A much lighter 950 adventure...

Hi everyone,

Thanks for your comments.

This is the situation: currently I have a 690R that I use for trails and off road trips. I also have a 990 2008. It is my third one. My first 950 was the best I had. With 9x0 I have travelle through some 20 countries in three different continents. At the end I concluded that the 990 it wasn't for off and I have been using it only for road trips over the last three years. Now I am selling it for a Multistrada 1200 (as soon as I sold my 990). The problem is that I ma madly in love for the LC8 ADV, possibly an old 2004-5 S. I want to buy one and keep it for ever. The idea is to use it aso off road...but in order to make my life easier I want to know if making it lighter will help.

So tell me about what would you do to the suspension of so magic?:eek1

P.S. ...modification yes...but in moderation! Carbon fiber:huh? Who am I?

Nic

I'll let the Adv guys guide you on their suspensions. I can't recall that far back on specifics, been a few years.

My SE was oversprung out back and too soft in front. It is now balanced and progressive. I think the Adv suffers the same problems. The bike behaves better when it isn't kickin the rear and wallowing up front. Riding a 250 lbs bike with poorly balanced suspension is bad enough, the 450-500 lbs 9X0 will just amplify any weakness there. All the weight also destroys the springs so expect to replace them fairly often.

Tires are HUGE off road, cause again, the weight will push the front if it can't bite and low traction mulitplies the suspension woes,,,it just feeds the problems.

Gearing. I started going lower and lower and settled on 16-50 on my SE. My top cruise speeds are around 75 MPH but I'll run it up to 100 when I feel like it. Lower gears, more traction and grippy tires with real wheel control are about as good as it'll get IMO.


I think the SE is a true 40 lbs lighter but feels like 100 lighter to me. An illusion from the fairing or better stock suspension???

Nobody but me seemed to want a 75 lbs lighter Adv/SE from responses in the 1190 thread. I guess it'd have been just the two of us buddy!

Even if I do go on a multi day trip I'll pack as light as possible (giantloop + small tent ) so when I'm riding I'm actually having fun riding and pushing what a 990 can do. In my opinion it's why I got a 990 over some other bikes. If I was loaded up and commuting like a bus I dont see the point of having a performance machine under my butt. Just as well could be riding a vstrom or any other bike.

Of course different people enjoy different aspects of riding so as long as it's an adventure for someone then it's all good.

So I fully support lighting the bike up.

I'm always in favor of a lighter set up! Not sure you can make huge difference on a bike being used to travel and camp with. (Talking about the actual lightening of the bike vs. the way you pack it) When I'm in the middle of nowhere I want things like fuel, grab handles for picking the bike up, fairings, comfy seat, full power battery, center stand, etc.

Just seems like the only way to really shed some serious weight off the 950 is to take away all the parts that make it do what it does best.

I agree that what makes the 9x0 so cool is also responsible for the high weight

I don't usualy like to ride with tent and so on..and if I do that I either have a support car (like I did many time in the Sahara) or I chose easy trails if not pure tarmac road.

Still I will try to get my LC8 lighter!

Ciao

Nic

Gone through 2 shorais so far. First one dieed tried starting in the cold (not really that cold it was about mid 40's F) Last one I was on a trip and I think the heat both form the bike and ambient temp cooked it. I am back to the stock battery. The weight gain doesn't do shit when that light battery strands you on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere.

Drop 7 lbs but have to push 487? Yeah, no thanks.

Ok I got regarding battery issue!

Nic

The stock frame only weighs 23lbs...



.

You will be chasing the ever elusive weight savings by throwing piles of money at it.

Think about where most of it is...you will have to take tiny steps to make any large gains. single TI exhaust, TI bolts, TI frame (!), lighter rims, lighter tires, lighter brakes, lighter battery, lighter...in the end you might save a few pounds (mostly in your wallet).

Going on a diet might be cheaper.

It gonna be difficult peeling the other 400lbs off to feel that stock frame's "agility".

