Hey fellow adv. riders I was curious how many of you do any modifications to your GS's ie airfilter, exhaust etc... ? Or simply stick to perfection and run stock? If you do modify what and why do you? Thanks Sorry "BMW builds them" I'm grammatically retarded
Remus silencer, for looks only, not for performance because I found the full Remus system (including headers) a bit too loud. Although some will claim replacing the muffler will improve the performance, I feel certain that replacing only the cannister and not the entire system does nothing but change the "look" not the performance.
I didn't bother doing anything in the engine performance area. I don't know anyone who honestly uses every last drop of their bike and "needs" a few more horses. Suspension mods, on the other hand, get the full go-ahead.
Touratech has built a successful business on modifications, but not of the performance kind.. just everything else.
Full Staintune exhaust and "Blue" air filter. !7" front wheel and a wider rear wheel and Conti RA tires. Ohlins are on order. Flow- Jet windshield replacement for cleaner air to the helmet. Exhaust adds at the top but takes away a little low/mid range. On my R12RT a header/cat elmination w/ stock can added some performance w/o the losses. ( Butt dyno only)
I put my money into suspension. I'm pretty happy with the motor, but the stock suspension cried out for help. "Performance" can have various meanings, of course.
Dyno runs confirm that spend'n big $'s gives little HP gains with Oil Heads. Most pipe/chip changes are made for looks, sound, weight or smooth'n out the power band. Suspension $'s, on the other hand, give big rewards
Full Remus system. When Dynojet get their act together and produce one, I'll have a Power Commander and a custom map for the 1200. When I have the disposable, I'll spring for an Ohlins front and rear.
On my 1150GS, I run a Y-pipe with stock muffler to replace the cat. Not for performance, simply to stop being cooked by the cat in traffic.
Thanks for posting guys. Professionally I am trying to get a feel for what GS riders are doing as well as personally for my incoming GS. The company I work for has a project commissioned by a European company to start playing around with timing on the GS's. The fellows across the pond say around 15 hp gain we will see.
There are some gains to be had for no bucks. Just by tweaking the settings and adjustments you can get a 5 to 10% increase in HP and torque. But even more gratifying is the bike will run better, with less vibration, pick up 'R's faster and start easier (and other nifty improvements). The only way you'll see any of this is if you do it yourself... Well perhaps there is a pro wrench out there who can dial it all in. JJ
My last bike had so much more power than the 1200gs that it's easy to desire improvements in HP. But suspension is #1. A wilber's upgrade will be my first major mod.
Was your last bike a Ducati? Hopefully not an 1150GS! otherwise you have a lemon...there is no comparison.
Suspension is the biggest and best thing you can do to improve a bike, there are plenty of bikes out there with pipes and crap but stock shocks. Once they get dialled in and run in, makes all the differeance. I would dearly love some Ohlins but cant fit them into the budget now or soon. I am running stock shocks and they work but I know that they are not the best. Hay Ewe - Nice springs
Ohlins F&R Z-Technik can for weight loss. I always concentrate my mods on suspension as it seems to yield the best bang for the buck.
It was a 2003 FZ1. It comes with 127 HP at the wheel in it's stock form, and can be pumped up to 140 HP with a few changes.
The problem with supposed HP performance mods like aftermarket exhausts and ECUs is that they generally yield marginal increases in performance for considerable cost. I've gone that route on previous bikes...no more. I've become very stingey with my greenbacks. Unless some significant functional improvement is provided by a farkle, performance or otherwise, the bike stays stock.