Touratech USA - The Original Adventure Motorcycle Equipment

We have an estimated arrival of Jan 1, 2013 for Husky TR650 parts.
We'll keep you updated as soon as we have new info.
Thanks, TT

Yo. What say you about dis?

In this episode of Moto Americana the Curbsyde Productions team embarks on an off-road route between the Mojave National Preserve and Joshua Tree National Park.

The road, which is covered in thick sand, leads the team into the volcanic hills outside of Mojave before opening up into the valley below. And although the road surface is difficult, it is far from the worst of what the team will have to overcome in this episode!

Moto Americana: Deserts is an exclusive web series available on Touratech-USA's YouTube channel: http://2rtec.us/MADplaylist

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Sorry we didn't respond quicker but Matt tested this with room temperature water and filled each container.
Here is the result:

In the Touratech-USA lunchroom/test lab I measured out exactly 2 Liters of room temperature tap water. The 2L fuel canister is labeled on the side "MAX 2L." 2 Liters filled it up to the base of the filler neck. This canister is made out of very thick plastic with little flex to it. It is pretty apparent that it can safely hold 2 liters, but no more.

Next I measured out exactly 3 liters of room temperature water and poured it into the Touratech 3 Liter fuel can. On this can there is a Max level embossed on the side. 3 liters of water filled it to this level. This would be the safe fill level of the canister. Just out of curiosity, I filled the can to the base of the filler neck, and it took an extra 500ml of water, making the total capacity 3.5 Liters, although we would never recommend anyone fill it to that level due to the expansion of fuel when warm.

Seattle, WA &#8211; (November 8, 2012) Touratech spoons on knobby tires and puts the Super Ténéré to the test. After more than 700 miles of off-road riding across the state of Colorado, Touratech has released a video highlighting the versatility of Yamaha&#8217;s new Super Ténéré XT1200Z.


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In August of 2012, Paul Guillien, Touratech-USA&#8217;s General Manager, rode a 2012 Yamaha Super Ténéré XT1200Z on the Colorado Backcountry Discovery Route (COBDR) expedition. Guillien, who rode the new Ténéré alongside several BMW GS's and KTM 990's, was unsure of how Yamaha&#8217;s twin cylinder, 1200cc motorcycle would perform on dirt. However, the COBDR proved to be an excellent test ground, as Guillien was required to traverse a wide variety of terrain while he and the BDR team crossed the state of Colorado. In addition to establishing the new Backcountry Discovery Route, the COBDR expedition was an opportunity for Touratech to learn more about how Yamaha&#8217;s new ADV motorcycle performs on an off-road expedition.

"I wanted to be able to tell our customers whether the Super Ténéré is truly a capable adventure motorcycle, as well as what it was like to ride the bike off-road for more than 700 miles, and I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised." - Paul Guillien, General Manager, Touratech USA

Although the Anti-lock Braking System cannot be shut off on the bike, not once in the 750-mile trip did Paul feel as though he needed to disable it. "The brakes were always there,&#8221; says Guillien, &#8220;It digs down through the gravel and stops." Additionally, Paul found that the first traction control setting, which fully limits wheel spin, as well as the second which allows a small amount of wheel spin, were optimal for most of the COBDR expedition. "There are a lot of steep gravel corners and you're able to give it as much throttle as you need and it&#8217;ll meter out the power to keep the back end behind you," Guillien explains, "I kind of like the insurance policy of having [traction control] on there, you can really ride aggressively without having to worry about losing your back end."
Back on the street, Guillien finds the Yamaha Super Ténéré well-suited for an exciting ride. &#8220;The bike was a blast. It was so much fun on the street. It's got a low center of gravity and is very nimble. It's definitely got a little bit of sport bike DNA.&#8221;
So what&#8217;s the verdict? &#8220;Well, it's not the ultimate BDR machine,&#8221; Guillien admits, &#8220;but it&#8217;s something that's very fun on dirt, and works well when riding two-up or street touring.&#8221; And can it handle the Backcountry Discovery Route? &#8220;Heck yes,&#8221; says Paul. &#8220;It's totally capable and you can have a lot of fun on the bike, just like I did on this trip."

Shortcomings:
Heavier than a GS, but lighter than a GS Adventure
Radiators are vulnerable
Lower clearance

Strengths:
Traction control works well
Good for two-up riding
Great on the street
Suspension better than expected
Off-pavement capable

Click HERE to see Touratech&#8217;s Bike Build blog for the Yamaha Super Ténéré XT1200Z.

Awesome reply. I really appreciate the follow up and will order one soon.

Am I reading between the lines correctly in that the 2l is a tougher container that the 3l?

Thanks & enjoy! TT

Here are the fuel canister links if others wish to take a look at these.
2L = 0.53G
3L = 0.79G (3.5L = 0.92G)
Thanks TT

My connection is dicey--- could you follow up on the durability question I added to my post? Thanks!

From Matt:


The 3L thickness is the same as you'd find with any other fuel can. Plenty thick and strong, but there is some flex to it, so it expands along with the fuel.

