This Weeks -S- mods
 

http://www.fototime.com/ftweb/bin/ft...777.9416386574

This weeks mods started with a way nice Rick Mayer custom seat, i spent the day at Ricks shop in Anderson Ca, what a great guy and a true craftsman. WHAT A GREAT SEAT!!!!!

Man I wish we had a guy like that in the Right Coast.

Next mod today, was the very nice paralegalstopumflopinarm thingy, exactly the same legnth as the Cup factory arm, got it from my very friendly and always extremely helpful local BMW delaer, A&S in Sacto, see Todd in parts for your sapecial dealio.
Makes the front end feel the way i would epxect a sport bike to feel, planted and easier to steer, very pleased so far a day ride sat will tell for sure, about 300mi, of which maybe 20 will be striaght.http://www.fototime.com/ftweb/bin/ft...777.9414252546

I think that Bill is his pop and also does seats?

CLOS, if you want a seat from Rick, i can help you out with the design supervision engineering etc, i will take care of it in person if you like.
We should talk it through on the phone if your serious, e-mail me a number at acidburn3333@yahoo.com i can call you from the office
Pix and searious measurements are what he needs to do a top rate job, pix of you on the bike and you will need to talk to him on the phone.
He has done over 30 1100-S seats and knows what to do, if he knows enough about the payload,

Mr. Mayer passed away a few years ago, Rick is a medical type and that is why he took what Pops started and ran with, they were in San Diego for years now up form Redding a few miles, great guy, supreme product and service, the ride up was worth it, the others have only dreamed of making a seat this well thought out, and the workmanship, hoolylshoot batman, its really nice

http://www.fototime.com/ftweb/bin/ft...777.9414252546

Stealth wunderflick wind screen, wait till you see the wireless radar detector set up for next week, very military and very beechin.

NOW THEN;
****, **** , ****. ****in -A- son of a ***** guys.
Just got back form a 60 mile test race, i mean ride, ****in-A-, now thats what that bike is supposed to handle like, its what'swrong with all but the prep and cup -S-s-, its the best kept secret , that ****er really feels great now, inspires confidance, SOB im excited about this, if you have not riden an -S- with the shorter arm geometry you dont know what thier potential is, really guys, this is incredible. I weigh 230 and the front and rear shocks are still stock.
It makes the bike more agressive, more stable, but you tip forward a bit more due to the steepper rear angle, but goddam does she handle nice, butter through turns and feeling reel good, i only backed off on the suspension adjustments a bit, all three,
Legs are up under the tank now which helps also, this is very exciting for me, i had no idea the bike was as capable as it now appears to be.
More to come, mods and improvements, after that test, i desire no other bike at this moment. :cool:
Oh and on the short straight test trap section, as the needle swung to 122mph, plenty left, rock solid, very impressed.

Greetings Acidburn,

It is good to see your healthy attitude!

Have fun Dude!

Cheers,

Robert Foster
Foster Design

PS; Thanks for the Jet Hot tip, that is the best coating company there is!. We are now a Jet Hot Distributor.

Bob, most excellent on the J HOt guys, really pleased, top stuff, my is working out wonderfully.
I left you a message today, maybe we can talk tomorrow i have located a few other tops suppliers and ideas you might like.
Having to much fun this week

Best kept secret? It has to the the number one talked about and performed modification. Given that it's less than a Cnote if you can handle the quality and looks and height of the GS/S-prep stock steel arm, the best bargain performance mod you can make.

Can anyone think of a more discussed topic over the years?

Seriously though, the enthusiasm is nice. Like 'los, I'm jealous of your local availability of a good saddle guy. Sounds great.

Well discussed yes, conclusions and direct reccomendations,,,hmmmm, i guess i did not dig hard enough.
Anyway now it is imperical data for me and i cannot stress the glee and delight i am experiencing as i am aobut to head out inot the berressa hills for a 6 hour test session.
The value of this mod, IMO has been way understated as well as promoted.
I beleive allot of folks are psending big bucks on F&R shocks and not seeing what they are capable of due to the lack of this mod, i also think allot of folks would not buy the shocks if they did this first.
Seats,, RMC has done over 30 -s- seats, call him if you like he is top rate and does not require an in person fit on this model.

