TL;DR - quite a few updates, hope you like the photos. Spec after the pics.
I'll keep this as brief as possible...about October I broke a piece off a fairing trying to get the headlights out. The nose cowl pieces it appear were very brittle. So after speaking with Andy (Soof) about his replacement panels from sbkmotorworks. After agonising over some ideas for a colour scheme I eventually settled on a custom HP4 Black. I had at least an 8 week wait on my hands. I was now resigned to not having the bike back before at least Christmas (this would be come 12 weeks fter the initial panels were not right.
So, Black and Blue, I needed Blue wheels to set it off. So some of you saw the request for Blue HP4 wheels, Baz did and recommended I speak to Titax. I looked at some reviews, the MOI (Moment Of Inertia) was low for a metal wheel, the weight too without being extreme was low. I placed the order and again was looking at an 8 week wait, but they'd thrown in some free GP Levers colour coded so I was pretty happy. In total 8 weeks became 4 months and I got quite stressed by the end as some know. The panels and then wheels became the reason the bike is so late to completion, but in other ways its the reason there's so many other bits on it now. Idle hands etc.
With the wheel change I wanted to have a fully working set of spares I had to order discs, chose to order Brembo SC pads, Motul RBF660...and a Brembo 19RCS, Master Brake Cylinder. I *had* to replace the MBC, BMW had confirmed my suspisions that the stocker was on its way out, it still worked but not nearly like it should have.
In the updates previously I'd picked up an Akro slip-on, Ilmberger carbon (Bellypan, hugger, winglets), rearsets and levers from a another owner. It had started my modding. I spent a lot of time on eBay and here looking for the right mods at the right price, it was good and bad to have so much time. I could pick the right bits, but kept getting more! So I'll skip the small items, I'd got it into my head that I'd really love a suspension upgrade somehow. Especially with the stronger brakes in the offing. When a member (R4inD0g) decided to sell his Ohlins NIX30 cartridges and a Bitubo BW041 that had been reworked by Buildbase BMW, for a great price, I decided to pounce.
Once all the major parts were collected I knew this was too much work for someone in a flat with few tools and no garage. I contacted HM Racing and Prime Factors to discuss the work. Prime Factors won simply cause they got me a better quote and included transportation of the now stripped bike, to their garage for re-assembly. The job started before the wheels were finally shipped, but it gave them time to work on it in between building race bikes. They had to fettle the cheaper carbon (Roks4Carbon - eBay) as the fit wasn't quite right, it wasn't an issue to me as it looks ok but mainly I wanted it for the change of texture from metal and plastics of the infil and frame. They setup the suspension, replacing the springs with 9.5's at the front and a 9kg/mm in the rear. Buildbase kindly rebuilt the reservoir part of the shock, FoC, when it didn't fit the 2012, their preferred 80mm canister hit the undertray so the 50mm had to go back on. Once the wheels arrived I'd got the wrong sprocket due to a lack of accuracy on the part of Titax IMO, but anyway, Talon came to the rescue and the final part looks mint, with the Rethal SRS chain (and 16T front you can't see). The Gilles Levers I had didn't fit the Brembo RCS so I was forced to have unmatched levers but in a way that works too. The Titax - colour coded GP lever is very well engineered, so that went on the clutch side. Hence the Gilles are for sale.
In between the above, whilst the wheels were still not here; Performance Parts Ltd decided to list a full Ti Akro Carbon system for under ?1000...that was a significant saving on list and on weight too. I bought it and sold the Slip-On to DL84 the next day
In all the bike with the battery, exhaust and wheels is at least 10Kg's lighter. I wish I was too.
When the Titax wheels arrived I was blown away by them. They finish the bike off, their just a great quality part. I'd never have gotten them if I'd known I had to wait 4+ Months (there were many discussions!) but I am glad I did. I hope others get them but in a reasonable amount of time, 6-8 weeks is "normal".
Anyway, Prime Factors finished it all off and delivered it back in the week. 5 months after I started. But I'm mighty pleased. I have avenues to still go down, I may fit a fuel-fudger, the PZ PnP GPS Laptimer, and there is a coupe of little bits still to come...
The bike is lighter, louder, faster, quicker stopping, easier to flick and looking smart. I've tried to not over do it...but I was gutted when the Ti Blue Bolt didn't get the sprocket
I am delighted to present the "Passive" HP4 Black Series.
