Very nice to see father and son working so nicely together. Lots of research and great results. I enjoy my Himmi and defo will consider mods you have done. Thanks for taking the time to show us what you have achieved with this fab little bike. 👍
Have installed a TEC camshaft on my BS4. Transformed its performance without impacting flexibility. Complements the PowerCommander ECU, K&N air filter, Lextek muffler (major weight saving) and 16-tooth front sprocket. Eliminated the lean burn stalling issues and at 100kmh the tacho now shows 4500rpm. Also removed the top front guard and used its spacers to lift the lower guard 22mm. Great ride now.
Great collection of mods with short but valuable descriptions. Looks like a fair amount of editing to put the video together. Thanks for the effort and happy trails.
I think crash bars are essential. I have them on my Himalayan. Initially I didn't want hard panniers, because they are a problem for serious off road, but because I do a lot of traveling on my bike. I decided to add the aluminum panniers. I have no regrets. I have not changed my handlebars but I did add the handlebar risers. I like them so well, I keep them on even though it makes it impossible to use my Givi tank bag.
Only just found your vid again so I am very sorry for not replying earlier. We chatted about trips and I said I was doing the North Coast 500 ( a trip around the North Coast of Scotland) and I said that I would let you know how my wife and I got on. It was certainly an adventure !!!. Rained all the first day and intermittently for most of the other days. The wind was bad on a couple of days and I was down to third to keep being able to cut through the gusts. But when the sun shone and the wind dropped it was magical. Finally the back brake seized on 3 times. The bike ran great apart from the brake issue BUT the high revs meant that she burnt some oil - something that needed keeping an eye on towards the end of the trip. With just a bit of added cushioning it was very comfortable. The run up and back on the Motorway felt like I was revving it too hard. We are off around Europe this summer for 3 weeks and I am considering fitting a TEC Cam so that it will pull the 16 tooth sprocket and drop the revs by 500.
Riding 2-up for an extended stretch at motorway speeds seems like it would be taxing the Himalayan quite a bit. But it sounds like you had a great trip. I'm curious to know if the TEC Cam delivers on the advertised added 'oomph' allowing a larger front sprocket. There was a recall here in North America for the replacement of the brake calipers - I suspect to address the seizing you referred to. We had it done but experienced no issues before-hand. Hopefully that recall is the same in the UK and you can take advantage of it. Good luck with the mods, and safe travels!
@@b13hamilton27 Hello again. the rear seized at the master cylinder, known fault. It wasn't allowing brake fluid to flow back after the brake was applied. Everything gets hot and that = stuck. The word on our forums is that the TEC cam allows the use of the 16 tooth sprocket, which means a drop in revs by 500.
Well everything changes. we planned to take the Himmy from England to France - Belgium - Luxemburg - Germany - Poland - Slovakia - Austria - Czech Republic - Germany - France - England. But looking around we found a 5 day WW2 experience package that covered Aushwitz and Krakow which is the furthest part of the planned journey. Booking this for earlier in the year means that we have the same amount of time to do less miles. This means no need for motorways so no need for the cam etc etc etc. Funny how life steps in and sorts itself. I will let you know how this one works out - I recon its still about 3 - 4 thousand miles and 20 days. Keep smiling - it makes your boss think that you already have a scape goat lined up. Stu and Deb Lloyd😀
Great informative video. Thanks for sharing your insight. There are certainly a few of these mods I am going to adopt for my 2021 Himalayan which I bought yesterday. Thanks guys.
@@b13hamilton27 I am still waiting for delivery because of the lockdowns in Auckland. I paid for it about a month and been waiting since , As I typed this the bike has just been delivered to me. What a coincidence.
@@b13hamilton27 Thanks man, I just took her for a ride. She is really nice to ride. Different to my Suzuki but really enjoyable and she handles really well. That really surprised me.
Outstanding vidio, great audio, concise delivery and really inspired mods. I rank this production up there with fort nine and yammie noob and the big rock moto guy i hope you'll take this as the huge complement it is meant to be. i plan to get a Himalayan and i will be duplicating your mods to the letter
Thank you for your kind comments. We are amateur video-makers, so it is rewarding to know we struck a chord and got our message out. As for the mods themselves, we put a lot of thought into them and we are still happy with every one. The bike continues to run great and it is a lot of fun to ride. Enjoy your project!!!
Excellent modifications .. !! I also own a Himalayan and made few modifications to it since accessories are very expensive in my country. I changed the windshield for a higher one that comes with GPS support, also the low engine fender and some handguards, thanks to your video I will improve my motorcycle within my budget. Thanks, Greetings from Argentina (translated by google, I don't speak English very well)
We might do one... But our camera gear is not up to par with the folks who are seriously into videos with drones and multiple cameras all going at once.
Great video. Terrific to see the Father/Son bonding thing going on. One wonder though, why did you not try a tooth larger front sprocket? I'm told this really helps the ability to cruise on the highway above 100k/62mph. Otherwise I love the mods and am really considering this bike.
Thanks for the comments. It was a lot of fun to work on the bike with my son. Changing the front sprocket, IMO, is a double-edged sword. What you gain on the highway, you lose in torque when off-road in lower gears. So it depends on your intended use... We truly wanted a dual-purpose bike and really don't care how fast we go on the pavement. When going on a trip, we always pick 'B' roads, and a US interstate or equivalent is just not on our radar. It's a 'take your time and smell the roses' bike for us. Having said that, if one was to put on a big bore kit, a hopped-up cam, open up the air filter box, and add the ECU gizmo that you would need with all that, then possibly the extra oomph you would get out of the bike would be enough to experiment with different gearing. That's my 2 cents, FWIW anyway. Good luck with your decision-making.
I really enjoyed your video. It’s very encouraging and informative. I’ve not been able to buy a Himalayan yet, but I’ve been researching them and your video is full of useful tips and I intend to put most of the same things on mine. I’m looking forward to owning my own bike and doing some long distance touring. I know I’ll be coming back to this video for tips! Thanks very much for putting this great video together for us. I’m watching this from East Anglia, UK.
Flat out best video on upgrades!! Your $12,000 adventure ride rocks. It was fun following along. Regarding the orig handlebars were there little notches that the switches had to attach to? This would keep them from moving. Thanks mate
Allan: Thanks for the comments. You are very generous, and I'm glad you liked what we did. And BTW, it didn't add up to $12K - but nor was there a lot of rational financial decision-making involved. We did a lot of things simply because we could, and as a learning project. But, on to your question... There is at least one hole that needs to be drilled on each side of the handlebars IIRC, which mates with a pin and serves to hold the control switches in place. It is worthwhile to spend a bit of time ensuring you get the holes in the right location, as I'm not sure RE necessarily has them positioned perfectly. So, if you change grips for example, you may want the controls inboard by a few mm to accommodate. Also, if you change the orientation of the (new) bars to be better positioned ergonomically, or to avoid hitting the windscreen, you may wish to rotate the controls to suit, by changing where the hole is. Hope that helps. Cheers.
Thank you for a great video and great mods! Very interesting insights, rationals, and conclusions. Also, fantastic to see a father and son not only enjoying a sport together, but gaining and sharing valuable experience and learning as well. I am adding this to my Himy folder. I am still on the fence regarding this bike mostly due to the all-too-familiar weight and power complaints. As an older rider, the weight is the more concerning of the two. I am very intrigued by the bikes RE has been releasing recently and by the new Himalayans in development. Thank you again for a truly great build and video on a truly great bike!
Michael - thanks for the comments. It was a fun project, and the REH is a great platform. The power and weight issues are something to consider however, and there are other, more souped-up and refined bikes you can buy off the shelf. But the REH still brings a smile to our faces when riding it, so we remain happy , and have never had any issues with it. We have done a few more mods since the video was published and have just not gotten around to making another video. (Sam is at college now). However, we swapped out the exhaust canister and laced aluminum rims to the hubs last summer. There is no financial rationale for doing so, but we saved 10kg (22 lbs) of weight overall, and you can really feel the difference. See 'On Two Wheels Ben' for a video on aluminum wheels on an REH. Everything Ben says about the upgrade is accurate, and he is pretty stoked about the associated improvements in handling. The bike is slightly more peppy off the line with less wheel inertia to overcome, and it is noticeably more nimble when cornering, both on road and off, with the lower weight. It remains north of 400 lbs to pick up if you fall over though, so you still have to give a good grunt to get it upright again. Good luck with your research and decision-making.
