ADVMoto set out to push the boundaries of the industry and explore the limits of imagination to conceive an ADV bike of functional excellence and efficient versatility. Enter BMW Motorcycles of Escondido and a project we call “The Ultimate Riding Machine (URM).”

We found a solid team of experts at BMWMC of Escondido to handle the build and do some creative fabrication for the road book reader and NiteRider Pro lights. Ops Manager, Rick Johns, led the team through the christening of the final product. Like the 2012 F800GS, our previous project bike, the 2014 F800GS ADV scored very high barebones off the showroom floor, both with critics and from a marketing perspective.

But in the real world, functionality collides with designers’ need to trim weight for the spec sheets. The only concession we made was to the top speed—we dropped one tooth in the front sprocket for good reason: the stock F8GSA stalls in deep sand so a slightly lower gear ratio was much appreciated. To state the obvious: Yes, this is basically a $15,000 bike with $11,000 in mods.

And yes, you can get a 1200 ADV of any make and throw a bunch of money at it. The question might be better stated as, “Which one performs better off-road?” Or better yet, “Which would you want to ride farther?” We’ve ridden all the current model ADV bikes sold in the U.S. and each has strong points. There is simply nothing you can do to any 1200 to make it outperform this bike in any area other than top-end highway.

SUSPENSION 

Konflict Motorsports

Re-engineered Front Suspension is about 80% more important when the road ends, and the Konflict “works” is a total fix—custom-made to rider spec and balanced across the spectrum of riding. Even though it disables the F8GSA’s Electronic Suspension Control, it’s well worth every penny for an off-road specific bike to have a custom-tuned suspension.

While it may seem a tad pricey, it’s the ultimate. Apart from the re-valve and spring upgrade the profile of the forks changes their character entirely, with a window of softness before getting progressively stiffer. The Konflict solution makes the rider safer off road. The first few inches on the compression is quite supple but it takes a lot (still haven’t found it) to bottom out. The URM confidently jams though little dips and crossings with a quick zap of that lower gear ratio, without pogo sticking.

TouraTech In-Line Extreme Shock

To answer the question, “How ‘ultimate’ should this bike be?” we looked to ADV aftermarket leader TouraTech USA. They immediately jumped on board the URM project. Without a doubt the single most technically advanced aftermarket shock available for any motorcycle today, the revolutionary new Extreme Shock for the F8GSA is like no other on the planet.

ADVMoto’s URM is the first F8GSA in North America to test this shock. With its remotely located pre-load adjuster, the shock now has both high- and low-speed dampening adjusters built right into the body of the shock, and easily accessible for quick tuning.

We’re told this is a first for any motorcycle shock. Justifying this mod is easy. After selling off the stock shock the cost comes down to around $1,100, which is about the cost to have a good tuner re-valve a stock unit.

WHEELS

Woody’s Wheel Works Wheel Set

The F800GSA comes standard with black aluminum spoked wheels, but they’re engineered for weight instead of strength, and feel like butter bounding off rocks. We found a great resource in Zack at Woody’s who, notably, works directly with customers to hash out their options and solve equations.

Zack listened to our goals and narrowed it down to a few options before we decided to go with 3.5" wide wheels with ultra-heavy gauge spokes laced into aluminum RAD Hubs. How do you justify the two grand needed to make this mod? First, decide how likely it is you’ll log any serious off-road miles on the F8GSA. If it’s more than 50%, check your record to see if you’ve ever ruined a wheel.

If the chance of tweaking a rim is high, divide the cost of replacing or repairing (including rim, spokes and replace) one wheel ($700), against the cost of Woody’s wheel set ($2,100), minus resale value of stock rims sold on eBay (~$1,500).

Essentially, the cost of this mod is offset by selling the stock wheels along with the peace of mind of not having to replace a damaged wheel. If money is a big deterrent, consider upgrading the front only.

