What Farkle Is Essential To You?

Sat nav but it wasn’t an option. None of the rest. My bike has auxiliary lights as standard. It has an exhaust so does not need another. The screen is good too. Oh I almost forgot I have put some rubber pads on top of the panniers as I kick them sometimes getting on and off.

 

Screen for me as the OE BMW one is rubbish

 

If I was limited to one physical accessory it would be a Radiator Guard and (IMHO) the tweak that gives best improvement for least amount of expenditure is having the suspension adjusted/tuned for the rider weight.

 

For me it's very much dependant on the bike, the Nightstorm has upgraded suspension, aftermarket (Triumph) exhaust and mirrors. The Tuono has Akrapovic exhausts (an oem upgrade), upgraded chain and sprockets (different number of teeth), an Oberon clutch slave and a repadded seat. The Multistrada has a resculpted seat and a cool cover and will have new chain and sprockets at next service, all other fitments were oem upgrades when bought new by the original owner.
All three have radiator guards fitted.
I think it very much is down to the bike and individual but for me there isn't one specific thing I would need to do to all bikes.
As above getting the suspension set up properly for you is an absolute must but that won't necessarily involve upgrading it.

 

Normally, I take newly acquired bikes straight to a suspension shop to get the rear spring changed to my weight and completely gone through and tweaked. That being said, I feel my new Tiger 900 really doesn't need it with the push button control and ability to easily adjust front forks on the fly. So for that bike, my only real farkle is a proper gps/sat nav. Oh, and a RoadLok, oh and...etc etc

 

I've put a higher screen, hugger with chain guard and rad guards on pretty much every bike I've had.

 

I posted Are All Those Farkles Really Necessary, so it's probably no surprise that I couldn't tick one of those boxes!

I'd always fit a radiator guard, but my Honda CL500 comes with that fitted (along with engine protection), and even my luggage is just a soft tail bag strapped on!

 

I could do without any extras, however I love being able to buy what I fancy at the time, and that won't change for me personally. I am always adding and changing all manner of items on my bike, do these extras add any value, well no they don't, most people tend to like a standard machine, or if they do have extras, people usually like the standard parts as well. We are all very individual in our tastes. And if we get into the realms of classic bikes, well, that gets really interesting with people's views.
Here are my current extras, and I am still adding to them now and again.
Evotech Radiator Guard
Triumph Tail Tidy
Triumph Engine Protection Covers
Triumph Crash Protectors
Triumph Bluetooth Module
Triumph Screen
Triumph Heated Grips
Mini Sound Bomb Horn
Evotech Go Pro Mount
Carbon Fibre (FBR) Extended Hugger/Chain Guard
Carbo Fibre (FBR) Tank Protectors
Triumph Tank Pad
Triumph LED Scrolling Indicators
Evotech Fork Protectors
Evotech Swing Arm Protectors
Evotech Padock Stand Bobbins
Ceramic Coated Header And Link Pipes
Scorpion Stainless End Can And Link Pipe
Scorpion Ceramic Black End Can
Yoshimura End Can And Link Pipe
Lust Racing Lowering Kit
K@N Air Filter
Iridium Plugs
Modified Velocity Stacks
De Cat Removal
Oxygen Sensor Removal
Modified Inlet And Exhaust Cams
Woolwich Racing Re Map And Rolling Road Set Up
Racetorx Gear Shift Support
Givi Tank Bag And Support Ring
I only use Motul 300V now
My next upgrade is going to be a little expensive.

 

The first thing I always do is fit a radiator guard, always Evotech, nothing else will do. Then fit bar end mirrors if it hasn't already got them. Then change the levers for machined items. I will upgrade the rear suspension if I think it is necessary and change the end can (or cans) if I hate the look of the originals.

 

@Iceman Carbon wheels perchance?

 

Ha, I thought this was just about 1 farkle, not the whole lot

So, as well as the Puig max touring screen the road going ditchpump has the following:

Tony James Design PPF
Hexezecan
Soundbomb mini horn
Knockoff BMW lookalike Aux lights
Front and rear bike cam
Rear mudsling
Nippy Normans Front fender extender
Wunderlict Front engine cover
Voigt Up and back bar risers
Evotech Bar end weights
MachineArt X head cylider head protectors
Frame plugs
Rear swingarm protector
Optimate 4
Airman pump

There's probably more, but as it's fast asleep in it's vacbag for the winter I'm not disturbing it.

 

Not carbon wheels, although I like the look of the Kineo wheels very much.

 

Crash bungs and a decent horn. I would say heated grips but as I'd never buy a bike without them it's moot...

Pazzo levers if there isn't decent adjustment on whatever I have (the Speed Triple RR has excellent levers so no need)

 

Tank grips/protection. Tank or tail bag. Always replace the rearsets and prefer GP shift.

 

If I tried to write out a complete list I know I'd forget a few things, but the most important to me are:

Seat rebuilt incorporating one of those honeycomb pattern butt pads - Ahhhh...
Highway bars - mainly so I could mount pegs for some stretch
Aux lights - more to aid in being seen than seeing
Inch up/inch back risers - less hunching forward
Madstad windscreen - no more flossing bugs out
Saddlebags - SO much junk to carry, but all of it absolutely necessary
Upgraded horn
Replaced black plastic zip ties on the handlebars with stainless steel