Am I Too Fat?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Dan Glibitz
  • Start date Start date

Dan Glibitz

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Just done the 1st 50 miles running in, after loading my 1200GS up with extras and a few coats of polish, sil;icone and cotton wool :D .

Put it back in the Garage and noticed that the Hugger (Wunderlick) has been clouted by the inside of the luggage rail and been chipped :(

I fear that when it's run in, ridden propperly and luggaged up, the hugger will snap, should the front wheel keep lightening too much, or even in normal use. :rolleyes:

Anyone else had this problem? :nenau
Is there a strengthening bracket available to stop the hugger from whipping around? :nenau
am I just too fat? :nenau

any suggestions? :nenau :D :D :D
 
Dan,

Your two posts sound as though they are related to the same problem.

I took delivery of my GS about 3 weeks ago and have had a number of 'moments' with the front hopping and skipping even under slight acceleration. Quick examination of the rear preload adjuster revealed that my dealer had helpfully set it up WAY too soft. A few clockwise twists (to somewhere the hard side of medium) and the whole bike feels much better.

This is not to say that you are not too fat because this could be the problem also. I'd suggest trying the rear preload first. If that doesn't work, diet until you have reached a set of handling compromises that you are comfortable with... ;) ;) ;)
 
IanTr said:
Dan,

Your two posts sound as though they are related to the same problem.

I took delivery of my GS about 3 weeks ago and have had a number of 'moments' with the front hopping and skipping even under slight acceleration. Quick examination of the rear preload adjuster revealed that my dealer had helpfully set it up WAY too soft. A few clockwise twists (to somewhere the hard side of medium) and the whole bike feels much better.

This is not to say that you are not too fat because this could be the problem also. I'd suggest trying the rear preload first. If that doesn't work, diet until you have reached a set of handling compromises that you are comfortable with... ;) ;) ;)
Click to expand...


Hi IanTR,

the two posts are actually different issues. the Buckin' thing is deffo nowt to do with the suspension, it's an engine / throttle thing. But fanx for your input. :)

Re. the suspension. On my last GS's, I always had the pre-load and the damping at max softness on the rear and one "Click" on the front and all of the bikes handled great. When I first set out today, I had front pre-load on half way point and rear Pre-load & damping on half way settings.

The damn bike was jumping around like a spring lamb :D . Every lump & bump would cause a Ducatti style shake. You could feel it skipping over every uneven bit. I pulled over & changed the front to one click harder than softest and put the rear two settings at the same. The bike gripped like a good un. Gone were the skips and bangs and she was comfortable and sure footed but my hugger's bugger'd. Can't say when it happened but I know I just need to stop it gettin' worse . . . . . . .

Back to the floor . . . . .

Hugger arm strengthener? :nenau

Soft Suspension - it's the future! (forget your Garlic Bread :D )
 
IanTr said:
. If that doesn't work, diet until you have reached a set of handling compromises that you are comfortable with... ;) ;) ;)
Click to expand...


DIET?

:hapybnce: :jes :yelrotflm :yelrotflm :yelrotflm :whip
 
End of your hugger?

I shouldn't worry too much about your hugger - after a year and a half and riding through two winters I have not noticed much muck around the rear. i would say that a hugger is purely cosmetic.
 
Brian ROSEN said:
I shouldn't worry too much about your hugger - after a year and a half and riding through two winters I have not noticed much muck around the rear. i would say that a hugger is purely cosmetic.
Click to expand...
You must have a different 1200 to me then! one huggerless ride on the wet winter roads convinced me a hugger was a good idea, and.......I was right! doesn't stop it completely, but it is a helluva lot better.
 
check tyre pressure at your dealer. Often tyre gauges are not correct. rear should be 2.9 and front 2.5
 
avonhafe said:
check tyre pressure at your dealer. Often tyre gauges are not correct. rear should be 2.9 and front 2.5
Click to expand...

Aye - and if you forget (as I _always_ do) then BMW have helpfully stuck the pressures on the inside of the black plastic panel just below the tank. One side has the pressures, and I think the other has the recommended weight limits for panniers or some other fluff that you ignore as you pile all the stuff that you take camping that you never use in and sit on the lid to close it. Not that I ever do that :-)
 
I've found the same as Dan, that the front preload really needs to be quite low for a smooth ride. I set the rear preload to "normal" (again quite low) and the damping to about 2 turns off maximum. I weigh about 15 stone and these settings seem to work nicely on our less than perfect roads.
 
Hmmm.. strange.
I'm only 11-ish stone, but I found that the more I wound up the rear preload, the better the bike handled. I've now got it wound up as far as it will go and the handling is superb. Never bothered to alter the front as it seems fine on the stock settings.

Mind you, I can barely reach the ground... :D
 
Brian ROSEN said:
I shouldn't worry too much about your hugger - after a year and a half and riding through two winters I have not noticed much muck around the rear. i would say that a hugger is purely cosmetic.
Click to expand...

If you only ride on dry roads (whatever time of year) you aint going to need a hugger.

I find that if the road surface is damp (never mind wet) I need to wear leggings to keep the muck off my ass and left leg. The muck goes right up the back of my left leg and all over the botten left side of the saddle, all of the inside of the rear frame and up to an inch thick no the exhaust as it passes by the front of the tyre.

If your hugger is getting damaged then it's either not fitted corectly or it's faulty. Get it back to the daeler to have it checked out ASAP.
 
You don't need a hugger, you need a flap! :D

11-flap.jpg
 
Huggers and flaps

The question is - did you take the photograph before or after you had put your bike through the sheep dip technique?
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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