Advice - setting the 800 up for offroading

[Captain Calamity]

I have had my 800 for a couple of months now and spent last week at Off Road School in Wales. From the word go I have had TKCs (lovely tyre, even hammering round the corner in the wet), and have just added AS crash bars and bash plate, plus BMW hand gaurds. I plan to add some headlight protection too at some point.

I have mover the gear shift up a couple of notches and and can now shift easily stood up, and I am playing with the brake and clutch lever positions - best to leave the levers slightly loose, right?

I have just a few unanswered questions:

1. What pressures should I run the TKCs at offroad?
2. How do I adjust the height of the rear brake pedal? I can't see any adjustment that will raise the pedal a small amount.
3. Is there anything I can do to help the mirrors survive an off?

Went out for a bit of greenlaning tonight and the mods so far are working just fine. Looks great with the bars and bash plate.

CC

 

[Greggers]

Aye aye Capn..

I think you can go as low as 10/15psi in the tyres, but be careful of creeping - fit rim-locks if you need to... Obviously lower pressures generate higher tyre temperatures which will junk a tyre very quickly if run too hot for too long... I ran my 950'S' 1900km across Morocco with TKCs at around 17psi without any problems...

I think the brake lever is not adjustable.

Mirrors - just loosen the 17mm nut slightly to allow the stems to rotate stiffly in the clamps. When I offroaded my 800 I simply turned the mirrors all the way in (you're not going to need them green-laning after all !) and tucked them behind the screen.

My 8 is an ex ORS bike - the guys there had used PTFE plumbing tape under the lever clamps which allows them to be pretty tight, but will also allow them to rotate on the bar in the case of an off...

HTH

Greg

 

[everywherevirtually]

you might want to think about removing the wing mirrors completely. Takes a minute.

I have a rear brake lever extender which helps me catch hold of the rear brake but be warned, if you have an off into rocks... this might happen

Of course it will bend back being steel.

your rear foot pegs will get it too

I was thinking next time I might wrap some old inner tube around them a few times to give them a bit of protection.

the crash bars spray up nicely with a bit of satin plasti cote

 

[Fanum]

Following Micky's thread in the 'The geriatrics' reports, it seems that the cooling fan is vulnerable to getting clagged up.

If that's the case, I'd certainly be looking at getting something to stop that happening

Take the stupid rear TUV plastic bit off too, if it's got one...they easily get clagged or whipped around the wheel and they're only there for the German TUV testing

Where's the air intake on the 800? look at that too, you don't want to be Hydrolocking it if you find a tempting river

Be careful lowering the tyre pressures that low (above)....it's not often necessary and you'll shag the rims quite easily without having gained much at all usually.

 

[Gany]

1. Most Ive come across have been running between 18-24psi offroad. Some have run down to 15 without rimlock issues, but hit a rock or harsh pot hole and you WILL dent the rims.

2. Rear brake lever height is adjusted by the screws at the rear actuator. On levers, I changed my brake and clutch pedals out to the touratech folding type. I heard of a few guys bending their levers.

3. Mirrors, mine survived a big off although badly scuffed. Tape or loosening them off would be a good idea so they spin.

Radiator - crash bars protected my radiator, however as someone else mentioned check that stones etc dont stop the fan from spinning. Mine was full of stones that have no way of getting out of there.

Sounds like you have the rest fairly well covered. My Holan pannier racks protected the rear end of my bike as well, they are real tough. Apart from paint damage, the frames didnt bend or anything.

Everywherevirtually, any idea what the part number is to replace that plastic thing on the pillion peg? I broke mine as well. Or do you have to replace the whole peg?

 

[everywherevirtually]

Everywherevirtually, any idea what the part number is to replace that plastic thing on the pillion peg? I broke mine as well. Or do you have to replace the whole peg?

There is a number embossed on that piece but I decided to superglue it back together. Mine cracked in two places so I took it out, removed the footpeg, cleaned it all up and then did the fix. That plastic piece has two prongs the slide into a void inside the rubber foot peg. (I've done a short video that I must upload about the fix) Once put back together it's as good as new. As you will have seen yourself that piece of plastic creates the resistance to keep the peg in the upright position. Without it flaps all over the place.

 

[Gany]

Sweet thanks. I gotta check if the 2 halves are still there on mine, it was on the verge of falling off a few times on the trip and might have gone missing. Did some more digging, it is the pillion peg thrust washer, part 46717716151 and is relatively cheap (for a BMW part) at $3.83aud.

 

[Captain Calamity]

Thanks everyone.

Top tip on the spraypaint for the bars - i'll be needing that after today's ride

The back brake on mine isn't adjustable so i'll be buying the touratech extension so to boos the height a bit, as well as increasing the size of the brake pedal.

Now if I can just stay on the bike a bit longer...

CC