Just bought two 2009 wee-stroms, will cross country Canada next summer and headed to Africa Sept 2010. To all you seasoned 650A owners what would you add as accessories, in priority. Here's my Santa list: I'm thinking crash & skid (SW Motek), fender extensions, baggage (trax or givi), steering damper (scott), heated grips (Oxford) and barkbusters. Hey, it's Christmas.
Two new wee's need advice on accessories
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scott???
barkbusters??
besides that look at http://www.easternbeaver.com for adding electrical components GREAt stuff. Windscreen would be a must with a madstad adjuster. Hand guards (stock ones I love). Maybe a throtel lock, I got one cheep hat worked with the oxferd heated grips. Whe you put them on leave the lip thats close to the actual controls and the NEP one I got at GP bikes worked with the small space left.
O and WOO another Canadian on here wooo, Brampton area myself
barkbusters??
besides that look at http://www.easternbeaver.com for adding electrical components GREAt stuff. Windscreen would be a must with a madstad adjuster. Hand guards (stock ones I love). Maybe a throtel lock, I got one cheep hat worked with the oxferd heated grips. Whe you put them on leave the lip thats close to the actual controls and the NEP one I got at GP bikes worked with the small space left.
O and WOO another Canadian on here wooo, Brampton area myself
Suspension.
Seat.
For a long sustained trip, rider comfort is #1. Not getting a bad back because you hit a pothole the stock suspension couldn't handle - and being able to ride all day without dreading getting back on the bike next day.
Throttle lock, grip puppies or just comfortable grips. Check the bar position, you may find taller bars with more pullback will make life a whole lot more comfortable.
Before you start the big adventure, do a two day ride, long distances each day - fix anything that makes you hurt.
Pete
Seat.
For a long sustained trip, rider comfort is #1. Not getting a bad back because you hit a pothole the stock suspension couldn't handle - and being able to ride all day without dreading getting back on the bike next day.
Throttle lock, grip puppies or just comfortable grips. Check the bar position, you may find taller bars with more pullback will make life a whole lot more comfortable.
Before you start the big adventure, do a two day ride, long distances each day - fix anything that makes you hurt.
Pete
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For a trip bike I would suggets the following to start with
Madstand bracket
Medium Cee Bailey screen ( in the rain its great )
Fork brace and mirror extenders
Heated grips I would go for Hot grips ergo2 next time I do it .http://www.hotgrips.com/
they have the right shape for your hand when you grip something.
Cheep copy top box
Happy trails boxes or Pelican cases MOST important is the rack
Intiminators or cartidge emulators in the forks
See Murphs for centre stand, bash plate and crash bars http://www.murphskits.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=27_165
Handguards, Suzuki for bittumen use, Bark Busters for dirt work
Sheepskin for the seat and pillow at night .
Simple chain oiler, a bottle of oil, a chain cleaning brush and rag.
PVC tube on the side I put my tools, rag chain oil,etc in there that way you do not have to remove the seat to get a screwdriver etc
Air pump ( slime brand or similar )
Puncture kit
Plenty of Spare fuses ,electrical wire , cable ties , duct tape, insulation tape, multi meter,
Fork gators ( saves fork seals ).
For Africa I would modify the fuel pump and fitt a car fuel filter in line as a bad load of fuel for both of you could leave you both in a bad position ( there are post about it fixing the pump) . This applies to all bike IMO.
Madstand bracket
Medium Cee Bailey screen ( in the rain its great )
Fork brace and mirror extenders
Heated grips I would go for Hot grips ergo2 next time I do it .http://www.hotgrips.com/
they have the right shape for your hand when you grip something.
Cheep copy top box
Happy trails boxes or Pelican cases MOST important is the rack
Intiminators or cartidge emulators in the forks
See Murphs for centre stand, bash plate and crash bars http://www.murphskits.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=27_165
Handguards, Suzuki for bittumen use, Bark Busters for dirt work
Sheepskin for the seat and pillow at night .
Simple chain oiler, a bottle of oil, a chain cleaning brush and rag.
PVC tube on the side I put my tools, rag chain oil,etc in there that way you do not have to remove the seat to get a screwdriver etc
Air pump ( slime brand or similar )
Puncture kit
Plenty of Spare fuses ,electrical wire , cable ties , duct tape, insulation tape, multi meter,
Fork gators ( saves fork seals ).
For Africa I would modify the fuel pump and fitt a car fuel filter in line as a bad load of fuel for both of you could leave you both in a bad position ( there are post about it fixing the pump) . This applies to all bike IMO.
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Trax boxes, they load from the top and come off in a heartbeat-love em. I got the two different sizes so that the bike is the same width from the centerline. I wasn't sure about that at first, but I'm glad I went that way.
