R1100GS Farkles

[Little Toe]

Hi guys and girls,
My name is Shaun and about a month ago I brought my first BMW, a 1997 R1100GS.

My previous bike was a Hayabusa which I had extensively farkled to make it into a comfortable LD bike, and on that bike I was able to join the Iron Butt Association, having done two SaddleSore 1000's and a SaddleSore 2000.
Farkles inclused HID hights, spot lights, auxiliary fuel tank, heated grips, Audiovox cruise control, Renthal bar and top yoke conversion, Airhawk seat and numerous other stuff.

Whilst the power was great, (in Germany averaged 150mph over 300 miles going from Munich to Berlin!) the bike always felt a bit small (I'm 6ft tall) and no matter how much I adjusted the front suspension, I could never get the front end set up so I could feel what it was doing.


Anyway, I was entered in for the Brit Butt Rally this year and being no stranger to farkles, I set about adding the following farkles to the GS.
17 litre auxiliary fuel tank, fog lights, spot lights, Airhawk seat, twin GPS's, Amplirider and a Laminar screen

The fog lights are wired via the side lights and the spots via the main beam and can be switched on/off via these two switches...

I made my own light bar...

And this is the result...

The auxiliary fuel tank took a week to make, including getting it powder coated and I finished it the night before the Brit Butt Rally. The auxiliary fuel tank is plumbed into the lefthand side of the main fuel tank and I added a cross over link so that fuel can flow to the righthand side of the tank...

All loaded up ready for the rally...

Cockpit view....

and some Scottish midges I picked up during the rally...

For more info on the my rally, have a look here...http://www.ironbutt.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4794&PN=1

Cheers
Shaun
IBA #40051

 

[Vern]

Hi Shaun,and welcome to the site.

I think you need lots more knobs and buttons on that,but being as you've only had it a short time,I'll forgive you

 

[Canuck]

May I ask why so many GPS's and other bits and bobs?

 

[elevensies]

lots of space to fill with bits and bobs

 

[RichGSer]

Brit butt rally

Hi guys and girls,
My name is Shaun and about a month ago I brought my first BMW, a 1997 R1100GS.

My previous bike was a Hayabusa which I had extensively farkled to make it into a comfortable LD bike, and on that bike I was able to join the Iron Butt Association, having done two SaddleSore 1000's and a SaddleSore 2000.
Farkles inclused HID hights, spot lights, auxiliary fuel tank, heated grips, Audiovox cruise control, Renthal bar and top yoke conversion, Airhawk seat and numerous other stuff.

Whilst the power was great, (in Germany averaged 150mph over 300 miles going from Munich to Berlin!) the bike always felt a bit small (I'm 6ft tall) and no matter how much I adjusted the front suspension, I could never get the front end set up so I could feel what it was doing.


Anyway, I was entered in for the Brit Butt Rally this year and being no stranger to farkles, I set about adding the following farkles to the GS.
17 litre auxiliary fuel tank, fog lights, spot lights, Airhawk seat, twin GPS's, Amplirider and a Laminar screen

The fog lights are wired via the side lights and the spots via the main beam and can be switched on/off via these two switches...

I made my own light bar...

And this is the result...

The auxiliary fuel tank took a week to make, including getting it powder coated and I finished it the night before the Brit Butt Rally. The auxiliary fuel tank is plumbed into the lefthand side of the main fuel tank and I added a cross over link so that fuel can flow to the righthand side of the tank...

All loaded up ready for the rally...

Cockpit view....

and some Scottish midges I picked up during the rally...

For more info on the my rally, have a look here...http://www.ironbutt.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4794&PN=1

Cheers
Shaun
IBA #40051

Welcome, enjoyed every line of yr report good luck for next year

Rick 1150 GS

 

[Flintlock]

Nice one Shaun-i too have a 97 1100gs and love it, and i aslo had a wee taste of an iron butt rally here in N. Ireland it was a great day out-might get round to doing another one some day. Re taking photos- i used a gorilla pod-great wee bit of kit-recommended-you can get them in a good outdoor shop.