Oil and tires. :rolleyes:

Definitely the most bang for the buck. There have been many threads where new folks (who do limited searching :) have asked about recommended mods. I'm very sure the shorter torque arm has come up #1 bang for the buck every time. People have been pretty emphatic about it. I'd be more thrilled if I could handle as short of an arm as some of you guys can.

It's hardly a replacement for shocks though. They have very little to do with each other. The torque arm improves turn in, and increases weight transfer under braking. It does nothing else for handling. Least of all any sort of damping function, which is what new shocks are about (the stock springs are just fine if one is of the proper weight)

It's also the same mod most guys make on sport bikes (me and my Hawk, if it qualifies, included) It's just normally done by lowering the front end instead of raising the rear, though sometimes either or both. I've had the Hawk raised way up for over 2 months now, but ride it so infrequently (lack time, and the crap steering bearings I haven't gotten around to replacing) that it still suprises me. A couple times I've almost ran off the inside of the first sharp turn in the morning. Yeah, I can be an idiot. Too slow to adjust.

I may have to consider this seat business. You really think the mods people request of the seat are common/typical/alike enough that one can expect good service remotely? What's a ballpark cost number for the mods?

thanks
roger (who'd like to spend less time sliding forward onto his crotch on the bike, but doesn't want to make the reach to the ground any longer than it is already)

p.s. can you describe in detail how the shape changed and how and where it feels better? I have the stock and the Wunderlich and find the latter only a slight improvment. Maybe I need to get my stocker out and freshen the specificity of my disenchantement.

Roger - on the seat front, I think that unless you can go to the guy's shop for a custom fit, the seat would not be much
better than any after market unit. Rich's in Seattle is in this business as well. He does great work, but it is time intensive, at
least the way he does it. He charged me $450 I think for a leather seat, but he must have spent 3+ hours just on the fitting.
He'd cut and trim, then I would go for a ride and return and report. I was at the place for 6+ hour off and on. The major changes
in my seat are that the front is higher to avoid the forward slide and shaping a pocket for my butt.

Rich also claims to be able to do custom seat from photos. I think asks for 3 or 4 shots - two of the individual standing, side and rear views
and a couple on the bike.

DCooper
Are we neighboors? I am in Kirkland, shoot me an Email at davehopkins@windermere.com and we should hook up. I also have the short link and Rich's seat. The seat is very good but if I had to choose it would be the link!

Re: This Weeks -S- mods
 

I lived in Redding for years....and am due for a trip back to visit friends this summer. I may have to set aside a day for that....because that is a fine looking saddle.
Looks like it has the crotch-rise thing goin' on just perfect, too.

Hmmmmm, maybe the next time I get up that way (Bothell) I can bring my seat and get some nice local board member to bring an S and I can get mine customized. That would be extremely cool. I was supposed to hook up with DC last time I was up there but it didn't work out. Just got off a conf call with the Bothell office a couple minutes ago. Hope to be up there in August but am not sure yet.

later
roger

Now I GOTTA find a stock seat...

Call A&S, also i beleive tha RMC will swap seats to keep you on the road, on certain bikes, call Rrick Mayer to check.

Acid,

I just installed the same torque arm! It will get a good 1st test tomorrow morning.

I met Rick Mayer at the Redmond rally a couple of years ago. He took a couple of pictures of me on the bike (RT) & I gave him the money. I sent the seat to him that fall. It came back in 10 days & it has been a great upgrade. I can ride 240 miles until the low fuel light comes on. I think it was $250 in 2000 to have it done, he just re-covered the pillion.

What type of seat cover material did you get? I made sure to ask for a material that was not slippery with a nylon riding suit. The stock BMW cover on both my RT & S was/is too slippery!

