I can stand on the pegs without a problem.
SPOT Satellite Messanger
With no shortage of hints, my wonderful wife Carole got me a SPOT Satellite Messenger for Christmas. I used the Fire Eagle discount code to get a free year of full service, including tracking.
My personal SPOT shared page is here.
Hand Guards
I installed my V-strom handguards last weekend. Well, mostly.
I ordered the handguards and the mounting hardware from Gary McCoy. He's now at Mondak Motorsports in northeast Montana, but still has discount pricing and no sales tax. It took only a week or so to arrive.
I also ordered a set of extenders from Garauld. The extenders are aluminum, shaped to fit the natural curves of the handguards and powder coated to match. It took all of my natural dexterity to get the nuts onto the mounting bolts, but I managed.
The mounting went about as expected, with one hitch. Without some extra spacing, the right-side guard binds on the action of the throttle. I wound up going to Berg's Hardware in Pasadena - the young guy at the counter had apparently flunked his customer service training, but I found what I needed. After a quick test fit, I found I needed some smaller washers, and hit OSH on the way home from work.
Justin put a coat of black semi-gloss spray paint onto all the washers. I waited until lunch time the next day to give them plenty of time to dry.
While mounting them (in the lower parking level of my office building), I found that the paint on the washers wasn't going to cut it. Coincidentally, there was a thread on the Forum about Garauld's powder coating service, so on a whim I sent him a PM asking if he'd powder coat some washers. He generously agreed, for only a SASE.
Here are some pictures of the guards on the bike, along with the recently installed Datel voltmeter in panel D.
Datel voltmeter
I (finally) got around to installing the Datel voltmeter I bought a few years back. My initial install is without the bezel (in panel D), and it looks pretty good, but I'm leaning on putting the bezel in. Justin took a look at it, and thinks the bezel will make it look more like an OEM install, since the glove box and the hazard light switch have a naturally bezelled look.
After further review, I decided against the bezel, at least for now. Pictures of the install are here.
Second Look Tank Skin
I got a Second Look Tank Skin last Christmas, but it got misplaced in the black hole that is the garage. I finally tracked it down and installed it. It's nice...
GPSuspensions - Penske Shock, rebuilt fork
I rode up to Portland, and the great guys at GPSuspensions.com installed a new Penske 8983 rear shock and rebuilt my fork with their in-house internal components.
Zumo security screw
I just installed an after-market security screw for my Zumo 550. The original security screw requires use of a tool and is generally a pain in the neck. The replacement is a thumb screw that's much easier to use. The security screw is only for securing the unit in the mounting bracket, not for theft prevention, so a thumb screw is appropriate.
Bill Mayer saddle
I hit the road at 5:35am (uggh) for my 7:00am ride-in appointment at Bill Mayer Saddles in Ojai. I pulled into the wrong driveway at the end of the cul-de-sac, but found the right one after a quick backtrack.
Adrian met me at the door, went over the process, and began work. First, he removed the vinyl cover from the stock seat, and we went out to the bike for the first fitting and mark-up. He made some adjustments, and we went back out for a second fitting. After the third fitting, he sent me out on a test ride, and we made some more adjustments, followed by another test ride, and then a couple of minor adjustments.
Around 10:15am I changed into my tennis shoes and walked a mile down to a restaurant for some breakfast. I read Sharpe's Fury while I ate, and wished the waitress would come back and refill my decaf. On the way back I took the long way around (which I had scoped out on one of my test rides). On one street, a couple of teenagers were having a blast skateboarding down a long, straight downhill — it looked like fun.
When I got back to the shop Adrian and the guys were out grabbing some lunch, so I settled in and finished my book. Laura Mayer chatted with me for a while, and I played with the dogs for a while. The ride in had been cold — very cold — but it had warmed up nicely.
When Adrian got back we did a final check, and I was good to go. They even threw in a free BMS tee-shirt and some other nice, unexpected bonuses. It's different from the stock seat - a little taller, with much more lateral support. I know I'm going to love it, but by the time I got home some areas of my rear that had never been used before were feeling a little special. Based on the forums, this seems like a common occurrence for many people, who say it just needs time for both you and your seat to become accustomed to each other. A lot like getting used to a Tempurpedic mattress - it takes a while for your back to get used to the right kind of bed.
All in all, a great experience. The staff at BMS are friendly, professional, and efficient — a great combination.
Motofizz camping seat bag - large
Garmin GXM-30
The Roady 2 XM radio on the FJR was beginning to show the inevitable signs of a hard life - the antenna would flake out semi-regularly, and the audio cable had to be reseated constantly. This was my third Roady 2 unit, so I knew it was time to upgrade.
