In a previous visit to the OCD Garage I had occasion to ride Igofar's (aka Larry) ST1300 outfitted with a G2 Throttle Tube and BMW sport grips.
I liked it. The G2 seemed to add some granularity to low-speed throttle control and the Sport grips seems a little more forgiving than those rock-solid things Honda sticks on their handlebars. That ride was
Armed with the stock numbers Larry provided I picked up a set of grips and ordered a G2. I don't have an air compressor and wanted to keep the grips (what was I thinking!) so I stopped by the OCD Garage.
Larry deftly removed the grips and installed the G2 during which FlatBroke (aka Mike) dropped by. He was showing off a really nice custom Russell seat. He mentioned that the stock seat made him slide forward a common complaint.
When I mentioned that I put the front of my seat on the high position and scrunched the back part to the lowest position Larry's OCD meter lit up and the needle went near-red a little. He showed me the damage to the tupperware that this causes and the wear that was already happening on my bike at only 1300mi. So that stopped immediately. Always something to be learned at the OCDG.
To get a feel for the new mod Larry took us on a ride to Pescadaro via some back roads. The little town was pack with holiday traffic but we had found parking and a place for lunch. Afterwards more back roads to the end of a fun day.
The BMW Sport grips make a world of difference. The OEMs weren't much better than holding bar bars. The Sports gave a lot more cushioning than you'd think to look at them. The buzziness was greatly reduced as was the strain on my wrists and palms. This was a significant improvement for less than $30.
The G2 Throttle Tube also gets similarly positive marks. It's a very well made piece. It reduces the diameter of a portion of the path for the "pull" throttle cable. This reduced diameter is similar to reducing the diameter of a drive gear. More twist is now required for a given throttle opening compared the the OEM plastic tube. About halfway through the rotation the full diameter is restored giving the same linear twist/accelerate response as factory.
The result is much more control of low-speed throttle like vernier tuning on communications gear. Starting and slowing is so much smoother. The lurching is practically gone and may be further reduced with more familiarity. Low speed maneuverability isn't the chore it used to be.
The G2 site says some additional twisting is needed for WOT but I didn't feel any to get to 90+ MPH. Maybe those who spend some time about that will notice. The retail price is $80 for the ST. It may be a little steep but the performance improvement is real.
Many thanks to Larry for the installation and the ride. If you're ever in the area or even if you have to make it a trip get to the OCD Garage for some inside baseball on ST maintenance. And grab a couple of Monster drinks from the OCD fridge.
I liked it. The G2 seemed to add some granularity to low-speed throttle control and the Sport grips seems a little more forgiving than those rock-solid things Honda sticks on their handlebars. That ride was
Armed with the stock numbers Larry provided I picked up a set of grips and ordered a G2. I don't have an air compressor and wanted to keep the grips (what was I thinking!) so I stopped by the OCD Garage.
Larry deftly removed the grips and installed the G2 during which FlatBroke (aka Mike) dropped by. He was showing off a really nice custom Russell seat. He mentioned that the stock seat made him slide forward a common complaint.
When I mentioned that I put the front of my seat on the high position and scrunched the back part to the lowest position Larry's OCD meter lit up and the needle went near-red a little. He showed me the damage to the tupperware that this causes and the wear that was already happening on my bike at only 1300mi. So that stopped immediately. Always something to be learned at the OCDG.
To get a feel for the new mod Larry took us on a ride to Pescadaro via some back roads. The little town was pack with holiday traffic but we had found parking and a place for lunch. Afterwards more back roads to the end of a fun day.
The BMW Sport grips make a world of difference. The OEMs weren't much better than holding bar bars. The Sports gave a lot more cushioning than you'd think to look at them. The buzziness was greatly reduced as was the strain on my wrists and palms. This was a significant improvement for less than $30.
The G2 Throttle Tube also gets similarly positive marks. It's a very well made piece. It reduces the diameter of a portion of the path for the "pull" throttle cable. This reduced diameter is similar to reducing the diameter of a drive gear. More twist is now required for a given throttle opening compared the the OEM plastic tube. About halfway through the rotation the full diameter is restored giving the same linear twist/accelerate response as factory.
The result is much more control of low-speed throttle like vernier tuning on communications gear. Starting and slowing is so much smoother. The lurching is practically gone and may be further reduced with more familiarity. Low speed maneuverability isn't the chore it used to be.
The G2 site says some additional twisting is needed for WOT but I didn't feel any to get to 90+ MPH. Maybe those who spend some time about that will notice. The retail price is $80 for the ST. It may be a little steep but the performance improvement is real.
Many thanks to Larry for the installation and the ride. If you're ever in the area or even if you have to make it a trip get to the OCD Garage for some inside baseball on ST maintenance. And grab a couple of Monster drinks from the OCD fridge.