Posts Tagged ‘Touratech’
Touratech Headlight Guard for KLR650…
Posted: July 10, 2012 in Farckles, KLR650 2008+Tags: Touratech
Touratech metal headlight guard for the 2008+ KLR650…
I just noticed that Touratech now offers a metal wire headlight guard for the 2008+ Kawasaki KLR650 motorcycle.
Touratech headlight guard…
BMW GS Offroad Riding Skills DVD
Posted: October 3, 2011 in ADV Ride, How To..., SafetyTags: BMW, rawhyde, Touratech
For those that need some dirt skills...
Update: I found this great write up about a guy’s Rawhyde Adventures training course experience over at ADVrider.com worth a read if you have any interest in these courses to get a feel for what one would be like.
If you’ve recently got yourself a big enduro bike like a KLR or BMW GS and don’t have much in the way of dirt riding skills you should watch this DVD. It won’t make you a superstar, but it will give you a set of drills to practice and some useful information that will make heading off pavement less painful. Rawhyde Adventures runs a BMW Offroad Academy that will teach you all you need to know if you have the time and $$$ for the training.
I can’t afford $1400 for a 2 day course or $2600 for a 5 day catered trip, but I can afford $30 for a DVD I can watch whenever I need a refresher on the basics and I can share it with friends who might be thinking about getting a dualsport bike.
I got my DVD from Touratech USA. I think most BMW motorcycle dealers can get you a copy as well.
My KLR650 farckle/mod list…
Posted: October 1, 2011 in FarcklesTags: aerostich, Bajaworx, barkbusters, Happy Trails, jns, Ortlieb, ram, SPOT, Touratech
No longer stock...
I figured a thread that lists all the farckles done to my Kawasaki KLR650 dualsport motorcycle would be useful. I’ll keep this post updated and move it back to the top when I add something new to her.
Body/Comfort:
- stripped decals
- custom decals
- Bajaworx Dakar windscreen [pulled off]
- Happy Traill Rallye Kit + stock KLR windscreen
- 30mm bar risers
- Happy Trail highway pegs
- Blindspot mirrors [fail!]
- JNS large side stand plate
- Moose Racing Offset foot pegs
- KTM Super Moto fender
- Happy Trail centerstand
Protection:
- Barkbusters Storm hand guards
- Happy Trail engine guards
- Happy Trail crash bars
- Happy Trail skid plate
- rear master cylinder guard
- JNS radiator guard
Engine:
- rare earth magnet on oil filter
- magnetic drain plug
- 16T sprocket
- fuel filter
Electrical
- maintenance free sealed battery
Suspension:
- Happy Trail fork brace
Navigation:
- Garmin Vista CX GPS
- Touratech GPS mount
- SPOT Messenger
- RAM SPOT mount
Luggage:
- Happy Trail soft luggage racks
- Aerostich large tank panniers
- Ortlieb motorcycle panniers
- Seal Line 70L dry bag
- Rok ajustable MC straps
- small bungee net
Clothing/Gear:
- Joe Rocket Ballistic 10.0 jacket
- Olympia Moto-X jacket and pants
- Icon Interceptor visibility vest
- Aerostich heated vest [not installed]
- Five MC gloves
- Oakley sunglasses Gascan large
- Buff neck warmer
- BMW Santiago boots
- Respro Hump reflective backpack cover
- The throne…
As a KLR owner you might think this photo of the BMW-centric Touratech catalogue on top of my toilet is some sort of not so subtle snub of their German motorcycle farcklery. Nothing could be farther from the truth. I love the Touratech catalogue and the fact it is the only reading material on top of my toilet says a lot. This is the place of honour for books, magazines & catalogues in my house. Since my GF doesn’t allow me to have a full bookshelf in the bathroom – WTF??!! I must limit myself to the best of the best in reading material.
- Over 1200 pages of farckles…holy cow!
There are BMW, KTM, Yamaha, Suzuki, Honda and Husquavarna sections to enjoy. Sadly there is no KLR650 section in this massive catalogue…=-( That doesn’t mean there is nothing here for the KLR owner. There are lots of products that will work on a KLR with little to no modification and lots more that can work if you don’t mind some DIYing. I have a headlight guard project in the works that will see a BMW guard installed on my KLR – I hope!
- 18hr flight to India? – This is your inflight entertainment!
Even if you don’t plan to ever buy a Touratech product the catalogue is well worth a read for straight up bike porn and ideas for DIY KLR projects. If you don’t have one go to the TT site and ask for a free catalogue. You won’t regret it…=)
- Touratech locking GPS mount…
I have tried a couple GPS mounting options on my KLR650. I was using the Garmin bicycle mount which worked, but had several drawbacks:
- not very secure as GPS was only held on with a small plastic clip and the GPS came out by sliding downwards
- not lockable so I had to remove my GPS every time I left my bike
- not vibration damped so the GPS got shaken up pretty good each ride
Side view showing rubber mounts...
I used a Touratech GPS mount for my very first Garmin GPS back on my 1997 KLR650. It was pricey, but worked great.
Rear view showing clamps...
I figured I’d get another Touratech GPS mount when I upgraded my Garmin in a few years, but I found one on clearance at a Canadian GPS dealer so I figured why not splurge for it?
Mount without GPS...
Like most Touratech stuff it’s over engineered, functional and expensive!
Garmin GPS mounted on my KLR...
The Toutatech mount features rubber blocks to isolate the GPS somewhat from engine vibrations, it’s also lockable using a small key and the GPS is securely held in place so it won’t jump ship enroute.
- Side view on bike…
A determined thief can unbolt the mount from the bike and grind through the mount to get the GPS out, but it’s probably not worth anyone’s time so the GPS should stay put.
- View of lock on bike…
I’m going to be much less concerned about my GPS next time I hit a gravel road since the unit won’t be shaken as hard and it can’t fall off the bike.
- View of cockpit with GPS mounted…
I post a review of this mount once I’ve used it for a few months.
Not a KLR, but it's got some Touratech bling...
Back when I had a ’97 KLR650 I wrote some Touratech product reviews that have somehow survived the passage of time:
Let’s face it these aren’t much use to anyone these days, but I think they are hilariously old school looking back when the web was young…=-)
Touratech V-Strom Headlight Guard...
One of the projects I think I’ll try with my 2011 KLR650 is to mount the Touratech V-Strom headlight guard. I have lots of gravel roads on Vancouver Island and it won’t be long before I take a rock in the headlights. I’ve seen a photo online of someone else who got one mounted on their KLR so it will work, but it may take some DIY love.
- 2011 KLR650 front fairing…
There is also the clear plastic guard shown below if the Touratech unit doesn’t work, but the plastic guard will need to be replaced after it takes a few hits whereas the metal guard is good for the life of the bike.
- Plastic guard from Cee and Baileys…
The KLR650 Blog 