Gear that gave you buyers remorse

[yamobethere]

Almost all the gear I've bought for my bike has been super awesome (mainly because I usually come to you guys for advice before I buy anything). The exception being these mirrors...[span] [/span]Shoddy construction, terrible mirror quality, and they are so small they are a borderline safety hazard and unusable! Definitely 50 bucks I want back.
 
So in the spirit of helping others avoid making the same mistake, you guys have any gear/brands/products you regret buying?
 
 
 
 
 
P.S. I have some great after market mirrors for sale if anyone is interested ;p
 

[07echelon]

1. The same category, mirrors. They worked well for all of 1000 miles before the vibrations started loosening screws that can only be tightened if the glass is removed which is near impossible without breaking.
 
It's sad that CRG mirrors are the only bar end mirrors that last when they cost $100 per mirror...
 
2. Sena SMH10 & Drift HD Ghost. Both are AMAZING products on their own, but I wish I had known about the Sena 10C before buying the two others. They are roughly the same price, depending on where you shop.

[fooschnickens]

A carb adapter kit I got for my KZ400 to convert it from the finicky CV carbs to updated mikuni carbs. I bought it with the intention of making the bike a better daily, but after doing the swap it never ran right, in fact, way worse than the stock carbs ever did. I put it back to stock and then the bike ran even worse. Completely rebuilt the stock carbs and could barely get it to run, so I sold the bike as a whole to someone with more knowledge than me in regards to carbs and older bikes in general.

[AlbatrossCafe]

http://www.superbikestore.com/powerbronze_rear_hugger_-_yamaha_mt-07_14___fz-07_14.html

PowerBronze Rear Hugger. Thought it would look perfect for the FZ because it has the mesh vents, similar to the "intake" on the front. I ordered it in "Carbon Look" with the "Blue" vents.
It looks square & awkward, and the blue of course doesn't match the blurple. The color difference is passable. Especially once it gets dirty - you can't really tell anymore lol. But I don't like the shape. And it was $175. I would prefer just a glue-on stock rear hugger-extender.
http://i.imgur.com/n3yp617.jpg
 
 
Also: http://www.cyclopsadventuresports.com/3800-Lumen-H4-LED-Headlight-bulb-_p_83.html
 
Cyclops LED Headlight. idk why everyone on this site has such a boner for this. The light-spread is awful. The spacers help a bit, but there is no real cutoff and the light is not focused down the road very well. However, the WORST part is the low beam/high beam don't change direction of the beam - rather, it just makes it less/more intense. You have to spend 30min aiming the headlight only to realize you have to have it either permanently in "low beam" or permanently in "high beam". This light would be fine for off-road or if you are somewhere where you would ONLY use the high-beam, but for street, I would not get it again.
 

[Mr.Puss]

Forgive me if this sounds preachy but this approach has never steered me wrong.  I have always saved up to buy the more highend item (within reason of course) instead of the old "gotta have it now and I only have this much to spend".
 
 Friends would give me a hard time saying I was 'cheap' for not blowing my money as they did and instead I saved up for the "good one".  In the end I would still have my original purchase and they are buying their 2nd or 3rd replacement of the same cheap Chinese piece of crap, and after all is said and done they spend more, and will continue to spend more, as still they have a cheap Chinese piece of crap.
"You get what you pay for" is true more often than not. Prime example: I've had a pair of Danner military boots for 20 years and they still feel like new. Expensive? Maybe, but 20 years far outweighs the initial cost.
 
Its early for me to say as I havent had my parts on the road for long. I started with Rizoma, initially for its styling and that it was Itallian. It's quite expensive but after realizing the top quality build of this stuff I wont buy anything else; it all feels and looks totally solid. No budget Chinese Ebay sh*t will ever see my skin, my cash or my bike.
 
To each their own, and I realize not eveyone can have the same budget, and sometimes stuff might just not look right once installed on the bike.
 I simply wont cover my new baby in budget garbage. I want to look at it and be proud knowing that my hard earned money was spent (and most likely spent only once) on high quality, and not to mention super styling parts. Again I dont mean to be a preachy snob. This is just how I have always done things and its always worked out out....so far anyway. Knock on wood.
 
