The GS Thread (LSFW)

[BobFV1]

Okay distinguished gentlemen (and ladies - I keep forgetting Michelle has a little one...), I think we have critical mass on our site for a thread dedicated to that Wyllis Jeep of the motorcycling world - the GS.

My first question - anybody else running the stock Bridgestone Trail WIng 125's? I wouldn't actually buy a set, but they sure seem to stick well on dry pavement.

Second Question:

Ohlins or Bitubo:

Any opinions - I'm so nuts over this new bike I am thinking of reshocking it in the near term future.....

[rivi]

also worthy of consideration - Wilbers. hope to have them on my GS soon...

had bitubos on my RR. MaxMoto has dropped them (Bitubo) due to difficulty of obtaining spares & parts.

[GPM]

Had Ohlins on my KRS, no experience with the others. The shocks were more capable than I, but I found them to be more complient and more controlled at the same time. I didn't expect both. I'll probably get a set for the GS at some point.

Michelle and I rode up the Apache Trail today. Beautiful ride, great scenery and a nice graded road. Got a bit squirly on the washboard a few times, but not too high on the pucker factor. I made her lead and I think she took it easy on me.

[Deans BMW]

Bob, give Chris at San Jose a call with your question.

[AZBMWRIDER]

GPM Wrote:

Michelle and I rode up the Apache Trail today. Beautiful ride, great scenery and a nice graded road. Got a bit squirrelly on the washboard a few times, but not too high on the pucker factor. I made her lead and I think she took it easy on me.
__________________________________________________ _________________________________________________

So Michelle took it easy on you today.... :104:

I heard See kicked your But! :icon_redface:

I rode up to Strawberry for Breakfast. Got home before the wind picked up.
Nice Ride..

[GPM]

She has her story and I have mine. But she can kick my butt any time she wants.

I can't believe you rode your K bike down that road. I think we missed that water truck by about an hour. The first five miles or so were wet, then it dried out. You gotta get a GS!!!

[BobFV1]

Bob, give Chris at San Jose a call with your question.

Understood - will do!

[Wild Will]

There is a legendary motorcycle road up north a little ways from here, highway 36, which is like a carnival ride full of hours of stunning turn after twist, ascending and descending switchbacks surrounded by alpen scenery, hardly seen. There's one decreasing downhill as elevation is lost far too fast, which has a maddening bump right at the apex. I can never remember that bump, so into staying alive am I when I reach it. Many oathes to Odin are breathed in the Arai as it catches me again, moving the rear end over enough to cause mouth breathing, eyes open wide, elbows not relaxed.
This curve is what caused me to invest in a set of Ohlins, this and the fact that my bike with its state of the art Tele-Para Lever ground control were delivered with cheese dick (OK, I'm IN) Showa shocks from the bottom of the Japanese moto gene pool. So, Ohlins installed, I again attack 36 with a fervor akin to the deflowering of Maxine Parkhurst, and LO! The rear end didn't move more than a inch! No oaths! That curve flowed as if it was the corkscrew at Laguna at WSB...OK, maybe not, but the shocks transformed the BMW into the machine that should have been supplied by BMW. I was finally in love with the ungainly-appearing but predatory machine.
I dragged my feet for weeks before taking the bit and spending the best money I've ever spent on my bike, next to new tires every 4,500 miles!
Penske makes a great shock, also, as do Wilburs and Bitubo come with a swell aluminum attache case in which you can carry your Match Box cars to Aunt Plethora's house at July 4. But I'm so enthralled with these Ohlins, at around 50K so far, that I'm definitely a Swede when it comes to shocks and
to fair haired foreign cheerleaders.

[Bones]

Bob,
Wild Will used the term Cheesedick and referenced Aunt Plethora all in the same post. Looks like you will need to go with the Ohlins.

Also seems like Ohlins have a lot of parts support. I haven't put them on my GS, but I have never heard a single complaint about Ohlins shocks. I have ridden them on track bikes and they were sweeter than honey.

Jeff

[BobFV1]

Bob,
Wild Will used the term Cheesedick and referenced Aunt Plethora all in the same post. Looks like you will need to go with the Ohlins.

Also seems like Ohlins have a lot of parts support. I haven't put them on my GS, but I have never heard a single complaint about Ohlins shocks. I have ridden them on track bikes and they were sweeter than honey.

Jeff

Bones, I am leaning towards the Ohlins, but then again I could use a new place to store my Matchbox cars....