A Madstad bracket is worth more than it's weight in gold. If you're getting those crashbars from SW, grab the highway pegs too. Just being able to shift around even a little bit does wonders on long trips. I have an Airhawk seat and don't even use it with the highway pegs. It's a little pricey, but the along with the other farkles you've mentioned, a Zumo is pretty cool too. Routes + music!
Oh yeah, if you're going to be rippin of big mileage days, a throttle lock is a nice thing to have.
What the hell, it's Christmas right?
A Madstad bracket is worth more than it's weight in gold. If you're getting those crashbars from SW, grab the highway pegs too. Just being able to shift around even a little bit does wonders on long trips. I have an Airhawk seat and don't even use it with the highway pegs. It's a little pricey, but the along with the other farkles you've mentioned, a Zumo is pretty cool too. Routes + music!
Oh yeah, if you're going to be rippin of big mileage days, a throttle lock is a nice thing to have.
What the hell, it's Christmas right?
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Add luggage and crash bars, then take both bikes and go away for a weekend trip. You'll figure out what you need for it. I don't think heated grips are required for Canadian or African summers.
Once the weekenders are over then more gear will be required for the longer trips. Then if going to another continent more gear again will be required. Determine as you go.
Baby steps first.
Each one here has there own. if you add (what everyone here thinks you should add) you'll spend 5000 bucks and add a 1000 lbs worth of accessories.:thumbup:
Ken
I'd get heated gloves instead of heated grips.
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Maggot if you look at my list it's not over the top . just generally what you need
Heated well shaped grips and hand guards are very handy on a cold night in the rain .The idea of the shaped gripps help when you put long days back to back . If you are going to do 100-200 klm well anyone can do that .The pump and repair kit are needed ,try calling roadside assist in Africa . Too may times I have seen Givi bags totaled when a bike is droped so what do you do with your gear leave it there?
I can not recall ANYONE removing there fork brace.
Crash bars are needed and will save you a lot of $$ , centre stand why not etc etc
They will work it out .
Heated well shaped grips and hand guards are very handy on a cold night in the rain .The idea of the shaped gripps help when you put long days back to back . If you are going to do 100-200 klm well anyone can do that .The pump and repair kit are needed ,try calling roadside assist in Africa . Too may times I have seen Givi bags totaled when a bike is droped so what do you do with your gear leave it there?
I can not recall ANYONE removing there fork brace.
Crash bars are needed and will save you a lot of $$ , centre stand why not etc etc
They will work it out .
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2,231 Posts
I don't like the Trailwings either, but they'll get you across Canada just fine. Then definitely replace them with something better suited to the roads (and lack thereof) in Africa, maybe TKC-80's.
No one has mentioned lights. Even if you don't plan to, on a trip that long you'll probably ride at night some. The wee's headlights are good, but it's always good to have more, especially when you're in the middle of nowhere. Auxiliary lights also help you be seen, day or night. 35W halogen or some of the new 10W led lights will put light on the road and leave you enough power to run the heated grips.
+1 on Eastern Beaver electrical products -- Jim has high quality, Strom-specific plug-and-play kits for lights, grips, power sockets (you'll probably want those too), and a nice fusebox. If you're going to be on particularly rough terrain, you might want to check out the ABS switching adapter.
Givi or Trax would be fine for a topbox, but I would prefer something tougher for sidecases. I still use a pair of Caribou/Pelican 1550's that survived the crash that totaled my last wee. This computer was in the case underneath the bike as it slid down the highway on its side, and the case, though even uglier than it was before, is still watertight. I'm not really a fan of side-opening cases, but the lid lanyards and elastic retention straps added by Caribou, along with a set of liner bags, make them tolerable. They're also cheaper than almost anything else of comparable volume. Did I mention they're indestructible?
If top loading is a must, Happy Trails seem to be the best aluminum case systems under $1000. The HT racks even have a place to mount a tool tube.
Otherwise I agree with all the stuff on your list, although the fender extenders are unnecessary with the Motech skidplates mounted.
As others have mentioned, fork upgrades and fork braces are a good idea. Considering the loads you likely will be carrying, a shock upgrade is in order as well, especially if either of you weighs more than about 180lbs.
Offroad-style footpegs -- better traction, broader base for more comfort.
No one has mentioned lights. Even if you don't plan to, on a trip that long you'll probably ride at night some. The wee's headlights are good, but it's always good to have more, especially when you're in the middle of nowhere. Auxiliary lights also help you be seen, day or night. 35W halogen or some of the new 10W led lights will put light on the road and leave you enough power to run the heated grips.
+1 on Eastern Beaver electrical products -- Jim has high quality, Strom-specific plug-and-play kits for lights, grips, power sockets (you'll probably want those too), and a nice fusebox. If you're going to be on particularly rough terrain, you might want to check out the ABS switching adapter.