@@b13hamilton27 Another great tip regarding the rims! 22 pounds is a major weight savings! It does seem to be a great bike in so many ways including being a platform for so many mods! You and Sam have obviously outdone most in terms of modifications made and have created an exceptional bike! It's such an affordable bike to begin with anyway! There are several pine green '22s in my area that are marked down 1,000 at this point. I test drove one this summer and enjoyed it stock, but the mods you've made to yours make it truly exceptional and versatile. I'm sure it's a joy to ride. May I ask, what is your area of expertise? You seem to be quite capable mechanically and with the electrical components. Fashioning the 45mm extension for your handguards and machining a solution for the foot peg upgrades suggests some machining knowledge as well. Regardless, the most appealing thing about this build, and there are many, at least 33 1/3, is the wonderful and productive relationship you have built with your son. The value of the time and effort you have successfully invested in that certainly cannot be questioned by anyone! Well done in all regards, and best wishes to Sam in college!
Hmmmmm... Area of expertise? I do not have any formal engineering or trades training, but I have always been interested in and capable of solving mechanical and electrical problems. I am naturally curious about a lot of things and enjoy doing work myself rather than relying on someone else to do it. I have learned much through trial and error, and I have never had any fear of ground-up projects, or modifying a design concept I think I can improve upon. Most of human knowledge is out there somewhere in a book or on the internet, so getting ideas or acquiring know-how is doable with a bit of research. If you don't like the pine green color you can repaint the tank for way less than $1,000!
Some nice modifications. I don't like handguards. I put them on one bike decades ago, they were constantly in the way, so I removed them, and never tried them again. I do carry an extra brake and clutch lever, but if the brake lever takes a hard hit, it is likely to break the master cylinder. At least that won't strand you, you still have a rear brake. I also won't use a lithium battery. They have a tendency to catch on fire, and could burn your house down if the bike is in your garage or carport. I use an SLA or AGM (both are lead acid batteries) and keep them connected to a battery tender. I carry a small jump start pack with me. Heated grips did not work for me. I use heated gloves. They use so much current that I had to install a cutoff switch for the headlight in order to use them. The heated grips are out in the cold wind, which carries away a lot of the heat, and what's left has to make it through insulated gloves. The gloves have heating elements inside, close to your hands, and the outside prevents the wind from blowing away most of the heat. I sometimes use a Garmin Zumo GPS. My 1990s style flip phone stays in a bag, turned off. I have some MOSKO luggage. Good stuff. I would never use an LED headlight on the street. They are too bright and will blind oncoming drivers. Unsafe and just not very nice. Kind of like shing a laser in someone's face. As someone who worked for a city streets department for over 30 years, I can tell you that those things that are supposed to trigger traffic lights DO NOT WORK. There is a grid just under the asphalt near the intersection, and a certain percent of it has to be covered with metal to work. Like a car or truck. There is nothing you can do to make a motorcycle trip those. Fortunately most cities have gone to a sensor up on the arm where the traffic light is mounted, and most of those can detect a motorcycle.
Wow! A father & son in enterprise. We need to see more stuff like this. Keep the faith; make more videos. Question: For give me if I missed it in the video, but did you say how much you invested in after-market parts?
for weight savings , that exhaust weighs a ton, I plan on changing mine out eventually. My best mod was a new seat from seat concepts, much easier on the bum.
Read MadMotoMods modification of his himalayan on teambhp. He did changed battery, rear mono shock, chain sprocket & few things to reduce weight. Also going tubeless with aluminum rim & some tubeless systems will help reduce further mass
Good question... In our experience, the type of LED headlight we used is not common place in the average auto parts stores in the US. They are easily sourced on-line however. If you are on a long trip and worried about a possible failure, carrying the original bulb as a spare is probably a good idea.
Do you still have the bike how do you like it??. For taller riders the Tall Seat Concepts” seat looks great- more of a bench style . Love the father son combo!! Share the love
Very well explained and thought out. No booster plug? I guess you haven’t had a problem with stalling or lean running. I added a Givi universal mount for my Givi Monolock top box. I switch the Givi top box between the Himalayan and my 2009 Bonneville. Adding a top box would be my first modification on any new bike. Ride safe.
Thanks for the comments. We have not had any problems whatsoever with the engine, so no booster plug or any other changes in that regard. We did change to an iridium spark plug, but that's it.
Due to popular demand, we have added a summary list of all the mods and a description of where we got the parts. Hope this helps! Thanks for all the positive comments.
Some day 30 years from now some collector will come into possession of this bike and go to great lengths and great expense to convert it back to EXACTLY the way it came from the factory LOL!
Haha!!! We'll keep all the OEM parts in a box and transfer it with the bike to the next owner(s) along with its complete history and provenance. That will make it a priceless collector's item!!
We thought about that and decided not to. We tried to mention where we got each item in the video. URL's can become stale dated after a while. Your 'mileage may vary' and we are not sponsoring any particular product, nor are we sponsored by anyone. Plus, you might be able to find something cheaper on a another site, etc... But we got everything from either eBay, Amazon, Revzilla, Hitchcock's, or SRC Moto. That is, everything except our Rally Raid phone mount which was a gift from a friend. All of the mentioned sites have search engines. It's pretty easy to find what you need.
all seem magnificent congrats, all thougtht with love for our great Himalayans. Just miss something I wish but not find and find extremely useful for off-road (talking about a practical issue I coped with): foldable gear levers, in case of dropping bike (I suffered), any ideas welcome. Thanks for sharing.
I HAVE THE SAME 21 HIMMY- YOU SPEAK OF WEIGHT- DITCH THAT 30 POUND STONE EXHAUST AND REPLACE IT WITH A SLIP ON SILENCER/EXHAUST SYSTEM- I PUT ON A KEMIMOTO SILENCER FOR $38 FROM AMAZON- USED EXHAUST TAPE TO FIT/FORM IT TO ACCEPT THE STOCK EXHAUST PIPE. NOW, IT SOUNDS LIKE A MOTORCYCLE AND IS LIGHTER!! ALSO, IF YOU DO PUT ENGINE GUARDS ON MAKE SURE THEY ARE THE TYPE THAT DO NOT HINDER THE CHANGING OF THE OIL FILTER GASKET. I COULD NOT REMOVE ONE BOLT ON THE OIL CAP, BUT DID REMOVE THE OLD FILTER WITH A NEW ONE DURING MY 300 MILE BREAK-IN. SO, I COULD NOT REMOVE THE GASKET, BUT SINCE IT WAS NOT TOO OLD I WILL REMOVE THE ENGINE GUARD THE NEXT TIME I DO AN OIL CHANGE. WILL SWITCH TO THE LITHIUM ION BATTERY- NOW, SINCE I DO NOT HAVE A GARAGE IT HAS TWO TARPS COVERING IT AND I ATTACHED A SMALL SOLAR PANEL TO KEEP IT CHARGED. THANKS FOR THE INFO....EAGLE-SAN IN CO.
Check out our most recent video, which is an update on the 33 1/3 Mods. We dropped a TON of weight by replacing the muffler and changing the steel rims to aluminum. All the other things we have done are great, but the aluminum rims and combined weight savings from that and other mods has totally transformed the bike.
@@b13hamilton27 I understand cutting a lot of weight would improve handling off road and help with mileage but would it affect how the bike handles at high speeds on the highway? More likely to get pushed around by the wind from semi trailers and the like?
@@sampelletier5083 The bike is infinitely better after we shed the weight we could as described in the videos. We have not noticed any issues at speed on the highway at all. However, the REH is not a highway tourer anyway. We only go on interstate-like roads for short stints. The bike is perfectly in its element on B roads, gravel, and backcountry roads, which is where it does best.
Fantastic production showcasing your work. I'm looking forward to my son being of age to wrench and ride together. He is 7 and rides on back of my k1600. Which brings me to a question. I have a BMW navigator as well and really keen to get a mount to use with Himi. What mount is that you are using?
