I've had an Africa Twin before and used it for a trip through Africa. I liked the bike very much. It proved to be very reliable.
Now i'm contemplating getting an Africa Twin. Part because i'm getting the itch go on an adventure once again, partially because i like to farkle/modify bikes. I dont like old stuff/classics, but for the Africa Twin i make an exception. One thing i didnt like was the weight.
So if i get one, what could i do to shed weight in a sensible way? Any idea or numbers about the actual savings?
- Changing to a plastic/fiberglass tank? They are also are bigger in capacity, but as long as the tank isnt full, it should be lighter right?
- different brake discs (had experience with braking before. Was 200gr if i remember correct. Which in unsprung weight counts extra.
- front forks?
- rally fairing including headlights and aluminium dashboard frame?
- aftermarket exhaust?
- alu handlebars?
- different hubs/rims?
- skid plate in carbon?
- stealth rear sprocket?
- how to lowering centre of gravity?
And of course:
- soft luggage. Had fairly good experience with wolfman luggage
- packing light
Before you bring out the pie argument. My weight is spot on for my age and lenght, so nothing to gain there in a healthy way
Changing out the exhaust and wheels will net you the most. Removing rear pegs and all other nonessential stuff as well as a solo seat. Other than that, looks like you have everything covered. I've been saving up for a set of Magadan soft bags myself.
Yeah, thanks for pointing out the website. I had a look at all kinds of carbin/kevlar stuff.
But i'm curious for numbers. What are realistic weight saving numbers.
Im just hoping someone took the trouble to weight some stuff or had a project bike go on a diet
Yeah, thanks for pointing out the website. I had a look at all kinds of carbin/kevlar stuff.
But i'm curious for numbers. What are realistic weight saving numbers.
Im just hoping someone took the trouble to weight some stuff or had a project bike go on a diet
Hey, sorry for reopening this old thread, but I'm thinking of the same thing.
Was there a positive develop in your quest @darkhelmet? Have you managed to shed some weight of the Africa?
I found going to the gym and cutting down on the proverbial pies more useful...and I've done a lot of proper off-roading on mine. It's got a Venom exhaust and new wheels but not for weight purposes - because I like the noise and the old rims were f*cked!
Gym doesn't beat proper 'bike time' though especially for off-roading. Your forearms, quads, and glutes will hate you.
Even being the correct weight doesn't mean much if there's not much muscle/stamina where it's needed.
Just the plastics of the Ivan Replica or did you go with the full kit(with suspension and exhaust kits) and I don't want to be cheeky but can you elaborate on the "custom parts" part
Magura were really nice, they sent me a couple of master cylinders and a few slave cylinders so I could try a few options. Its not that hard to do. I used a mountain bike brake cable adjuster with the standard cable clutch bracket
And get the master cylinder with the choke lever
Magura were really nice, they sent me a couple of master cylinders and a few slave cylinders so I could try a few options. Its not that hard to do. I used a mountain bike brake cable adjuster with the standard cable clutch bracket
And get the master cylinder with the choke lever
View attachment 165739
Nowadays ther are not so much more expensive than the lead-acid ones but I still worry about it catching fire
The stock one is between 4 and 5 kgs and the li-ion was 1.2 kg, so it's maybe the easiest place to lose 3 kg.
What are your thoughts on the safety issue?
I am not worried, it only has to be used a couple of times a day so isnt being used all the time. Phones and laptops etc that have caught fire have done so because apps etc are overloading them. So I think they are fine. Besides I have used them for a few years in bikes and not had a fire yet
The safety side of Li batteries are much improved now, i would be more worried about whether the charging circuit of the bike is suitable for Li batteries and the damaged caused to the regulator rectifier if it ever goes into safe mode when the bike is running
This is an interesting read
I worry because of RC batteries which are not protected and I had two burning up. There should be motorcycle li-ion with BMS circuits and LiFe batteries should be a little harder to catch fire. Fear is a strong demotivator though...
One in use and the other is actually more of an abuse(a crash - I don't know if it' a mechanical rupture of the cell or a heavy short circuit). But it's one of those things you can't do anything about and you just wait for it to finish. Wouldn't want to see this to a bike that had a ton of custom work done to it.
Maybe cranking it cold after it has been sitting for a long time should be done with a bypass from a spare lead acid battery. After all it happens only in the garage and in the other cases it takes half a second to start so normal cranking doesn't put a strain on the battery.
On a side note - did you change your voltage regulators to a li-ion specific if there are any?
I see what youre saying. But I am ok with the risks, I always warm up the battery before starting the bike (A KTM tip) and as I and friends all have them with no issues, I am confident they are ok.
latest job is making it easier to remove the seat without having to remove the side panels. (An old carbon seatpost provides the basic shape)
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Related Threads
?
?
?
?
?
Honda XRV Forum
681.1K posts
23.4K members
Since 1970
A forum community dedicated to Honda XRV Trail Bike owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about performance, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, maintenance, and more! Open to all Honda models including Transalp, XR, Varadero, Blackbird, NX400 and more.