Another year, another round o' mods...

[mik_str]

The big piece (engine rebuild) mostly out of the way, I am now turning my attention to a few other items as the bike lies dormant for the winter:

- instrument cluster: changed over the stock analog dials to a digital unit from an SP (done!)

- gas cap: replaced the screw-type racing gas cap with a RCM billet piece (see pic)

- hugger: bought a hugger from Airtech (see pic; wanted one with no chain guard, only one I found was this one), will need paint (black)

- MCs: replacing the OEM clutch and NIssin 19x18 brake radial with a set of OEM Ducati Monster 1100 Brembos. The main reason for the change is that the Brembo is a 19x16, which should give me added leverage and feel at the lever. I picked up a set of dark blue Pazzo levers to go along with the new master. I also got a good deal on a Discacciati billet 16x19 brake radial which I may try (matched to SP-2 calipers) if this is set-up does not give me the results I want.

- calipers: replacing my existing (98-99) 900RR front and OEM rear with a set from an F4i (same units, just all black, it's an aesthetic thing)

- rearsets: will be installing a set of K&T rearsets I bought from from a superhawk forum member

- windscreen: installing a "cool blue" iridium double-bubble Powerbronze unit

- exhaust: repacking Akra cans (bought a set of dB killers too, which I will surely try at some point; cops around here are starting to monitor non-OEM exhausts....)

- airbox: sent my recent (post-rebuild) dyno charts to Roger Ditchfield who stated that my results are not as good as they could be, feels the stock airbox is choking the engine, so I will trying to run a lid-less set-up (have a spare box I can cut up). He recommended I run a K&N filter and gave me the proper jetting specs to run (all jets in hand and ready to install). The improved breathing should land me a few extra lb-ft and hp...

- tires: just had the rear tire replaced with a Power Pure 190/55 (my PVM rim is a 6-incher), will also be getting the front replaced with a matching Pure. Front tire valve will be replaced with an aluminum 83-degree red anodized unit (as on rear)

- miscellaneous: blue titanium swingarm pivot bolt, various other Ti bolts and nuts (found a good supplier of relatively inexpensive Ti)

and that's it for now. Looking forward to getting it all done and out on the road

[warby221]

Good work with the sp1 cluster if I remember rightly a lot had problems getting the rev counter to work on the storm
You still feel the bikes down on power???
Was thinking it wasn’t too bad really a standard storms got about 98hp at the back wheel and yours was pumping out 122hp if memory serves that’s over 22% increase on standard not bad really
O for the last few HP
On the air box seem to remember that running an open top air box isn’t so good as the engine is sucking in hot air from around the engine.
When they were racing them they lifted the whole tank about 2” back and front to gain extra volume in the air box
Can’t find the pic now but I remember a big gap between and frame the tank

[mik_str]

I haven't actually fired the bike up yet so I can't be 100% certain if it will all work but it does the sweep when I turn the key. I got info about doing the switch from a Superhawkforum member named Tweety who has done it and a few other swaps. He gave me all the detailed wiring info and so far it all works out, far as I can tell.

As for the airbox, I am going on advice from Roger himself. I may look at fitting some type of skirting around the bottom of the airbox to prevent the warm air from coming up but will see how it all works out first. However, I am putting my confidence in Roger on this one. If it doesn't work out, I simply put back the lid I have on there now. It's really a no-loss proposition.

cheers

[sirch345]

Hi Micky,
More interesting work going on, on the Firestorm I see
Do let us know if the SP1 cluster is working 100% as you put it it certainly sounds promising so far.

It'll be interesting too, to hear about the figures once the air box has been modded with the K&N plus the re-jetting. At least you've got the man (Roger D) who knows what works and what doesn't helping you.

Good luck with it all,

Chris.

[mik_str]

It'll be interesting too, to hear about the figures once the air box has been modded with the K&N plus the re-jetting. At least you've got the man (Roger D) who knows what works and what doesn't helping you.

How right you are, Chris. I can`t imagine anyone better to deal with anything VTR-related than Roger. What a gentleman too!

Despite being an avid snowmobiler, I must confess to looking forward to winter being over so that I may get my VTR out again. My hope is that, once properly broken in, the bike (with the airbox modded as per Roger) will generate in the high-120s for hp and (very) low 80s for torque. Combined with the shedding of a few more pounds over the winter (@ 5 more for the bike (speedo, SPAL fan, Pilot Pure tires, few more Ti bolts, airbox lid; which should put me right at or even slightly below 400 lb wet) not to mention 20 for the owner, lol), it should be a hoot! I will get to give the Ohlins shock an honest evaluation too.