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Cheap and easy mods are one advantage of owning motorcycles, but not all bike mods make sense.

Most motorcycles are perfect from the factory. They have great riding positions, comfortable seats, nice sounding exhausts, and so on. However, some manufacturers don’t invest in the best parts like lights and side mirrors. Changing these for better-performing parts can make your bike function better.

However, some riders make modifications to the extent of making their bike look ugly. Not all modifications are ideal for a motorcycle, especially when they mess with its safety. Below are some mods that seem cool to some people but really aren’t.

Some riders believe having glow lights under their bike is a good idea, thanks to movies. Most of these modifications were common in the 90s, especially in the JDM car scene. However, installing LED glow lights under your bike is simply a waste of time and money.

Besides, it poses a hazard when you hit a pothole or an uneven area on the road, and the glow light hangs loose. This modification looks incredibly unattractive and turns your bike into a neon sign on wheels.

Just because you have keyless ignition on your car doesn’t mean it's ideal for your motorcycle. This modification doesn’t make sense since you'll always need your key for your gas tank; unless you plan on buying a keyless gas cap.

Having a keyless gas cap creates an opportunity for vandalism. Besides, having keyless ignition on your bike increases the chance of losing the key when riding. In a car, the key is always safe since you can place it in its dedicated slot or the cup holder.

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If you own or have seen a performance bike, chances are you will find a few carbon fiber components. Some riders try and emulate this by buying a plethora of carbon fiber parts for their bike. Yes, you can use carbon fiber to minimize the weight of your bike; however, it’s not a must.

Buying a carbon fiber front and rear fender doesn’t shave substantial weight on your bike. Instead, it shows how much money you’re willing to waste on irrelevant parts. If you want carbon fiber on your bike, simply purchase a good track bike with all bells and whistles like the Kawasaki Ninja H2R.

Having a great headlight is essential for any motorcycle. Even if you don’t do a lot of night riding, you can count on your headlight to shine the way whenever you need it. However, don’t go the extra mile to have the headlight constantly flashing.

This modification doesn’t seem cool and isn’t safe for you and other road users. The idea behind having a flashing headlight is that you ought to be noticed by other drivers. Instead, it becomes a huge distraction no matter the weather or how dark it is. Furthermore, the flashing light is less effective than a single solid beam.

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If you’ve been considering taking a long trip with your motorcycle, you might have come across pannier racks. They help haul your items and clothes while allowing you to enjoy the ride. However, most riders who have installed these racks on their bikes can attest that they don’t often get used to their full capacity.

Instead of installing a pannier rack system on your bike and never utilizing it fully, you can get some weatherproof bags and tie them down when traveling. Yes, it doesn’t look cool, but it's efficient since you always carry what you need. If this doesn’t work for you, get an adventure bike that already has pannier racks like the Ducati Multistrada V4.

There's nothing wrong with wanting to enjoy some tunes when driving. In a car, having a great stereo system is crucial, especially if you love music or audiobooks. However, this isn’t the case on a motorcycle. The wind blows around you, making it hard to hear in the helmet.

Installing a stereo system on your naked bike, café racer, or any other motorcycle won't be a cool mod. Instead, if you'd like to listen to some tunes, you can get some headsets and place them in the helmet. It won't offer the best listening experience, but you'll at least use your navigation system while listening to your favorite content.

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This might be a new concept for some people. However, some riders believe that having an automatic chain lubricator will help prolong the life of the chain. An automatic chain lubricator promises to offer your motorcycle chain a steady supply of oil.

However, having a lubricant staying dangerously close to the rear tire doesn’t seem like a good idea. Using this gadget isn’t the right way to be efficient or save time. Instead, you should lubricate your chain per the owner’s manual. You can also take the bike to a professional and have them lubricate the chain.

From the factory, all road-going motorcycles have side mirrors. Most of these side mirrors don’t look great, but this isn’t an indication that you should go ahead and remove them. Some riders believe that riding without side mirrors improves the aesthetic of their bike.

However, this is an unsafe modification since you are unaware of your surroundings. Besides, aftermarket side mirrors are readily available and easy to install.

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From the factory, your motorcycle has the perfect swingarm for daily riding. Extending it changes the dynamics of the bike and makes it look worse. This is a necessary modification for drag riders who want their 200+ hp bikes to remain on the ground when chasing the 9-second quarter mile time.

An extended swingarm for a road motorcycle is irrelevant and a waste of your money. Instead, you can use the money to buy good-quality rubber for your daily commute. Besides, you don’t need the extended swingarm to manage the torque of your bike on the road.

Hearing the rumble of your motorcycle's engine is one of the most satisfying sounds. However, this isn’t a sign that you should go and get the loudest exhaust system on the market. Most aftermarket offers have a cat delete to help deliver more noise.

This isn’t just senseless; it might damage your bike, especially when it runs a bit lean. Additionally, if you have an older bike, chances are that it already sounds excellent from the factory. All you need is a slip-on to change its aesthetics and add some sound.

Brian is a husband, father and freelance writer. He's also a tech and automotive junkie passionate about cars and motorcycles. Brian is also an F1 fan - team Mercedes (LH). When he's not writing, Brian goes for impromptu drives and walks.