Top 5 mods for a 1200 GS

[Wapping]

When I owned mine I only found five things of any real significant advantage:

1. A foot enlarger, to stop the bike sinking into soft ground and hot tarmac, as it saves you grovelling around for a soft drink tin to crush. Do have in mind that enlarging the area of the sidestand's foot will mean that you have to lift the bike higher towards the vertical in order to retract the stand, some people struggle lifting the bike already without adding to their troubles.

2. Ohlins suspension, front and rear, only after the original manufacturer's offering wore out at roughly 26,000 miles. It doesn't have to be Ohlins, any half decent suspension will do. There are also bods offering a rebuild service for the OM suspension, a service that was not available a few years ago.

3. A Mudsling, as much to protect the exposed piston (the spring doesn't matter) of the Ohlins suspension as anything else.

4. Muffs, for cold weather riding.

5. A Sargent seat; some don't like them, some do. Some find them too expensive, some don't.

 

[Zach]

great advice as usual!

Thanks for all the replies ....now i need to get selling stuff from the garage to fund changes!

 

[(RIP) Miff]

Depending on your budget/money situation/how tight you are..

An £18 piece of sheeps fleece from lambland.co.uk is a fantastic mod for a comfy seat. I haven't tried a Sargent seat, but I'm in the "cheap mods" camp..... You need to add the elastic fastening yourself.

 

[Neil W]

Suspension and tyres first then an Airhawk , more power only after you make sure it handles well and you can ride it for more than 100 miles without pain

 

[Davey B]

Presuming you have the standard stuff like Luggage, Fog lights and Crash bars:

Crud catcher
Mudsling
Sargent seat
Wilber's/Ohlins
Remap
Bigfoot for side stand

Oi...5 goodies not 6!

 

[oldnfat]

Oi...5 goodies not 6!

That's the trouble...limiting yourself to 5 is just too much of a struggle for some (me) but I like Miffs shout of the fleece....might give it a try as I can't afford the £300 for a new seat.

 

[Pukmeister]

Oi...5 goodies not 6!

Rumbled!!

 

[Sven-E]

Interesting lists. Missing one small bit that almost every GS has, protector for the sensor on the left hand injector. The sensor sits very close to your boot and if you break it off, you're stranded. Maybe it's not on any of the lists because it is cheap and obvious...

 

[Myke Rocks]

Most common mods:

Grinding left hand rocker cover on ground.
Grinding right hand rocker cover on ground.
Putting bumper shaped dent in front wheel.
Bending/breaking forks at the same time.
Getting nicely coloured/cracked perspex by splashing petrol on it.
Myke

 

[Bounce]

As some of the chaps have said, assuming you have luggage, engine bars etc, the 5 useful mods I've made are (in no particular order):

Hooton Crud Catcher
Mud Sling
Les Wassall's magnificent HiD's (dipped, main & aux lights)
Fork Guards
A series of protection items for oil cooler, light unit, lambda sensors, throttle pot, fuel lines etc

Am seriously thinking of a Hilltop Re-map next year.

 

[(RIP) Arkwright]

1. Les Wassall's 50W HiDs
2. Remus decat System
3. Hyperpro suspension
4. Sargent seats
5. Hooton Crud protection

 

[(RIP) Miff]

My top 5 CHEAP mods (yes, I know I've listed some earlier)...

1. Replace the BMW roundel badges with SAAB badges to confuse the old codgers that seem to appear out of nowhere when you park up. You could use Skoda ones instead. Less than £5 from ebay
2. Piece of sheepskin on the seat. Lots more comfy than the OE seat. From Lambland, was £10, now £18, so a bit pricey now. But you get instant McGregor points especially if you have the right story to go with it*
3. Cheap string of LEDs around the headlight for that LC look. £1.99 form china via ebay. Why spend over £13k when you can get the same look for a lot less
4. UKGSer decal so people know you are a tosser. £6 I think. Or you could make your own for less.
5. Instead of a Camel Toe or similar, get one of those plastic foot thingys and carry it in your pocket. It won't ground out when cornering and only costs £1.99 from ebay (again).

*I tell people that it's from when I happened across a group of Nomads in the desert. I was the first white person they had ever met, so they killed a sheep in my honour. Either that, Or I tell them it's roadkill from when I crashed into a spaz chariot and nicked the seatcover.

 

[Wapping]

Hot tip no. 318 (part of an occasional series)

Re. Plastic foot thingy....

Drill a hole in it and thread a length of string through. Use string to pull the plastic foot thingy up when mounted on your steed.

 

[JayC]

...or get one of these!

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?303112-Sidestand-Hoof-!&highlight=hoof

 

[Bendy toy]

A camel toe isnt thick enough to sort out the short side stand though with longer bolts could trap a hockey puck. The solid rubber puck on its own will eventually tear at the bolt holes.

Best mod for me was the Givi AF-330 screen. I also like the Touratech head protectors and sump protector. Pure bling but hey. Another mod on my list is a set of powerful LED spotlamps to sort out the useless main beam. Dips is fine especially with the GSA fog lamps but main beam is simply crap.

2nd best mod was a standard GS height Kahedo rider's seat. The Sargent was too wide for me and standard GSA just a bit too tall.

Suspension is adequate so some WIlbers are also on my list when the standard units fail.

I already have an Akraprovic exhaust system which is also pure bling until I get the Hilltop remap done.

 

[Delboy777]

My top five would be Mudsling, Les Wassel HID full kit with FF50s, Rox anti vibe risers Kahedo low seat (because im a short arse) and last but not least Throttle sensor protectors. Now what about the other fifteen mods ive done ? lol.

 

[Wapping]

...or get one of these!

Nicely made and well presented

 

[Jon P]

BMW make an incredible range of accessories - I figure if they don't make it then you probably don't need it.