The 2L can is quite thick with very little flex to it. I'd say they're both very "tough" though.

Pre-order the new COBDR DVD

Touratech is celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday by offering free ground shipping on all orders within the contiguous U.S.

This offer is valid from Thursday, November 22nd through Monday, November 26th. Additionally, our Seattle showroom will be closed this Thursday and Friday in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.


We hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

http://www.touratech-usa.com/Adventure/Blog/wcVnQF/Touratech-USA-Thanksgiving-Special

Seattle, WA &#8211; (November 20, 2012) With the start of this year&#8217;s GS Trophy only a few days away, Touratech is proud to announce that it has been selected to outfit 45 BMW F800GS motorcycles with the necessary protection items to ensure that the fleet survives the rigors of this year&#8217;s GS event. The 2012 GS Trophy will see riders from 19 nations compete in a week of adventure riding and teamwork challenges set against the beautiful backdrop of Patagonia. The competitors, organized into 15 international teams, will ride more than 2,000 km over the course of seven days, almost all of which will be off-road.

To prepare BMW Motorrad&#8217;s large fleet of F800GS&#8217; ahead of this year&#8217;s GS Trophy, Touratech installed an Expedition Skid Plate, Expedition Crash Bars, Upper Crash Bars, Quick Release Stainless Steel Headlight Guard and Hand Guards on each bike
&#8220;Of course these bikes are made for off-road riding, but with regard to the tough conditions in South America we have added a few parts to give increased protection. These include crash bars, skid plate, wider foot-pegs with additional grip etc. Also all bikes are being fitted with Metzeler Karoo off-road tires, which are perfect for the conditions participants will encounter.&#8221;
- Herbert Schwarz, CEO, Touratech

The start and finish of the 2012 GS Trophy will be just outside the city of Temuco in the Araucanía Regionof southern Chile. The 2,000 km loop will take the competitors into Argentina and back again, however the exact itinerary and details of the tasks and challenges will remain a well-guarded secret until the start of the Trophy.

Here are a few of the Touratech protection highlights on the BMW Motorrad F800GS motorcycles being used in this year&#8217;s GS Trophy:

Expedition Skid Plate - $329.95
Made of 4mm thick aluminum alloy, Touratech&#8217;s Expedition Skid Plate is designed to provide maximum protection from hard hits on rocks, stumps, or bottoming the bike off-road. The folded ridges give the aluminum material the highest level of rigidity while also maintaining the most ground clearance possible for this adventure machine.

The F800GS skid plate is mounted using six attachment points on a stainless steel base plate. This thick base-plate is engineered to distribute the force of an impact over a larger area of the engine.Two plastic sliders attached to the underside of the skid plate prevent mud and dirt buildup and protect the mounting bolt heads from impact. The plastic sliders, which are removable, look great and help the big bike slide over rocks and stumps when riding off road.
This skid plate is also designed to protect the BMW F800GS&#8217; vulnerable front-mounted oil filter and cooler. It extends upward in front to provide full coverage to these two vital components, offering protection from rock and debris impacts from the front tire.

Expedition Crash Bars - $275.95
The parallel-twin engine is the heart of the BMW F800GS or F700GS. The new Expedition Crash Bars from Touratech give it the protection that it deserves. The design and engineering team at Touratech put countless hours of design, development, and real-life testing into the Expedition crash bars to ensure that they are the strongest, longest lasting, and best looking F800GS protection bars on the market.
Made of heavy duty one-inch diameter stainless steel tubing, these bars maintain the slender profile of the BMW GS while providing critical protection. All mounting points are specially engineered to absorb or divert the impact force away from the vital parts of your motorcycle's engine and frame.

Upper Crash Bars - $294.50
Touratech Upper Crash Bars offer the most protection for the BMW F800GS or F700GS because they are designed to take the impact of a fall and transfer the forces effectively around the motorcycle.
Fairing, radiator, and front fork repair is expensive and can put an end to a great trip. Touratech's upper crash bars give the F800GS or F700GS the protection it needs to go the distance.
The heavy-duty one inch stainless steel tubing and tig welded construction offers superior strength and maximum protection. These stainless steel upper crash bars won&#8217;t rust and will remain corrosion free and looking great on even the most serious adventure expedition. Additionally, the crash bars fit both the stock BMW engine crash bars and the Touratech Expedition Crash Bars.

Quick-Release Stainless Steel Headlight Guard - $122.60
The Touratech quick-release headlight guard provides rugged protection for the BMW F800GS and F650GS twin, while allowing the rider to quickly remove the guard for cleaning of dust and dirt which will keep the headlight beam bright.
Touratech headlight guards are laser cut from the highest quality stainless steel, then powder-coated black for a tough and good looking finish. The grid pattern of the headlight guard allows ample light to pass through, but not the large rocks and debris thrown by passing riders or cars. The stainless steel construction is strong enough to withstand the hardest hits and save you from costly repairs to the expensive headlight assembly.

