F800GS Weight Reduction

[AMusedRider]

Hello folks..

Any tips and tricks on how to reduce the weight of a F800GS?

I love my bike but would very much like to reduce the weight as much as I can. Got pinned underneath it a couple of times while riding off-road. Couldn't really do much but wait for someone to help me pick it up.

On a good day I would be able to pick it up myself but as I do more off-road riding I am getting increasingly wary of the weight and the fact that I might not always have someone to help me out.

Plus, reducing the weight might make it more attractive an option for long distance off road travel.

I cannot do without the crash bars and the bash plate for obvious reasons but I see the following options to get the weight down.
1. Change the exhaust to a Leo Vince. Will shave off a few pounds.
2. Switch to the Shorai Ultra Light battery. Savings of up to 8 pounds I am told.

Any other ideas that you have tried and tested??

[LukasM]

Other than the battery and the exhaust there are no significant savings to be had, it will always be a heavy bike for off roading.

Going to a single caliper and narrower rims will make it handle better and feel quite a bit lighter while riding, but won't much difference if the bike is lying on top of you.... Same with a catless header, around 1 kg less IIRC.

[SlowRide13]

Originally Posted by AMusedRider

Got pinned underneath it a couple of times while riding off-road. Couldn't really do much but wait for someone to help me pick it up.

Buy an extra set of shiny new plastics/blinkers/levers, and hang them up on your garage wall. Then, maybe you will jump out from under your bike instead of trying to use your body to protect it during a crash

[BcDano]

Got to agree with Lukas (battery & exhaust) not a lot of weight savings to be had even if you had big money to spend. For hardcore terrain you are better off to spend the money on a true off road machine or as has been suggested practice a better crash technique.

[DoWorkSon]

Workout more? Practice deadlifts and leg press? Fill tank with less fuel?

In all honesty the only way I could see serious weight savings would be to replace nearly every small metal part with carbon fiber which would be $$$ and the overall weight savings would be negligible

Street bikes can get very light because they make carbon fiber tanks, wheels, and swingarms...... I don't think carbon fiber would hold up well off road

[gbtw]

Both wunderlich and touratech got it down to about 180 kg from the stock 207 kg. Both of those were for enduro racing so i doubt you will be able to cut more off the thing.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=629161

[Lion BR]

Originally Posted by AMusedRider

Hello folks..

Any tips and tricks on how to reduce the weight of a F800GS?

I love my bike but would very much like to reduce the weight as much as I can. Got pinned underneath it a couple of times while riding off-road. Couldn't really do much but wait for someone to help me pick it up.

On a good day I would be able to pick it up myself but as I do more off-road riding I am getting increasingly wary of the weight and the fact that I might not always have someone to help me out.

Plus, reducing the weight might make it more attractive an option for long distance off road travel.

I cannot do without the crash bars and the bash plate for obvious reasons but I see the following options to get the weight down.
1. Change the exhaust to a Leo Vince. Will shave off a few pounds.
2. Switch to the Shorai Ultra Light battery. Savings of up to 8 pounds I am told.

Any other ideas that you have tried and tested??

What about the F700GS? It is lower, easier to keep it upright. I know, the front wheel is a 19in, and it is cast alloy, and the suspension has less travel. Well, we all deal with compromises.

1. Learn how to crash (get out of the way of the falling mass)
2. Get a different bike and deal with the compromises
3. Ride with someone else who can help you

Reducing the weight in a way that will make a difference is almost impossible.

[LJRAT]

I took 22 lbs off my F8GS but that still wont help when ur pinned under it. Hell my ultralight TE511 is still a lot of weight when ur under it.

[ebrabaek]

Originally Posted by DoWorkSon

Workout more? Practice deadlifts and leg press? Fill tank with less fuel?

In all honesty the only way I could see serious weight savings would be to replace nearly every small metal part with carbon fiber which would be $$$ and the overall weight savings would be negligible

Street bikes can get very light because they make carbon fiber tanks, wheels, and swingarms...... I don't think carbon fiber would hold up well off road

It would hold up just fine, but it would make for a 40K motorcycle, if you could get the parts.

[Gaspare]

Some weight can be shaved off with tubeless conversion, too...

[MCMXCIVRS]

Originally Posted by Lion BR

1. Learn how to crash (get out of the way of the falling mass)

Yup, better to actually add some weight in the form of protection parts, i.e.: engine bars, skid plate, etc., then when the inevital becomes imminent, just bail clear of the bike and trust those items to do what they are supposed to do. Works most of the time, but can lead to some "character" marks on the bike.

Also good to do some off road skills training or practice to help reduce the frequency of the inevitable.

[AMusedRider]

Originally Posted by LJRAT

I took 22 lbs off my F8GS but that still wont help when ur pinned under it. Hell my ultralight TE511 is still a lot of weight when ur under it.

LJRAT, what did you have to do to shave off 22lbs?

[toro618]

I realize this mod is not for everyone, but eliminating the front right rotor and caliper is worth 6 lbs....and that's unsprung weight.

[BluWolf]

Add wracks and panniers. This would add weight but most likely keep the bike off the ground/you enough to slide out and pick it up easier.

alternatively, learn to not end up under your bike.

[Ceri JC]

Originally Posted by DoWorkSon

Fill tank with less fuel?

This alone will dwarf every other single weight saving you can make.

When you're riding with people on "proper dirtbikes" remember that they only have half, or even a third of the range of your bike. I find out what bikes other people are planning on riding and aim to be at the start (even if that is a gas station) with about 10 miles more range than the shortest-ranged bike.

The "F800GS Wunderlich Light" (Google it) is a good example of a really shaved down F800GS. It's not very pretty and it'd cost a lot to build one, but worth looking at for inspiration.

Good luck!