Motorcycles and You – Customize It!

Motorcycle models and their manufacturing have come so far that you can find pretty much find any bike for any body type. Face it, a long trip on a motorcycle, although enjoyable, can be grueling if you don’t fit your bike you are riding or the bike you are a passenger on. Riding with your knees up by your ears, for instance, if you are too tall for the bike, is not fun. On the other hand, having your legs waving in the wind because you can’t read the pedals, is no better!

There can be significant expense to customizing, although there doesn’t have to be. It all depends on what you want your bike to be and how you want it to fit your body type.

The best example of customizing that I’ve seen that’s in the public view was on West Coast Choppers. I would sit and watch that show and just be in awe of what they did with those bikes. Some of them were pretty ‘out there’ but they were all definitely works of art. They made bikes for many celebrities – some of the price tags on these customized bikes well over $75,000.

Too much for your budget? Contact a local retailer. Many of them can do some minor customizing for bikes without too much of a hit to the wallet. Safety is number one, and if your bike doesn’t fit you right, safety can be compromised. If it’s just a matter of comfort, however, maybe you don’t mind an ache or two to save the money. If a different backrest is something that you need, that expense would be minor, as compared to a complete overhaul to fix many different issues. Check out online shopping places, such as eBay, Craigslist, or your local newspaper, often there are sale ads for used motorcycle parts and accessories that can be very beneficial to someone looking to customize. People with disabilities can get customization done so that they can enjoy the freedom riding as well.

Take some time. Do some shopping. There is a lot of competition out there right now, and you can probably get your customization done for a pretty fair price. Do be aware of your warranty though, and be sure that your warranty won’t be void if you do make modifications.

In order to avoid any customizations, however, the average person simply needs to do their research and their bike shopping wisely. Be sure you thoroughly research the bike you plan to buy. Make sure it is built the way you want it built. Research further to find out if it is recommended for a particular body type (tall, short, etc.). There is a whole world of research and shopping one can do with the internet now. Or, if books are more your style, stop at the library. There is a vast assortment of books and CD’s available for motorcycles. Look at the different motorcycle reviews available. There is tons of information to be had in research!

Armed with the right amount of knowledge and mental fortitude, you can go to a dealer the very first time and get exactly the bike that’s right for you.