 

[rowdy]

http://www.superbikestore.com/powerbronze_rear_hugger_-_yamaha_mt-07_14___fz-07_14.html
PowerBronze Rear Hugger. Thought it would look perfect for the FZ because it has the mesh vents, similar to the "intake" on the front. I ordered it in "Carbon Look" with the "Blue" vents.
It looks square & awkward, and the blue of course doesn't match the blurple. The color difference is passable. Especially once it gets dirty - you can't really tell anymore lol. But I don't like the shape. And it was $175. I would prefer just a glue-on stock rear hugger-extender.
http://i.imgur.com/n3yp617.jpg
 
 
Also: http://www.cyclopsadventuresports.com/3800-Lumen-H4-LED-Headlight-bulb-_p_83.html
 
Cyclops LED Headlight. idk why everyone on this site has such a boner for this. The light-spread is awful. The spacers help a bit, but there is no real cutoff and the light is not focused down the road very well. However, the WORST part is the low beam/high beam don't change direction of the beam - rather, it just makes it less/more intense. You have to spend 30min aiming the headlight only to realize you have to have it either permanently in "low beam" or permanently in "high beam". This light would be fine for off-road or if you are somewhere where you would ONLY use the high-beam, but for street, I would not get it again.

I came to the same conclusion on the PB hugger.  Just too square and imposing for the FZ-07.  I went back to stock for now, and I'm not sure that I want more, but if I do, I want something a little more "stealth". I'm still skeptical about the LED options too, and went with the OSRAM Night Racer H4 and couldn't be happier.
 

[rowdy]

I picked up a set of "euro" flashers, because I thought they looked better and would be plug and play, only to find out that the MT-07 front flashers are a two wire interface (no running lights). I decided, if I was going to have to adapt a 3 to 2 wire kit, I might as well go LED.
Anyone want to buy a MT-07 flasher kit, complete front and rear? I'll let it go super-duper cheap. PM me.
 

[forcefed86]

http://www.superbikestore.com/powerbronze_rear_hugger_-_yamaha_mt-07_14___fz-07_14.html
PowerBronze Rear Hugger. Thought it would look perfect for the FZ because it has the mesh vents, similar to the "intake" on the front. I ordered it in "Carbon Look" with the "Blue" vents.
It looks square & awkward, and the blue of course doesn't match the blurple. The color difference is passable. Especially once it gets dirty - you can't really tell anymore lol. But I don't like the shape. And it was $175. I would prefer just a glue-on stock rear hugger-extender.
http://i.imgur.com/n3yp617.jpg
 
 
Also: http://www.cyclopsadventuresports.com/3800-Lumen-H4-LED-Headlight-bulb-_p_83.html
 
Cyclops LED Headlight. idk why everyone on this site has such a boner for this. The light-spread is awful. The spacers help a bit, but there is no real cutoff and the light is not focused down the road very well. However, the WORST part is the low beam/high beam don't change direction of the beam - rather, it just makes it less/more intense. You have to spend 30min aiming the headlight only to realize you have to have it either permanently in "low beam" or permanently in "high beam". This light would be fine for off-road or if you are somewhere where you would ONLY use the high-beam, but for street, I would not get it again.

Lol!!! I didnt want to post anything about it, but i feel the same way... tired of messing with it even after spacers added. Damn shadows here and there, its irritating that if it rains all weekend here i may put stock one back on and continue riding with high beam on as i was before. Even though it yellow at least it lit up nice and even!! 

[delbee1]

 

Lol!!! I didnt want to post anything about it, but i feel the same way... tired of messing with it even after spacers added. Damn shadows here and there, its irritating that if it rains all weekend here i may put stock one back on and continue riding with high beam on as i was before. Even though it yellow at least it lit up nice and even!! 

