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Why the beak? Why the beak?
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Photo by Marc Gibaud, Clouds on Tres Cerros and Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia

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Photo by Marc Gibaud,
Clouds on Tres Cerros and
Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia



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  #1  
Old 20 Jul 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mark manley View Post
The beak serves the same purpose as the bolt on chrome bits on a Harley, nothing useful what so ever, although some might say that applies to the rest of the bike on a Harley.
Of course, there are some people on this HU site who have done long trips and RTW on a Harley, and you could share your thoughts there.

So the bikes are useful enough for travel, some might say.
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  #2  
Old 21 Jul 2012
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Originally Posted by Caminando View Post
Of course, there are some people on this HU site who have done long trips and RTW on a Harley, and you could share your thoughts there.

So the bikes are useful enough for travel, some might say.
First two bikes we saw in our hotel car park in Vladivostok last year were Harleys ridden by two Finnish guys from Finland and the bikes were still shiny !

It doesn't end there though.... a couple of days later a dutch guy and his wife each riding Harleys turned up in the same car park having completed the same journey from Netherlands !

I'm not a Harley lover myself but then I've never ridden one but, having seen the state of some of the Trans Siberian Highway I have to say fair play to these guys.
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  #3  
Old 22 Jul 2012
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Why the beak ?
To be one of the crowd !
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  #4  
Old 22 Jul 2012
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If you don't like the beak on the Tiger 800XC (and is that really the thing stopping you from owning one?) then just take it off. You can even have the blanking piece I took from my Tiger 800 when I fitted a beak


Yes, it's almost certainly 99.9% for the look. I did read that on the Tiger 800 it has a genuine aero benefit on the road. I do wonder how many fractions of a % of the total lift/downforce it makes a difference to, but I'm sure it will make all the difference to me in my quest to be first out of the last corner
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Old 22 Jul 2012
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Originally Posted by -Dex- View Post
If you don't like the beak on the Tiger 800XC (and is that really the thing stopping you from owning one?)
Heh - and the price!
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  #6  
Old 30 Jul 2012
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My recent purchase of a ex-BMW off road school G650GS for a bargain, meant that my chosen bike had a few bangs and scrapes. One of the minor bits of damage was to its beak, resulting in a rather shorter than intended by BMW beak.

After receiving several bags worth of road dirt, debris, small animals, red headed children and other choice items getting flung into my visor/eyes I can confirm that the beak is actually very useful in stopping this stuff being flung off the front wheel ahead of the bike....to then be whipped back into your face.

I have also bought the extended beak, because it looks well hard.
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  #7  
Old 31 Jul 2012
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Originally Posted by BaldBaBoon View Post

I have also bought the extended beak, because it looks well hard.
Always a good reason
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  #8  
Old 31 Jul 2012
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My two bobs worth...

It could also serve the following purposes, even if a bit far-fetched:
1. Pointer where the front wheel is, as if you couldn't see it from behind the handlebars and that windshield.
2. To peg down pedestrians, ie. when they split their legs, the front wheel misses but the beak will surely get them and right where it hurts too.
3. Serving tray for holding the cold drinks, aka . Although the slight tilt is annoying unless you have a cosy to stop it from sliding off.
4. Attachement for useless and expensive TT gadgets, like their first-aid kit.
5. Air funnel to create more turbulance, and make you feel like you're going faster than you are. Provides the illusion of speed.
6. Extra space to put stickers for RTWers that are into collecting stickers.
7. To put a number on it to identify it from the air (ie. by helicopter) when you're in the Dakar or another pretigous rally.
8. Same as above but from a plane.
9. All of the above.
10. And my favourite: A spare toilet seat. Hole sold separately!!



Although in my defense apart for using it for a shouvel in the sand*, I haven't used my r1200 beak for any of the above.

* I had a little spill in the Sahara, full write-up can be found here: http://blog.riding2up.net/2011/11/11...of-the-sahara/
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  #9  
Old 6 Aug 2012
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Originally Posted by BaldBaBoon View Post
After receiving several bags worth of road dirt, debris, small animals, red headed children and other choice items getting flung into my visor/eyes I can confirm that the beak is actually very useful in stopping this stuff being flung off the front wheel ahead of the bike....to then be whipped back into your face.
Thing is, I have a device on my XT which serves this purpose very well indeed. It's called a mudguard. Radical, I know, but it's the way I roll.

Thanks to everyone for amusing responses. I think I know more than I did, but I can't be certain.
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  #10  
Old 14 Dec 2012
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raaah
i just removed the beak off my 2001 f650gs that i've had for about a month. allways just looked goofy to me. 4 bolts to remove, the horn looks a little exposed but i haven't noticed any more dirt and salt off the road behind the fron wheel so it looks like it wasnt doing much anyway. i did notice that the steering feels a little lighter now without that extra weight on the front forks. nothing really note worthy though. i heard tell that it keeps the rain off you? i will get a good test of that in the next few days. i'll just see how it all goes
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