Since X-zibit isn’t around I’m here to ask the 'mosa experts on ways to pimp out my ride. The bike is a Hartford HD-150S.
Anyone who has ever seen or owns one knows that the speedometer and gas gauge are impossible to read during the day since it is so small, blue against grey background, and angled parallel to the ground. The lack of a tachometer doesn’t help either. So I have ordered and will replace it with a Yahama Breeze set.
This is the part I need help with, I want to raise the back up a little higher with some new shocks. I am not sure if I need soft or hard shocks(which is better for Taipei roads?) and what brand? Do I need those nitro filled thingies? I am not willing to buy high end ones either. Something mid to high end would be good.
Next I want to add a different muffler, something with a bit more low tone growl to it. Something to let people know I own a motorcycle when I rev it at the stop light. Once again something mid range in terms of price. Also hopefully the muffler with give a bit of performance boost?
Would anyone recommend a high performace spark plug, or do they not work? Also any other suggestions for more (semi)legal performance boost. Thanks to anyone that answers. :happybiker:
[quote=“Frost”]Anyone who has ever seen or owns one knows that the speedometer and gas gauge are impossible to read during the day since it is so small, blue against grey background, and angled parallel to the ground. The lack of a tachometer doesn’t help either. So I have ordered and will replace it with a Yahama Breeze set.
[/quote]I would want to see that guy’s set-up actually work before buying parts. The FZ series has an electronic tach and I don’t think your Hartford will have anything to wire it into. You may find something from KYMCO or SYM is more compatible.
[quote]
This is the part I need help with, I want to raise the back up a little higher with some new shocks. I am not sure if I need soft or hard shocks(which is better for Taipei roads?) and what brand? Do I need those nitro filled thingies? I am not willing to buy high end ones either. Something mid to high end would be good.
[/quote]Why do you want to raise the rear end, for looks? Either fit better than stock dampers or leave it alone. There are lots of trick-looking shocks for sale in Taiwan. They will all make your Hartford pogo like a cheap mountain bike.
[quote]
Next I want to add a different muffler, something with a bit more low tone growl to it. Something to let people know I own a motorcycle when I rev it at the stop light. Once again something mid range in terms of price. Also hopefully the muffler with give a bit of performance boost?
[/quote]I doubt you will gain any power there. Just buy something cheap and loud if that floats your boat.[quote]
Would anyone recommend a high performace spark plug, or do they not work? Also any other suggestions for more (semi)legal performance boost. Thanks to anyone that answers. :happybiker:[/quote]Nope. Replacement plugs do not give any performance benefit over the stock ones. You would only need to change the heat range if you had done significant engine mods, gone turbo, or were using nitrous.
Your best bang for the buck would be to retrofit the parts to bump your bike to 200cc, and even that is a lot of $ for not a lot more go.
What Redwagon said. That Breeze tach is electronic while from what I remember your Hartford uses good ol’ fashioned twisty-turny-cable technology (stop me if I’m getting too technical).
I bought a digital speedo for the RZX made by Koso that has all of the analogue-to-digital electronics built in and lets you connect your speedo cable directly. Koso stuff is available from most of the scooter mod shops and a lot of big bike shops - why don’t you go to one of those places with your bike so you can be sure you’re buying the right kit? Digital speedos rock btw - once you’ve got used to them and have one that updates quickly it’s hard to go back.
There are plenty of aftermarket exhausts for Hartfords doing the rounds but a good buddy who also happens to be a Hartford dealer has told me that while some of them actually sound pretty cool they all make performance worse. Up to you I guess.
Hartfords are not bad bikes but they’re built to a price point and what you have is pretty much what you have. I remember the HD125S has less than 10HP and bugger all torque lugging around over 100kg of steel frame. If you want to get into performance mods and/or DIY maintenance then spend the cash and a few months on a beat-up old 2 stroke.
sorry to be the third to rain on your parade, but… what they said ^^^… performance increases should not be an objective unless fractions of very small numbers in return for very large numbers of hard earned NT$ is something that interests you mathematically or something…
on the good news side of things you don’t need new shocks to increase the height at the rear, which is the only item on your list that I’d say would be worth while since stock, them Hartfords tend to drag their arse about like a dog with worms, no doubt so that the inseam challenged local lads can get a leg over… the bike I mean, not the dog … like redwagon said made in Taiwan aftermarket shocks are hugely overpriced and utterly rubbish, however the Tai-Ke mouth breather scooter/bike punk fraternity has yet to figure this out, so these tastelessly anodized items present an attractive theft target for any arsehole with a socket wrench, so really, no-point-at-all… fear not though since a few hundred bucks away at a motorbike shop near you, a pair of these rather cheap and nasty (but by Taiwan standards, cutting edge) shock raisers can be found… 50mm+ of rear ride height done and dusted… technically though since you’re increasing rake and weight distribution you should increase the spring rate of your forks but upping the viscosity and perhaps quantity (assuming the factory put any in at all) of your fork oil would be a good enough bastard fix… also you should be aware that after fitting these your side stand may not work anymore unless you park on hills a lot…
if you really want to go all out get it a Yoshi carb and exhaust like this one although it’ll no doubt run you about what the bike cost if not more… and in an ideal world may net you a whopping 10% peak horsepower increase which would calculate out to roughly 1 lonely horsepower for about NT$70k…
It seems the setup for speed/tach thing is a common mod here. I am not doing it by myself, but getting it all done at this mod shop that I know about. So I will assume they know what they are doing since they suggested it.
