I could not imagine ever replacing a perfectly good battery unless I had another use for it. Doing the calculations, cutting 2 Kg on a 186 Kg (wet) bike is going to be a total saving of around only 1 % of overall, and I would suggest that given two bikes, one with and one without the standard battery, you simply could not tell the difference. Even saving 4Kg on swapping the mufflers out is debatable whether you would actually notice the difference or simply perceive it. Furthermore, you guys have already added loads more 'high' permanent weight to the bike in the form of GPS and Mounts, Racks, Handlebar Guards, Lights, Seats etc......Also the extra lower weights, Skid Plates, Tool Tubes and other stuff. Then you go riding with Tank Bags, Panniers and Rack Bags, all packed with lots of 'just in case' equipment and carrying extra fuel too. Come on, be realistic, is changing out a perfectly good battery to save 2 Kg a viable option - I don't think so. If you want a much lighter bike, go buy one. If you want to reduce weight on your TR650 then you can... a) Stop adding stuff and; b) Lose some of the excess baggage. IMHO, swapping a perfectly good battery to save 2 Kg has to be a last resort, wearing a lighter jacket might be more cost effective.
Exactly, that's what I did, kept adjusting & modifying until it best suited my needs - I'm more impressed with mine every time I go out for a ride Next mod will be a bigger wave disc on the front
That is the beauty of the human species. We all have little quirks that make us individuals. For me, I did not consider the stock battery perfectly good. The failure rate on less than a year old was pretty bad from what I remember. And knowing that our bikes will not run without a good 12 volts from the battery I did not trust the stocker completely. I do believe I have posted up the weights somewhere, and I think it is closer to 6-7 pounds savings on the battery. That is significant, and is noticeable when pulling off the side stand. The other benefits are that for me, I may not ride for an extended period, and the bike still fires up fine, without a battery tender. And to a lesser degree, you gain space under the seat for sunglasses or gloves etc. I have perfectly good "T" shirts, faded, fraying and have holes in them. I love em. Others may toss em out. When bad enough, they end up as polishing rags. Let your creativity guide you.
I learned the first few weeks this is not a single track motorcycle. Low speed loose dusty gravel and the front end washed out from under me and down I went. Gravel two track roads and highways for this machine only. If you go single track riding you better have a strong back or a buddy along to help you pick it up. Best machine for the single track I've found is my Bultaco 350 Sherpa T. Husky with added weigh, racks, bash plate, tank bag is a good 300 mile afternoon machine. Grin factor kicks in after every ride.
How long have you had the demons? Any shortcomings? I hear they have no mount bracket at the connection... Has that been an issue? I'm trying to get them to do another run of them so I can try them out. I've had them on the bike for about 3 months or so. They build quality is fantastic. I was concerned about them not having a front mounting but in reality it's not needed. They are so friggen sturdy they don't budge one bit as mounted. The only shortcomings are they are heavier than they need to be (over built) and they are louder than I'd like even with the "quiet" baffles. I intend to build my own baffle set using the "sport' baffles that came with them.
You might try removing the right side can and blocking off the right header pipe ( I've seen it done here or ADV) to see how it runs. I blocked off 1 Yosh can on my VTR 1000 and it made it much more quiet.
But then without an appropriate pipe to handle the increase through the one, you can create heat and other issues the pipes were designed to alleviate. Better to go with a proper 2-1 setup to begin with. Never been a fan of arbitrary 1/2 mods. For myself I don't mind a louder exhaust... tends to be a little safer. My HD is the extreme, and admittedly obnoxious loud... but its rare a motorist does something completely retarded near me when on that bike. Can't say 'ya didn't know I was there!
I agree with engineerk9. Air pressure also makes a big difference on this bike. I run half as much air in the front as in the back and that make the bike very reliable in loose gravel, dirt and rocks. I have been running Kenda Big Blocks front and back. the front was sketchy until it scrubbed in but after it became a fantastic tire.
Big Dog when he removed one can, punched a hole thru' the catalyst see "Big Dog Adventures" although now he's a KTM 690 devotee
My single GPR system (with baffle) sounds quieter than original twin can, at "ride-by" not full throttle
I'm pushing 5 K right now and have about 45% tread left on it. I will easily have two rears to one front.
just not the machine for single track Maine woods, stock front tire was deflated to 22 lbs psi, rear at 28 lbs. psi, I run very low air in the Bultaco Sherpa T