POWER & GEARING

REMUS EXHAUST—Slip-on System

Off the showroom floor the F8GSA is torquey and responsive in its own right, but the REMUS slip-on and mid-pipe add at least a few HP without blowing your eardrums. We tested the REMUS unit without the wide diameter header package ($567) and, as a stand-alone mod, the slip-on proved a worthy performance upgrade.

TouraTech Front Sprocket

An absolute must for this project (and yours) is shortening the stock gearing by one tooth in the front, replacing the stock countershaft sprocket with TouraTech’s 13T. Putting this into perspective, the stock F8GSA stalls in slow-speed technical sections and that’s not an “ultimate” characteristic.

We noticed this problem on our first shakedown of the stock F8GSA and it was an easy fix. The trade-off is noticeable on the top end, though, shaving as much as 15 MPH off the top speed.

Staying on point to our original plans, the URM does not need to go 130 MPH to be ultimate.It should, however, not stall while climbing out of a rocky wash, nor should it smoke the clutch trying. Mission accomplished.

 ERGOS & ARMOR

GPR Stabilizer v4 Sub-Mount Kit

Ergonomics are the first place to start in the personalization profile. Riders come in many shapes and sizes, and discerning consumers should not have to fit themselves into any mold. Therefore, the bike should be fitted to the rider. It’s a shame this is the exception and not the rule.

Upon our initial test of the “mortal” F, we were impressed but had to start nitpicking. Ergos were at the top of the list, and while the stock F doesn’t have a poor set up per se, it’s not the “ultimate” by any means. To get there, we had to re-engineer the controls to blend with suspension and stabilizers.

When the stock F8GSA left the tarmac on our initial test ride, deflecting off rocks and wobbly tracking in sand begged the question: why not put a steering dampener on the Ultimate Riding Machine? For this we turned to GPR Stabilizers and asked for help getting the right kit, ensuring proper fitment with the Flexx handlebars. The GPR V4 sub-mount kit went on the URM without issue.

In heavy OH use with the standard settings and adjuster in the mid-section, the bike felt stable and recoverable in both slow and high-speed situations. The submount kit also raises the handlebar perch slightly, improving the ergonomics without disrupting posture while seated.

Flexx Handlebars

The aggressive sweep angle on stock ADV bikes makes the rider feel like they’re operating a horse-drawn plow and is awkward, at best, in off-road settings. Killing two birds with one stone, FasstCo suggested mid-height Flexx handlebars with a passive sweep angle likened more to a café racer than a snow blower.

Normal handlebars each have their own natural flex characteristics but the Flexx handlebars allow the rider to personalize and control the up and down flex, not front and back. This translates to reduced fatigue, arm pump and cramping.

Older riders will certainly feel less stiffness in their hands and wrists after a few days off-road. The URM is based on 50% off-road riding with considerable time in the standing position and Flexx handlebars bring the rider’s shoulders and hands forward, adding stability and control.

BRP Adapter Kit for Flexx Handlebars and Cycra Handguards

The nature of the Flexx handlebars conflicts with the rigidity of a sturdy handguard. BRP’s kit allows the handlebars to flex with the handguards without any rigidity. This design gives an additional pivot point for the inside mounts of the guards, allowing everything to flex together.

Fighting to shave weight off an already hefty bike can be futile and sometimes inconsequential. The stock handguards on the new F8GSA are flimsy. As the bike’s design competes for weight in the mid-size class, its already 500-pound build is enough to ruin the OEM guards while parked.

Black Dog Cycle Works “Platform” Pegs

Speaking to the personalization process, the URM needed to swap the stock pegs for something bigger and more aggressive without the needless rubber cushions that come with most ADV bikes. With numerous options at our disposal we chose Black Dog Cycle Works, the family run operation in Idaho owned by Kurt & Martha Forgét.

The Forgéts have a passion for designing, testing and refining aftermarket ADV products, and their ADV “platform” footpegs solution is one of the biggest available, both long and wide. This added surface area does a lot for the rider and it was surprising to see just how much. And yes, the secret bottle opener under each peg provides notable utility.