[fnfalman]

Try Penske!!!

Or better yet, have Race-Tech revalve and respring everything per your specifications. I am having that done to my Tuono two weeks from now.

[DarthRider]

Did you ship them forks & shock?
What does Race Tech charge for a full setup?

Dave

[GPM]

Mine came with Dunlop Trailmax D607s. Seem ok on dry pavement. Survived a run up Apache Trail with a bit of slip sliding, but nothing too drastic.

Being this is my first GS, I'm not at all sure what to expect from tires. Either in terms of performance or mileage. Should be a learning experience.

[BobFV1]

Just spoke to San Jose BMW - Ohlins does not have shocks for the 1200 Adventure yet.....

[Bones]

Re tires:
Mine has the Metzler Tourance tires. They seem OK, but at about 55 on up, they seem to buzz a little bit. I would guess they are better in gravel than street tires, but I plan to ride my GS 99.5% of the time on tarmac, so I have considered Pilot Roads or some Metzler analog to that. Not sure. I hear the Tourance tires last alot longer, so maybe I will get most of this season with them.

Are you considering a more dirt oriented tire or street?


Jeff

[BobFV1]

Re tires:
Mine has the Metzler Tourance tires. They seem OK, but at about 55 on up, they seem to buzz a little bit. I would guess they are better in gravel than street tires, but I plan to ride my GS 99.5% of the time on tarmac, so I have considered Pilot Roads or some Metzler analog to that. Not sure. I hear the Tourance tires last alot longer, so maybe I will get most of this season with them.

Are you considering a more dirt oriented tire or street?


Jeff

Bones - I ran Metzeler Z-6's on my RT for 18K miles and they are incredibly sweet handling tires! I was going to go for the Tourance next on my GS but will do some more research based on your comments. Maybe I'll end up with Z6's!

[fnfalman]

I just talked to Race Tech. They can't revalve BMW shocks. I guess these things are made to be non-rebuildable or something.

However, another alternative is Works Performance Shocks. These guys also know a thing or two about performance suspension, especially for BMW.

[BobFV1]

Flash -

When I posted on ADVRIDER that I was going to do Ohlins on my ADV, I got a bunch of PM's right away offerring to buy my ADV shocks - seems that BMW re-engineered and substantially upgraded the shocks for the ADV over the stockies on the regular R1200GS. I will road test them to LA today and see how they do - stay tuned.....

[Wild Will]

to take my GS "offroad", my next tires will be the newly available Michelin Pilot Road tires. These skins should add considerably to the already severe lean angles obtainable. 110/80 VR 19 front, 150/70 ZR 17 rear.
Up till now I've had an awesome time ruining many sets of Michelin Anakees and Metzeler Tourances, both of which are amazing street tires, but are weal off road, of course.
I just have a problem taking a bike without a frame off road, unless it's graded dirt.

[DarthRider]

I really enjoyed the Michelin Pilot Powers on Hoochie Mama!
I just took off what's left of them and am now trying some Conti Road Attacks.
After this weekend in the Hill Country I'll file a report! Early indications are promising...

Dave

[BobFV1]

Departed Phoenix this morning and headed West on I-10 for LA. About 55 miles in to my trip, the computer system on Estimated Prophet (my 2006 GS ADV) gave me a low fuel warning light and the odometer automatically switched to a "range" scale, based on remaining fuel level. The remaining range showed about 32 miles, and my trip meter showed about 320 miles since my last fill-up, about a week ago in Prescott, Arizona.

So I continued on for 20 miles to the little town of Salome, Arizona, just East of Quartzite, AZ, which is just East of Blythe, California. At the gas station in Salome I put 8.4356 gallons of gas into the 8.7 gallon capacity main tank on my ADV. That means I had about a quarter of a gallon left, which means that the 12 mile remaining range on my trip computer was very accurate.

Oh - that's right - 8 and a half gallons of gas into my bike! It's a motorcycle! Cost me $26.98 to fill up. Whens the last time you spent that much on a single fill-up of your bike???

So I jump back on and head West on I-10. There were two rest areas I was planning to stop at but they were both closed - so I just pressed on - 320 miles in a straight shot! I wasn't that thirsty and didn't have to pee, but man oh man did my ass ever hurt - that stock GS ADV seat is pure torture - much worse than my stock RT seat was. After dismounting from my 320 mile-in-a-stretch sector, my butt was so sore I couldn't sit for over an hour! Thank goodness I have an appointment with Rocky at Bill Mayer saddles tomorrow for my custom saddle. Will be getting up at 0600 to ride an hour from my place here in Woodland Hills over to Rocky's shop in Ojai and will spend the day getting a custom saddle made to my own unique ass specifications.