I wish you guys would of said that before I bought it, I havent fitted it yet but had it shipped to London, I only got it as everyone seemed to be raving about it...
 

[xcarbonsteelx]

I have also been considering the cyclops and now am considering otherwise. What are other good alternatives over the stock light?

[cassecou]

I picked up a set of "euro" flashers, because I thought they looked better and would be plug and play, only to find out that the MT-07 front flashers are a two wire interface (no running lights). I decided, if I was going to have to adapt a 3 to 2 wire kit, I might as well go LED. Anyone want to buy a MT-07 flasher kit, complete front and rear? I'll let it go super-duper cheap. PM me.

I agree with you, I was also surprised by the Euro 2 wires vs the American 3 wires, so the 2 wires make the turn signals flash faster than the original, which I do like better. I also do like the look of them better as they are smaller compare to those humongous American flashers, but I certainly don't mind not having running lights on my turn signals. But it would have been nice to know those little facts before getting them. 

[pineappleunderthesea]

Well I've gone and bought all the pins and adapters necessary and USB cable to wire up that 12V DC plug so that I can run a USB cable up to my Ram mount, but of course I haven't wired anything so far. You have wild visions of riding into bold new unchartered roads for hours on end, fearing not the death of your GPS or phone battery because you're plugged in. But (in my case), the battery life in the phone is good enough to get me where I need to be without plugging it in. So it wasn't that much money, but I've come to realize it's not something I needed to do.
 
I almost did buy the Cyclops LED light, but as soon as people started posting light distribution patterns, I knew it wasn't for me. In my line of work I talk to customers who manufacture LED headlamps for cars (and some motorcycles), and it takes a lot of design time to create lenses and reflectors that give the LED light the perfect distribution on the road. I was complaining to one of these customers last week about the lack of LED solutions for the FZ-07 (most of these customers only make round LED headlamps), and he told me to call up Toyota and insist that they work with them to create a LED solution!
 
 

[Beemer]

I understand why the Cyclops bulb is not liked by some, it's true about the light spread not being as even and there being shadows here and there and adjusting it to where both high and low beam strike the road where you want them to is impossible but the stock bulb was the same way (not very adjustable). I haven't been complaining about this light mostly because I won it in a contest but I can't remain silent any longer since there are good people that are looking for honest reviews about it. I have mine adjusted so that the high beam isn't in anyone's eye's, it still lights up the road far away and decently (not the best) closer to the bike so I ride with the high beams on all the time. I have become accustomed to it's flaws, I felt they outweighed the flaws of the stock bulb which was dimness and yellow light. Bottom line, I wanted brighter, I got much brighter but with some flaws. Worth the price??? Your call.
 
As far as purchases I regret, I regret buying a mesh jacket with armor. It's designed for ventilation as well as any jacket I've seen and the armor should help in a wreck but it's just too damn heavy and still too hot for me to wear. If I had been wearing a jacket similar to it back in 85' when I had my worst high speed wreck it would've weighted me down and I would've slammed into a car fast enough to easily break bones and kill, jacket or not. It's just a personal thing with me since then and I like to keep light so that I may dive over vehicles if need be. 
The other regret is the little black Yamaha wind screen. It looked good which is why I bought it but later when the gnats came out I realized I needed something taller to stop the bugs from polka dotting my chest.

[motomachines]

"ctrl+f, Moto Machines" ...no results...phew!
 
For any of you guys that are unhappy with their PB hugger, we do have a discounted hugger that will match the 'blurple' color listed for 30% off retail price right now! It has a small chip in the paint that can be seen here: http://fz07.org/thread/4226/ermax-rear-hugger-satin-blue
 
 

[Cruizin]

Honestly, I have regretted buying any of the gear that says "Bilt" on the tag. All junk, all cheap/fall apart quickly. But, I do like Cycle Gear for other brands and their 30 day price match guarantee is very good.

[Cruizin]

I have also been considering the cyclops and now am considering otherwise. What are other good alternatives over the stock light?

