India has put down a firm foot regarding modifying vehicles. Any sort of modifications, be it the body colour or an aftermarket body kit, can lead to some serious consequences and even the registration certificate of the vehicle can be cancelled.
However, some extra add-ons and upgrades are perfectly legal, as long as they follow state policies. Here are five legal modifications that can be done to motorcycles that don’t break the law.
Tyres
Let’s start with functional upgrades and the first on the list is tyres. Most motorcycles come with tyres that can handle the performance, however, some riders want a bit more and this is where aftermarket tyres come in. Motorcyclists can legally upgrade their tyres to sportier/stickier ones or from road-biased ones to dual-purpose ones. One thing to keep in mind is to stick to the sizes recommended by the manufacturer.
Suspension
While modifications such as increasing the suspension travel may get you into trouble, upgrading the internals with stiffer or softer springs and going in for a complete replacement that is recommended for a motorcycle is completely legal. Aftermarket suspension kits from YSS and Ohlins are legal, while numerous smaller outfits can re-valve or re-spring the existing units to make them suit your needs.
Auxiliary lights
Most stock headlights don’t do justice during the night and the only solution is to look for auxiliary lights for added brightness. While most low-powered LED add-ons are legal, the brighter ones can get you into trouble. Some states allow an extra set of lights while some require them to be covered when the vehicle is being used on the road. A set of yellow lights for the fog is okay in most states.
Windscreen
This particular modification is for the street nakeds, as they don’t have wind protection when being used on long highway rides. An aftermarket windscreen is a legal add-on and many manufacturers themselves offer them as part of their official accessories list. Some reputed companies make windscreens for the particular make and model of a motorcycle.
Phone mount
Sticking a mobile phone on a motorcycle is becoming increasingly common as most motorcycles do not have in-built navigation, especially the older ones. A mobile mount is perfectly legal to have as long as the mobile phone is used for navigation and not for watching YouTube videos when riding on public roads.
