1150 GS - Need some advice

[motobiker]

first mod?

are we talking sensible or eyes full of shiney bling?


in either case: Seat. The original is pants. And steptoes headguards. (which aren't)


Shiney bling? HID lights and new springs. wider pegs and a partridge in a pear tree.

 

[tailscookie]

things to do

first of all ,fit a decent clutch 2nd decent shock springs 3rd telfusion unit 4th full remus system 5th change the saddle 6th k/n 7th alloys 8th decent paintjob 9th good pads 10th powder coading and on and on,it never stops,sorry all this is just my own bike,then ride it,85000miles still as good as new.

 

[sproggy]

I like the original seat - I've done 800 mile days on them. No seat suits everyone, but give the standard one a chance. +1 for the head guards, though - a much better idea than bolting a climbing frame (engine bars) to the bike.

Other than that, ride the bike as it is for a while and then see what you think you want - you could spend a fortune adding accessories that other people recommend only to find they don't suit you or how you use the bike. For example I ride all year round so do a lot of miles in the dark but I've yet to find a real need for an HID conversion. It depends what roads you ride on in the dark and that's a lot about where you live and work and what sort of roads are in between.

 

[sproggy]

first of all ,fit a decent clutch 2nd decent shock springs 3rd telfusion unit 4th full remus system 5th change the saddle 6th k/n 7th alloys 8th decent paintjob 9th good pads 10th powder coading and on and on......

Then put it all back to standard and realise how good it was anyway

 

[chad]

I like the original seat - I've done 800 mile days on them. No seat suits everyone, but give the standard one a chance. +1 for the head guards, though - a much better idea than bolting a climbing frame (engine bars) to the bike.

Other than that, ride the bike as it is for a while and then see what you think you want - you could spend a fortune adding accessories that other people recommend only to find they don't suit you or how you use the bike. For example I ride all year round so do a lot of miles in the dark but I've yet to find a real need for an HID conversion. It depends what roads you ride on in the dark and that's a lot about where you live and work and what sort of roads are in between.

i agree with a lot of that but the lights

they are pants and the HIDs are a cheapish way to solve this issue.

i came from africa twins and honda varaderos that have fantastic headlights

so the standards ones on the GS were a real shock HIDs fitted problem solved

 

[tailscookie]

lights

we all agree standard lights are f*****G shit they are even weaker than my first bike the fs1e,

 

[oldnfat]

Ah the Fs1e....that does take me back.

Live fairly rural so looks like the HID takes it.

 

[King Rat]

Sproggy - actually done it - on the strip. Over to you.

 

[chad]

Sproggy - actually done it - on the strip. Over to you.

 

[sproggy]

Sproggy - actually done it - on the strip. Over to you.

How can you "drop a gear" in a drag race? That's what you said - "if you drop a gear it'll go like an R1". So you weren't talking about drag racing, but to counter that claim anyway Bike magazine figured a 2000 model R1 at 10.87 seconds over the 1/4 mile and a 2002 model did 11.15 seconds. They didn't figure the 1150GS but the mechanically identical (and slightly lighter) R1150R weighed in at 13.35 seconds. For further comparison, an R1100S with more power and torque (and even less weight) than the GS did a standing quarter in 11.7 seconds. So it's probably fair to assume that the GS would have done a 1/4 mile time of what, 14 seconds? Or do you have a timing slip to prove otherwise? I don't have figures for later R1s but with ever increasing power, (slightly) diminishing weight and progressively longer swingarms I don't expect the laters ones were slower over the quarter mile.

I'm talking about which bike is quicker accelerating while you, it seems, are talking about which rider is quickest reacting. I must assume that the R1 was badly ridden as, it has to be said, many sports bikes are. But that doesn't make your GS quicker accelerating than an R1.

Your original post made no reference to the drag strip where a sports bike with a high first gear and a short wheelbase is at a disadvantage compared to a non-track-optimised bike in terms of getting off the line quickly. In real conditions (the overtake that you mentioned, and presumably the real reference to "dropping a gear") the difference between the two will be much greater IF the R1 is in the right gear.

Over to you

 

[Miz]

I have left several sportsbikes behind on overtakes - the Gs has lower gearing so accelerates faster, but runs out of puff at about 115.

......

When out on the Xtra (TL1000 engine, italian frame n brakes) I regularly "let" other bikes beat me on overtakes, just bacause I either cannot be bothered to play, or they are taking too many risks and I don't want to encourage them..

I am also certain, if I want to go out for a fast dash across country I would not pick up the GS keys

 

[Mac]

Erm...........an 1150 GS go like an R1 due to dropping a gear


Do yourself a favour dude, keep it real

 

[Miz]

Sproggy - actually done it - on the strip. Over to you.

Only so we can log your bike down as having "one caring owner"

 

[Mzokk]

Sproggy - actually done it - on the strip. Over to you.

I own this A

and this B

And love them both.......But A is much faster than B particularly in a straight line A will get to 95-100 in first in 5.5-6.5 sec B will do it in 11-12 sec and 3-4 gear changes.

My old gsxr600 was six seconds a lap faster round Kirkistown than the GS I would expect the R1 to be similar....However the R1 is not great for crusing chilling and enjoying the scenery or carrying luggage and a passenger.

Do you run nitrous on your GS for the strip or have you been sniffing it this afternoon.

 

[chad]

I am also certain, if I want to go out for a fast dash across country I would not pick up the GS keys

thats not strictly fair ive had many a fast dash across country on my GSs whilst mates on sportsbikes are being shook to bits by their much less forgiving bouncy stuff however its great watching them hit warp factor mr zulu and scream past me like a raped ape ! as the roads smooth out:cool

funny how they slow down when i say over the intercom first to the pub gets the beers in

 

[King Rat]

Oh yes, the Yam might get to terminal GS speed very fast - but the first 200 yards? When the Gs is running out of puff the 4s come into their own.

I saw a 1930s Douglas Dragonfly at the LYme Sprint one year. It was a BMW of sorts in that it was an across the frame flat twin, 500cc originally (until the Bodey bros got to work on it) I think it might have grown to about 600cc in race trim - but the engine was not even bolted ot the chassis, it was of an age when clamping it in with clips arpund the frame tube was deemed sufficient.

Everyone pointed and laughed at these two old boys (Fred Body and his brother, who I can't remember his name.) as they wheeled this antiquity out of their tow-a-van (an old sheep trailer!).

There were various Mickey Thomas wearing, fat tyre spinning Jap 4s in various states of tune and sporting in excess of 250hp. There was a Turbo Kwak 750 too. The old Douglas was reckoned to have about 65hp on a good day. The sniggering stopped when it was pitted in the final against said Kwak Turbo....and beat it.

It may not have had much in the way of horsepower, but it didn't waste any either. Every firing stroke took it about 60 feet down the strip and it leaped away from the start with no spin whatever - immediate launch. By the time the modern bikes had stopped spinning their tyres the dragonfly was past the 60 foot trap.

There is a lot to be said for good traction, low revs and a well balanced gearbox.

 

[Miz]

thats not strictly fair ive had many a fast dash across country on my GSs whilst mates on sportsbikes are being shook to bits by their much less forgiving bouncy stuff however its great watching them hit warp factor mr zulu and scream past me like a raped ape ! as the roads smooth out:cool

funny how they slow down when i say over the intercom first to the pub gets the beers in

Did'nt realise anything in life was supposed to be fair....

 

[chad]

Did'nt realise anything in life was supposed to be fair....

hasnt been so far