I feel like I`m falling......well...at least leaning towards making a fender and ditching the beak.....rather than improving/extending it. This along with Finn`s look awesome..... Good job...... Erling
I love the Trailtech X2, but I can't figure out where you could mount the instrument cluster. If that issue were solved, that's probably the light I'd get. Unless I figure something else out though, it'll probably be the 8" racelight. If you get that one, maybe you'll see something I haven't.
Not much other than going on a weight cutting mission. Bought a Giant Loop so I ditched the Pelicans and racks as well as the TT tool box that attaches to the skid plate, right rotor and caliper, some factory plastic etc. Total savings: Just over 50lbs. Pared down the amount of gear I'm carrying too. I should be about 65lbs lighter over all. Other than that not much with the bike other than actually riding it which is a nice change. Normally too busy with work but have got a out a ton this year.
Yup 65lbs is a lot for sure. Realized that I was carrying way too many tools and spare bits and pieces. Made some changes to my camping kit too. Feels like a new bike! I noticed in your recent pics that you have a Montana. How do you like it compared to the Zumo? I was talking to a Garmin dealer a few days ago and they are releasing the Zumo 700 soon. Sounds like it will be a solid unit for sure. 5"x5" screen, all Garmin maps (worldwide) INCLUDED, ability to download maps via Google earth imagines if no maps available. Sounded interesting. MSRP approx $900.
Yeah expensive but when you include all the mapping it is more reasonable. If you're doing a RTW trip or Alaska to Argentina trip you have 3, 4 (or more) maps to buy @$100 or so per (if you don't get pirated copies for free). Adds up quick! Updates are included too apparently. Could all change by the time it's released
I noticed you mentioned the bar clamp bolts and anti seize. What I've done for a long time is anti seize the holes, and put blue thread lock on the bolts. Every bolt on the bike that I've removed gets this treatment. (That's pretty much every single one on the DR and XR) On the 2 x DR650, XR650R, and my F800 I haven't lost a single bolt since doing this. They come out relatively easy, and I haven't broken/stripped/rounded out a bolt since using the combo. The thread lock compound still goes hard in the threads, and provides it's normal resistance to removal, but you don't get them seizing up like they sometimes do if a bit of moisture has gotten in there somehow. Just a thought.
Great looking bike! I just left Calgary after 15yrs... I go to Baja every winter and unless you have business in TJ or are in a mad rush I cross at Tecate. The ride to Tecate from SD and then to Ensenada is nice twisty mountain roads. Last winter they had the roads ripped up between Tecate and Ensenada - it felt like a SCORE rally in my 4x4...would have been more fun on a DS bike. In fact I'd recommend you skip Ensenada as well and head east to San Felipe. You can then cut south-west back to Mex 1 down in the desert and skip all the hassles of the more populated [ie. traffic congestion] northern bit of Mex 1 and you get to ride some dirt roads.
That is an interesting combo. I'll definitely have to try it as I'm adjust bars almost every ride now (more offroad than in the past). That trip was last year, it's come and gone! As expected we rode TJ to Cabo, back to La Paz then the ferry to the Mazatlan. Finn, thanks for the GPS info. I was fondling a Montana at the dealers and it looked like it had some cool features. I'll have to do some more reading and research as I haven't replaced my f'd up Zumo yet.
I haven't really noticed a huge difference single verses dual rotor. I always found that if I grabbed the brake hard, even on pavement, the ABS would kick in anyway. There was always more braking power than traction so it seems like the dual rotors are a bit of a waste? That been said, I haven't ridden the bike (with a single rotor) loaded will all my LD travel gear, water, both tanks full etc. Maybe then it will be lacking stopping power. The F650gs is a single, the KTM 950SE is a single, HP2E is a single I should find someone local with a stock F8 and spray paint a line on a paved road somewhere and do some side by side braking comparisons. I haven't swapped to a smaller master cylinder yet, I may. The brake lever is pretty stiff only operating one caliper. I might switch to a 12 or 13mm instead of the stock 15mm. That will be a winter project though.
I think this maybe that new GPS..... garmin seems to always release stuff to aviation before automotive
Thanks, it's one of my favorites too. Not sure if that's the same one. I don't know much about it except it's supposed to have a 5"x5" screen and a much improved operating system.
That looks somewhat like an aviation version of the Montana... Looking forward to seeing this Zumo 700 though; I always thought the Zumo line was too big (a 5x5 screen is pretty sizeable...) but if it includes all the maps... It may be enough to make me pick it over the Montana, even if I can't take it hiking and sailing with me as well.
Maps included is just rumor (as far as I know) at this point. I was told that Garmin releases their new product at a specific electronics convention in January every year. If that's true, we don't have long to wait
I was about to jump on a Zumo 665 for $699, I wonder if it worth waiting on the new one? Any of you guys have any thoughts on the 665?
What exactly is your damper/ bar riser combo? i looked on Ralle Moto's website and couldnt find your setup?