Any interest in cams?

[Ulvetanna_imp]

I expect Ulve's fork upgrade to be completely worthwhile and transformative, at least from what I've read elsewhere. But here's my perspective on owner-performed upgrades: I was shopping for a Monster 620 earlier this year. The newest bikes are now ten years old and most are clapped out. I went to look at one that was advertised as "mint condition." Upon inspection, the owner (or previous owner) had installed mini turn signals and replaced the rear fender with an aftermarket "tail tidy," replaced the stock pipes with some loud CF Italian pipes (one which was poorly installed and drooped slightly), disconnected the O2 sensors and reprogrammed the ECU, added "shorty" levers, added an oil cooler, and cut the top off the air filter cover and installed a K&N air filter (which was neglected). Hardly a stock bike, or in my opinion, hardly in "mint condition." Despite his claim that it "ran strong," I had no desire to buy his Frankenstein creation. I later found another 620, also in "mint condition," but this one was completely stock. No modifications, mutilations, aftermarket accessories, nothing. I knew exactly what I was getting and happily paid up for it. So I agree, I'm not like all buyers, but that first bike likely never sold for the price I paid for the stock one, despite the owner's insistence that his modifications improved it. Perhaps they did for his enjoyment, but probably not to most potential buyers.

It's a crap shoot with used bikes. Stock is best, that way you can then modify it as you please. I never touch fueling, ECU, or exhaust except in one case, FZ8, which had need of Guhl's.