Recommended 'practical' modifications for an S4R?

[zeoniks]

I just purchased the Rizoma tapered bars from monsterparts. I'll see if I need the throttle tamer afterwards.

[muskrat]

Please post results on the bar.  I have the exact same bike and was considering new bars

[zeoniks]

Please post results on the bar.  I have the exact same bike and was considering new bars

Yeah no problem.

[zeoniks]

So I got the bars. As you can see, they're are tapered back much further than the OEM bars. The only problem is, it doesn't have the locator pins & holes like the stock bar. How does one go about locating these pins and holes for the controls?

[Dirty Duc]

Two options, drill holes or knock the pins off the inside of the plastic.

I knocked the pins off as I wasn't comfortable drilling the holes at the time.  Since then I have shown less compunction about mutilating handlebars (different bike).  The controls might spin a little if you don't get them snug.

[zeoniks]

How did you locate and secure the controls to the bars? Just eyeballed it?

[Dirty Duc]

I installed the grips, then attached the controls.

The controls are a two-piece design so you can take them entirely off the bars without removing the grips.  Not all grips are the same length, so I just went with "as close to the grip as I could get without interference with anything."  Basically, to cut a long story longer, I eyeballed it. 

I get enough traction between the control housing and the handlebar that they don't move.  If it really bothers you, you can put grip tape or something around the bars where the controls attach.

If you choose to drill, you can color the pins with something that transfers easily (wet paint, soft pencil, or something) and place the controls where you want.  If your paint didn't dry and you didn't rotate the controls around the bars, you should end up with a dot that tells you where to drill.

[zeoniks]

I think I'm going to go with the grip tape method. I have two choices: skateboard grip tape and bicycle grip tape. Which one do you recommend?

And also to the next set of modifications:

- I'm thinking about getting a couple of carbon fiber covers. Right now I have one for the water pump and it's got two holes (http://www.slingshotracing.net/catalog/ducati-carbon-fiber-5-bolt-water-pump-cover-p-206.html). I thought this would mount with existing bolts on the cover, however it they don't. I'm thinking about just getting longer bolts, however I am wondering if anyone else on the forum who has done this.

- Then there are the sliders. I'm hoping to get fork, frame, bar ends, and swing arm sliders. Just wondering if anyone has recommendations.