Cosmetic Motorcycle Modifications
Not all of the modifications we do to our motorcycles have an effect on performance. In fact, it's probably more accurate to note that the majority of modifications fitted to the average daily ridden motorcycles are more cosmetic than performance enhancing. It will always be argued by some that there is an element of performance enhancement in almost every aftermarket part you can possibly fit but those guys have probably got deeper issues that are not worth discussing here.Suffice to say that if a part's primary purpose is to beautify, it can be considered cosmetic. Regardless of your preferred poison, you can bet your money these is someone out there making a living from manufacturing bling parts for you.
The most obvious and largest sportsbike bling industry is in the USA. In typical US fashion, the twin philosophies of 'chrome is cool' and 'too much is barely enough' have come together to give us a look, which is now recognized worldwide. Obviously stemming from their love affair with the classic V-twin, American builders have twisted this image to suit their vision for what the ultimate sportsbike should look like. Chrome spikes abound on the fairing, screen, bar ends and even the swingarm spools can be purchased as a lethal looking chrome spike. If this sounds good to you, then focus your parts search around American based chrome shops.
Chrome not your thing? Then why not replace every removable item you can find with a color coded anodized version? Depending on your budget, there are a number of options... a quick scan of Ebay will reveal that China is leading the charge if your wallet is a bit tight. Cheap anodized parts can be readily found and look really nice but buyers should beware when replacing any load bearing parts. Many Chinese manufacturers have no problems making parts out of unsuitable or inferior quality materials and will take zero responsibility if you come back. If your are after some long lasting color, the best option is to splash out on some higher quality anodized parts, Thailand has some good quality manufacturers.
So that's the highlights but what about the largest part of the motorcycle – the fairing? Again, depending on your budget, these are a few different options. However, if money is no object then a one-off airbrush job is undoubtedly the way to go. Which doesn't cost that much in Thailand. An Airbrush paint job will not only make your motorcycle a real head-turner but your are also guaranteed that it'll be one of a kind.
You should expect to pay somewhere between 4,000 and 40,000 THB for a complete, good quality job with a reasonable amount of hand airbrushing included (depending on the price).
If you can't justify that sort of money spending then don't despair! Thanks to the wonders of modern technology, you can purchase a complete set of model specific replacement molded ABS plastic fairing in a variety of color schemes. Race replica schemes are the most popular but there are plenty of choices for the most recent Japanese or European motorcycle models.
