Page 2 of 3: f800gs3

STAGE TWO: GOING OFF-ROAD

Like many fuel-injected bikes the F800GS is cursed with an abrupt on/off power delivery which is far from optimal when riding in technical situations. On pavement this is easy to work around with smooth use of the controls, but off-road it is far more intrusive. I tried several inexpensive gadgets and “fixes” without success and decided I had to bite the bullet and just go all the way; I installed a full Remus Hexacone exhaust (no catalytic converter), Power Commander V and a K&N air filter. The result is a bike with very smooth power delivery and a very sexy sound while keeping the dB output near stock. In fact, the Remus is street legal when measured with a dB meter, coming in at only 1 dB over my reading for the stock muffler without a catalytic converter. The stock plastic left heal guard was swapped for a lightweight steel model from Black Dog Cycle Works.

Verdict: A true fix to the abrupt throttle issue while creating more “soul” (and by “soul” I don’t mean loud). “Loud pipes loose rights” this Remus exhaust system won’t.

• Remus Exhaust System, $1295.00
• Power Commander V, $379.95
• K&N air filter, $43.21
• Black Dog Cycle Works heel guard, TBD

With me weighing in over BMW’s average test pilot’s weight, and the addition of 5.3 gal of fuel, it was time for a serious suspension upgrade. The front end got a set of Bitubo fork cartridges, which improves the damping effect although is still only preload adjustable. The Bitubo comes as a complete kit including a set of .6kg springs (stock is .44kg), but these were still to light for the loads I would be hauling. A set of .89kg springs from Race Tech, as well as a custom-built G3 shock with preload adjuster, did the trick. The G3 Shock does not offer compression adjustments but is built and valved for you when ordered, so is just about dead-on after installation. On the road, the difference is night and day with the F800GS now holding the road as well as any R1200GS, but off-road there is still a compromise with the heavier front springs being a too stiff for deep sand and mud.

Verdict: Both the Bitubo and Race Tech components are high quality pieces and work well overall. Unfortunately there is still no way to have a bike set up perfectly for both pavement and dirt, and the limited adjustability of both brands compound this. The Bitubo cartridges only offer spring preload and the RaceTech G3 Shock has spring preload and rebound (same as stock).

• Bitubo cartridge kit, $699.00
• Race Tech springs and spring guide, $149.99 + $49.99
• Race Tech G3 Shock with remote preload adjuster, $949.99

The wheels on the F800GS are known for bending very easily, and my bike was no exception. With my front rim having been straightened on several trips with a rock or hammer, it was time to get a rim that was up to the task. Touratech carries a rim build by Excel as a heavy-use upgrade for the stock hoop. One evening of lacing up the new spokes and truing the wheel and I was ready to go.

Verdict: Expensive but a quality item necessity if you plan to spend time on rough off-road conditions. Many F800GS owners have claimed to have bent their stock front rims on pot holes while riding on paved roads.

• Excel (21” x 2.15”) front rim, $424.00

Now it was time to armor the belly of the beast. To date I have already shredded several popular skid plates on the F800GS, so I turned to Black Dog Cycle Works once again for a solution. They had exactly what my mid-sized Adventure needed. When Kurt says his stuff is heavy-duty he means it; this skid plate weighs in at over three times the weight of any other skid plate I know of for the F800GS. I think this skid plate was built to protect against land mines and IEDs as well as trail hazards.

Verdict: this is the ultimate protection for the belly of the F800GS, but it comes with a price… weight! With mounting hardware and the skid plate it weighs in around 10 lbs! (the BMW/Touratech skid plate is under 3lbs).

• Black Dog Cycle Works skid plate, $324.00

To protect the digits I picked up a set of Barkbuster hand guards from Twisted Throttle. These have a strong aluminum backbone with replaceable plastic shields. I choose the “Storm” plastics which provide ample weather protection on the road and good protection against branches and flying rocks when on the trail. As a bonus Barkbuster bar end weights help to stave off highway vibration.

Verdict: the Barkbusters are hard to break and easy to repair. The bar end weights seem to help stave off the numb hand syndrome when riding at high speeds for long distances.

• Barkbusters with Storm plastics, $170.00
• Barkbuster bar end weights, $45.00

A set of SW-Motech on-road/off-road footpegs provide a larger foothold, with cleats for standing off-road. What’s cool is that they also have rubber inserts that can be used for road travel. A Wunderlich folding shift lever addressed the solid OEM shift lever that pretzels easily (shame on you BMW) when the bike lays down off-road. I chose the non-adjustable Wunderlich lever so there would be less possibility of failed bolts, also being made of steel it could be bent straight many times, if needed, without breaking. The OEM lever is now strapped to the inside of the frame as a spare.

Verdict: The SW-Motech footpegs are a good compromise and may be perfect for the 70/30 Adventure rider. For serious off-road I would still prefer a larger peg that is humped in the center like a true dirt bike cleated peg. The shift lever is simple and durable, highly recommended.

• SW-Motech on road/off road foot pegs, $158.99
• Wunderlich folding shift lever, $45.00

With the extra weight of the F800GS Adventure, and knowing it will be heavily loaded in off-road conditions, I included a WARN XT17 portable motorcycle winch (8 lbs) to complement my manual PSSOR motorcycle recovery system. For storing the winch I am using a Black Dog Cycle Works multi-function rear rack with a WARN winch adapter. The rack is also drilled to accept Rotopax fuel/water containers when the winch is not onboard.

Verdict: The XT17 is like insurance, most of the people that buy them will have no intention of using them, but the one time you truly need it, it will be priceless. The cost to get a tow truck or crew of people to where you may have slipped off the road/trail will cost you as much as the winch. Call it piece of mind.

• WARN XT17 portable motorcycle winch, $549
• Black Dog Cycle Works multi-function rear rack with WARN winch adapter, $135 + $79

With the main shortcomings now addressed I turned to the small stuff like a Touratech oversized side stand foot so the bike would fall over on soft ground, a front sprocket cover to protect the engine in the case of a broken chain, and a chain guard. For traveling a centerstand is a must for maintenance and ferry crossings and, of course, it also makes for an all-important bottle opener. The SW-Motech centerstand tucks out of the way nicely compared to the BMW centerstand, but with a trade off. The SW-Motech centerstand uses two small feet, whereas the BMW centerstand uses long tube feet which are more stable on soft ground.

Verdict: it is often the details that personalize the bike, although having an oversized sidestand foot and centerstand are critical.