Tail Plate Project
 

I have been running a 1/8" Masonite Hard Board Tail Plate on my Rear Rack.
It was a plain rear rack for about 2 days and then we needed the plate.

I have procrastinated for too long... about 4 months ;)

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I'll have the Rotopax fuel add-on or the SeaHorse Case Add-on
or whatever I think of next ;)

The GS still has the Hard Board version, but it will be next.

I'll update agian when I am finished.

Nice work.

How do you find your GS?
I took one out for a test ride recently.
Nice bike.:)
A bit tall for me but a very nice bike.

I had a cruiser. A 2005 Honda Shadow 750 Spirit. I liked it... But I treated it like a dual sport that was 90/10, Road to dirt. I took it down fire roads, and citrus tree fields, and wherever..

Finally decided SlapDrum.com should buy me a new bike. Shopping was kinda fun. I started with the KLR650, explored the XT, Vstrom, Versys, KTM... but very early in the game I saw the BMW. I bounced ideas off the forum here... Off the ADVRider guys. Dealers... everywhere I kept comparing everything to the BMW.

After about 4 months, I started to get more serious about the whole shopping thing. There is a local dealer Motorard Dealer here, Brown Motorsports in Pomona. Crappy neighborhood, but nice people. I had never been a BMW customer before, but they are a class act. I always thought that they were stuffy and preppy etc... But as most naive prejudices it was all in my head. They were fun and easy to laugh and they seemed genuine not fake like some of the sales people I've met.

I looked and talked and then came back and looked and talked again and then I had an idea "hey do you guys rent these things I wanna ride one."
They said, "Nope, we dont rent... Wanna ride this one?... lets go."
I thought he was joking at first., but we went for about a 10 mile ride.

Then they let me take it home over night.. This was the F650GS... I liked it, but....
I came back and said hmm I'd like to compare it to the 800...
They said, ok pick it up next Saturday.

Then I went back to the Kawi guy and asked to ride the KLR650. They thought I was crazy. I said I was about to buy the F800GS. But before I spend all that cash maybe I really want the KLR650.

I had not ridden the F800GS yet, but it was not hard to see my future.

Kawi said, " We cant do that". I let them know how serious I was and with BMW letting me ride, that there was no why I was buying the KLR650 without a test ride. They said, " Dude... you are gonna enjoy that F800GS."
Me... "Uhhh ok" (strange sales technique...)

Test rode it Saturday and went on a mountain ride witha buddy on Sunday. Brought it back to Brown Motorworks on Monday morning...
They asked me which one I wanted to take for a ride next...
I joked about how I dont really need to buy one, I'll just keep picking out new ones to ride everyweekend... hahha

I made them an offer that morning. I came back and picked up my brand spanking new one on Tuesday morning. That Kawi guy was right, I am enjoying my F800GS.

That's my Loooooong newbie beemer story :D

What's interesting about your experience was the BMW dealer here was just as accommodating.:D

I took both the F800 and the G650 out for half a day.:)
Then the guy was encouraging me to keep one overnight.:eek:

Just about all the other brands were far less willing to help me choose.
Either no test ride option or a ridiculously short ride.:mad:

Very nearly bought a G650GS.
In the end I opted for the CBFthou as it suited road touring more and I have the KLX for dirt time.:D

I can see me getting a larger capacity dual sport in the future.
I did like both the beemers.:)

The F8 is a really nice machine.

The rack looks neat with the plate on it. How do you like the rotopax? I am having trouble with the rubber washer on mine ( 2 gallon model). It seems larger than the filler screw cap, and does not like to go inside it when I want to pour out some gas. I have started to leave it off when I pour gas.

I have not used mine enough to have any strong opinion yet.
I bought the package deal and got the water (1Gal) for $10 extra.
I made the Hardboard plate and ran about 30 miles of off-road with it. It worked fine.

I have had fuel in the Red one for about a month. I need to take it out, try it, and use it up.

The product is clever with the mount. Simple. I like it.

But like I said, I have not even poiured fuel through it yet. So.... We'll see.

Slapdrum,

Brown Motor Works is a class act. I bought my first Beemer there back in '81. Bob Brown was running the store then. He was a hoot and a half. Played golf with him once and he had me rolling with his banter. I think his son is running the place now.

where did you buy the rack???

The dealership story is hilarious, you should take the GS to the Kawi dealer tell them they were right, then ask them if they would like to take it for a test ride. :)
Your rack mod looks nice, real clean. What have you got there, about $40+ worth of aluminum?
Dan

Justin at Nomadic Racks (he sells on eBay)... I think it was $79
email him nomadicracks@yahoo.com.
- Tell him SlapDrum sent ya from KF ;)