Since we weren't expecting any top-speed records from the modified R1, we installed a one-tooth-smaller front sprocket from Driven USA ($30), shortening the gearing slightly. The company also provided a replacement steel rear sprocket in black ($45), and we stuck with the stock 530 chain for longevity's sake. Altering gearing changes the speedometer accordingly, so we ordered up a SpeedoHealer from Cal-Sportbike. The new and tiny Version 4 taps into the speedometer sensor's harness using OEM connectors and can be programmed to convert the sensor's signal to account for almost any change in gearing or tire size. The $110 unit took just minutes to install and program for a six percent reduction in speed to correct for the smaller sprocket.
With the basics covered, we turned to some performance- and cosmetic-related upgrades while the Yamaha was in the shop. A set of Bridgestone's new BT-016 multicompound tires replaced the worn stockers in standard 120/70 and 190/50 sizes. The stock exhaust was shelved and replaced with a Micron full system. The hydroformed Serpent header is a 4-into-2-into-1 design in thin-wall stainless steel. The MotoGP-style canisters mount to either the stock or Micron header system and are also made using the hydroforming process. Inserts in the silencers keep sound in check but are easily removed (we left them in), and the canisters are available in black, polished or satin finishes. The $1800 system is more than five pounds lighter than stock, and installation took just a couple of hours.
The beautifully finished ABM...
The beautifully finished ABM top triple clamp is the highlight of the simplified cockpit. While the handlebar may look wide with the mirrors hanging off the end, it's a comfortable width that gives plenty of leverage yet doesn't leave you spread like a sail in the breeze. The master-cylinder reservoir is bolted to a small bracket that is zip-tied to the handlebar. We raised the key switch from its standard position to move the fairing bracket up, losing the steering lock as a result. We used Targa's bar-end-mounted mirrors; another option is Spiegler's mirror clamps that mount inboard on the handlebar and accept a standard mirror.
The bug-eyed monster! Spiegler...
The bug-eyed monster! Spiegler brake lines are longer than stock and have ends that swivel on the hose, making installation easier. The only part of the wiring harness we had to extend to fit the handlebar was the horn wires, although short harnesses to extend the switch clusters are included in the Spiegler kit.
Targa's solo seat cowl fits...
Targa's solo seat cowl fits perfectly and matches the stock paint finish exactly. The $200 cowl is made from injection-molded urethane, includes all the required hardware and even enlarges the underseat storage to a usable size.
The rear end was cleaned up with a Ride Engineering fender eliminator. The $85 sheet-aluminum kit tightens the turn signals and license-plate spacing and retains the stock (but shortened) turn signals. Installation was easy enough, although we had to scrounge for some hardware as the stock mounting nuts and their retainer can't be used on the '07 model. The license-plate bracket ($65) from Ride Engineering, a billet-aluminum piece, contains a light for the plate to keep things semilegal.
As with any custom project, it's the final few details that take the most time and effort but potentially have the most effect on the finished product. Dealing with the R1's wires that hung out everywhere took a lot of patience and more than a few zip-ties. We tucked the headlight leftovers and a couple of relays inside the fairing bracket. Wires on both sides of the bike that ran outside the frame were rerouted inside. And the air sensor that normally resides inside one of the ram-air ducts ended up zip-tied as close as we could get it to the frame's air intake. The Headwinds lamps have H4 high/low bulbs in each shell, but the stock R1 harness powers high and low beams together. That would be too much for each bulb (and too much current for the charging system), so we wired one lamp for low beam and the other for high. We'd need a different switch or relay to work the lights properly with both on either high or low. The entire electrical aspect of the project would have been easier and neater if we had modified the harness to remove unused connectors and wires, but with a chance that the bike will revert back to its stock form some day we left everything intact.
To move the gauge cluster...
To move the gauge cluster to a more appropriate position we relocated the fairing bracket, with the bottom mount of the bracket attaching to the top mount on the frame. Some cutting was required, and we made these simple support brackets from sheet aluminum to complete the modification. The Headwinds lights attach to two of the stock headlight-mounting points using a custom-made bracket supplied by Headwinds. The entire assembly is rock-solid, and the lights project a steady beam even over rough pavement. Now that we've seen how it all goes together and what looks right, we'd ideally have a custom light/instrument bracket made to allow the ignition (and the steering lock) to return to its proper spot.
This tiny gadget is called...
This tiny gadget is called a SpeedoHealer and recalibrates the speedometer to account for the smaller front sprocket.