Thanks for the comment. It was (and remains) great fun to work with my son on projects like this. I'm sure you will experience the same when the time comes. It's a way to get my son exposed to not only motorcycling, but machinery he otherwise would not become familiar with. It was also a means to 'problem solve' on a mechanical device. Here's hoping the skills are transferable to other interests he may have down the road! Regarding your question... Those GPS units are expensive, and since it is difficult to ride 2 bikes at the same time, it made sense to us to be able to have a bracket on the Himalayan so we could use the Navigator V. In my experience there are 2 options. 1) You could buy a BMW bracket. The 'plus' is that you get to use the 4 buttons on the left to change screens and zoom in/out more easily. 2) The Navigator V/VI bases are also compatible with Garmin Zumo 660/665 units, so a Garmin base for those models will work. But don't take mu word for it. Please double check with a place like GPScity.com to verify! GPS City may have them or you may be able to find a used one on eBay. The Garmin bases may be cheaper too, IDK, but they won't have the buttons on the left side in my experience. Neither option will give you the functionality of the BMW Wonderwheel, but we've found the GPS works fine on the Himalayan. With either bracket, there will be more wires than you will need. I dissected the wiring harness on the Garmin bracket we used on the Himalayan until I found the 2 power leads, noting the positive and negative. I cut off the unneeded wires and attached an SAE plug to the power leads and we were off to the races. Hope this helps. Good luck.
@@b13hamilton27 excellent, many thanks for your comprehensive reply. Looks like I maybe going the 4 side button BMW mount £100... Ouch. The Garmin ones are discontinued and just as much as a new BMW mount on eBay 🤦 My dad spent a lot of time on Sharing engineering and DIY skills, I took that knowledge and have been expanding on it ever since. As a result there is nothing I won't try for myself now. I think there are too few kids getting these opportunities growing up. Cheers to dad life!
Great video. Looks like you guys take pride in your work. Would it be possible to get links to where to buy the various items? I’d like to do most of what you have done. Thanks.
If you expand the video description we listed all the mods and where we got the parts. We didn't keep the URL's, but they should be pretty easy to track down. Hope this helps. Thanks for the comment, and good luck.
I have not added as much stuff to my Himalayan. One thing I noticed is how heavy the muffler is. This fall I was on a gravel road that had some of the worst washboard I have ever seen. It was so rough that my exhaust pipe and muffler came apart and the gasket fell off. When I went to replace it I realized how incredible heavy the stock muffler is. One thing I enjoy about my bike is how quiet it is; however, I would put up with a little more noise for some weight savings and a better finish.
Great ideas! One question regarding the ⅓ mod ( 15:34 ): Did you put the magnets on the inside or the outside of the skid plate? On the inside, the steel plate will shield the the magnetic field and therefore possibly reduce the effect.
Yes - we put the magnets on the (magnetic!) skid plate we added. I think you are correct in that the magnetic field ends up being dissipated or made weaker by the skid plate and reduces the effect. I'm sure that's not a scientific description, but you get the point. I think it would be better to glue the magnets elsewhere on the bike on a non-magnetic surface to see if they work better, but we haven't tried that yet. Thanks for the comments!
Were you able to keep your oem bar end weights with your apollo heated grips? I also have bark buster two mount Storms on the oem handlebars and am considering adding the heated grip with my current set up. Any advice would be appreciated
Yes - keeping the bar ends with the heated grips is no problem. The grips do not interfere with bar-end weights. There are many ways to add BarkBusters depending on the mounts you use. As such, the BarkBusters can end up being positioned differently (in or out) relative to the end of the handlebars. We chose a mounting system that was somewhat customized, and which allowed us to use the bar-end weights. Our installation was done with aftermarket bars which are wider (longer) than the OEM bars and therefore gave us a little more flexibility in mounting due to the extra space available along their length. In your case some experimentation will be required in order to achieve what you want in terms of handlebar position and to minimize potential interference when turning lock to lock, while also permitting the handlebar controls to work properly (clutch, brake, throttle).
Hi im from Australia ,i have a Himalayan with the same head weeping problem ,what is the thread gauge of the 40mm bolts great vid look forward to more.
They are M6 bolts with 8mm heads. They are standard, coarse-thread bolts with 1 thread per mm pitch. (I'm pretty sure that's how they designate the thread pitch...) Look for M6 x 1.0 flange bolts with an 8mm head x 40mm long. We found them on Amazon. Good luck. Replace the bolts when the engine is cold.
Would be willing to explain how you made the UHMW mount for the usb? From what I can tell, you slipped the bars into the grooves you cut, then used a washer and a screw on two sides to hold it in place. How long are the screws? Did you tap the UHMW for the screws? Glue in some threads? Loctite? Or am I missing a step? Also, do you remember where you bought the plastic? (I ask because it's brilliant.)
Thom, you have a keen eye, and you seem to have the idea figured out. We built the UHMW holder for the volt meter/USB power output pretty much as you described. The UHMW was sourced on eBay for a suitably sized block of the color we wanted. I sketched out the design on cardboard, making the mount as small as I could, whilst leaving enough material for it to be structurally sound. The edges are rounded to allow for all the wires and cables to continue to route freely. While it was still square (except for the upper left hand corner) I cut grooves on the 2 outside vertical sides to match the wire frame of the cable cage. These were cut with a small router and the appropriate bits. The center hole was drilled to match the USB outlet (sourced on Amazon). And yes, the whole thing is held in place with M5 screws and washers. The UHMW is drilled and tapped for the longest screws that were practical, given the rounded inside corner and center hole (which is not really centered, BTW). I forget exactly, but I think the screws were around 20 or 25mm long. IMO, you don't need LocTite. I doubt LocTite would stick to the UHMW and the screws have stayed in place just fine without it. Once the holder is held in place with the wire frame and the screws, it is plenty strong and not going anywhere. You obviously don't want to over-tighten the screws... When you turn the handlebars, it *just* has enough clearance at the bottom where the wires connect to miss the bottom of the instrument cluster. If you decide to make one, go for it, and good luck. Cheers.
@@b13hamilton27 another question. I just got the atz-7 and I’ve installed it. Im getting ready to wire up the relay and fuse box. Where did you place the fuse box exactly? I currently have it crammed in behind the battery on the back side of the bike (so the battery is closer to the front of the bike and the fuse box closer to the back of the bike). It’s sort of wedged in there to help hold the battery in place. But I imagine it’s going to be hard to keep it in that spot once it’s all wired up.
@@tmstark Thom - Yes, our fuse box is installed in the battery compartment, along with the ATZ-7 battery, just as you describe. It's a snug fit, but it works - even with some thin foam strips on the battery to keep it from vibrating. We made some slight modifications to the fuse box cover in order to route the wires in/out of the box as a bundle as opposed to separately. (Think contained loom vs. spider web...). I can't take a look at the bike right now (I'm at work) to jog my memory and provide a better description, but can do over the weekend if you need more info. We found a home for the relay in a gap inboard of the battery box. Hope that makes sense.
They are not that much longer, but definitely wider. They also provide significantly more grip. We have never had the feeling of slipping off the new ones, and I agree that the OEM ones are not confidence inspiring. You can easily slip off the OEM pegs with the rubber inserts installed. There are certainly aftermarket pegs that are longer and wider still, but we tried to find budget-priced pegs consistent with the rest of the bike. I will measure the aftermarket ones we got and respond again.
As promised.... The OEM foot pegs extend from the frame 110mm, and are 45mm wide. They are an elongated oval shape, made of rolled steel, with grip points around the perimeter. There is also a piece of rolled steel which almost fills up the center oval (where the rubber insert attaches) which traps mud. The aftermarket pegs we got (still available on eBay) extend 113mm from the frame and are 50mm wide. It doesn't seem like much more, but they are substantially better, IMO. There are many more grip points around the perimeter, as well as a '3rd row' down the middle. The shape of the pegs are more 'square-ish' and they provide 50% (?) more surface area. The center is an open grid where dirt and mud can fall through. As mentioned previously, we have never had a sensation of slipping off these pegs. That's what we know. Good luck with whatever way you go.