First, I sent away for a Skyway GXM-30 mount. Ian's unit comes with a a disk that mounts on top of either reservoir, along with the necessary screws. Next, I hit eBay, and found a new, never-opened GXM-30 for $169 — a lot, but still a bargain from its $300+ MSRP.
I've been using the Zumo with the GXM for about a week now, and have to say I love it. It fits smoothly into the cockpit, without the bulk of the Roady, and the whole packages integrates almost perfectly. When I activated it, I added the traffic and weather to the XM package; it's still a little weird for the voice to tell me that there's slow traffic two miles ahead.
Tonight while Carole was off at Disneyland with Logan, I pulled the front panels, unplugged the now-surplus V-1 accessory cable, tucked the Roady power cable behind the panels, and rerouted the GXM cable. The whole cockpit area now looks clean and neat, with the minimum number of extra cables.
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Garmin Zumo 550
Carole tried hard to order a Garmin 2730 GPS system for a Valentine's Day gift (yes, I'm a lucky man), but couldn't get everything arranged with Costco. After researching it, I decided the 2730 wasn't the best unit for my needs, and Carole supported my choice of a different unit.
After much research, I decided on the Garmin Zumo 450. The Zumo 550 includes Bluetooth and XM radio and traffic, but to actually receive XM you have to purchase a $300 external antenna, and I have no plans to use Bluetooth anytime soon. The Zumo 450 has everything I need and want, and nothing I don't. I ordered it from GetFeetWet.com last weekend.
While I was down in Huntington Beach getting my cruise control installed, Barry showed me his 550, and convinced me that it was worth the price to get the extra flexibility. I converted my order from a 450 to a 550, and it arrived on Wednesday.
I installed the bracket today, using an MCL steering stem RAM mount that was also recommended by Barry. For added protection, I replaced with RAM knob with a 1/4x20 x 1.25" hex-head bolt. I'm going to order some tamper-resistant replacements early next week — still not enough protection to consider leaving the Zumo on the bike unattended, but it will protect the mounting bracket somewhat.
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V1 enclosure
I ordered this V1 security enclosure from Cateye on the FJRforum:
I got a diamond RAM base from GPScity.com, which doesn't fit the pre-drilled mounting holes on the enclosure. I wound up trying a couple of different setups, but finally settled on one that has the mount attached towards the rear, with the remote audio unit velcro'ed and cable tied to the bottom of the enclosure. (My first mounting location blocked the main power cable from the remote audio unit.)
The unit sits higher than before, and I have to tilt it up just a little to see the band indicators and bogey counter, but it's still a big improvement. I left the second coiled cord mounted to the left handlebar for now.
Steering nut RAM mount
Barry down in Huntington Beach has one of these for his Zumo. I installed it along with the Zumo bracket this afternoon.
Audiovox CCS-100 cruise control with Skyway bracket
Smitty, an FJR rider and wrenching guru, traveled from his base near St. Louis out to Barabus' house in Huntington Beach for a weekend of cruise control installations. Fairlaner managed the sign-ups, and I was the last one to get in on it.
I ordered the Audiovox CCS-100 unit in late January, along with a Skyway mounting bracket. I wanted the bracket powder-coated, so I had Skyway send it to Gary Crowley. The finished product was first rate on both counts.
My sister called me with a work question just as I was getting ready to leave for Barry's house, so I didn't arrive until my scheduled 12:00 noon start time. Problems earlier in the day had set things back, so I hung out with the other riders while Smitty finished up another install, and ate some great homemade chili that Barry's lovely wife had fixed. It's cool to see all the things FJR riders do to their rides. My install started around 2:45pm.
While Smitty did his thing, Barry's dog let me play ball, and Barry showed me his Zumo 550. Based on Barry's recommendation, I decided to convert my order for a 450 into a 550, just to have the flexibility to add XM and/or Bluetooth in the future.
My install was done around 5:30pm. Smitty's work is first-rate — everything soldered, shrink-wrapped, tubed, the works. I tested it out on the ride home, and was pleased with the functionality. It should make a big difference on longer rides.
Thanks, Smitty!
Grip puppies
Santa brought me a pair for Christmas! I finally got around to installing them on 1/7/07.
Side-bag reflectors
Ordered and paid via PayPal on 11/26/06. Installed on 1/6/07.
Skyway's hydration system
Skyway is an FJR pilot and fabricator in central California. Just before Christmas, 2005, he put together a group-buy for a complete hydration system that he designed. It should arrive by the middle of February.
The system consists of: a) a bracket the replaces the right passenger footpeg; b) a Rubbermaid Victory 0.5 gallon insulated jug; c) a fabric cover that wraps the jug and attaches to the bracket using velcro straps; d) a water line, insulated with neoprene; e) a bite valve, optimized for use under a helmet, with a magnetic attachment clip.
