What to buy.. Please help?!

KickStarter

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Hi All!!

So, I have a lovely 2008 F800GS, in Orange, 28k miles.
I bought it as it's a bike that was local to me, and I enjoyed walking past it a few times, I stumbled upon it on AutoTrader and so jumped in and bought her for what was a good price at the time.

The bike mechanically is sound, the guys at the garage say it's in good condition and I've owned it for a little over a year with no issues.

I'm currently torn between doing one of two things:

Firstly, Im proving the look of this bike, doing the below:
Wrapping the orange in either a dark green, or grey - something more modern. (£300)
Powdercoating the pannier frame and front crash bars to black (£120)
Changing the tyres over to Continental TKC80's (~ £200-300 inc fitting I think)

After those are all down, I'll be ~£700 down, but have the bike asthetic I'm looking for!

Or option two, is to sell up, and buy a newer GS. I'm a big fan of adventure bike style, so I would LOVE a F850 GS Adventure.

My big problem is I live and travel around London, and I don't want to be worried that everytime I park up, my bike is going to get knicked.

Both my bikes have AllTrac Trackers inside, and are chained and covered at night in a front garden.

All opinions welcome.
 
You want to bling it up, but don`t want to get it nicked? Thibk this one through a little.
And as for tyres, these are a sunk cost and need to be replaced at regular intervals. And I am sure you have thought about the trade-off between looks and poorer handling. Perhaps the TK70`s are a better all-round bet?
 
Hi Bem,

Yes it's a good comment that's for sure!

I suppose I'm thinking more dull down the orange, than bling up the bike, as such. But still a valid comment. I'm not sure how much bike theviers know about values of the bikes they're stealing.


Good comments on the tyres, thank you!
 
I'd focus on which bike you would be really happy with as some scroats will nick anything.
If your happy with what you've got and plan on keeping it a while sinking money into it will average out so any loss wont seem too bad.
I've changed bikes and lost loads of dosh each time on impulse purchase and then regretted a few times when I'd be just as happy with what I've got. I always admire people with bikes that get used as they should be and have healthy mileage....... I think 'yeah good on ya why aren't I sensible'. But that's the way with motorcycles.
Dont forget if your changing it may affect your insurance a little as well as a little more in depreciation (if its newer) so the gap on spending on your current bike might not be as high as you think.
 
Thanks Butter! So, I kind of fall back on the 'You don't miss what you don't know..'

I've only ridden MT-07, Ducati Scrambler 400, XSR700 and this.. ..so I don't know what a higher tech BMW would be like.. but at the same time I don't want to sink money into something I won't be having for so long...

Conversely, it's not as if F850GD Adv's are going to evaperoate, they'll still be around in a few years time, and cheaper too haha.
 
Admittedly they were black to start with but I've repainted my crash bars & pannier frames in the past looks tidy enough 'Tuff Black' or similar from Halfords doubt it'd cost more than £30 with some paper/primer. I've re done my panels a couple of times now but it's in the magnesium matt silver/grey so easy to get a decent finish over gloss. I guess the wrap option is to keep your original panels intact case you go back to standard. Never tried the 850 sure its a great bike but I cant justify swapping for the limited amount of time I get to ride at the moment and my F8GS does all I need it to
 
Q plate said:
Admittedly they were black to start with but I've repainted my crash bars & pannier frames in the past looks tidy enough 'Tuff Black' or similar from Halfords doubt it'd cost more than £30 with some paper/primer. I've re done my panels a couple of times now but it's in the magnesium matt silver/grey so easy to get a decent finish over gloss. I guess the wrap option is to keep your original panels intact case you go back to standard. Never tried the 850 sure its a great bike but I cant justify swapping for the limited amount of time I get to ride at the moment and my F8GS does all I need it to
Click to expand...

This is what I needed to hear!

I wasn't so worried about going back to orginal here, I feel no one is going to miss the orange of the GS, it was through fear of getting a rubbish finish on the panels otherwise. I looked at the Plastidip spray paint, but didn't have faith that I'd do a good job, and wouldn't have to just end up wrapping it anyway!
 
Why not do the mods a bit at a time, eg powder coat then wrap etc. I agree with the comments on TKC 70’s over 80’s. Yes the 80’s give you the rufty tufty look of an adventure bike. But on the greasy wet streets of london I feel you would have a compromised ride.

Having said that they will make a big difference to the look of the bike, it just depends what you want to do, admire it or ride it.

Ill get my coat …..
 
Ahaha I like to ride it, and then when I part it up, look back and go awwww yeah!!

I'm happy to comprimise a little comfort, if the slow speeds feel a little bumpy, but not happy to comprimise saftey.

I've got Pirelli scorpions STR's on my XSR and they're great. Very slow speeds they are 'bumpy' but doesn't bother me!

img_0430-jpg.26710
 
KickStarter said:
This is what I needed to hear!

I wasn't so worried about going back to orginal here, I feel no one is going to miss the orange of the GS, it was through fear of getting a rubbish finish on the panels otherwise. I looked at the Plastidip spray paint, but didn't have faith that I'd do a good job, and wouldn't have to just end up wrapping it anyway!
Click to expand...

Normal car paint/aerosols are fine just give the panels a light flat to give a 'key' if you do go through the paint layer you can spray a light coat of plastic primer on that area locally. R.S paints do aerosols in the BM colours. If you want a more professional finish on the cheap put the base coat colour on yourself to give it the colour and ask a bodyshop to lacquer it for you when they've next got something in the booth.. stickers are on ebay or somebody on here used to do them :thumb2
 
Thanks mate!

So, when you say a 'light flat coat' do you mean of a primer?

Cheers,

Lewis
 
A light flat with 1500 wet n dry paper use water you'll know when it's right as it'll lose its gloss finish and be like a dull/mat finish. Try and get a litre of panel wipe to clean it with after thinners is too strong. You can use scotch pads instead of wet n dry paper they're a bit like brillo pads come in different grades colours think grey is the finest. You could paint straight onto it but Id be inclined with it being orange to give it a coat of grey primer a good nuetral colour for underneath your top coat. Also if you get any reactions you're not wasting expensive top coat finding out. Pm me if you need any info or have any problems
 
That’s really helpful mate, thank you!!

I’m sure I’ll have questions when I start.

I’ll give that a go.. need to get my XSR back on the road first before I take the GS to bits 😅😅
 
Q plate said:
A light flat with 1500 wet n dry paper use water you'll know when it's right as it'll lose its gloss finish and be like a dull/mat finish. Try and get a litre of panel wipe to clean it with after thinners is too strong. You can use scotch pads instead of wet n dry paper they're a bit like brillo pads come in different grades colours think grey is the finest. You could paint straight onto it but Id be inclined with it being orange to give it a coat of grey primer a good nuetral colour for underneath your top coat. Also if you get any reactions you're not wasting expensive top coat finding out. Pm me if you need any info or have any problems
Click to expand...

Any tips on restoring dulled black plastic trim too?! Google gives a varierty of options, some of which look more like bodges than actual fixes!!
 
I'd give them a light coat of plastic primer then a light coat of satin black should get them looking new. There's plenty of quick shine sprays but they never last long
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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