Front Lighting
After a couple of experiences of riding at night, I decided the most important mod to the Sprint ST would be replace the headlight wiring with heaver gauge material, add a relay for the high beam and replace the bulbs with OSRAM Night Breaker Laser H7 from Powerbulbs.I followed the wiring and bulb upgrade recommendation at TriumphRat.
To start this modification, the fairing and cockpit had to be removed. I also found it easier to see the old headlight wiring if the projector assembly was dropped.
After a couple months break (had to work) I am back on this project. All the headlight wring is finished and added a PIAA Slim Line Horn Set powered from a relay. MUCH louder than the OEM! Amazon was the only source I found for the two horn set. Other suppliers, including PIAA, sell a single unit only.
Rear Lighting
While seeing the road ahead is very important, being noticed from the rear is also paramount to a safe ride. With that in mind, I made two modifications adding an AdMore lighting kit to the GIVI V46 top case and a Motogadget modulator to the existing brake light and the top case lighting kit. These electronics were purchased from Revzilla.
The lights on the top case are certainly more visible than the brake light alone.
The AdMore kit makes placement of the wiring attachment location the option of the installer. I initially drilled the case and placed the socket in the front middle of the lower case, but later relocated it to the right underneath. This make it less noticeable and less likely to be snagged.
The brake light modulator was installed in unused space within the battery compartment. This placed it close to the wiring harness that runs along the rear subframe.
Battery Tender
Previously the battery tender would be plugged into a SAE connector wired directly to the motorcycle battery. This connector was not affixed to the bike and therefore unstable and not aesthetically appealing. The Sprint comes with a always-on Powerlet socket under the left lower fairing. The purchase of a Powerlet to SAE adapter allows a neater connection to a battery tender.
Luggage
The Sprint came with the factory side cases and early on we purchased a GIVI V46 top case. Occasionally the capacity of these cases was insufficient. To expand this capacity four Bungie Buddies Tie Downs were installed on the lower half of the top case. A cargo net can then be used to secure a light object to the top.
Shock Upgrade
The bike came with a Penske 8900 rear shock installed. The remote reservoir was attached to the subframe with four large wire ties. This is what Penske usually provides rather than a more secure mounting. Searching various forums, I found the Axiaa Alloys Shock Reservoir Mounting Bracket (2 inch/1 inch) that fits to the subframe. However, the size of the reservoir was between clamp sizes offered by Axiaa (2 inch and 1.875 inch). To shim the 2 inch clamp, adhesive-backed neoprene rubber strips was applied to the reservoir. Two layers of the 1/64 inch material was needed. Probably one layer of the 1/32 inch would work. The reservoir is now mounted firmly and and is still accessible.
Cooling System Service & Upgrade
Although the operating temperature has been within expected limits (4 to 6 bars), with the faring off this seemed like a good time to service and upgrade the system. To begin, the coolant was drained by removing the radiator cap (engine cold) and the lower radiator hose where it attached to the water pump. The purge plug on the top of the radiator was also removed along with the drain plug on the engine block. Both of these use crush washers to seal. After the coolant drained, the lower hose was reattached and the plug in the engine block replaced. The expansion reservoir was removed and cleaned. This required soaking with white vinegar. The reservoir was replaced and the system filled with a 50:50 mixture of white vinegar and distilled water. Fluid was added at the radiator cap with a funnel. The expansion reservoir was also filled with the mixture. The radiator cap was replaced and the engine started and ran until the temperature reached 6 bars, allowing the thermostat to open. After allowing the system to cool, it was drained and refilled with distilled water only. The lower hose of the reservoir was also removed to drain the vinegar mixture and filled with distilled water. Draining and refilling with distilled water was repeated twice.
Once the system was purged all hoses were replaced with a kit of silicone replacements by AS3 Performance. Clamps were also replaced with a stainless steel set by AS3 Performance. After checking for leaks with distilled water, Engine Ice filled the system and the overflow reservoir. The coolant provides enhanced heat transfer and is not toxic like conventional fluids.
Helmet Storage
Don't want to carry it with you, but got to put that helmet someplace. Definitely remember the time we placed our lids on the pavement next to the bike not thinking about the coming rainstorm. The street flooded and so did the our helmets. The Sprint does not have a typical helmet lock but adding the Helmet Guardian to the license plate mount added two locks.