I got the system for two purposes. First, this will be a much more convenient way to stay hydrated on long, hot rides than my CamelBak. Second, an original-sized Jamba Juice cup fits nicely inside the jug, so I can stop on the way to work to pick up an Orange Berry Blitz and safely carry it into the office. (A power-sized cup will fit, with a little compression.)
Update: I installed the system on Saturday, February 17th.
LD Shorts
LDComfort - Motorcycle Riding Shorts, Tops and Tights for Bikers. Carole got these for me for Christmas — they work great under my long tights.
Personlized license plate
A standard environmental personalized plate, with the characters 'TCFJR' - no spaces. Carole ordered it for me for Christmas!
Skyway's windshield spacers
This simple to install farkle will reduce the infamous buffeting that many riders complain about on their 03-05 FJR. By installing my supplied hardware, your windshield will be tilted back slightly, to allow more air to travel underneath the shield. This farkle will work with any windshield, factory or after market. I did bring some to WFO this year, and to my knowledge, everyone who installed them reported back to me that they noticed an improvement. As always YMMV.
Ordered and PayPal'ed on November 28, 2006. Installed December 2, 2006.
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Organizer
There's lots of little things I like to carry with me whenever I'm on the motorcycle - first aid and medicines, kleenex, a sprayer and cloth to clean the helmet face shield, etc. In the past, I've kept them in the tank bag, but when I ride around town I rarely mount the tank bag — it's just too much trouble.
While Carole and I were on the NCM trip, I put a bunch of little items into a passport case that Carole got from the travel agent before her Mexican cruise. It worked pretty well. When we got back, I moved all the little things that were floating around in the tank bag into the passport case.
This worked pretty well, but the case was really just one big area with a couple of slip pockets - good, but not ideal. Over the last few days I've researched a few alternatives, and settled on the Outdoor Research Backcountry Organizer 2, seen above.
Now, I can use the organizer to hold everything. When I'm on a tank bag ride, it will fit neatly inside the tank bag, but when I'm going to work I can dump it into the Ogio bag I carry my street shoes in, or I can dump it loose into one of the hard bags.
Vista cruise
I installed a dual-cable Yamaha version of the Vista Cruise throttle lock during my Weekend of Tinkering
Powerlets
I installed a front-panel Powerlet for general power and the tank bag, and a single rear-set for the Widder heated gear, during my Weekend of Tinkering.
Camping gear
Here's a list of gear in my camping duffle:
- LL Bean Adventure Duffle, for camping equipment, strapped onto the back seat/luggage rack.
- REI Camp Dome 2 Tent
- Footprint for Camp Dome 2
- MSR Pocket Rocket canister stove, with canisters
- Cookware: pot, spork, mug, bowl
- Fix-it kit
- First-aid kit
- Jr. Twin inflatable mattress (Sport Chalet)
- Camp towel (Sport Chalet)
- Compression sack, for sleeping bag (or find the original one)
- Rope, for hanging food
- Nozzle to inflate mattress (part of my tire kit)
- Lantern
- Down sleeping bag and silk liner
XM Radio
The long ride from SoCal to northern Washington for WFO-4 last year highlighted the limitations of an iPod for on-the-road entertainment. A lot of guys at WFO-4 had XM radio's installed, and I picked one up at a Best Buy in Bellingham during the meet. I wasn't able to kludge together a working install until I got back home.
Here's my setup:
- Delphi Roady 2.
- Hardwired Car Adapter from myradiostore.com
- Satellite Radio Mount from Motorcycle Larry
- RAM-B-309-2 RAM mount for clutch bolts
The Roady 2 model has been discontinued, but is still the best for use on a motorcycle, because the mounting bracket makes a hard connection to the unit. Newer models use a drop-in cradle that does not securely hold the unit in place without an add-on strap. You can still pick up a Roady 2 unit at car stereo shops (Al & Ed's in SoCal, for example), or on eBay.
I installed the hardwire module behind panel B, with velcro to hold it down to the bottom of the bay. I connected the unit to my barrier strips (positive under panel B, negative under panel C), which recieves power through an ignition-on relay directly from the battery. (See this article on the FJRTech website for details.)
I installed the RAM mount on my clutch bracket; I got the two-ball unit, but only use the second ball on rare occassions with a RAM-mount cup-holder, of all things.
The Roady 2 comes with a 20' antenna cable. You can buy shorter cables, but a $39 cable for a $29 radio just didn't work for me. I wound up the long antenna cable into a 2" diameter circle, held together with three cable ties at 120°. This fits neatly around the RAM mount bracket. The antenna mounts on the shelf built into the mounting bracket.
