My GS - now with 21" where it counts

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katana

Grey Hound
Joined
Dec 5, 2011
Messages
5,600
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274
Location
Cape Town
Bike
Yamaha T7
I have owned my GS since 2011 and have wanted to sell it for a smaller bike quite frequently.  It redeems itself though every time the trip is a long one.  I went so far as to arrange a trade-in on a 701 last year.  The test ride was a bit of a disappointment and I decided I would rather spend the trade-in pay in on decent suspension instead.

A while back I went for a nice ride with Kawaki.  My bike performed flawlessly until we hit a really really bad 'ondergeskikte pad'.  While cursing my rear Tourance for not being able to push me enough to get some speed in the deep sand, I kept on stopping when the front tire decided to not follow my direction - the classic G(een) S(and) scenario.

I swore that I would get a 21" conversion as soon as possible.

A lot of research in a very short time span, finally got me talking to Hinksding for some advice.  I knew he had done the exercise before.  I ended up buying his 21" rim and his spare rear rim as he had sold his Hinksding.

As these things go, I got impatient and bit the bullet for a nice set of TKC 80s.  The tires are now fitted, the rims swopped and my custom front mudguard completed.  I thought I would share the pics and give some feedback as I go along.  I have had a 19" TKC80 front before and I think it is the best tire for and heavy duallie.  This is my first TKC 80 rear and I have always wanted to try it.  It really looks the business as well.

A big complaint on fitting the 21" is that the original mudguard has to go - or you have to buy a new lower triple clamp, which isn't in my budget.  I chopped my old Pegasso's rear mudguard extender to fashion the front mudguard.  If you don't fit something, dust and mud will be flung up towards your face from the tire. 

From my first test ride, the following was very apparent.  The bike feels like it is steering much quicker, and more direct.  Less vague that the 19".  I know that my previous Tourances were about 70% left, so part of the change could also be due to having nice new round tires.  I read about the bike being more stable in a straight line and I have experienced this as well.

Off road the wheel rolls over ruts and bumps as if they are not there.  Very loose sand hardly has any effect on the bikes direction and steering is very good in the loose stuff.  This weekend the real test will be done over a couple of hundred kilometers.
 

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