R1200GS Cheap Farkling!
 

On my last R1200GS, that I bought new, I farkled like crazy, adding top of the line everything I could find that I even thought I needed. However, since I got this bike with 120K miles on it for a very good price, and I am going to buy a Wethead next year, I decided to farkle this one on the cheap.

Now, some things you can't cheap out on, like I changed out the quick disconnects and added the flange clamps, but most really can be done at a reasonable price.

This thread will show how I did it. I plan on adding more as I go along, and I encourage others to add their cheap farkles!

First, I took a pair of old foot pegs, and combined them with the ones on the bike, and now I have a version of adventure pegs:

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2.../Footpegs8.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2.../Footpegs2.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...Footpegs15.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...Footpegs24.jpg

This could be done with bolts instead of welding if you don't weld.

Cost, free to me. Many have these lying around and would give them away.


Next, my old grips were worn out, but the heating still worked. I could have just replaced the grips with aftermarket like some have done, but I like my grips a bit bigger, so Grip Puppies it is:

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...-up/Grips1.jpg
Old grip

Remove hand guard, T55 and T25.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...-up/Grips3.jpg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...-up/Grips4.jpg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...-up/Grips6.jpg

Lube (I used tire lube, but dish soap and water works) the new and old grips and slide the new ones on. It can be hard, so I gently used some pliers to pull them on. The lube will dry and help them stick.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...-up/Grips9.jpg

Installed, took about half an hour.

Cost $10 + $3 shipping.

Next, mine came with an aftermarket screen, Givi. Great for winter, too big for summer. I found this one online cheap, but it had a pretty bad scratch. So I fixed it.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...screenfix2.jpg

I used sandpaper from 220 grit to 2000 grit. Wet sand carefully each grade, and watch the results. I used a sanding board, which helped keep the sandpaper only on the edge.

The following is a series of shots after each grade:

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...screenfix8.jpg
220

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...screenfix5.jpg
400

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...creenfix13.jpg
600

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...creenfix18.jpg
1500

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...creenfix20.jpg
2000

Then I polished with Meguires Ultra polish.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...creenfix24.jpg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...creenfix26.jpg

There were a couple of leftover deep gouges right at the edge, but they now barely show. The screen looks like new. New is $175.

Cost $35.

I had ROX Risers on my old GS, and I really liked them. But, in keeping with the cheap theme, I found a pair of risers that looked appropriate on the flea market, and cleaned them up.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2.../BarBacks1.jpg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2.../BarBacks2.jpg

My trippletree is black, so I painted them.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...BarBacks12.jpg
Old ones, rust included.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...BarBacks16.jpg
Old removed clamps.

I had to put the cables and hoses behind the forks. I have shown this before.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...BarBacks18.jpg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...BarBacks17.jpg
Installed.

This took a couple hours, paint dry time.

Cost, $35 shipped, and trim paint I already had.


Finally, for today, I wanted a fat foot, but didn't want to pay for it, so I made one.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...p/FatFoot9.jpg
Backside of an old sign, with very thick aluminum.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...p/FatFoot1.jpg
Trimmed with a grinder.

Lots of grinding and drilling later, a few countersunk screws and nylocks, and I have a fatfoot.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...p/FatFoot3.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...p/FatFoot4.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...p/FatFoot5.jpg

I have a lot more to do, and I will post it up as I go.

Again, please feel free to add your own.

Jim :brow

Fantastic! Great job Jim and nice looking bike!

Good thread, Jim. Good work, too. :nod

Great job!

Ladies and gentlemen,

You have just witnessed what days were like BTT*.

*Before TouraTech.

Great ingenuity and resourcefulness prevails, yet again, compliments of and compliments to the Master.

Love the pegs man!!!

I did this a few days ago. Got this new from a friend.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2.../TopCase17.jpg

This is it installed.

I took the trim off and painted it black, and replaced the white paper under the reflector with reflective tape.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2.../TopCase10.jpg
Here you can see, left to right, the white paper, no paper or tape, and the reflective tape.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2.../TopCase12.jpg
Done.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2.../TopCase19.jpg
Mount bolted directly to the rack. My old JCWhitney top case went 40K miles this way. I figure this one will too.

Cost was $47, but I got it free because it was damaged, which I fixed for free. I had the reflective tape already.

Jim :brow

Thanks, super easy to do.

Jim :brow

Top Box
 

You really can't beat the JC Whitney box from a price/ utility standpoint. I had the same box on my GS until I upgraded to a Givi. The Whitney box lives on mounted to my KLR.:D

Great thread, Jim.:thumb

I also wanted to have a GPS, but not an expensive mount or dedicated GPS. I wanted to use the one from my car, but it is not waterproof.

I found this on e-bay.:

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2.../GPSMount2.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...I/TopCase3.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2.../GPSMount4.jpg

It mounts solidly to my windshield bar with a strong thumbscrew, and comes with a waterproof case to enclose the GPS. It comes off quickly for easy and safe keeping. The power comes out the bottom. I have a waterproof USB plug on order, but for now it is powered with my heated gear plug.

Cost $15 shipped.

Jim :brow

Jim, looking good. Some great ideas in there. Especially about polishing out the windshield damage. Thanks as always!

the original
 

We should pay homage to JVB's original R1200 GS Penny Tech Mod thread from 2005.
-ceej

:lol3 I forgot about that one. Turned out not so "pennytech" mostly!

Jim :brow

I had no idea that you/we could sand out scratches on a windshield. Ballsy move taking sandpaper to a clear plastic windshield. And in your photos it looked like you were going backwards instead of forwards; until you applied the Maguiers polish. Nice!

Your footpeg design is brilliant!

Great stuff.

Jim, is there any discernable loss of heat using the Grip Puppuies?