Ti weighs 2/3rds...

If you do want to go lighter battery, I would suggest you try Antigravity batteries

http://antigravitybatteries.com/


I have had one on my 625SXC for 18months and it is excellent. In the cold weather the starting warms the battery up so by 2nd or 3rd try they turn over normally. mine will start down to about 5 degrees C easily.


he is an inmate here as well. (usual disclaimer - no connection just happy customer yadayada)

David

Here are the best cost/weight mods:

- LiFePo4 battery - even if you take a big one to properly crank the bike even in cold temps it it will still save lots of weight
- Single disc conversion - sell the unused parts and you can make even some money!
- Remove crash bars and fit carbon/kevlar tank protectors instead
- 2-into-1 exhaust with titanium muffler
- 1.6"x21" front wheel with A60 rim and 2.5"x18" rear wheel with DID Dirt Star rim from the SE (slightly stronger than stock Excel IMO), both fitted with Tubliss inserts (these are made for 2.15" rims but fit ok with a thick sidewall tire)

The above all make the bike better handling and more reliable for off road riding (battery is arguable, although the Anti Gravities have a very good track record).

Going beyond this is going to require some really fancy materials and PowerCell like fabrication skills, or big $$, or a trade-off in strength or functionality (removing stuff or replacing with lighter).

I've been following this one and haven't seen the gas caps mentioned yet.

I have recently painted my tanks and had the gas caps out. :eek1 Holy shit, those things are heavy!!!!

If you replace them with the billet ones you will save over a pound up high on the bike.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/KTM-BLACK-C...Parts_Accessories&hash=item439b5cf4d4&vxp=mtr

They (SSR) also have these trick, new push button caps. (I haven't seen them before....)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/KTM-QUICK-R...Parts_Accessories&hash=item43b32f7c37&vxp=mtr

Have you ever had a set of those?


I put one on my Triumph Speed Triple and found it to be a pain in the butt. Unscrewing and screwing in was the first step, all the time putting tiny aluminum shavings in the tank as the threads we not perfect. Then you have to have a clean place to put the cap since its not attached. A strong enough wind will toss the cap off of the tank bag. Then of course you can't lock it up. If I did any touring, especially out side the country, I'd always be concerned someone may have stolen my fuel.:eek1

I do. Haven't ridden much with them. Filled gas through them a couple times though. (My head gasket went and I've been down a couple of months trying to buy parts/find time )

They rest in the slot on my handle bar clamp perfectly. I think they are easier than a key on either side.

I don't really road travel in other countries so, that one isn't really a concern of mine. (But, then again, I have completely removed my keyed ignition from my 690 so, maybe I'm not the person anyone should pay attention to when it comes to security )

I was looking at a relativley cheap, easy way to lighten the load once I felt how much the stock ones weighed.

I always back turn the caps to find the correct starting point and they screw on smoothly with no metal shavings.

However, the OP wanted weight savings for single track and other challenging conditions and this is another easy option. Ok, out to the garage to put my LC8 into a frame so I can post in the "What have you done today" thread.....

Fwiw, I didn't hate the caps, just pointing out that they were a bit of a pain.

Ok Clearly there a number of things that can be done at a resonable price to reduce the weight of the bike possibly of some 15 kg (33lbs)...that means to equal a 950SE:

Remove rear footpeg
Remove rear rack and hand holder
2 in 1 with titaium pipe
Lighter battery
single front disk
CPR air box
Lighter rims
Gas caps


What we forgot to say though is that for off road use everyone would add a decent skid plate, a damper, handle riser and a brake pump protector...that add some good weight

Nic

I just changed my 990 to a single rotor. Here are the actual weights...

This is the two calipers. So you save half of that which is 1.13 Kg


This is one stock rotor. 1.38 Kg


If you go with the Galfer rotor you save an additional 0.5 Kg

So total removed unsprung weight is 3Kg or 6.6 lbs

You decide if you think thats worth it.