Well, other than doing a "Long Way Round" trip, the appealing thing about the 8.7 gallon tank is that I can stop for breaks and not worry about gassing up every time. I can see now I am going to have to force myself to actually pull the smooth-running bike off the road and take breaks. Isn't going to be easy, especially when I get the new saddle! Will keep you posted.

[Wild Will]

gas is $3.25 today. Yesterday it was a dime cheaper. In NYC it's a cheesedick
$4.00 a gallon. Gotta get used to this, because it ain't going to go away.
George's '98 GS went to its new home today, Seattle. The guy was stoked, in surfers' happy vernacular. He's been looking for a clean 1100 for awhile.
I've had 2 airhead GS's and now I've had this oilhead for 80K. Best bike I've ever had. It just keeps getting better. Maybe it's finally breaking in!

[Wild Will]

Speaking of that, it's a worthy film to view. The BMW's Adventures ("old" style") were hard pressed to work on some of the roadless terrain they chose (ignorantly; they had no idea...). They broke the frame in Mongolia! The camera guy's GS-A quit and they had to buy him a cheese dick Chinese two stroke. Kind of has a ring to it! They were in tears a few times when the going seemed impossible. I was in tears when they ate goat ball stew in Mongolia.

[BobFV1]

I rode my new bike in to Bill Mayer Saddles on Thursday and Bill (aka "Rocky") and I built a seat together. Rocky is amazing - a true butt expert. We got started at 0800 and I rolled out about 1430. In between there were measurements, shapings, test rides, etc, etc, etc. What I ended up with is a beautiful, custom saddle custom made for my butt. I chose the black vinyl with basket-weave on the seat and smooth vinyl on the sides. So far is is incredibly comfortable, but the real test comes on Monday when I head East from here in LA across the US.

Here are a few pics of the seat:

http://r1150r.smugmug.com/photos/65693344-S.jpg

http://r1150r.smugmug.com/photos/65693323-S.jpg

http://r1150r.smugmug.com/photos/65693326-S.jpg

http://www.billmayersaddles.com/october25homepage.html

[Gord]

...my trip meter showed about 320 miles since my last fill-up, about a week ago in Prescott, Arizona.

320 since your last fill up? That is not a typo Bob?

My buddy Bjorn the Norwegian goes on at length about his GS1150 and its range. But to be honest, I never cared much about mileage. It's the last thing I think about when buying any gasoline powered conveyance.

But 320?

Miles?

To quote Frank Barone, "Holy Crap.

The warning light on my R1150R comes on at 220km (132 miles). I have not pushed it to see how much further I can go. When light comes on, I stop for gas.

Holy Crap.

320 miles?

It must take $100 to fill that tank!

[arkline]

Bob,

Sounds like you're making good time. I was getting around 45 mpg with my 1150R just recently. That's down from the 56 I got when the bike wasn't so heavily laden and the winds weren't working against me. My light would come on at around 160 and I went as far as 184 before stopping in Zillah. I'm pretty sure that 320 miles without stopping is against the law in some states.

Love that seat. Looks mighty comfy. What is the stuff at the front? A sack warmer?

[BobFV1]

Actually - I think I will be able to squeeze about 350 to 360 miles out of a tank on this bike! That little thing in the front is the rear attachment point for my BMW tank bag.

[Gord]

Bob - your seat looks great. The one on the bike that is! I mean maybe the other is too, but... well... you know!

Did you lose some spokes on the back wheel? In the picture it sure looks like you don't have enough spokes to carry the bike let alone your...well...seat!!

[Gord]

Hoo hah! That last one was my 175th post! I think I am starting to get back into the groove!

[BobFV1]

I did some checking - I have the full Remus Revolution exhaust (header, y-pipe) with a titanium can. THe can has a removeable baffle, which is still in place in the muffler.

I think the bike sounds good - I'm leaving the baffle in.

[BobFV1]

FYYFF's

http://mysite.verizon.net/vzeod96k/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/dan_omi_23.jpg

[supermotoC]

How did Naomi get in your post???

[BobFV1]

How did Naomi get in your post???

I'll never tell...:077: