X-Challenge - Accessories/Farkles

[SteveRed]

Originally Posted by shardzero

He Steve Red, so the Australian Ohlins will be different? What issues are there with bottoming out on the US shock? What price were you quoted for the Ohlins PDS part.

Ye.. Steve Cramer was quite insistant that the shock they are building will be a far better shock than the US component. I was quoted AUD$1850 for the Touratech shock which I am told is the Ohlins 633 (read basic!) and the PDS part will sell for AUD$1589.

Steve, please - we need photos, photos, photos!

Ye,Ye.. I will take some snaps this weekend. I have so much stuff to put on the bike but have been running it stock waiting for my bloody pipe from Germany. I wanted to pull the bike down and rebuild it with the new tank, radiator guard, handlebar risers... I'm even thinking of wrapping the header pipe to protect my inside leg! Looks like I will be busy after Christmas when I get the new seat and rims from Woody

[Olas]

Has anyone run any extra electrics using their battery on the xchallenge? I'm thinking about some heated gloves but have heard in another forum that the charging system just can't handle it.

[GB]

The charging system puts out 280 watts, you should be able to run 1 heated vest OR heated grips and be ok. There's a built in voltmeter in the display so you can keep an eye on the state of the battery, turn off the heated vest when riding in stop and go or going slow, and turn it on at higher engine RPM's.

[FlyingFinn]

I ran heated vest last weekend while riding the XC between Phoenix - Tucson - Phoenix. No problems what so ever, didn't even lower the indicated battery voltage.
Might be different story during extended low-RPM smell-the-roses trail riding, I only used the vest when on the super slab.
As soon as I hit the trails being cold was not a problem anynmore :-)

--
Mikko

[PacWestGS]

Just got off the phone with Kyle Racing and asked the question: is the BM633 for the X-Moto the same BM633 for the XCH?

No, (From Ohlins direct)

The shock body and externals are the same, the internals are completely beefed up, with lots of internal changes in shaft length (16mm shorter), valves, spacers and bushings. It's built for abuse...

I don't why they just refer to it as the "Modified" BM633, but it is a different shock from the BMW factory one used on the X-Moto.

Just thought you'd like to know.

Oh by the way, mine should be here in time for unwrapping under the Christmas Tree.

This race prep stuff is fun, but damn is it getting expensive

[bigborefan]

Originally Posted by gaspipe

Pac,

I'm building this bike to take me into the remote places of South America for next winter. It's not going to be a race bike, but a more off an offroad touring buildup. A "poorman's" Touratech ride, but with long travel and plush suspension.......

I'm in the front fork now, working on adapting a set of long travel 45mm Shivers in place of the 45's on there now. Woody's is building me a superlaced Sun rim for the front. I'll do a rear before I go.

Between that Shiver fork and the Ohlins shock, I'm at 39+ inches of seat height I'll be like Gaston Rahier.

Scotts damper.

I have a full Remus exhaust on there now. It's a bit loud - louder than I would want to ride in the USA, expecially in forest lands. I need to re-evaluate the exhaust. Nice and snappy, though. The goal here isn't anything other than getting rid of the heat source of the convertor.

I swapped over to a cleanable foam air filter rig. Paper is good, but tough to clean or replace.

Gas is still the big question. I have a few ideas on how to get the 300+ mile range I'd like to have for SA. I might make a right rear tank like Max's, and also an integrated rack/tank for the rear. My hope is to get 22+ liters total. I have lots of time to work that out.

The OE seat seems good enough for me. I might chat with James about an all vinyl seat though, since I'll be living on this thing for 8-10 weeks.

The clutch lever/perch will be replaced with an ASV for strength (I do crash from time to time ). I'll have an extra clutch and throttle cable zip tied in place.

I defeated the lawyer approved clutch and sidestand switches. The OE rear fender has been hacked, turn signals relocated, and plate mount moved.

I think I'm going to use Moose handguards and Emig HD handlebar clamps on the bars. I like the bend of the OE Maguras - they are just liek the bars on the Super Enduro.

No heated grips or any of that stuff. I'm not sure the OE stator has a lot to give after powering the ignition, lights and fuel pump.

