Mid-size adventure bikes like BMW’s F 850 GS and GSA frequently receive more budget-conscious suspension components than their full-size counterparts. Compared to the R 1250 GS’s telelever front and paralever rear suspension, the middleweights' suspenders can seem downright primitive. To remedy the under-sprung and under-damped stock equipment, Touratech just released an easy-install fork cartridge for the F 850 GS platform.
The kit includes one pre-filled fork conversion cartridge that should take the guesswork out of oil measurements. Touratech also pre-springs the cartridge and charges it with nitrogen ahead of time so the customer just has to drop it in the right fork leg. No machining or modifications are required and the kit comes with a fork cap tool and damping adjustment tool for installation.
Aside from the ease of install, the conversion kit also offers full adjustability with rebound, damping, and preload dials at the top of the fork cap. In addition to the re-valve and spring rate change, the system boasts direct-damping technology to ensure performance over a vast range of environments and conditions. The hydraulic bottoming prevention feature also provides the last line of defense against the hardest hits on the toughest terrain.
“I’ve had trips where a fork seal started to leak, and I felt the damping performance diminish as oil was lost,” said Touratech-USA CEO Paul Guillien. “My favorite feature of this upgrade is that the damping oil is in a closed cartridge, which ensures consistent damping even if the fork leg leaks some lubrication oil.”
Retailing for $1,095, the fork cartridge conversion kit is a reasonably priced upgrade to the 850 GS’s stock setup. The straight-forward install and pre-filled cartridge should also get you back on the trail in no time. No, the F 850 GS will never have telelever suspension, but Touratech’s kit should take on anything you can throw at it.
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