Maybe I won’t raise the back end, it was for looks anyways, but can anyone suggest some nice proper shocks? Brand name? Is there a point to the nitro thing on it?
As for muffler, yes, I just want to me more loud, the engine on my bike sounds a little whiny, need it man it up a bit.
This bike is a learners bike. While I do want to adjust somethings on it, I’m not gonna go crazy. I’m currently saving up now for a big bike.(will take more then a year)
i’m riding a hartford too (VR) and had pretty much the same thoughts. was asking around how to pimp and upgrade the bike and got mighty useful tips here. but at the end of the day most things you could do are just not worth it.
let me explain: i was thinking about changing the sprockets (front and back) for some extra power - truth is, you will not get more than 10% (a lousy hp or minor torque) but also lose some top speed (again, about 10%). your choice if you think that’s worth it.
i was thinking about changing the can or even the carbs - again, a gain of about 10% from there. so thats 20 already - but up from 14hp that’ll make a meager 16.5 only. and it would cost me an arm and a leg to get it done (i’m not known as oilfinger here). so i have made my peace with my bike. made some adjustments and some mods, but they were necessary to make it rideable and not so much to pimp it.
i have come to the point were i love the bike for what it is: not a ducati. it’s red ok, but will never be a ducati, no matter what i do.
if you say your bike is a beginner bike - leave it this way, the next beginner might appreciate that and you wont lose money over it.
just do whats absolutely necessary and save the money for the real thing.
Thanks Stefan, you’re right about a lot of the things. Maybe it was a pipe dream to make it better. But there is still some things that I want changed on it. I’m gonna be riding the bike for more then a year, so I need to fix something so I can live with it. It’s my everyday rider, so I need to feel comfortable.
Besides the speed/tach panel, I just want a more comfy seat, and a better sound. Everything else I can live without. I’m not a racer, so I guess I don’t need more power, but maybe I can make it sound like it has more. Just need to get rid of that whine.
performance boosting mods are a pipe dream, but there are some worth while mods/add ons IMO:
suspension raisers : NT$300
proper sintered brake pads: NT$500
steel braided brake lines: NT$??? cheap ones are fine
improved seat: NT$ up to you
good soft compound tires: NT$ depends on brand
f**king loud horn: NT$300
Philips or similar upgraded headlight bulbs: NT$500
good quality synthetic oil every 1000km: NT$ varies brand by brand
(further down the road) good quality Japanese chain: NT$ depends
and if you really want more noise, just drill a few holes in your muffler in a position where rain water won’t get in: NT$0
Braided steel brake line and best quality Maxxis tyres would give a bit of a performance and safety increase.
Changing the muffler might actually increase performance slightly. A friend got a bit more power out of his Legend just by changing the muffler. The mod shop guy knew exactly which muffler would do that. I guess it has to be the right one.
And some aftermarket shocks here are alright, though decent ones aren’t cheap. Sorry, can’t name any specific brands offhand.
The performance boost comes from an aftermarket head pipe (for a thumper) more than a slip-on can. For best results, get a full system, aka “full pipe”, of head pipe and can.
only a little… ie. a trifle more lean angle when parked up… you could just get Ah-Huang to weld a bit of scrap steel onto the bottom of the kickstand if it bothers you… I just epoxy-ed a chunk of rubber onto my Maj’s kick stand after roughing it up with a grinder and it’s still there 2 years on…
if you really want to go all out get it a Yoshi carb and exhaust like this one although it’ll no doubt run you about what the bike cost if not more… and in an ideal world may net you a whopping 10% peak horsepower increase which would calculate out to roughly 1 lonely horsepower for about NT$70k…
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That’s a really nice carb! TMR-MJN28 is prob what you’re looking for, TMR-MJN24 would be too small at the top end once u get past 1/2 throttle. a new 28 is like 22-25,000NT though there are ‘gently used’ ones on tw.bid.yahoo.com for around 11-18,000NT. Sourcing one is no prob. Properly calibrating it for your particular machine is the hard part. Official yoshimura dealer here charges 3,000NT to ‘look’ at your carb. If you do have them install or service your carb, make sure its the boss doing the work and not his shop helpers, their work is worthless and still costs 3,000NT.
Update: So far I have installed that instrument panel from the Yahama Breeze and it works perfectly. Everything works. I have also added the braided steel brake line to the front break. I am now deciding if I should put the lifters on it. If I do, is it easily possible to raise the front end too?
Once the weather gets better I’ll snap some photos of the progress.
My question would be-where are you going to put the 4 plasma flat screen tvs and the booming sound system. No ride would be full pimped out without those things.
… like redwagon said made in Taiwan aftermarket shocks are hugely overpriced and utterly rubbish, however the Tai-Ke mouth breather scooter/bike punk fraternity has yet to figure this out, so these tastelessly anodized items present an attractive theft target for any arsehole with a socket wrench, so really, no-point-at-all… fear not though since a few hundred bucks away at a motorbike shop near you, a pair of these rather cheap and nasty (but by Taiwan standards, cutting edge) shock raisers can be found… 50mm+ of rear ride height done and dusted… technically though since you’re increasing rake and weight distribution you should increase the spring rate of your forks but upping the viscosity and perhaps quantity (assuming the factory put any in at all) of your fork oil would be a good enough bastard fix… also you should be aware that after fitting these your side stand may not work anymore unless you park on hills a lot…