Touratech Works Footpegs - $196.30
A wide platform, good grip, and high ground clearance make the Works footpeg a great choice for both street and off road touring on the BMW GS motorcycle. The serrated claw design of the peg has plenty of grip for off-road riding, but the teeth are rounded on top so they won't tear up nice touring boots. The 2 inch wide pegs offer stability when standing up on the pegs and support when sitting down on the street.
The low profile design of the pegs allow more ground clearance than most other aftermarket footpegs. The chamfered bottom edge provides more clearance for ruts, rocks and stumps when riding off road. Their bright stainless steel finish with laser inscription will stay looking nice for as long as they're mounted on the GS.

Follow this link to learn more about the 2012 GS Trophy:
http://www.bmw-motorrad.com/com/en/fascination/gs_trophy/gs_trophy_2012/gs_trophy_main.htm

Cyber Monday Special: Receive a free 'Made For Adventure' pint glass, as well as free ground shipping (limited to the lower 48 states) on all orders placed today, Monday, November 26th! No promo code necessary. Offer expires at midnight.

Here are the highlights from the first day of this year's GS Trophy.

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Right now I just want the pint glass as I collect them

Those are available.
http://www.touratech-usa.com/Store/PN-TT-PINT/Touratech-Pint-Glass

Here are highlights from day two of this year's GS Trophy.

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Moto Americana: Deserts, Part two of Berglund's Demise.

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Seattle, WA &#8211; (November 29, 2012) Paul Guillien, Touratech-USA&#8217;s General Manager, shares his thoughts on BMW&#8217;s updated mid-weight adventure bike, the 2013 F800GS.



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Having ridden nearly every adventure bike on the market, both on and off-road, Guillien is able to provide a unique perspective on BMW&#8217;s updated F800GS. &#8220;I&#8217;ve spent the bulk of my time adventure riding on this motorcycle,&#8221; said Guillien, &#8220;I&#8217;ve logged about 10,000 miles, half of which were off-road on a 2009 F800GS and I am really excited to test the new 2013 F800GS.&#8221;

&#8220;The F800GS was the first mid-weight adventure motorcycle,&#8221; says Guillien. &#8220;Prior to its arrival, your only options were 650 singles and 1200cc twin cylinder bikes, but this was the first parallel twin 800cc motorcycle on the market and really created a new category.&#8221; The benefit of a mid-weight motorcycle, Guillien says, &#8220;is that you still have really good power but the bike is a lot easier to manage, it&#8217;s easier to turn around and it&#8217;s a lot easier to get off of the side stand, which makes it a really good fit for a lot of people.&#8221;

For 2013, BMW Motorrad added a handful of new features to the F800GS, one of them is their ESA suspension system. &#8220;They&#8217;ve added dampening in the rear shock,&#8221; said Guillien, &#8220;there&#8217;s nothing in place in the front fork, but the rear has three different settings for dampening - there&#8217;s a normal mode, a comfort mode and a sport mode, which you use for off-road or aggressive riding.&#8221;

One of the other new features on the 2013 F800GS is a traction control system. &#8220;There&#8217;s a switch that allows you to turn the traction control on and off. When you leave it on it basically cuts the ignition whenever the rear tire is spinning, which keeps the tire from rotating when you don&#8217;t want it to and helps to keep the back of the motorcycle behind you,&#8221; said Guillien.

Because the F800GS has long -travel suspension, one of the features Guillien feels makes the F800GS such a great bike off-road, some people, however, feel that it&#8217;s a little too tall. So for 2013 BMW is offering a lowered version of the F800GS, which, according to Guillien &#8220;is great because it allows more people to have both feet on the ground and be comfortable.&#8221; However, if you have an F800GS that is older than 2013, Touratech offers a lowering kit which decreases the seat height of the older model bikes.

&#8220;One of my favorite features of the F800GS is the transmission,&#8221; said Guillien. &#8220;It&#8217;s got a really quick shifting, dirt bike feel to the six-speed gearbox, and I was relieved when I rode the 2013 model and found that they hadn&#8217;t changed that.&#8221;

Another feature found on the F800GS that Guillien feels is essential for off-road riding and adventure touring is the 21&#8221; front wheel. &#8220;For me it&#8217;s a lot more fun to ride off-road,&#8221; Guillien said, &#8220;because you can go a little faster, you can go on more interesting off-road terrain, you can actually ride on Jeep trails and things with water crossings and washouts and you can just really have a lot more fun on a bike with a bigger front wheel and taller suspension.&#8221;

When asked what his overall impression of the updated F800GS, Guillien replied; &#8220;I really like the 2013 bike, it retained all of the things I liked about the older model, but they improved the suspension which was my biggest complaint, so I think that BMW did a good job addressing its weaknesses; they&#8217;ve fixed it, they&#8217;ve made it a better motorcycle and it continues to be my favorite bike.&#8221;


For a look at all of the Touratech accessories available for the F800GS, click here:
http://www.touratech-usa.com/Store/293/BMW-F800GS-Parts-Accessories