I went with Leather, two colors on the -S-, i think a pic is above.
150miles today and i am very happy.

I may have to consider this seat business. You really think the mods people request of the seat are common/typical/alike enough that one can expect good service remotely? What's a ballpark cost number for the mods?

thanks
roger (who'd like to spend less time sliding forward onto his crotch on the bike, but doesn't want to make the reach to the ground any longer than it is already)

p.s. can you describe in detail how the shape changed and how and where it feels better? I have the stock and the Wunderlich and find the latter only a slight improvment. Maybe I need to get my stocker out and freshen the specificity of my disenchantement.


Roger;
I still am able to get ot the tank, where one needs to be to ride agressivley, however im not fighiting it any more, in either directiom, the chaffing under my thighs and at the bun ridge has disapeared compeltley, the rear of the seat owrks if i want to slide back, not ass or back fatigue, feeling like i really wnat the ride to end, encouraged to go on, will not think butt thoughts as soon as i get used to it, right now its really nice and im still noticing that im not noticing any problems, 5 kinds of foam,
i could go on, if your really searious e-mail me a phone number ill call ya form the office and try to answer your questions, from an engineering perspective, biomechanical s best as i am able. In this pic the front edge was not modified yet.
http://www.fototime.com/ftweb/bin/ft...776.1554743287

What Rick needs to do is train somebody and open up an East Coast franchise.

CLOs,
I'm thinkin this might be a good early retirement gig, see what i cooked up for you.

Roger Albert, this style saddle will keep you off the tank and prevent any forward slipage.SmileWavy http://www.fototime.com/ftweb/bin/ft...779.9064135995

Thanks for the detailed info acidburn.
I'll probably be giving you a buzz soon.
Thanks
Roger

AcidMan,

It looks like you were able to keep the centerstand with the shorter paralever arm? I asked about this at Bob's BMW, and seem to remember hearing that the shorter arm renders the centerstand useless...could be wrong on that...

The center stand will work, it will be a bit lower due to the geometry., the rear wheel comes a bit closer due to the shorter arm, duh, however i will remove the stand and go with a floor stand. the center stand really screws things up to be honest with the set up i now have.
never wanted to keep the center stand so its no loss, soon as the Baxleys and Pit Bull stand show up, ogg goes another few pounds.
I highly reccomend the shorter arm regardless of which one you get. The bike really has improved dramatically with that singular change, BTW, i weigh 230lbs, and we ride moderatley hard all twisties...

PekerHead I have a 3/8" shorter arm than standard and can still use centrestand. I think if you go for the GS arm then you would not be able to still use it without modifying it.

Tom.

Speaking from experience... gs arm does not render centerstand unusable.

gs arm with ohlins renders centerstand almost unusable.

Stock rear shock, 3/4 shorter arm, exact same dim center bolt hole end to end as Cup arm, will allow the center stand to function.
dont know about Gs arms or anytihng else, only the Cup dims.

Burn,
GS and Cup arms are the same
Ed

Guys, thanks for the comments. I'm going to check out a shorter arm now. :cool:

PHead, you wont be disapointed i paid 203$ for a custom german made billet one, the on ein the photos up at my local , friendly and very helpful dealer, A&S in Sacto Ca.
I suggest the same dims as the Cup unit regardless of what type you use.

Whats the price on a GS arm, i never did price one out?

I got mine for just over $60.

So I am just listening in but recently posted a question on this subject. Oddly enough I am also talking to Todd up at A&S. My application is for an RS though. Sounds like and OE piece for a GS or Rockster might serve the same purpose for around $60-$80. But the one that acidbuen showed is sure pretty. I am hoping to be able to apply this same logic and piece to my RS with hopefully a similar result.

I'm into this thread late so . . . KPol, you said you get 240 miles before the fuel light comes on?! Damn, I'm lucky to get to 175 on fumes.

How you do that?

Seargent Seats
 

Have you guys seen the new Saergent Seat coming out?
http://www.sargentcycle.com/
go to BMW...
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...ent S Seat.jpg