Sorry to bother but do you know the total width of the vortex handlebars before you cut them? They are sold out everywhere but three is a set on eBay. The description is non existent though! Thanks
www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/vortex-v3-handlebars-78?sku_id=1155949 If you go to the Revzilla website they have a chart with all the dimensions for various handlebars they sell. The Vortex V3 J Murph Specials are listed... There were a lot of bars we looked at last spring/summer and they were out of stock then as well. It doesn't seem the supply chain has repaired itself yet!! Hopefully you can find what you want on eBay.
Hi there. We got ours from Hitchcock's Motorcycles. They are based in England. We are in the US. I assume they ship anywhere, so with the magic of the Internet I'm sure you could order on-line from them. Good luck, and I hope it works out.
We got ours on eBay, so I can’t be sure if they are all the same. But anyway, the ones we got had larger pivot holes than on the bike so we had to put in some bushings, which was a bit of a pain. I have heard from others who got similar pegs and the pivot holes were the correct diameter. If you can specify 8mm holes they should work without any modifications. Good luck.
Great improvements! You may want to reconsider the TEC cam (which dyno tested only gives you 2.5HP boost vs, their advertised "20%") and get a 477cc Big Bore kit instead which will (also dyno tested) give you a 7.5HP boost. With your skillset it should be easy enough to change the cylinder.
I've shopped for soft luggage. I'm installing Zana racks . I checked the Mosko bags. They are stupid money. I'm quite comfortable financially,but I have to see value for my money. $1000 for soft bags! I got great bags out of India for less than $200.
Keep your eye on the front brake hose there has been issues with cracking that causes the front brake to lock up when braking. Ride safe. Wiltshire man posted the video if you want to take a look atb Ian uk
IIRC, we spent approximately $2,000 - $2,500US on the mods identified in this video. For those who have noticed, we did a follow-up, Part 2 video with a few more mods, which totaled another $1,000 US. The Part 2 video included significant weight-savings with a new muffler and aluminum wheels - both of which might be considered extravagant upgrades. However, the totality of all the mods really changes how the bike performs.
Nice mods. I hope you never drive in cold weather. the Li battery will lose charge and can die below -10 C.Lithium-ion batteries suffer so badly in freezing temperatures because they have very little internal resistance.
@@Cydro12 I have 2023 himalayan 411 in india. Yours might be a slightly different version without the stock usb port.. Check carefully on the bottom bracket of the left mirror under the handlebar on the far side from the driver. I couldn;t find it for the first six months - was panning to install one. If you look up stock usb charger himalayan 411 you will find some references to this. I hope you have one and you find it - it makes life a little easier!
@@michaelanderson5560 checked once more, sadly nothing there, still feel like I’m looking over it hehe. I’ll have to get an aftermarket one myself. Thanks for the explanation
I didn't have any problems with the footpegs, but as you said i too had to build up the stops with some chemical steel. Yours look the same as mine and the pinholes were the exact size as the standard parts. That's Chinese parts for you.
@@b13hamilton27 Will make it all the more sweeter. You will be able to use the Himalayan even on the interstates. I was also looking for the same option. Came across a bunch of people who go by the name Himalayan Tools. You can check their Website as well as their RUclips page for more details.
I would wager ah bet, that if you would put the elotromagnets "higher" say on the lower frosted part of the wind screen, (epoxy them on the outside)the traffic lights would have no issues seeing them with A direct , , uninterrupted line of sight.... ?
It sounds like you lifted the bike up and slid another one under it. Lol If you do any mods you should really check out Hitchcock's. And here I was complaining about the crappy paint options. Thinking I may just buy used and spend the difference on upgrades and mods. The shock, brakes and mag drain bolts are great ideas.
Firstly I was 100% satisfied with my 2013 CBR500R, well maybe 95% as it revved high on the highway too what my previous bike was. Say 90% as the chain was cheap and I had too have it replaces and the rear cog, Make that 85% as it was a steel frame and heavy. The Kawasaki had an aluminum frame and much lighter. But a fantastic commuter bike and sad too let it go but now I want an adventuring bike.
The guy doing this video (which has great information) certainly has a sense of humor. Using 33 1/3 in the title, referring to the last modification that barely worked (therefore it only received 1/3 of a point) is pretty clever. I watched the video again today and swear I saw Leslie Nielsen riding the Royal Enfield at 18:00 min. Fabulous.🙂
I'm not sure how to translate the dialogue into Spanish, but you can turn on the (English) subtitles which might help to make it easier to understand. My Spanish is not good enough to be a translator.
We used an Antigravity ATZ-7 model. It is quite a bit smaller and lighter. It left room for our fuse box in the battery compartment. So far, it has worked flawlessly. For a couple of months over the winter, the bike was not used and the battery went 'dead'. We pressed the re-start feature and the bike fired right up. It seems to work as advertised.
I love the fact that you both have done this together as a father son team!!! Great for bonding!!
Thanks. It was a lot of fun to work on it together.
Very nice to see father and son working so nicely together. Lots of research and great results. I enjoy my Himmi and defo will consider mods you have done. Thanks for taking the time to show us what you have achieved with this fab little bike. 👍
Thanks 👍
Have installed a TEC camshaft on my BS4. Transformed its performance without impacting flexibility. Complements the PowerCommander ECU, K&N air filter, Lextek muffler (major weight saving) and 16-tooth front sprocket. Eliminated the lean burn stalling issues and at 100kmh the tacho now shows 4500rpm. Also removed the top front guard and used its spacers to lift the lower guard 22mm. Great ride now.
Good stuff. The exhaust mood may be coming up. It's always worthwhile when you can shave a few pounds.
Nice content, only important modifications are done.
This is my dream motorcycle, i will do the same on mine.
Love from 🇮🇳INDIA
That was a really great and detailed video. The love you put on this bike is amazing. Have great and safe rides, thanks.
Thanks. Much appreciated.
Great collection of mods with short but valuable descriptions. Looks like a fair amount of editing to put the video together. Thanks for the effort and happy trails.
I never take mine off-road but there’s plenty here to consider - thanks gents!
This is a great video. Thank you both for taking the time to create it and share.
All the best, Alex - Qld Australia
Thanks a lot. Glad you got something out of it. Your comments are much appreciated.
I think crash bars are essential. I have them on my Himalayan. Initially I didn't want hard panniers, because they are a problem for serious off road, but because I do a lot of traveling on my bike. I decided to add the aluminum panniers. I have no regrets. I have not changed my handlebars but I did add the handlebar risers. I like them so well, I keep them on even though it makes it impossible to use my Givi tank bag.
Only just found your vid again so I am very sorry for not replying earlier. We chatted about trips and I said I was doing the North Coast 500 ( a trip around the North Coast of Scotland) and I said that I would let you know how my wife and I got on. It was certainly an adventure !!!. Rained all the first day and intermittently for most of the other days. The wind was bad on a couple of days and I was down to third to keep being able to cut through the gusts. But when the sun shone and the wind dropped it was magical. Finally the back brake seized on 3 times. The bike ran great apart from the brake issue BUT the high revs meant that she burnt some oil - something that needed keeping an eye on towards the end of the trip. With just a bit of added cushioning it was very comfortable. The run up and back on the Motorway felt like I was revving it too hard. We are off around Europe this summer for 3 weeks and I am considering fitting a TEC Cam so that it will pull the 16 tooth sprocket and drop the revs by 500.
Riding 2-up for an extended stretch at motorway speeds seems like it would be taxing the Himalayan quite a bit. But it sounds like you had a great trip. I'm curious to know if the TEC Cam delivers on the advertised added 'oomph' allowing a larger front sprocket. There was a recall here in North America for the replacement of the brake calipers - I suspect to address the seizing you referred to. We had it done but experienced no issues before-hand. Hopefully that recall is the same in the UK and you can take advantage of it. Good luck with the mods, and safe travels!
@@b13hamilton27 Hello again. the rear seized at the master cylinder, known fault. It wasn't allowing brake fluid to flow back after the brake was applied. Everything gets hot and that = stuck. The word on our forums is that the TEC cam allows the use of the 16 tooth sprocket, which means a drop in revs by 500.