I use Shure e2C sound isolating earphones. These come with a variety of sleeves - foam, hard plastic, and soft silicon, each in three sizes. The large silicon sleeve works well for me - I wore them for 17 hours on my SS1K ride back in March. These have an MSRP of $108, but can be found for around $70. I got my last pair for $68 from GadgetFreeks, with no sales tax and $6 shipping.
I connect the earphones in a couple of different ways, depending on the ride. For rides where my radar detector isn't in use, I plug in directly to the headphone jack on the Roady 2. Actually, I ran a 1-foot coiled headphone extension cord down the left handlebar, and used a cable tie to hold the female end in place down by the steering head. I plug the male end of the extension into the Roady 2, and plug my earphones into the female end. I put a few twists into the earphone cord to shorten it before plugging it in.
If I'm using my radar detector, I have an Amplirider mixing amplifier mounted in my tank bag; headphone cords connected to the Amplirider pass through small holes in the tank bag and plug into the Roady 2 and radar detector output jacks. In this setup, the earphones plug into a female cord that connects to the Amplirider's output jack.
Pictures of the on-bike setup follow.
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Stop & Go Pocket Tire Plugger
On my trip to the Central Coast last Saturday, one of the riders in the group got a flat front tire. Bob had no repair kit on board, but Mark from Visalia had a Stop & Go Tire Plugger, and a little 12 volt compressor. With Bob using the tools and Mark reading the instructions, the tire was repaired, inflated, and ready to go in less than 10 minutes. After seeing it in action, I resolved to never go far without this kit.
On Sunday I stopped by K-Mart and picked up a nice, inexpensive little compressor, and I ordered the Tire Plugger kit from the Stop & Go website. UPS dropped it off today. I put it in a stuff sack with the compressor.
Bike cover
I have a Covermax half-cover for my bike.
Tie down straps
TWILKIN650 on the FJR Forum posted detailed instructions on building and installing these tie-down straps. They sit hidden under the seat until you need them. Then, just open the seat, pull them into position, replace the seat, and you're ready to go.
I use some 2" clear vinyl tubing around the luggage rack to protect the finish.
Throttle rocker
A helpful accessory on long rides.
Manic Salamandar bar ends
The stock bar end on the left side came off somehow. I chose the Manic Salamandar replacement bar ends. At 16oz each, they help dampen the vibrations around 4000 rpm, and look good doing so.
Shure e2c earphones
I love my Shure e2c in-ear, sound isolating earphones. I use the large size silicon sleeves, and have worn them for 17 hours on SS1K rides.
MSRP is $108, and you can find them anywhere for $99. I got them for $68 from GadgetFreeks, with no tax and $6 shipping.
Valentine V-1 radar detector
One of the first accessories I purchased for my FJR was the Valentine 1 radar detector. The base unit does not come with a headphone jack, so I added the Remote Audio Adaptor.
Cortech Mini-magnetic tank bag
Based on a recommendation from H Marc Lewis, noted long-distance rider and FJR guru, I use a Tourmaster Cortech Mini-Magnetic tank bag.
Amplirider mixing amplifier
For ride requiring both XM and radar detector audio, I used to use an Amplirider mixing amplifier mounted in my tank bag. Due to a weird, unsolvable ground loop, I usually power the unit with a single 9V battery, which lasts for about 30 hours of riding.
I now use a home-built audio mixer, which fits nicely under the seat and does not need a tank bag, like the Amplirider.
FJReady helmet holder
FJReady on the FJR Forum developed and sells an under-seat helmet holder that I installed on my bike. Since the helmet sits neck down on the seat, it's perfect for wet weather.
Side stand base
On hot days, I occassionally need to park on asphalt that's too soft to safely support the side stand. I keep a blank metal plate, meant to cover an unused light switch box, in my glove box. It's easy to slip under the side stand when I need extra support.
Radiator guard
I added a radiator guard to the bike this fall. One of the guys on the FJR mailing list made up a batch that looked like a good value. The mesh screen lets air flow into the radiator ducts, but prevents gravel from damaging the fins and pipes.
Magnum Blaster horns
An early farkle was to install Magnum Blaster horns, per the FJR Tech write-up.
Kryptonite Disk Lock
It lives in my glove box. I only use it when things look dicey, or overnight at a motel.
Helmet guardian
I added a Helmet Guardian helmet lock as one of my first accessories. When the bags are off the bike or otherwise full, the Guardian secures up to two helmets.
Tank slapper
The very first farkle I did with my new FJR was installing a Tank Slapper kit. I got the basic setup, with three plastic sheets - one for the back of the tank (to protect the tank from jackets and pants), and one for each side of the tank (to protect from knee rubbing). They go on and off quickly and easily, and have worked perfectly. It's about time for another set.
Heli bar risers
The first mod I made to the FJR was Heli bar risers. It moved the bars up and back just the right amount.