Okay, so I’ve been meaning to get into customizing my ride for a while now, and I finally took the plunge. I decided to start with something manageable, and after looking at a few options, I landed on tackling the Boulevard M90. It’s a solid bike, but I felt like it needed a little something to make it truly mine, you know?
First thing I did was research. Lots and lots of research. I spent hours browsing forums, watching YouTube videos, and just generally soaking up information. I wanted to see what other people had done with their M90s, what worked, what didn’t, and what kind of styles I was drawn to. I bookmarked a ton of stuff and created a messy folder full of inspiration pictures.
Getting My Hands Dirty
Next up was deciding on the actual mods. I didn’t want to go too crazy at first, so I settled on a few basic things: new exhaust, a different seat, and maybe some custom grips. The stock exhaust was a bit too quiet for my taste, and the seat, well, let’s just say it wasn’t the most comfortable thing on longer rides.
- Exhaust Hunt: I went down a rabbit hole looking at different exhaust options. So many brands, so many styles! I eventually settled on a slip-on system that promised a deeper rumble without being obnoxiously loud. Ordering it was easy enough, the waiting game, not so much!
- Seat Shopping: I knew I wanted something more comfortable and with a bit more style than the stock seat. I ended up finding a used, but great condition, solo seat online that had a cool, vintage vibe. Scored it for a pretty good price, too!
- Grip Game: The stock grips were fine, but I figured some new ones would add a nice personalized touch. Picked up some black, textured grips that matched the overall aesthetic I was going for. Small change, big impact!
The Install Process (aka Wrenching Time)
Once all the parts arrived, it was time to get to work. I’m no mechanic, but I’m reasonably handy, and I figured I could handle these relatively simple mods. I cleared out some space in my garage, gathered my tools, and put on some music. YouTube was my best friend during this whole process – I had videos playing for pretty much every step.
Installing the exhaust was a bit trickier than I anticipated. Getting the old one off was a pain, but I managed it with some persistence (and a lot of WD-40). Putting the new one on was smoother, thankfully. The sound difference was immediately noticeable – way deeper and throatier, just what I wanted!
Swapping the seat was a breeze. Just a few bolts and it was done. The new seat looked awesome and felt way more comfortable. Huge improvement!
Changing the grips was the easiest part. A little bit of elbow grease and they were on. The new grips felt great and added a subtle but stylish touch.
The whole process took me a good chunk of a Saturday, but it was totally worth it. Seeing the bike transform, bit by bit, was super satisfying. And the best part? It sounds and feels so much better now. It’s still an M90, but it’s my M90. It’s a start, for sure. I’m already thinking about what to do next… maybe some custom paint? We’ll see!