Well everything changes. we planned to take the Himmy from England to France - Belgium - Luxemburg - Germany - Poland - Slovakia - Austria - Czech Republic - Germany - France - England. But looking around we found a 5 day WW2 experience package that covered Aushwitz and Krakow which is the furthest part of the planned journey. Booking this for earlier in the year means that we have the same amount of time to do less miles. This means no need for motorways so no need for the cam etc etc etc. Funny how life steps in and sorts itself. I will let you know how this one works out - I recon its still about 3 - 4 thousand miles and 20 days. Keep smiling - it makes your boss think that you already have a scape goat lined up. Stu and Deb Lloyd😀
Great informative video. Thanks for sharing your insight. There are certainly a few of these mods I am going to adopt for my 2021 Himalayan which I bought yesterday. Thanks guys.
Trust your new bike is working out!
@@b13hamilton27 I am still waiting for delivery because of the lockdowns in Auckland. I paid for it about a month and been waiting since , As I typed this the bike has just been delivered to me. What a coincidence.
Amazing! It must have been the good Karma from the other side of the world. :) Enjoy.
@@b13hamilton27 Thanks man, I just took her for a ride. She is really nice to ride. Different to my Suzuki but really enjoyable and she handles really well. That really surprised me.
Big shout all the way from India
Outstanding vidio, great audio, concise delivery and really inspired mods. I rank this production up there with fort nine and yammie noob and the big rock moto guy i hope you'll take this as the huge complement it is meant to be. i plan to get a Himalayan and i will be duplicating your mods to the letter
Thank you for your kind comments. We are amateur video-makers, so it is rewarding to know we struck a chord and got our message out. As for the mods themselves, we put a lot of thought into them and we are still happy with every one. The bike continues to run great and it is a lot of fun to ride. Enjoy your project!!!
Hitchcocks seem to be doing well out of this bike 👍
Helpful video. I’m planning on picking up a Himalayan soon. I hope you post more videos.
Excellent modifications .. !! I also own a Himalayan and made few modifications to it since accessories are very expensive in my country. I changed the windshield for a higher one that comes with GPS support, also the low engine fender and some handguards, thanks to your video I will improve my motorcycle within my budget. Thanks, Greetings from Argentina (translated by google, I don't speak English very well)
Muchas gracias! Good luck with your mods, and thanks for the comment. Google translator worked well!!!
Excellent video, I appreciate the time and effort put into it. I would like to request an off-road video of the Himalayan. Thank you, safe travels.
We might do one... But our camera gear is not up to par with the folks who are seriously into videos with drones and multiple cameras all going at once.
Fantastic mods! I am definitely going to do a lot of these! First in my list though is cam shaft and big bore kit
So cool you did this project with your dad. Greetings from Panama.
This is very wholesome and helpful, thank you guys 😊
Glad it was helpful!
Well put together video - nice bike
Thanks. We appreciate the comment.
Great video. Lots of nice mods. I enjoyed it.
Glad you enjoyed it
You have invested a lot of your time and money and the mods look great, thanks for posting.
Thanks for watching! We appreciate the comment.
Congrats! From a Fellow Rock-Red Himalayan 2020 Owner
Looking at buying one of the RE Himalayans. Thanks for the video. Will be sure to duplicate some of the mods.
Great video. Terrific to see the Father/Son bonding thing going on. One wonder though, why did you not try a tooth larger front sprocket? I'm told this really helps the ability to cruise on the highway above 100k/62mph. Otherwise I love the mods and am really considering this bike.
Thanks for the comments. It was a lot of fun to work on the bike with my son.
Changing the front sprocket, IMO, is a double-edged sword. What you gain on the highway, you lose in torque when off-road in lower gears. So it depends on your intended use... We truly wanted a dual-purpose bike and really don't care how fast we go on the pavement. When going on a trip, we always pick 'B' roads, and a US interstate or equivalent is just not on our radar. It's a 'take your time and smell the roses' bike for us.
Having said that, if one was to put on a big bore kit, a hopped-up cam, open up the air filter box, and add the ECU gizmo that you would need with all that, then possibly the extra oomph you would get out of the bike would be enough to experiment with different gearing. That's my 2 cents, FWIW anyway.
Good luck with your decision-making.
Great video. You guys make a really good team! :-)
Thanks!, and thanks for watching our video.
I really enjoyed your video. It’s very encouraging and informative. I’ve not been able to buy a Himalayan yet, but I’ve been researching them and your video is full of useful tips and I intend to put most of the same things on mine. I’m looking forward to owning my own bike and doing some long distance touring. I know I’ll be coming back to this video for tips! Thanks very much for putting this great video together for us. I’m watching this from East Anglia, UK.
Excellent! Glad you enjoyed it, and it got your creative juices flowing. Good luck when you get your Himalayan!
@@b13hamilton27 Thank you
Flat out best video on upgrades!! Your $12,000 adventure ride rocks. It was fun following along. Regarding the orig handlebars were there little notches that the switches had to attach to? This would keep them from moving.
Thanks mate
Allan:
Thanks for the comments. You are very generous, and I'm glad you liked what we did. And BTW, it didn't add up to $12K - but nor was there a lot of rational financial decision-making involved. We did a lot of things simply because we could, and as a learning project.
But, on to your question... There is at least one hole that needs to be drilled on each side of the handlebars IIRC, which mates with a pin and serves to hold the control switches in place. It is worthwhile to spend a bit of time ensuring you get the holes in the right location, as I'm not sure RE necessarily has them positioned perfectly. So, if you change grips for example, you may want the controls inboard by a few mm to accommodate. Also, if you change the orientation of the (new) bars to be better positioned ergonomically, or to avoid hitting the windscreen, you may wish to rotate the controls to suit, by changing where the hole is. Hope that helps. Cheers.
Great mods. Certainly adds to the usability. Excellent video guys.
Thank you! 👍
Great work both of you!
Great list of mods. I can't wait to get my own bike and mimic a few of these.
Great. Have fun with it!
Very interesting mods. Thanks very much for sharing 🙂 and for all the places we could source from ... very helpful
No problem 👍
I like the fathe and son persoective!
Thank you for a great video and great mods! Very interesting insights, rationals, and conclusions. Also, fantastic to see a father and son not only enjoying a sport together, but gaining and sharing valuable experience and learning as well. I am adding this to my Himy folder. I am still on the fence regarding this bike mostly due to the all-too-familiar weight and power complaints. As an older rider, the weight is the more concerning of the two. I am very intrigued by the bikes RE has been releasing recently and by the new Himalayans in development. Thank you again for a truly great build and video on a truly great bike!
Michael - thanks for the comments. It was a fun project, and the REH is a great platform. The power and weight issues are something to consider however, and there are other, more souped-up and refined bikes you can buy off the shelf. But the REH still brings a smile to our faces when riding it, so we remain happy , and have never had any issues with it.
We have done a few more mods since the video was published and have just not gotten around to making another video. (Sam is at college now). However, we swapped out the exhaust canister and laced aluminum rims to the hubs last summer. There is no financial rationale for doing so, but we saved 10kg (22 lbs) of weight overall, and you can really feel the difference. See 'On Two Wheels Ben' for a video on aluminum wheels on an REH. Everything Ben says about the upgrade is accurate, and he is pretty stoked about the associated improvements in handling. The bike is slightly more peppy off the line with less wheel inertia to overcome, and it is noticeably more nimble when cornering, both on road and off, with the lower weight. It remains north of 400 lbs to pick up if you fall over though, so you still have to give a good grunt to get it upright again. Good luck with your research and decision-making.
@@b13hamilton27 Another great tip regarding the rims! 22 pounds is a major weight savings! It does seem to be a great bike in so many ways including being a platform for so many mods! You and Sam have obviously outdone most in terms of modifications made and have created an exceptional bike! It's such an affordable bike to begin with anyway! There are several pine green '22s in my area that are marked down 1,000 at this point. I test drove one this summer and enjoyed it stock, but the mods you've made to yours make it truly exceptional and versatile. I'm sure it's a joy to ride. May I ask, what is your area of expertise? You seem to be quite capable mechanically and with the electrical components. Fashioning the 45mm extension for your handguards and machining a solution for the foot peg upgrades suggests some machining knowledge as well. Regardless, the most appealing thing about this build, and there are many, at least 33 1/3, is the wonderful and productive relationship you have built with your son. The value of the time and effort you have successfully invested in that certainly cannot be questioned by anyone! Well done in all regards, and best wishes to Sam in college!
