TOURING TIPS Turning a Dual-Sport into an Adventure Tourer
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FALL 2018 ISSUE 02 / VOL . 03
TOURING TIPS Turning a Dual-Sport into an Adventure Tourer
to fold them out of the way on tight trails , we installed a set of tough , infinitely adjustable Doubletake Mirrors ($ 96 ). To protect the 690 Enduro R ’ s undercarriage , we replaced the stock plastic skid plate with a burly Ultimate Skid Plate ($ 249 ) from Black Dog Cycle Works . It ’ s made of powdercoated , 4.8mm-thick 5052 aluminum that has enough give to absorb impacts without transferring excessive force into the chassis . The frame-mounted skid plate protects the engine cases , and it can be removed in just a few minutes for oil changes or other maintenance . And we replaced the stock footpegs with a set of BDCW ’ s Traction Footpegs ($ 229 ), which weigh just 6 ounces and , at 2.5 inches wide by 4.5 inches long , provide a much larger platform for stand-up riding . They ’ re a half inch lower for a bit more legroom , and they come with removable screw-in traction spikes .
Add it all up , and this dual-sportto-adventure-tourer conversion is a $ 1,744 investment and adds 37 pounds ( including the extra gallon of fuel ). The extra weight is hardly noticeable when riding off-road , and the added comfort , convenience and protection make it money well spent .
Below : BDCW ’ s Ultimate Skid Plate provides much better protection than the stock bash guard . Main : Riding our project bike on Deer Peak Trail in California ’ s Rowher Flats OHV Area .