X-Challenge - Accessories/Farkles

[Geoffster]

Originally Posted by AZ-Twin

Not until you mentioned it, no.

So today I was supposed to go for a ride, but I got the days mixed up and thought my wife was taking her sister to the airport on Sunday, but it was today, so my boy and I spent the day in the shop. Better than riding, and I got something done you may be interested in.

Rob, your photos are excellent!

Please weld it together after you verify the position of the bracket. Yes, it shouldn't move, but swingarms shouldn't snap and Wunderlich windshield brackets shouldn't crack.

[gsstampeder]

Nice job AZ.....
How much separation did you leave between the header pipe and the waterhose? Any pics of that?

When does production start and how much?

[AZ-Twin]

Originally Posted by gsstampeder

Nice job AZ.....
How much separation did you leave between the header pipe and the waterhose? Any pics of that?

When does production start and how much?

Here you go, I can get my hand in there, so that should be enough. I still plan to do the header wrap thing.

As far as production goes, not me man, I can make one a day. Piece work was never my bag, that's why I work for the Government.

[AZ-Twin]

Originally Posted by Cruz

So, about the suspension and the Power Commander???

Tic Tic Tic Tic Tic Tic

Tomorrow my friend, tomorrow!

[bloochdog]

Bravo Dude

Banshee and I just wrenched up the LV cans… That LV hanger looks a little weak. Your idea to use existing brackets is great!

Keep the R&D up!

Maybe you can cut a section of tube in half of two-thirds and weld it to the tab end of your square tube . Just to distribute the weight better ,then use hose clamps to secure.

If you do decide to produce , please put me down for two.…

Good on you!

[AZ-Twin]

Originally Posted by bloochdog

Your idea to use existing brackets is great!

Keep the R&D up!

Full credit goes to Cruz, it was his idea, so i call it the Cruz exhaust hanger.

Originally Posted by bloochdog

Maybe you can cut a section of tube in half of two-thirds and weld it to the tab end of your square tube . Just to distribute the weight better ,then use hose clamps to secure.

That was my plan for the piece of exhaust pipe in my first pic where I show my supplies, but I just didn't seem to have the room to do much with it, so I thought I would try this. If it does not work, I can always try something else, but I think this will work, the pipe is solid now, where before I could grab a hold of it and wiggle it around.

[Cruz]

The OEM bracket is triangulated from the mount to the muffler as this should spread the forces better and over a larger area.

This is what I would do. Nice effort Rob, I'm still searching for some headlights over here.

Went through some of the flooded upper reaches of the Brisbane River yesterday, A bit over 500 klms yesterday on flood damaged trails that you could lose a bike in. Suspension =

[snooker]

Originally Posted by Geoffster

With all respect, your solution still balances the mass between the exhaust studs and the rear hanger. I'd prefer to have the muffler supported at two points (as intended) and have the studs going along for the ride.

Geoff I totally agree, those aluminum subframe holes (on my '07) are sketchy and tend to gall easily too. But hey most of the weight IS the exhaust muffler itself I figure, and I love the LV and this simple fix is a good start to making it reliable - yeah it's not perfect. I don't think one point of support would work well on the OEM pig of a cat-can but the LV is *much* lighter don't forget.

Originally Posted by AZ-Twin

Full credit goes to Cruz, it was his idea, so i call it the Cruz exhaust hanger.

Rob and Cruz this is a brilliant idea and you are on to something here. Sure it's not perfect but any 80% solution beats doing NOTHING and watching your bike fail on you that much sooner. Having said that - if you were to do it again what would you do differently? I'm wondering if rubber cushioning is really necessary or a different way to do that?

Cruz, we feel for all you rain soaked Oz brothers, that is rough!

NICE JOB Rob!

[plumber mike]

Probably not approved by the BMW Farkle police, but it works fine and the price was right. The wrap deteriorates on an annual basis. I think a ceramic coating might be better, but have no real world expierience.

[Geoffster]

Originally Posted by plumber mike

Probably not approved by the BMW Farkle police, but it works fine and the price was right. The wrap deteriorates on an annual basis. I think a ceramic coating might be better, but have no real world expierience.

Mike, it's so butt-ugly! A definite two-bagger!!

But I LOVE IT. I imagine that nothing short of TEOTWAWKI is gonna move your muffler.

I don't know if ceramic coating would adequately insulate your system, but I've been shocked at the durability of the coating I had applied to the headpipes and cat (and cat bracket!) of my GSA. Great stuff for something that was sold as a "thermal/performance" coating, not a protective coating. ($175 BTW)

[plumber mike]

Geoff. It was a compliment....right? Anyway. The bags are unsafe. Sometimes you've just gotta face the music

[Geoffster]

Originally Posted by plumber mike

Geoff. It was a compliment....right? Anyway. The bags are unsafe. Sometimes you've just gotta face the music

It was definitely a compliment. When you're in the middle of nowhere, there's nobody to give your bike style-points or take them away.

If a system keeps you from walking or pushing, it's a good system. And I actually love hose clamps when the load forces are working with them. I rode many thousands of miles with a Vetter Windjammer V on two different bikes, and the whole fairing system was held on with a bunch of hose clamps.

I also have bag mounts on my XCountry and feel they're as safe as I am. I'm the most dangerous part of any of my motorcycles.

(Doesn't that llama look like a slug with legs?)

[Cruz]

Hey Geoff, can you remember which ceramic coating you had applied?

Mine is still as good as new and cleans off very easily. They used the hardest one available on mine as the darker coating (which looks really good and you see on a lot of road and bigger adv bikes) chips off easily from small stones thrown up and even scratches from boot buckles etc. The cooling properties certainly do as advertised.

[AZ-Twin]

Well, I am pretty happy with all my recent mods.

The exhaust hanger worked well, I did about 110 miles today, over half of which was dirt of various levels of roughness, the pipe is solid and did not move.

My windshield works great, no buffeting at all, and I hit 103MPH indicated today, not sure I have gotten the G650 up to that speed before. With a D908 on the back and a Mefo Super Exp on the front, I didn't hang out at that speed too long, but the windshield works well.

The forks work great, I posted over in the suspension thread how I feel about them. I still need to get my shock shortened. I had dropped it off at the suspension place with the forks but without taking any measurements on the bike he didn't do anything to it except mess with the preload and clickers. I have about a 32" inseam and the bike is just too tall.

PCV/muffler combo are nice. More low end grunt, I don't seem to have to down shift as much as before, I am real happy with how it is running. Long term I will see if I am happy with the fuel mileage.

I did experience the issue where I turned the bike on and the trip meters zeroed, earlier in this thread someone reported that being caused by the HIDs. I have to address this, probably with a switch to turn off the low beam.

I still need to address fuel capacity before my trip up the Continental Divide this summer. What is the best deal out there to add 4-6L of fuel?

I need a good GPS mount. The ram holder for the 60CSX sucks.

[darrendeep6]

Originally Posted by AZ-Twin

I don't know what the pipe is made of. So that is part of why I didn't weld it.

I think, since the mission of the bracket is to hold the pipe up, it is fine just clamping it, as for the pipe to go down it would have to compress the mount, or the pipe would have to push outward away from the bike. Given the way it is all put together I am pretty sure this will work.

If I have an issue with it moving around I might drill it and put a screw through the bracket into the pipe, but I don't think that will be necessary.

Thank you for your reply. I pretty sure it's ti. I know someone that has done some pretty extrodinary stuff with titanium and motorcycles and he's telling me no weldy the steel and ti. I might have him make me a ti bracket and weld it for me or your solution looks really good, problem is I can't make it.