Riding Comfort/Controls My first order of business with regard to comfort was to raise the handlebars. The stock bars worked ok for street riding, but were too short for standing up off road. I added a set of black Protaper ATV bend bars. These added approximately 1” over stock and looked more attractive than adding risers. Not that risers would have worked for long anyway. After several high speed excursions off road, I realized that adding a steering damper would prolong my survival off road. The Scotts damper kit for the 950 Adventure included a triple clamp assembly which required a little fitment work to get to work with the 990 controls. Once mounted the damper was simply amazing. I had put approximately 500 dirt miles on the bike prior to trying it and the difference was shocking. High speed stability on rough gravel was astounding. Where as without it the bike would be constantly shaking its head, with the damper the bike was well controlled and planted. As for grips, I first tried the Spider grips, but didn’t find them as comfortable as the Buell traction handgrips I ran on the Uly. So while I was at the Harley Dealer buying shims I picked up a set of these excellent grips for only $15. They are anatomically designed and fit my hand like a glove. I also added a E-rider folding brake lever tip to the rear brake . Purchased from Andrew at Advworkshop.com this tip is wider than stock and folds out of the way in the event of a wreck. With the crashbars and skidplate in place, this probably isn’t necessary, but it does provide a better braking surface. Another Adventure Workshop add on is the Kaoko Throttle lock. Compared with a vista cruise, this throttle lock was stupid simple to install and works extremely well. It is not as easy to actuate as a Vista Cruise as you need to either roll it into place with your pinky or reach across with your other hand. It does lock the throttle firmly in place, backs off easy, and doesn’t bind, all of which were issues I had with the Vista Cruise. I also added the KTM Touring Screen to deal with the continual buffeting I was experiencing with the stock screen. Despite mixed reviews, it has worked like a charm for me, eliminating most of the buffeting and wind drumming noise. As always your mileage may vary. I’m currently considering the following modifications.. -I may also try an aftermarket seat as well as the stock seat is too low for my long legs. I’ve ridden on the well renowned Renazco seats and actually liked the stock seat better for my thinly padded posterior. I’m waiting for a replacement beadrider seat cover, which I really liked on the Uly and will give that a try first. -Finally, although the stock footpegs are more than ample, I’ll likely upgrade to a set of ROC Stompa Pegs as they are huge and grippy.
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