Feedback:

Been getting some feedback from members of yamahaydsownersgroup, in response to some newbie questions I posted there. A lot of people lean towards staying stock. One response in particular contained some real good stuff, so thought I'd pass it on:

Safer/better/more reliable?--Number one is tires. On R5's the tires
need to be updated to moderns---no ribbed fronts. Dunlops may be the
only ones available in your bike's size. Number 2 either change the
front brake shoes or have them rechamfered/grooved. Stock R5 front
brakes come on very sudden and will toss you in a sec. Number 3 is
replace the rear shocks with moderns. Number 4 is replace the
swingarm bushings with bronze sintered, and just change the fork oil
to good moly-based 10-15wt. Number 6 is replace the horn.

See where this is going??--Nothing to do with cafe or engine mods.

Only ergonomic item would be to go to low-rise euro-styled bars,
also called "BMW bars". Please don't go to flat bars; you'll hurt
your neck at best, won't be able to see at worst. The stock seat is
a plank, but is still more comfortable than cafe seats. Leave the
footpegs alone until later; most rearsets make shifting balky and
make the rear brake less effective with shorter brakearm. Any
concerns about grounding the stock under-pipe footpeg brackets is
from old magazine hype. This was always magazines' complaint about
R5/RD's.

Also posted more links I’ve found...