P.S that Busa looked a serious bit of kit

 

[Henry Mawson]

Welcome Shaun,

That, is a serious peice of kit my friend- excellent!!
Henry

 

[Little Toe]

May I ask why so many GPS's and other bits and bobs?

Hi - I use the Zumo 550 to do the route planning and navigation to the next waypoint/bonus and use the second one to monitor my average speed and ETA back to the finish. I also programme both GPS's with the same waypoints, so if one fails, I've got a backup, as I don't use paper maps at all.

With regard to the other bits and bobs - I keep the fog lights on 100% of the time, helps cagers see me and the spots help out at night as the standard H4 bulb isn't the best set up in the world.

The mirror on the top of the screen has multiple uses, use as a blindspot mirror on motorways, helicopter spotter when making "progress" and finally for viewing myself whilst riding so I can under zips in my HG jacket for ventilation and finding the mouth piece of my camelback, which invariably is flapping around somewhere

hmmm what else???.......oh yeah, the Airhawk is extremely comfortable, I rode 1300+ miles and was sat on the bike for 30 - and when I'd finished the Brit Butt Rally I had no aches or pains - so I reckon I've finally found a bike that fits me

Cheers
Shaun
IBA #40051

 

[essjay]

Top bikes alright. I've had an 1150GSA, test rode a 1200GSA but I still prefer my 1100GS. Engine can be rough as a badgers hole sometimes but sure that's what makes the bike!

Some nice toys on it alright. Never thought of the mirror. Good idea. I have a Sargent Seat on the GS and find that I don't need an Airhawk as they are so comfy. Expensive mind.... That might all change when I try my own IBA ride though as the most I've done on one ride is around 400 miles.

You're right - the H4 is brutal. I swapped mine for a 50w HID H4-2 kit from vvme.com. Something like £53 delivered for two bulbs and ballasts. Use one and sell the other. They make some difference!

 

[Littledumptruck]

Welcome, and yes, awesome bikes, but I reckon the reason you couldn't get the front end of the Busa right, is becuase of whats hanging off the back end!! Jeez, thats loaded well beyond what a Busa is supposed to be able to carry, hopefully you had a steel subframe.

 

[Wrigsby1]

Welcome, and yes, awesome bikes, but I reckon the reason you couldn't get the front end of the Busa right, is becuase of whats hanging off the back end!! Jeez, thats loaded well beyond what a Busa is supposed to be able to carry, hopefully you had a steel subframe.

Beat me too it

Helluva set up! I was going to say why all the luggage if you never stop... and WTF do you do at stops with all the electronikery to protect but I answered with the 1st Q... You never stop!

I have done 750+ in a day but not competitively...

 

[g.s.john]

like the aux tank welcome to the site BTW

 

[Little Toe]

Welcome, and yes, awesome bikes, but I reckon the reason you couldn't get the front end of the Busa right, is becuase of whats hanging off the back end!! Jeez, thats loaded well beyond what a Busa is supposed to be able to carry, hopefully you had a steel subframe.

The 2005 models did have a steel subframe - so no worries there !

Beat me too it

Helluva set up! I was going to say why all the luggage if you never stop... and WTF do you do at stops with all the electronikery to protect but I answered with the 1st Q... You never stop!

I have done 750+ in a day but not competitively...

I didn't ride with all the luggage when doing IBA runs, just the top box. The side panniers where used when I went camping. When leaving the bike unattended, other than at fuel stops, both GPS's would be removed and locked in the top box.

Cheers
Shaun
IBA # 40051

 

[Little Toe]

like the aux tank welcome to the site BTW

Glad you like the aux fuel tank - I make them in my spare time, done four now, the 'busa, my R1100GS, a R1150GS and a Yamaha XVS1900 - costs vary between £400 and £650, depending on design etc.

Cheeers
Shaun
IBA # 40051

 

[essjay]

Glad you like the aux fuel tank - I make them in my spare time, done four now, the 'busa, my R1100GS, a R1150GS and a Yamaha XVS1900 - costs vary between £400 and £650, depending on design etc.

Cheeers
Shaun
IBA # 40051

I think this is another tank Little Toe made

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=218905