2013 F6B - Looking for Touring Upgrade Recommendations

[AZCraig]

Hi !
I bought a 2013 F6B Standard (not Deluxe) with zero miles a few months ago. Still have less than 100 miles on it.
Right away I noticed the stock windshield needed to be replaced. So I added a 20" F4 Customs Clear w/vent installed. Made a world of difference in wind noise.
I'm 6ft tall with roughly a 32" inseam. I wear 36W x 32L Levi's.

I'd like to set the bike up for reliable and comfortable all day rides with or without a passenger.

So, if you would be so kind, please provide me some guidance on the upgrades I should make to the bike to accomplish that goal.
I'd like to keep the total upgrade investment under $5k.

Thanks !

Craig

[2wheelsforme]

The windshield is the only "must have" in my opinion. Lots of other things that make things nicer or better and a lot of that is someone's opinion. So just get on and ride for now and read this forum and make your choices and it will be your bike. You can also look at our forum sponsors web pages, some good stuff.

[VStarRider]

Yeah, its mostly personal. After you spend some time on the bike, or any bike for that matter, you'll start to notice some gaps in your overall level of satisfaction and then start closing those gaps with accessories.

For me, after adding a Madstad windshield, I added a Ram mount for my iPhone and ran the cords into the fairing pocket under the left handlebar. I like being able to make some changes without having to get off the bike and access the saddlebag (when connected in the USB).

Visibility / safety is high on my list of priorities, so I bought (but haven't installed yet) 3-n-1 LED fog lights/running lights/turn signals.

I recently added the foot wind deflectors from Wing Stuff because my feet would slowly get chilled on longer rides at temps below 60 F.

Baker wings and a Krako (sp?) throttle lock are next, and possible some sort of Aero peg setup so I can stretch the legs.

Oh yeah, I also want the remote control saddlebag release with fob...

Okay, this is turning into MY wish list...sorry...good luck

[JGF6B]

If it were me I'd start with a Russel Day-long seat and highway pegs (Ergo-IIIs for me). I regularly change my foot position between driver pegs, highway pegs, and passenger pegs. More options = better.

[crossbowme]

Be careful with windshields. I assumed the Honda "Tall" windshield would be be adequate for me. WRONG! I just bought a Clearview with recurve to replace it. If you're doing long distance, try out a few before you buy.

[Freddels]

Look into an aftermarket cruise control like Rostra. Maybe a backrest and heated grips.

[Sconrad07]

I have a 2015 (standard) and added the heated grips, mid height klockwerks windshield, and a 12vdc power outlet in the left glove box. All have made this great bike even nicer. Out of everything so far, the heated hand grips (Honda brand, installed at the dealer for $250) are worth their weight in gold. I ride with heated gloves and the heated grips. (early morning rides to work here in Wisconsin are in the mid 40's right now) The heated gloves heat the tops of the fingers and the heated grips head the bottoms of the finger. Truly the bi-fecta. (if that's a word. ha ha ) Ride safe.

[dadeo]

For me I' made sure my bike is equiped with this accessories list:
1. Heated grips will extend your riding season. I've put them on everybike I've owned for 30 years. Came with the Deluxe
2. Higher windshield, the one that came with mine was a joke.
3. Chrome luggage rack behind the rear seat, installed last week. Allows me to put any sort of duffle back there.
4. Center stand. Came with Deluxe.
5. Cruze Control came with Deluxe.
6. Powerport in left pocket.
7. Honda's own headsets/intercom. While old fashioned and not cheap, the wired headphone and intercom system on the GL works the best of any I've had. Its sound is good, and there are no batteries or failed bluetooth connections to mess with. I fear that the next generation Honda GL is going to go with a Bluetooth system. Maybe Honda will do it right, but I have had it with Bluetooth. I can conclude after three that Blutooth just plain sucks. My complaints: crappy compressed sound, wireless headsets that fail to charge because of poor build quality connections, failures from getting wet in a light rain, declining battery life with age (say 6 months!), and especially the too many times to count times I had to stop, and pull over to get the bluetooth headsets to recognize each other and/or sound source (GPS, radio, music player, phone etc). I frack-gin hate Bluetooth.

[shortleg0521]

For me I' made sure my bike is equiped with this accessories list:
1. Heated grips will extend your riding season. I've put them on everybike I've owned for 30 years. Came with the Deluxe
2. Higher windshield, the one that came with mine was a joke.
3. Chrome luggage rack behind the rear seat, installed last week. Allows me to put any sort of duffle back there.
4. Center stand. Came with Deluxe.
5. Cruze Control came with Deluxe.
6. Powerport in left pocket.
7. Honda's own headsets/intercom. While old fashioned and not cheap, the wired headphone and intercom system on the GL works the best of any I've had. Its sound is good, and there are no batteries or failed bluetooth connections to mess with. I fear that the next generation Honda GL is going to go with a Bluetooth system. Maybe Honda will do it right, but I have had it with Bluetooth. I can conclude after three that Blutooth just plain sucks. My complaints: crappy compressed sound, wireless headsets that fail to charge because of poor build quality connections, failures from getting wet in a light rain, declining battery life with age (say 6 months!), and especially the too many times to count times I had to stop, and pull over to get the bluetooth headsets to recognize each other and/or sound source (GPS, radio, music player, phone etc). I frack-gin hate Bluetooth.

What kind of Bluetooth devices have you Gotten?
A lot of us use sena and would say that I and others have used them for years and had no problems at all.

[dadeo]

I've had Whistler and Sena recently, and an early Chatterbox Bluetooth. The Whistler had the best overall sound quality for music and intercom, but was slow to connect to my TomTom GPS, so the first 5 seconds of any GPS instruction was never heard. It was also fussy with connecting to the other intercom, finding my phone (apple) and GPS. The Sena system was decent in terms of being able to connect to almost anything, but the sound quality was pretty poor for music. Both had battery problems and the Sena was not rainproof. A Chatterbox BT system was waterproof and had good sound, but battery life sucked. A long time ago I had an FRS based intercom that worked well --- also a Chatterbox -- but it was also a battery hog. The first system I had was a wired Chatterbox. Problem with that was the wires were between me, my passenger and then up to the music source and a power port I put in the bike so the poor battery would last all day. That had great sound and always worked, but the wires were not long lastng. One other things I don't like about any of the wireless systems: dependence on small unseen buttons on the headset to adjust volume and change functions. I like that the Honda wired intercom has buttons on the dash, big ones for fat fingered idiots like me that I can see.