Hmmmmm... Area of expertise? I do not have any formal engineering or trades training, but I have always been interested in and capable of solving mechanical and electrical problems. I am naturally curious about a lot of things and enjoy doing work myself rather than relying on someone else to do it. I have learned much through trial and error, and I have never had any fear of ground-up projects, or modifying a design concept I think I can improve upon. Most of human knowledge is out there somewhere in a book or on the internet, so getting ideas or acquiring know-how is doable with a bit of research.
If you don't like the pine green color you can repaint the tank for way less than $1,000!
Thanks for the video. Great mods, gives me more to consider. With my 2020.
You bet. Glad you liked it.
Nice job guys, thanks for sharing!
Some nice modifications. I don't like handguards. I put them on one bike decades ago, they were constantly in the way, so I removed them, and never tried them again. I do carry an extra brake and clutch lever, but if the brake lever takes a hard hit, it is likely to break the master cylinder. At least that won't strand you, you still have a rear brake. I also won't use a lithium battery. They have a tendency to catch on fire, and could burn your house down if the bike is in your garage or carport. I use an SLA or AGM (both are lead acid batteries) and keep them connected to a battery tender. I carry a small jump start pack with me. Heated grips did not work for me. I use heated gloves. They use so much current that I had to install a cutoff switch for the headlight in order to use them. The heated grips are out in the cold wind, which carries away a lot of the heat, and what's left has to make it through insulated gloves. The gloves have heating elements inside, close to your hands, and the outside prevents the wind from blowing away most of the heat. I sometimes use a Garmin Zumo GPS. My 1990s style flip phone stays in a bag, turned off. I have some MOSKO luggage. Good stuff. I would never use an LED headlight on the street. They are too bright and will blind oncoming drivers. Unsafe and just not very nice. Kind of like shing a laser in someone's face. As someone who worked for a city streets department for over 30 years, I can tell you that those things that are supposed to trigger traffic lights DO NOT WORK. There is a grid just under the asphalt near the intersection, and a certain percent of it has to be covered with metal to work. Like a car or truck. There is nothing you can do to make a motorcycle trip those. Fortunately most cities have gone to a sensor up on the arm where the traffic light is mounted, and most of those can detect a motorcycle.
Great video guys! You need to make more videos.
Wow! A father & son in enterprise. We need to see more stuff like this. Keep the faith; make more videos.
Question: For give me if I missed it in the video, but did you say how much you invested in after-market parts?
I think the number is somewhere in the comments, but around $2K US, not including the luggage since it gets used on more than one bike.
for weight savings , that exhaust weighs a ton, I plan on changing mine out eventually. My best mod was a new seat from seat concepts, much easier on the bum.
Both are great suggestions. We haven't had any seat / comfort issues yet, but the exhaust can may get to the list one of these days. Thanks.
Only 10 kilograms
Watch out while changing the exhaust some of those aftermarket ones reduce the water wading ability of the bike it happened to a friend of mine
Read MadMotoMods modification of his himalayan on teambhp. He did changed battery, rear mono shock, chain sprocket & few things to reduce weight. Also going tubeless with aluminum rim & some tubeless systems will help reduce further mass
Great video. Thanks for sharing. Greetings from Argentina.
Thank you too!
Great video and tips. Greetings from Valencia-Spain.
Glad it was helpful!
Great Video. LED Headlight : Do you find this Led Globe in any town in the States, in case of failure. or do you keep the original one as a spare ?
Good question... In our experience, the type of LED headlight we used is not common place in the average auto parts stores in the US. They are easily sourced on-line however. If you are on a long trip and worried about a possible failure, carrying the original bulb as a spare is probably a good idea.
Do you still have the bike how do you like it??. For taller riders the Tall Seat Concepts” seat looks great- more of a bench style . Love the father son combo!! Share the love
Yes - we still have it and it is performing really well. We have no plans to swap the bike out and we continue to enjoy it a lot.
Very well explained and thought out. No booster plug? I guess you haven’t had a problem with stalling or lean running. I added a Givi universal mount for my Givi Monolock top box. I switch the Givi top box between the Himalayan and my 2009 Bonneville. Adding a top box would be my first modification on any new bike. Ride safe.
Thanks for the comments. We have not had any problems whatsoever with the engine, so no booster plug or any other changes in that regard. We did change to an iridium spark plug, but that's it.
Really good! Cheers from Brazil!
Thanks a lot!
Due to popular demand, we have added a summary list of all the mods and a description of where we got the parts. Hope this helps! Thanks for all the positive comments.
Well done guys!
Awesome info, thanks gentlemen!
Some day 30 years from now some collector will come into possession of this bike and go to great lengths and great expense to convert it back to EXACTLY the way it came from the factory LOL!
Haha!!! We'll keep all the OEM parts in a box and transfer it with the bike to the next owner(s) along with its complete history and provenance. That will make it a priceless collector's item!!
hello, can't you put direct links to the stores where you bought the materials you used for the changes?
We thought about that and decided not to. We tried to mention where we got each item in the video. URL's can become stale dated after a while. Your 'mileage may vary' and we are not sponsoring any particular product, nor are we sponsored by anyone. Plus, you might be able to find something cheaper on a another site, etc... But we got everything from either eBay, Amazon, Revzilla, Hitchcock's, or SRC Moto. That is, everything except our Rally Raid phone mount which was a gift from a friend. All of the mentioned sites have search engines. It's pretty easy to find what you need.
Great job. Makes me want to get a RE, even though the bile would probably me too small for me.
Settle down big boy
all seem magnificent congrats, all thougtht with love for our great Himalayans. Just miss something I wish but not find and find extremely useful for off-road (talking about a practical issue I coped with): foldable gear levers, in case of dropping bike (I suffered), any ideas welcome. Thanks for sharing.
I have not seen foldable levers for the Himalayan. We are hoping the Barkbusters will save the levers in a fall.
Great vid 💓 much love from India
What a great video, thanks
I HAVE THE SAME 21 HIMMY- YOU SPEAK OF WEIGHT- DITCH THAT 30 POUND STONE EXHAUST AND REPLACE IT WITH A SLIP ON SILENCER/EXHAUST SYSTEM- I PUT ON A KEMIMOTO SILENCER FOR $38 FROM AMAZON- USED EXHAUST TAPE TO FIT/FORM IT TO ACCEPT THE STOCK EXHAUST PIPE. NOW, IT SOUNDS LIKE A MOTORCYCLE AND IS LIGHTER!! ALSO, IF YOU DO PUT ENGINE GUARDS ON MAKE SURE THEY ARE THE TYPE THAT DO NOT HINDER THE CHANGING OF THE OIL FILTER GASKET. I COULD NOT REMOVE ONE BOLT ON THE OIL CAP, BUT DID REMOVE THE OLD FILTER WITH A NEW ONE DURING MY 300 MILE BREAK-IN. SO, I COULD NOT REMOVE THE GASKET, BUT SINCE IT WAS NOT TOO OLD I WILL REMOVE THE ENGINE GUARD THE NEXT TIME I DO AN OIL CHANGE. WILL SWITCH TO THE LITHIUM ION BATTERY- NOW, SINCE I DO NOT HAVE A GARAGE IT HAS TWO TARPS COVERING IT AND I ATTACHED A SMALL SOLAR PANEL TO KEEP IT CHARGED. THANKS FOR THE INFO....EAGLE-SAN IN CO.
Check out our most recent video, which is an update on the 33 1/3 Mods. We dropped a TON of weight by replacing the muffler and changing the steel rims to aluminum. All the other things we have done are great, but the aluminum rims and combined weight savings from that and other mods has totally transformed the bike.
@@b13hamilton27 I understand cutting a lot of weight would improve handling off road and help with mileage but would it affect how the bike handles at high speeds on the highway? More likely to get pushed around by the wind from semi trailers and the like?