I adapted an MSR roadbook mount to hold the GPS.

I am not a fan of hard bags for offroad riding, so as usual, I'll fab some mild steel hoops to accomodate my Dirtbagz or some of Wolfman's Expedition bags for the big ride. The Wolfy Enduro tankbag and tank panniers will also work nicely. If it doesn't fit in that much capacity, it's not coming. I guarantee I'll give some stuff away as I go - if I don't use it often, I do without altogether.

There are a bunch of other small details to work out.

Anyway, I'll post up pics in a thread and/or here when I am finalizing assembly and know what works and what I don't like, or I totally FUBAR'd. I'm thinking about taking a ~3k mile run through some ugly roads I know in Mexico in Feb/Mar to 'field test' it.

A "poormans" TT ride. I don't know you GasPipe, but if you are poor, then I must be dirt poor.... or poorer than dirt poor, whatever that is....

How does the XC compare to a 640 ADV in your opinion? The XC is very interesting to me.

Motion Pro may be able to build you a nice clutch cable as well.

BigBore

[SteveRed]

Originally Posted by PacWestGS

Just got off the phone with Kyle Racing and asked the question: is the BM633 for the X-Moto the same BM633 for the XCH?

No, (From Ohlins direct)

The shock body and externals are the same, the internals are completely beefed up, with lots of internal changes in shaft length (16mm shorter), valves, spacers and bushings. It's built for abuse...

I don't why they just refer to it as the "Modified" BM633, but it is a different shock from the BMW factory one used on the X-Moto.

Just thought you'd like to know.

Oh by the way, mine should be here in time for unwrapping under the Christmas Tree.

This race prep stuff is fun, but damn is it getting expensive

Ye Pac... I still don't think it is a twin piston PDS component shock that they are now building, as I have been told that they have only built one of these to date! You might want to check on that if you are inclined to opt for an even beefier unit.

[SteveRed]

Here are some pics as promised of the SW Motech system...

[SteveRed]

Not yet on the bike...

[GB]

Thanks Steve!! Very good to see those farkles off the bike and installed. Maybe you can chronicle your TT tank along with the plumbing details in a new thread

[PacWestGS]

Originally Posted by SteveRed

Ye Pac... I still don't think it is a twin piston PDS component shock that they are now building, as I have been told that they have only built one of these to date! You might want to check on that if you are inclined to opt for an even beefier unit.

Yep, thanks Steve, I thought about that and then said, hey even if they improve on this one, I'll have tested and used it against the Air-shock. These guys (Kyle Racing) are very open about developing technology and tuning things like the XCH. If over the process of testing the bike and pre-running things the new shock becomes available, maybe before the race I'll have a chance to upgrade. I'm sure the one I'm getting can find a new home here. Someone would by a used Ohlins if it came available.

That's the beauty in a good (rebuildable) product.

It was you that made me ask the question, I was happy to see they weren't just changing the spring or running a different remote reservior on a shock built for a street bike. My understanding is they tweaked this unit for XCH, now lets see how it works...

[K2ride]

Some new farkles here including progressive fork springs:

http://www.wunderlich.de/bmwshop.php...e755a1999da252

Oh,
Let`s not forget the ultimate farkle that will get your X through thick & thin:

[SteveRed]

I am thinking of adding a Tool Tube or two (One on the sub-frame behind the fuel tank and possibly one in front of the sump-guard/bash plate) for carrying all my tools, inner tubes etc on long enduro rides. Has anyone had one of these on their bike? http://gtmoto.com/products.htm

[Matttys]

Originally Posted by SteveRed

Has anyone had one of these on their bike? http://gtmoto.com/products.htm

Please go make your own! For that price I had a buddy make me one out of aluminum. I've seen lots of people that are using PVC and hose clamps with success. Here's mine, but I would strongly suggest that you create something yourself.

[GB]

Steve,

The tool tube looks good, but it's going to take a beating if you install it in front of the bash plate. A lot of KLR riders have installed a similar tube for around $5 worth of black ABS drain pipe with screw on caps, does exactly the same thing, is very sturdy and doesn't look quite as nice, but costs next to nothing, and it's held in place by 2 stainless steel worm gear straps.