Having fitted front and rear springs to my bike I finally got to take it for a spin today.
To sum it up, it is now the bike I always wanted!
I have a 30inch inside leg and found that the best I could manage was the ball of my foot on the floor, paddling the bike around was almost impossible and there was the odd time where I was almost caught out on bad cambers combined with a junction. After much research I decided to go with the Hyperpro 35mm lower combi set from Motorworks. I rented/bought the shock compressor which made the job very easy (I have a few friends with shocks that fit the same compressor so might hang on to it).
I had a "fatfoot" on the side-stand which left the bike a bit too vertical, but with that removed it was OK (I'll just take a puck with me in case I park on soft ground).
I can almost "flatfoot" the bike now, taking away any perceived worry at junctions and paddling in carparks, it is identical to a standard 700GS if you want to know what it is like (tried one today at the local dealers).
The front forks lose their "pogo" feel and don't dive anywhere near as much under braking. At speed the bike feels much better planted. I found a few big speed bumps and potholes and the lower ride height doesn't seem to make much difference (I can't give any feedback about serious off-roading).
I now have an 800GS with the size of a 700!
If anybody is unsure and wants a chat I'm more than happy to help!
Tony
To sum it up, it is now the bike I always wanted!
I have a 30inch inside leg and found that the best I could manage was the ball of my foot on the floor, paddling the bike around was almost impossible and there was the odd time where I was almost caught out on bad cambers combined with a junction. After much research I decided to go with the Hyperpro 35mm lower combi set from Motorworks. I rented/bought the shock compressor which made the job very easy (I have a few friends with shocks that fit the same compressor so might hang on to it).
I had a "fatfoot" on the side-stand which left the bike a bit too vertical, but with that removed it was OK (I'll just take a puck with me in case I park on soft ground).
I can almost "flatfoot" the bike now, taking away any perceived worry at junctions and paddling in carparks, it is identical to a standard 700GS if you want to know what it is like (tried one today at the local dealers).
The front forks lose their "pogo" feel and don't dive anywhere near as much under braking. At speed the bike feels much better planted. I found a few big speed bumps and potholes and the lower ride height doesn't seem to make much difference (I can't give any feedback about serious off-roading).
I now have an 800GS with the size of a 700!
If anybody is unsure and wants a chat I'm more than happy to help!
Tony