@@sampelletier5083 The bike is infinitely better after we shed the weight we could as described in the videos. We have not noticed any issues at speed on the highway at all. However, the REH is not a highway tourer anyway. We only go on interstate-like roads for short stints. The bike is perfectly in its element on B roads, gravel, and backcountry roads, which is where it does best.
Good taste in mods guys, go anywhere in style & comfort,
Thanks!
Fantastic production showcasing your work. I'm looking forward to my son being of age to wrench and ride together. He is 7 and rides on back of my k1600. Which brings me to a question. I have a BMW navigator as well and really keen to get a mount to use with Himi. What mount is that you are using?
Thanks for the comment. It was (and remains) great fun to work with my son on projects like this. I'm sure you will experience the same when the time comes. It's a way to get my son exposed to not only motorcycling, but machinery he otherwise would not become familiar with. It was also a means to 'problem solve' on a mechanical device. Here's hoping the skills are transferable to other interests he may have down the road!
Regarding your question... Those GPS units are expensive, and since it is difficult to ride 2 bikes at the same time, it made sense to us to be able to have a bracket on the Himalayan so we could use the Navigator V. In my experience there are 2 options. 1) You could buy a BMW bracket. The 'plus' is that you get to use the 4 buttons on the left to change screens and zoom in/out more easily. 2) The Navigator V/VI bases are also compatible with Garmin Zumo 660/665 units, so a Garmin base for those models will work. But don't take mu word for it. Please double check with a place like GPScity.com to verify! GPS City may have them or you may be able to find a used one on eBay. The Garmin bases may be cheaper too, IDK, but they won't have the buttons on the left side in my experience. Neither option will give you the functionality of the BMW Wonderwheel, but we've found the GPS works fine on the Himalayan. With either bracket, there will be more wires than you will need. I dissected the wiring harness on the Garmin bracket we used on the Himalayan until I found the 2 power leads, noting the positive and negative. I cut off the unneeded wires and attached an SAE plug to the power leads and we were off to the races. Hope this helps. Good luck.
@@b13hamilton27 excellent, many thanks for your comprehensive reply. Looks like I maybe going the 4 side button BMW mount £100... Ouch. The Garmin ones are discontinued and just as much as a new BMW mount on eBay 🤦
My dad spent a lot of time on Sharing engineering and DIY skills, I took that knowledge and have been expanding on it ever since. As a result there is nothing I won't try for myself now. I think there are too few kids getting these opportunities growing up. Cheers to dad life!
Great video. Looks like you guys take pride in your work. Would it be possible to get links to where to buy the various items? I’d like to do most of what you have done. Thanks.
If you expand the video description we listed all the mods and where we got the parts. We didn't keep the URL's, but they should be pretty easy to track down. Hope this helps. Thanks for the comment, and good luck.
Well done!
I have not added as much stuff to my Himalayan. One thing I noticed is how heavy the muffler is. This fall I was on a gravel road that had some of the worst washboard I have ever seen. It was so rough that my exhaust pipe and muffler came apart and the gasket fell off. When I went to replace it I realized how incredible heavy the stock muffler is. One thing I enjoy about my bike is how quiet it is; however, I would put up with a little more noise for some weight savings and a better finish.
Great ideas!
One question regarding the ⅓ mod ( 15:34 ):
Did you put the magnets on the inside or the outside of the skid plate?
On the inside, the steel plate will shield the the magnetic field and therefore possibly reduce the effect.
Yes - we put the magnets on the (magnetic!) skid plate we added. I think you are correct in that the magnetic field ends up being dissipated or made weaker by the skid plate and reduces the effect. I'm sure that's not a scientific description, but you get the point. I think it would be better to glue the magnets elsewhere on the bike on a non-magnetic surface to see if they work better, but we haven't tried that yet. Thanks for the comments!
Were you able to keep your oem bar end weights with your apollo heated grips? I also have bark buster two mount Storms on the oem handlebars and am considering adding the heated grip with my current set up. Any advice would be appreciated
Yes - keeping the bar ends with the heated grips is no problem. The grips do not interfere with bar-end weights. There are many ways to add BarkBusters depending on the mounts you use. As such, the BarkBusters can end up being positioned differently (in or out) relative to the end of the handlebars. We chose a mounting system that was somewhat customized, and which allowed us to use the bar-end weights. Our installation was done with aftermarket bars which are wider (longer) than the OEM bars and therefore gave us a little more flexibility in mounting due to the extra space available along their length. In your case some experimentation will be required in order to achieve what you want in terms of handlebar position and to minimize potential interference when turning lock to lock, while also permitting the handlebar controls to work properly (clutch, brake, throttle).
I like this channel!
Hi im from Australia ,i have a Himalayan with the same head weeping problem ,what is the thread gauge of the 40mm bolts great vid look forward to more.
They are M6 bolts with 8mm heads. They are standard, coarse-thread bolts with 1 thread per mm pitch. (I'm pretty sure that's how they designate the thread pitch...) Look for M6 x 1.0 flange bolts with an 8mm head x 40mm long. We found them on Amazon. Good luck. Replace the bolts when the engine is cold.
Would be willing to explain how you made the UHMW mount for the usb? From what I can tell, you slipped the bars into the grooves you cut, then used a washer and a screw on two sides to hold it in place. How long are the screws? Did you tap the UHMW for the screws? Glue in some threads? Loctite? Or am I missing a step? Also, do you remember where you bought the plastic? (I ask because it's brilliant.)
Thom, you have a keen eye, and you seem to have the idea figured out. We built the UHMW holder for the volt meter/USB power output pretty much as you described. The UHMW was sourced on eBay for a suitably sized block of the color we wanted. I sketched out the design on cardboard, making the mount as small as I could, whilst leaving enough material for it to be structurally sound. The edges are rounded to allow for all the wires and cables to continue to route freely. While it was still square (except for the upper left hand corner) I cut grooves on the 2 outside vertical sides to match the wire frame of the cable cage. These were cut with a small router and the appropriate bits. The center hole was drilled to match the USB outlet (sourced on Amazon). And yes, the whole thing is held in place with M5 screws and washers. The UHMW is drilled and tapped for the longest screws that were practical, given the rounded inside corner and center hole (which is not really centered, BTW). I forget exactly, but I think the screws were around 20 or 25mm long. IMO, you don't need LocTite. I doubt LocTite would stick to the UHMW and the screws have stayed in place just fine without it. Once the holder is held in place with the wire frame and the screws, it is plenty strong and not going anywhere. You obviously don't want to over-tighten the screws... When you turn the handlebars, it *just* has enough clearance at the bottom where the wires connect to miss the bottom of the instrument cluster. If you decide to make one, go for it, and good luck. Cheers.
@@b13hamilton27 hey thanks for taking the time to write that up! I appreciate it. I like it so much I think I’ll give it a go. Great mods all around!
@@tmstark 10-4. Thanks for the generous comments.
@@b13hamilton27 another question. I just got the atz-7 and I’ve installed it. Im getting ready to wire up the relay and fuse box. Where did you place the fuse box exactly? I currently have it crammed in behind the battery on the back side of the bike (so the battery is closer to the front of the bike and the fuse box closer to the back of the bike). It’s sort of wedged in there to help hold the battery in place. But I imagine it’s going to be hard to keep it in that spot once it’s all wired up.
@@tmstark Thom - Yes, our fuse box is installed in the battery compartment, along with the ATZ-7 battery, just as you describe. It's a snug fit, but it works - even with some thin foam strips on the battery to keep it from vibrating. We made some slight modifications to the fuse box cover in order to route the wires in/out of the box as a bundle as opposed to separately. (Think contained loom vs. spider web...). I can't take a look at the bike right now (I'm at work) to jog my memory and provide a better description, but can do over the weekend if you need more info. We found a home for the relay in a gap inboard of the battery box. Hope that makes sense.
Great video 👍I'm only seeing it in 360p, worth re-uploading in a higher quality? (assuming it's not just me..)
Not sure what the issues are lately, but video quality has degraded. It was fine up to a couple of days ago.
Great video. Foot peg question…how much longer than stock? Standing on mine the stock pegs feel a bit short, like I could slip off the end.
