What do they really weigh?

[P3R]

Originally Posted by montesa_vr

BMW R1200GS, 581 lbs, Motorcyclist, Feb. 2007

Unfortunately your list is incorrect starting with the first line. There's no way a plain 1200 GS weigh that much. It may be a R 1200 GS Adventure but that's a different and much heavier model.

530 lbs for a R 1200 GS sounds correct and I'm guessing that is when equipped with ABS. Integral ABS weighed a little less than 10 pounds on models '04-'06. Since '07 ABS add about 5 pounds on these models.

[mcnut]

if i want to buy a used 2007 husky te610 and there are two, one with a ims 5 gallon and one with a stock tank... thats alot of difference ABOVE center of gravity. id almost like to ride the two just to see how much. i bet its more significant than most of us think.

Owning two KTMs one stock and one with a 6.6gal tank, I couldn't agree more, night and day.
But consider this:
The stock EXC tank holds about 2.2gal and is good for about 70 miles. If I fill the bike with the 6.6gal tank with 2.2 gallons of gas, the two bikes will weigh within 1-2lbs of each other and as a result will perform and handle very similar, running out gas at the same time & place.
I will take it a step farther: The 2.2 gallons in the 6.6gal tank will be carried lower then the 2.2 gallons on the stock bike, which could result in the stocker having a higher CG! With the big tank I always have the option to not completely fill it thus limiting its range, but extending the range of the stock tank is not even an option.

The conclusion I have come to: It's OK to penalize a bike for the weight of a big tank, or rack or saddle bags. But not what goes in them. And yes I know a motorcycle needs gas to go anywhere. I've had my opportunity to comment and look forward to hearing what others and VR are thinking! It's a constructive debate, one for which I suspect there are no right or wrong conclusions.

MCNut

[neepuk]

Originally Posted by mcnut

Owning two KTMs one stock and one with a 6.6gal tank, I couldn't agree more, night and day.
But consider this:
The stock EXC tank holds about 2.2gal and is good for about 70 miles. If I fill the bike with the 6.6gal tank with 2.2 gallons of gas, the two bikes will weigh within 1-2lbs of each other and as a result will perform and handle very similar, running out gas at the same time & place.
I will take it a step farther: The 2.2 gallons in the 6.6gal tank will be carried lower then the 2.2 gallons on the stock bike, which could result in the stocker having a higher CG! With the big tank I always have the option to not completely fill it thus limiting its range, but extending the range of the stock tank is not even an option.

The conclusion I have come to: It's OK to penalize a bike for the weight of a big tank, or rack or saddle bags. But not what goes in them. And yes I know a motorcycle needs gas to go anywhere. I've had my opportunity to comment and look forward to hearing what others and VR are thinking! It's a constructive debate, one for which I suspect there are no right or wrong conclusions.

MCNut

100% AGREE! This is the only logical and fair comparison. All bikes should be measured ready to ride minus gas and baggage.

[2whlrcr]

Originally Posted by Ruffus

I just put a bathroom scale on my el-cheapo hydraulic bike lift & lifted my bike up off the ground under the skidplate easiest method I could think of

Great idea.

[2whlrcr]

Originally Posted by strongbad

If the scale(s) are accurate, and the bike is level, the weight measured with a scale under each wheel then added, or a scale under one wheel at a time then added, is accurate. The key thing is that the bike must be level.

Experimental aircraft builders get weight and balance info this way sometimes.

That's what gave me the idea, because I've been involved with weighing a few experimentals, but we were using three scales simultaneously and they were accurate scales too.

[Tinfish]

I guess I like seeing weights given with gas, because that is the "ready to ride" weight that I want to compare. Yes, I could carefully put only 2.2 gallons in a 6 gallon tank... but as a general rule, I'm not going to. I mean, you could put only 1.1 gallon in the 2.2 gallon tank, too, right? But except in special circumstances, who would?

[rwamf]

Originally Posted by strongbad

The key thing is that the bike must be level.

I have tried it both ways and it is less than one pound difference from not being level ( one wheel on the scale and the other on the ground) VS ( the other wheel on a 2x4) I can't see my scale being that accurate.

[montesa_vr]

Originally Posted by P3R

It may be a R 1200 GS Adventure but that's a different and much heavier model.

