Project Overland Xchallenge

[IJGser]

After a long winter the project is finally starting to come together and the first finished fabrication (excluding last years rack) has arrived the bash plate

What do you think

This is how she started out in January 2012 phase one, to become mechanically sound.

Put back together but still cosmetically and practically standard

she passed the reliability tests with flying colours completing loads of lanes and a little rallying.

until the first 'long trip' when the feeble front shocks rebound failed and the seat reduced me to a uncomfortable whimpering girl

Loaded up like a pack horse travelling through spain i had the vision

Who needs the GS or a fast bike, on a small budget i could make this into my own specific duel sport bike. The GS was sold and the planing began No following the crowd or off the shelf and all within a sensible budget.

If it looked shit who cares, my specific use is the objective

Heres a taster

More to follow

Ian

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Looking good

 

[mikeyboy]

it will take a real man to pick it up with a full tank(counts you out)

 

[IJGser]

it will take a real man to pick it up with a full tank(counts you out)

Said the 'man' on a kermit the frog green Fuduro

 

[mikeyboy]

anybody that really has a clue knows that a funduro is the ultimate RTW bike.

 

[Losttheplot]

Who needs the GS or a fast bike, on a small budget i could make this into my own specific duel sport bike. The GS was sold and the planing began No following the crowd or off the shelf and all within a sensible budget.

If it looked shit who cares, my specific use is the objective

Ian

It's definitely a "less is more" philosophy isn't it?

My bike is also currently in bits, but i've had to use existing parts, as i don't have the time or patience for the R+D work that tends to go with home brewed kit.

What are you doing about the seat?

 

[IJGser]

Time and patients is certainly a issue especially when throwing a load of cash at it just isn't a option, luckily Mikeyboy is happy to accommodate and put up with my 'what if and can't we do that?' its the waiting for parts to turn up at the right price that grinds. I am still looking for a R1200GS headlight bracket, nearly £200 from BMW which sort of defeats going down that route

After much contemplation the seat has gone to Tony Archer. I looked at other options including Renazco USA who make some lovely seats for the Xch but the price was heading to £300 plus. I went to see Tony in person in the hope of him creating something unique but bar the materials and the height not causing me a problem its seems i was after much the same as other xch owners, So he is making some sort of saddle and finishing it in a mock suede in dark grey. The theory is it will give the grip of suede but wick away the water.

The rack was fitted last year along with a Aux powerpoint and heated vest hook up.

 

[IJGser]

Front Shocks

So upon returning from spain it was time to sort the broken front shocks. once it was established the rebound was fecked the parts were costed, to rebuild the original at BMW spec including a full refurbished came to close on £700 ...... a little searching sourced a pair of Marzocchi Shivers from a Gas Gas 450fse given a service and fitted with the Xch cast ends (painted black) the front end was now sorted...
KTM wheel nuts are fitted due to the excellent spanner/tyre leaver tool that don't come in a BMW size

Whilst the front ends was in bits i decide to address the bars, guards and grips
The bars are Renthal medium rise, Guards are Acerbis Multiplo

which where Superficially damaged on the first outing (peak district rock) but did the job..........so may be worth the cost

We also machined some risers using clamps from a funduro....

And finally the Heated grips, went for Symtec so as to use off road biased Renthal grips.

Gave it all a good test on Salisbury at Bakermans meet, i was more then happy winter was afoot so time to begin the fabrication which inevitably means being without the bike so Jan and feb is perfect timing.

Did a mock up of the headlight and screen this week using some borrowed parts and surprisingly i think it has potential not to look like a garden shed pig build

I have decided a new name for her, it's a GS650Xchallenge

 

[Inniswhe]

What is that screen from? Looks good, was it hard to fit and more importantly does it work to your satisfaction?

Sent from my GT-I9100M using Tapatalk 2

 

[mikeyboy]

the screen/mount and headlamp are all standard r1200gs,i fabricated some mounts to fit it all to the bike,the actual fabrication was fairly straightforward but it took a fair amount of sitting looking at it drinking tea and smoking tabs

 

[Inniswhe]

Can you post a side on shot, tours a great idea

Sent from my GT-I9100M using Tapatalk 2

 

[IJGser]

I have pictures of the fabricated mounts etc I will post them when I'm on my pc later.

 

[IJGser]

Ultimately i wanted to make night riding and long motorway runs a more enjoyable process and so needed a solution that wasn't too heavy or expensive (may have failed on that front ) it needed to incorporate some form of headlight protection and if possible look ok then i had the idea My old GS had always served me well in this regard and i still had the HID kit I ran the idea by Mikeyboy and to my surprise he was enthusiastic (I have a lot of blue sky thinking moments) he thought the F800GS unit maybe better suited but i felt the availability of parts and the tidy pre made bracket from the 12 was the way to go. We did discuss frame mounting but the ultimate lack of space round the head stock set Mike trying a fork mounted solution. The main concern with this where, a High speed weave or heavy steering Thankfully neither materialised and the Job was a success. All technical credit (fabrication, wiring etc) going to Mikeyboy

And now the pictures


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[john_aero]

now thats nice

any more overall pics with new setup

 

[rossi]

If you had asked I might have sold my hid projector set up but I was planning to hang onto it for my next bike. Looks good though.

 

[IJGser]

If you had asked I might have sold my hid projector set up but I was planning to hang onto it for my next bike. Looks good though.

HID projector is so 'off the shelf' i was looking to be original and achieve that ugly but beautiful GS feel.

 

[IJGser]

any more overall pics with new setup

Fitting the new shock tomorrow

 

[rocky burns]

Im liking the look of that

Still toying with the idea of getting rid of mine

 

[FERRET]

Might be interested if you do

 

[IJGser]

Might be interested if you do

Are we regretting something


I've been loving riding it with your xcountry wheels, really sharpens the road handling up (combined with now fully adjustable front shocks) and that's just on TKCs!