Renazco Racing—Suede Seat

From 10 feet away, James Renazco’s custom suede seat replacements appear to be a basic aesthetic mod to personalize one’s bike. Yet, under your butt their functionality is underscored.

The completely redesigned core removes the passenger step on the stock seat and flattens out the mid and rear sections with Renazco’s telltale hourglass tapering in the front. The stock seat comes with a few options for a low seat with a complete rally option.

The cost/value proposition of James’ handcrafted seat is easily validated. Clients simply ship their stock seats to Renazco and James will reincarnate it into a new form before shipping it back to you.

AltRider Skid Plate, Headlight Guard and Side-Stand Foot

AltRider’s claim to fame is thoughtful design combining function with form to protect your bike from the evil that lurks behind the next corner. At 4.75mm, the anodized aluminum on the skid plate is thick enough to withstand solid blows while giving ample coverage to the oil filter, heat exchanger and header pipe.

It closely conforms to the underside of your bike for protection that doesn’t sacrifice ground clearance and attaches with OEM fasteners that are completely protected, eliminating the possibility of snags.

AltRider’s Lexan headlight guard design functions well without blocking its output. We favor this light cover for its function versus mesh-screen types that obscure light output. The quick-release mounts are a testament to AltRider’s design philosophy.

The kickstand’s foot pad is a must for anyone leaving pavement, and has saved our bike from tipping over in the dirt too many times to count. The Torx fasteners screw directly into threads on the topside of the foot, thus eliminating the possibility of failed hardware from wear.

LUGGAGE

Siskiyou Panniers by Giant Loop

This Giant Loop Siskiyou soft luggage solution has a few major benefits over its hard box counterparts, namely weight and durability, and it passed the waterproof test on our first day in the field. The Siskiyou package comes with a pair of water-resistant sealable liners, helping keep out even more rain.

Adjustable compartments and easy routing for the remote AC power cord adaptor make Giant Loop’s new Fandango Tank Bag really handy to use with all the modern electronics we tend to carry around these days. The quick-release zipper for getting the bag on and off the bike not only helps in removal, but in filling up.

The new zipper system is different from the previous “U-shaped” zipper which we enjoyed during fill-ups, but it worked just as well. When all of the above is mated to the Rogue Dry Bag, we have plenty of space to take bare essentials into the desert for some testing.

ELECTRONICS

NiteRider 3600 Pro Lighting System

After leading the market for bicycle lighting for over two decades, NiteRider has launched NR Off-Road and comes to market with an amazing  3600 Lumens LED light packed into a convertible twin unit, with wiring directly to the bike’s power source.

The NiteRider solution on the URM uses the OEM mounts for the auxiliary LED lights. The pair of Pro 3600s emits more light than anything its size and weight we’ve tested.

SPOT Trace

We tested SPOT’s new Trace theft-alert tracking device and it works great. We hid the unit out of plain sight and sticky-taped it in front of the head tube, where it maintains an unobstructed view to the sky.

When the bike moves, text or email is sent to the owner’s inbox. SPOT’s website allows owners to track stolen items’ locations every 5, 10, 30 or 60 minutes. Consider the benefits of this gadget if the bike goes missing.

The Arrival, Destination and End

What does “ultimate” really mean these days? It seems quite diluted from overuse by Madison Avenue-like exaggerated claims. Yet in BMW’s case, they gave us an ideal foundation upon which to build our “ultimate” machine.

Is this THE Ultimate Riding Machine? The reviews have been great for BMW’s fully equipped dealer units, and we agree this is a great jumping-off point for a bike that can be fitted to near-perfection with near bullet-proof durability.

When evenly weighed on range, speed, maneuverability, agility and utility, we’ll take this bike into the bush before any other. That makes this F8GSA our “Ultimate Riding Machine,” at least for the moment.

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