BMW F800GS Instructional DVD

chrisjk

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I bought a copy of this DVD - its actually two disks - from Touratech.

If you have never changed brake pads, a tyre, oil or adjusted your chain, then it might be worth buying as these are the only topics covered in any detail. Mostly it’s a sales pitch for everything Touratech - or Boreatech by the time you have watched a few minutes. You get to see just about everything in their catalogue for the bike in excruciating detail and then get to hear a bunch of owners describe them consistently in glowing terms as Helge Pedersen interviews them about what they have done to their 800s. Unsurprisingly most folk have added the same sort of stuff to their bikes (with a bit of variation in pannier choice) and these interviews are also pretty boring which is a shame as they take up most of the second disk.

There are some good clips of bikes on the move in various places but again this is basically advertising - in this case, Globeriders tours.

Pedersen is obviously very experienced but as an ex-Touratech employee and no doubt current beneficiary of part of their marketing budget, he is too biased to make a reliable guide to what's really good bling and what's not. This is a shame as he probably has a better insight and more experience than most folk. (BMW can do no wrong either, so their lousy bashplate (made by TT of course..) gets great praise at least 6 times.

What I missed in the DVD was any real advice on more detailed technical aspects of the bike from the view point of fixing stuff in the wild. How to de-water it would have been nice for example, or dealing with a broken chain. Jury rigging get-you-home things etc.

Video quality is good and you can see stuff he is showing very well.

Overall, I rate this a 5/10 effort.
 
I bought a copy of this DVD - its actually two disks - from Touratech.


Pedersen is obviously very experienced but as an ex-Touratech employee and no doubt current beneficiary of part of their marketing budget, he is too biased to make a reliable guide to what's really good bling and what's not. This is a shame as he probably has a better insight and more experience than most folk. (BMW can do no wrong either, so their lousy bashplate (made by TT of course..) gets great praise at least 6 times.

Well I get mi parts from Wunderlich, mostly FOC, but being biased is not what I am...

I find the BMW bashplate (made by TT) an ace piece o' kit, does what it says on the tin. However the Wunderlich counterpart is a solution looking for a problem. It comes in two parts, takes twice as many mounting/securing bolts, some are very small 6mm countersunk screws of poor grade steel. Doesn't protect as well as the BMW one for sure.

Wunderlich tank bag is ace... simply the best :thumb
Wunderlich/Ortleib roll bag ... simply the best :thumb
Wunderlich throttle stop ... simply the best :thumb
Wunderlich F800GS 'hugger' done 26,000 miles on the 'bike. fitted their hugger, not one jot of difference other than to make chain guard/swing arm removal more difficult. Doesn't keep anything any cleaner :eek:

Trax panniers supplied by Wunderlich leak like a seive, are 4" wider than the BMW ones. The frames are like nothing else, another solution looking for a problem. They look bloody awful, the pannier locks are a bugger to use and as thiefproof as a 50p coin on the pavement!

I work quite a bit with Wunderlich, take lots of people through their doors, but their main consideration is that it should look pretty :eek:

I keep asking them if there are any vacancies in their design and development department ;)

Take for instance their centre stand alloy guard ... it gets in the way during cornering :eek:

:beerjug:
 

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Take for instance their centre stand alloy guard ... it gets in the way during cornering :eek:



very impressive Mickey
bloody show off!!!:augie
 
Take for instance their centre stand alloy guard ... it gets in the way during cornering :eek:

very impressive Mickey
bloody show off!!!:augie


Sheer indulgence and totally unbecoming of me... I apologise most profusely my friend :augie

:beerjug:
 
Why would you guard a tough steel bit of bike with a soft bit of alloy which makes it even more prone to being grounded?
 
Why would you guard a tough steel bit of bike with a soft bit of alloy which makes it even more prone to being grounded?

Errrr......I think its to protect the underside of the engine not the stand :augie
 
Thanks Chris you just saved me £39. As I've changed the rear brake pads myself, watched as some very learned friends changed the chain and instructed me how to do it in the future, changed a rear tyre, fitted a relay, fixed the leaky radiator top hose, fitted some HID's and various bits of other kit I'm half tempted to do some videos myself (for free of course) and post them on YouTube for the benefit of everyone.

Maybe bunch them together under the 800GS banner. :bounce1
 
+1, I was looking at putting some $$$ down on this DVD, but if that's all it covers, apart from pimping Touratwats (lol) products then it's hardly worth it.

Will proceed to get a louder horn and start scaring people down my local shopping center.
 


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