New to the Challenge

[GB.]

Hello, last week I took the plunge and sold my GS1200 and bought a Xchallenge off GFJ. I wanted something lighter for my replaced shoulder but cool as well. I did agree on one with a guy in Kent but he backed out and returned more deposit at the last minute, so me a mate made the 500 mile round trip to wales to collect it last week. It was pretty much as described and I found GFJ to be a genuine nice guy. It is an ex BMW schools bike so its had some hard but after a short test ride in the welsh rain I could really notice the difference in weight from my GS. I'm not a good off road rider and with my current condition won't be using the bike to its full potential for quite some time.

I have started to put some of the faults right, the first being a throttle stiffer than a Laverda Jota! found to be a poorly routed cable with a dent in the outer, thats now sorted and I am proceeding with tidying the body work up. Some of the riv-nuts in the subframe were loose meaning you couldn't remove the rear body work, but its a tool we use at work so was easily rectified.

It seems the airbox has been introduced to some muck in its time, is the standard filter poor? Should I fit a K&N or Uni filter?

Fitted new renthal grips and ordered new bark busters, just have the wheel to straighten and decide whether to keep the standard air shock or not. The rear light is also cracked but was filled with silly so Ive tried to make good with a windscreen repair kit but could do with a new one if anyone has one spare?

I also ordered a new exhaust as the original had been used to knock nails in and weighs more than the wife! That should be here this week hopefully.

Still trying to find away to make the tail tidy work, as it stands the indicators foul the number plate, so maybe new stalks or spacers, or even new indicators.

But I'm pleased with my purchase so far

PS Insurance is more than my 1200GS

 

[GB.]

 

[flatdog]

Nothing to say really - nice bike and health to enjoy.

 

[GB.]

Thank you, thought I was back in the 1200 section for a minute

 

[flatdog]

Oh and don't change the filter set up.

 

[GB.]

Was only gonna order a replacement element?

 

[flatdog]

Yes keep it standard as BMW intended is what I meant.

 

[Losttheplot]

Was only gonna order a replacement element?

The unfilter kit is also worth a look and will help the breathing. I did have a k+n, but never fitted it. It didn't look as though it offered enough protection from dust

 

[mull]

Hello GB,welcome to the challenge world.
The xchallenge will make you you smile and it will make you cry,it will have you shouting in triumph and cursing in frustration.
I have had mine since new and have put 20,000 Greenlane miles on it and I have done all of the above.
A truly good all round bike in my opinion.
Just had a major problem with the air damper which I'll post on another thread but most people change damper for conventional shock anyway.
I did change paper air filter for a k&n number after the original clogged very quickly on a very dusty day ,bike was not happy that day!
Enjoy

Mick

 

[GB.]

I'm hoping to have it ready for easter weekend, waiting on the exhaust and a few other bits, then wire in the Motana and I'm away.

 

[GB.]

Well it's finished barring sorting some luggage(if anyone has any they want rid of?) it didn't need a lot of work, all paint was eBay rattle cans, cleared all the fault codes and reset the lambda sensor and idle actuator after I fitted the new exhaust and filter. Might fit hyperpro springs in the front as they do dive a lot. Will probably never look this clean again.

 

[chrisjk]

What exhaust is that?

 

[crackandthump]

Nice looking beast. And not ott on the extras

But give it time. .....

 

[GB.]

I dumped the heated grips and fitted renthals, will run heated gloves off my jacket. I fitted a BMW power socket off my 1200 to run the heated clothing and mounted the wireless controller in the bark busters. It's a Leo V exhaust.

 

[chrisjk]

You might struggle to power a jacket and gloves. I fitted a Vision X light to my Xcountry and put a switch in the stock headlight circuit so that I can save enough watts to run just a jacket and heated grips.

 

[GB.]

Yeah, I had thought about the low output alternator. Rode it today with my jacket set on 105w and it was ok, I can drop the powerlet jacket down to 65w if necessary and the gloves will draw less than the grips.

 

[Twintec]

Looks a nice bike GB. Glad it's come together so well.

 

[GB.]

Wanted something significantly lighter and not orange so this was the only option and I can keep my t-shirts.

 

[mhsnowy]

If you change the exhaust it's worth fitting a unifilter setup as the bike runs so much better. They run very lean from new in standard trim and replacing the exhaust only will only make things worse. I was told this when I had mine dyno'd.

 

[GB.]

I have changed the filter on it. By the look of the exhaust etc it looks a bit rich, which surprised me as all my other BMWs have ran lean like you say.