Givi or Trax would be fine for a topbox, but I would prefer something tougher for sidecases. I still use a pair of Caribou/Pelican 1550's that survived the crash that totaled my last wee. This computer was in the case underneath the bike as it slid down the highway on its side, and the case, though even uglier than it was before, is still watertight. I'm not really a fan of side-opening cases, but the lid lanyards and elastic retention straps added by Caribou, along with a set of liner bags, make them tolerable. They're also cheaper than almost anything else of comparable volume. Did I mention they're indestructible?
If top loading is a must, Happy Trails seem to be the best aluminum case systems under $1000. The HT racks even have a place to mount a tool tube.
Otherwise I agree with all the stuff on your list, although the fender extenders are unnecessary with the Motech skidplates mounted.
As others have mentioned, fork upgrades and fork braces are a good idea. Considering the loads you likely will be carrying, a shock upgrade is in order as well, especially if either of you weighs more than about 180lbs.
Offroad-style footpegs -- better traction, broader base for more comfort.
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Awesome response in <12hrs!
I'm beginning to think that joining Stromtroopers was the first best thing to do after buying the wee's. The response from you guys is most excellent and thought provoking! You can bet I'll research each one of these suggestions and happy to hear more.
After installing some basics between now and spring, I like the idea of baby steps (a couple weekend long rides) for better decision making, but now, I'll be considering your feedback and options as I ride.
I'll keep listening and will post the results as the bikes start coming together.
I'm beginning to think that joining Stromtroopers was the first best thing to do after buying the wee's. The response from you guys is most excellent and thought provoking! You can bet I'll research each one of these suggestions and happy to hear more.
After installing some basics between now and spring, I like the idea of baby steps (a couple weekend long rides) for better decision making, but now, I'll be considering your feedback and options as I ride.
I'll keep listening and will post the results as the bikes start coming together.
For the Africa ride you will want center stands to do work on the bikes. IMHO that is a must. The other must is Madstad brackets for the shields. Luggage goes without saying. A tool tube on each bike to carry some chain lube and tools would also be handy to keep that stuff out of your luggage. Skid plates and engine guards can save you from some damage. Handguards keep the cold and bugs off and I would not travel without a heated vest and grips....oh yeah, a GPS and a slime pump and tire repair kit.
Must be nice to get to buy 2 of everything...LOL
Must be nice to get to buy 2 of everything...LOL
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Your list is a good one and I never meant to say it was over the top. But for someone getting a new strom and listening to what each of us tells him, one could easily add farkles that would match the the cost of the bike. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with, and the Op said what the hell, it Christmas!!!! :hurray:
Take a look at my sig and see what I have added, I also carry a compressor, tire plug kit, couple 12v outlets, gps and I have a set of tools in the tube that I can literally take the bike apart with. All that, and I haven't even been a days ride away from my house. :headbang:
Ken
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If you have the means for these trips, then you have the means for a pair of fitted, custom saddles, ala Russel or Meyers, eh?
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Accesories
Geez you could have just bought the BMW 800GS and it would have all that stuff as OEM , only have to pick out luggage and GPS.
Geez you could have just bought the BMW 800GS and it would have all that stuff as OEM , only have to pick out luggage and GPS.
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1,446 Posts
No worries Maggot .
I think the Vstrom 650 is the best value Touring bike around, sure a BMW 1200GS dose some things better ( and some worse things ) but I can have almost 3 Vstroms for the cost of ONE BMW 1200GS.
After fitting an Elka shock from Blair ( SV racing ) it is apparent that the front forks could do with a bit off work . If they had a bit of extra money I would replace the rear shock with an Elka ( sell the existing one and get a few $100 ).
I think the Vstrom 650 is the best value Touring bike around, sure a BMW 1200GS dose some things better ( and some worse things ) but I can have almost 3 Vstroms for the cost of ONE BMW 1200GS.
After fitting an Elka shock from Blair ( SV racing ) it is apparent that the front forks could do with a bit off work . If they had a bit of extra money I would replace the rear shock with an Elka ( sell the existing one and get a few $100 ).
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104 Posts
You lucky dawgs!!!:thumbup:
If I were asking Santa for pre-trip mods they would have to be..
1. Crashbar and skidplate (2 I know but they work togetherand its xmas)
2. Centerstand
3. Heated Grips
4. Hand Gaurds
5. Luggauge
6. Forkbrace
Added them all to my 09 with the exeption of the forkbrace and they have all been very functional. Hopeing to get a forkbrace for xmas:mrgreen:
I have OME luggauge and when the road is rough I have visions of smashed plastic and gear all over the road. I would go with top loading and metal.
I think the seat is fine and the suspension OK. But I guess it depends on your size and the wieght of your gear. Do a testrun:yesnod:
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