 
I use Cyclops led's on my street and dirtbikes. The light pattern only bothered me for the first month or so, and then I went back to stock and you know what? I quickly put the cyclops back on because the fact is that I can see much much further at night with the Cyclops than I could with the stock bulb and to me, that 's all that matters.
 
I ride where Deer and Elk run into the road all the time and have to be able to see them as fast as possible. The cyclops allowed me to see an extra 40% farther over stock, so the light pattern issue just went away as soon as I got a reminder of how bad the stock bulbs are.
 
I especially like their LED's on my dirtbikes. Best light for the buck and on my KTM it's 60% brighter and further than stock.
 
I know people who are upset with the ight patterns, and also know many many people who swear by the Cyclops kits. The problem is that the only people who post are the ones who have a problem with the light pattern.
 
Again, the light shines further than stock. To me, in deer country, that's an absolute life saver.
 

[fooschnickens]

I have also been considering the cyclops and now am considering otherwise. What are other good alternatives over the stock light?

I use Cyclops led's on my street and dirtbikes. The light pattern only bothered me for the first month or so, and then I went back to stock and you know what? I quickly put the cyclops back on because the fact is that I can see much much further at night with the Cyclops than I could with the stock bulb and to me, that 's all that matters.  
I ride where Deer and Elk run into the road all the time and have to be able to see them as fast as possible. The cyclops allowed me to see an extra 40% farther over stock, so the light pattern issue just went away as soon as I got a reminder of how bad the stock bulbs are.
 
I especially like their LED's on my dirtbikes. Best light for the buck and on my KTM it's 60% brighter and further than stock.
 
I know people who are upset with the ight patterns, and also know many many people who swear by the Cyclops kits. The problem is that the only people who post are the ones who have a problem with the light pattern.
 
Again, the light shines further than stock. To me, in deer country, that's an absolute life saver.

We have the same problem here, but they like to dart out right as you get close to them, for some reason they get spooked when the cars are right on top of them. I rode a friend's Tiger that had some bitchin' lights that were like floodlights out to about 40ft and projected out at a 45°. There wasn't much you COULDN'T see in front of you at night on that thing haha. I may turn that into a winter project, either find some nice LED modules or a single bar to fill in some of the gaps in the beam pattern closer to the bike. 

[Cruizin]

People sell deer whistles up here and people mount them on their bumpers. I don't know if they really work or not, the deer won't return my emails..

[yamahaha]

My worst gear purchase was a horrible modular helmet. I think it was a kbc. It ended up in the garbage.

[Mr.Puss]

Maybe the blue Bikevis leds (x4) but its too early to say. Not the end of the world for $70. They're technically illegal but also so minimal it'll be a daily crap shoot to see if the "cop of the day" is grouchy/bored enough to bother pulling me over. I'm kind of looking forward to it. 

[so1102]

My worst gear purchase was a horrible modular helmet. I think it was a kbc. It ended up in the garbage.

 
My first helmet was a not-so-horrible Nolan modular. Just a humongous, heavy, and slightly uncomfortable helmet -- thought that a modular would be better in desert heat, so I could flip it up at stoplights for more air.
 
I have since seen the error of my ways and switched to Arai.

[motomeek]

Cycle Gear Freeze-Out base layer pants. They didn't have a women's specific size and said I could work with the men's small. It wasn't a great fit and was very baggy... Way too bulky to be a base layer.

[cndnmax]

Honestly, I have regretted buying any of the gear that says "Bilt" on the tag. All junk, all cheap/fall apart quickly. But, I do like Cycle Gear for other brands and their 30 day price match guarantee is very good.

 
Yeah I wouldn't buy a Bilt helmet or jacket, their tank bag I got for $30was decent- too bad I can't use it on the Fz.
 
I bought their Sedici heated jacket liner and it was complete crap (Sedici is supposed to be cycle gears better quality brand). The first one didn't work at all and the replacement only heated 1/4 of the jacket. I spent an extra $60 on the Tourmaster heated liner and man what a difference in quality.