It was an Adventure. I have updated the list. Thanks for the correction.

[GR0NK]

I just weighed my 05 525 EXC yesterday with a bathroom scale. While putting the scale on the stand and the bike on the scale works in theory, it doesn't always work in practice. Ever been on a scale that you can alter the reading just by leaning to one side or the other? Well those scales are very likely to give a false reading with a motorcycle sitting on them and this was the case with mine. I resorted to putting the scale under each wheel and adding up the totals. I put a length of 2x4 wood across the scale so that the weight would be distributed more equally on the scale.

My bike has Probend handguards, a Flatland Racing aluminum skidplate, KTM hard parts case saver and rear brake rotor guard and is wearing a 150/90-18 Terra-Flex on the rear. With a full tank of fuel and the factory KTM DS hardware installed (turn signals, horn, combination switch) combined weight of front a rear was 282lbs. I think that considering the extra components my bike is shod with, that compares pretty good to the 276lbs that you have for the 07 450 EXC in your list.

Claimed dry weight for my bike is 251lbs. Not only would I have to remove all that extra stuff mentioned and drain all fluids from the bike and battery, but I would also have to remove the tires completely from the rims to make that weight!


Sean

[montesa_vr]

Originally Posted by mcnut

Had a commercial electronic load cell scale, built wood ramps to roll the bikes up and maintain level. Hauled the setup to various dealer and weighed bikes I had interest in at the time.

Mcnut, thanks for the chart. Your effort to get accurate numbers was heroic! I'm glad all I have to do is reach into the archives.

Hey everybody, lots more bikes added to the list in the opening post -- take a look and see if your favorite from the early 70's is there.

[Fast1]

since you have some vintage wheels listed.. how about the 1974 Honda CR125 Elsinore weighing at 188 lbs with a full tank of fuel right off the showroom floor..




http://powersports.honda.com/the_sto...PrevPageTitle=


.

[Hair]

Originally Posted by mr openroad

BMW R1200Gs 581 lbs dry what a pig, its beyond me why they are so popular off road!

Because for certion riding conditions they do very well.

Last weekend I had an oppertunity to ride a friends 1150Adv. I hadn't been on one of them for close to 3 years now. His bike setup was done right. The bike would track the best of them.

[2whlrcr]

Originally Posted by VBS-Thumpstar

I just weighed my 05 525 EXC yesterday with a bathroom scale. While putting the scale on the stand and the bike on the scale works in theory, it doesn't always work in practice. Ever been on a scale that you can alter the reading just by leaning to one side or the other? Well those scales are very likely to give a false reading with a motorcycle sitting on them and this was the case with mine. I resorted to putting the scale under each wheel and adding up the totals. I put a length of 2x4 wood across the scale so that the weight would be distributed more equally on the scale.

My bike has Probend handguards, a Flatland Racing aluminum skidplate, KTM hard parts case saver and rear brake rotor guard and is wearing a 150/90-18 Terra-Flex on the rear. With a full tank of fuel and the factory KTM DS hardware installed (turn signals, horn, combination switch) combined weight of front a rear was 282lbs. I think that considering the extra components my bike is shod with, that compares pretty good to the 276lbs that you have for the 07 450 EXC in your list.

Claimed dry weight for my bike is 251lbs. Not only would I have to remove all that extra stuff mentioned and drain all fluids from the bike and battery, but I would also have to remove the tires completely from the rims to make that weight!


Sean

Shouldn't you be rowing?

[GR0NK]

Originally Posted by 2whlrcr

Shouldn't you be rowing?

Busted!


Sean

[2whlrcr]

My curiosity got the best of me, so I weighed all of my stuff with a single bathroom scale, one wheel at a time.

2005 Beta Rev 250 = 164 lbs (a splash of gas, not that it really matters since it holds less than a gallon anyway)

2003 Honda CRF230 = 242 lbs (.5 gal gas, barkbusters)

2008 KTM 450 EXC = 255 lbs (.5 gal gas, barkbusters, disk guards,
removal of emissions crap, mirrors, stock turnsignals, switchgear and rear fender assembly, replaced with lighter stuff, no skidplate)

1978 Husky CR250 = 214 lbs

Considering the weight of my 30 year old race bike, I'm not sure we are moving in the right direction.