They are not that much longer, but definitely wider. They also provide significantly more grip. We have never had the feeling of slipping off the new ones, and I agree that the OEM ones are not confidence inspiring. You can easily slip off the OEM pegs with the rubber inserts installed. There are certainly aftermarket pegs that are longer and wider still, but we tried to find budget-priced pegs consistent with the rest of the bike. I will measure the aftermarket ones we got and respond again.
As promised....
The OEM foot pegs extend from the frame 110mm, and are 45mm wide. They are an elongated oval shape, made of rolled steel, with grip points around the perimeter. There is also a piece of rolled steel which almost fills up the center oval (where the rubber insert attaches) which traps mud.
The aftermarket pegs we got (still available on eBay) extend 113mm from the frame and are 50mm wide. It doesn't seem like much more, but they are substantially better, IMO. There are many more grip points around the perimeter, as well as a '3rd row' down the middle. The shape of the pegs are more 'square-ish' and they provide 50% (?) more surface area. The center is an open grid where dirt and mud can fall through. As mentioned previously, we have never had a sensation of slipping off these pegs.
That's what we know. Good luck with whatever way you go.
Wow! Thanks for the detailed information. I sure appreciate it.
Sorry to bother but do you know the total width of the vortex handlebars before you cut them? They are sold out everywhere but three is a set on eBay. The description is non existent though! Thanks
www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/vortex-v3-handlebars-78?sku_id=1155949
If you go to the Revzilla website they have a chart with all the dimensions for various handlebars they sell. The Vortex V3 J Murph Specials are listed... There were a lot of bars we looked at last spring/summer and they were out of stock then as well. It doesn't seem the supply chain has repaired itself yet!! Hopefully you can find what you want on eBay.
I like your rear tyre hugger..can is it available in India??
Hi there. We got ours from Hitchcock's Motorcycles. They are based in England. We are in the US. I assume they ship anywhere, so with the magic of the Internet I'm sure you could order on-line from them. Good luck, and I hope it works out.
Great video and great explanation. Can I ask how much was all the extras?
About $2K US. If you just focused on the ergonomic items it would be less than $500.
Good mention down where did you purchased the products
Yes. Please see new, expanded description. Hope this helps.
The foot pegs mod, you note Suzuki DR 650 pegs do they bolt right on or is there something else needed to make them work?
We got ours on eBay, so I can’t be sure if they are all the same. But anyway, the ones we got had larger pivot holes than on the bike so we had to put in some bushings, which was a bit of a pain. I have heard from others who got similar pegs and the pivot holes were the correct diameter. If you can specify 8mm holes they should work without any modifications. Good luck.
Great improvements! You may want to reconsider the TEC cam (which dyno tested only gives you 2.5HP boost vs, their advertised "20%") and get a 477cc Big Bore kit instead which will (also dyno tested) give you a 7.5HP boost. With your skillset it should be easy enough to change the cylinder.
huge difference in cost and TEC show the Dyno improvement. NathanthePostman has "reviewed" it
Great Video is there somewhere we can find the list of all the mods
We will post a list in the description in a few days. A motorcycle journey stands between me and the post.
I've shopped for soft luggage. I'm installing Zana racks . I checked the Mosko bags. They are stupid money. I'm quite comfortable financially,but I have to see value for my money. $1000 for soft bags! I got great bags out of India for less than $200.
Can you link the moto website that you bought your bike parts in the description?. It would be best.
See expanded description for video. Hope this helps.
Keep your eye on the front brake hose there has been issues with cracking that causes the front brake to lock up when braking. Ride safe. Wiltshire man posted the video if you want to take a look atb Ian uk
Ok thanks!
Great video. Could you tally up roughly what you spent in total ($$) on these mods? No need to itemize, just curious about the cost.
IIRC, we spent approximately $2,000 - $2,500US on the mods identified in this video. For those who have noticed, we did a follow-up, Part 2 video with a few more mods, which totaled another $1,000 US. The Part 2 video included significant weight-savings with a new muffler and aluminum wheels - both of which might be considered extravagant upgrades. However, the totality of all the mods really changes how the bike performs.
Nice mods. I hope you never drive in cold weather. the Li battery will lose charge and can die below -10 C.Lithium-ion batteries suffer so badly in freezing temperatures because they have very little internal resistance.
I hope we never have to ride in -10 C temps! Below +10 C is too cold for us. But you make a good point. Thanks.
I want to add some extras in my bike also, can you tell me were to find ?
Expand the video description and you will see where we got ours.
There is a stock usb charging port near the base of the left mirror behind a waterproof cap.
my 2023 model doesnt have this
@@Cydro12 I have 2023 himalayan 411 in india. Yours might be a slightly different version without the stock usb port.. Check carefully on the bottom bracket of the left mirror under the handlebar on the far side from the driver. I couldn;t find it for the first six months - was panning to install one. If you look up stock usb charger himalayan 411 you will find some references to this. I hope you have one and you find it - it makes life a little easier!
@@michaelanderson5560 checked once more, sadly nothing there, still feel like I’m looking over it hehe. I’ll have to get an aftermarket one myself. Thanks for the explanation
my Jan 2024 BS6 411 has it
It took me three months to find mine!
Best mod is to CeraKote the exhaust from front to back..
Thank you.
I didn't have any problems with the footpegs, but as you said i too had to build up the stops with some chemical steel. Yours look the same as mine and the pinholes were the exact size as the standard parts. That's Chinese parts for you.
True. I suppose it's "buyer beware", but in the end it's all good. Glad they worked for you too. Happy riding.
what engine bash plate is that
The bash plate (skid plate) is from SRC Moto. You can find them on the web. It is steel, and covers the exhaust pipe as well. Thanks for the question.
How about using a big bore kit? 511cc 40 rwhp?
That is an intriguing idea.... and something to be explored.
@@b13hamilton27 Will make it all the more sweeter. You will be able to use the Himalayan even on the interstates.
I was also looking for the same option. Came across a bunch of people who go by the name Himalayan Tools. You can check their Website as well as their RUclips page for more details.
Thanks!
Amazing
I would wager ah bet, that if you would put the elotromagnets "higher" say on the lower frosted part of the wind screen, (epoxy them on the outside)the traffic lights would have no issues seeing them with A direct , , uninterrupted line of sight.... ?
We'll have to give that a try! Thanks.
It sounds like you lifted the bike up and slid another one under it. Lol
If you do any mods you should really check out Hitchcock's.
And here I was complaining about the crappy paint options. Thinking I may just buy used and spend the difference on upgrades and mods. The shock, brakes and mag drain bolts are great ideas.
Firstly I was 100% satisfied with my 2013 CBR500R, well maybe 95% as it revved high on the highway too what my previous bike was. Say 90% as the chain was cheap and I had too have it replaces and the rear cog, Make that 85% as it was a steel frame and heavy. The Kawasaki had an aluminum frame and much lighter. But a fantastic commuter bike and sad too let it go but now I want an adventuring bike.
Does anyone else get the Naked Gun reference? Love it!
The guy doing this video (which has great information) certainly has a sense of humor. Using 33 1/3 in the title, referring to the last modification that barely worked (therefore it only received 1/3 of a point) is pretty clever. I watched the video again today and swear I saw Leslie Nielsen riding the Royal Enfield at 18:00 min. Fabulous.🙂
Donde lo tradujeran al español seria un video muy muy compreto
I'm not sure how to translate the dialogue into Spanish, but you can turn on the (English) subtitles which might help to make it easier to understand. My Spanish is not good enough to be a translator.
...fifteen hundred miles? Talk to me when you’ve got fifteen thousand! I’ve Seventeen thousand, and counting. Stock, and running fine ~
I just crossed 9000 miles and had mine for6 months, hope to match you in another year 🙂
Side stand nears a plate most bikes do
What was the size of the battery?
We used an Antigravity ATZ-7 model. It is quite a bit smaller and lighter. It left room for our fuse box in the battery compartment. So far, it has worked flawlessly. For a couple of months over the winter, the bike was not used and the battery went 'dead'. We pressed the re-start feature and the bike fired right up. It seems to work as advertised.
Excellent. I just bought one!
You have the clutch cable put on wrong and its to long
Sit and Fly seat cover.