Schlowy Customs Motorcycles, Johannesburg, South Africa

Recently completed 6500km trip through Namibia, Botswana, Zim and Zambia I discovered how the Accelerator Module on my BMW F800GS saved my life.

Namibian gravel roads are deceiving. Mostly gravel highways turn into sandy gravel pits in a flash – making you fight for survival. Although they are well kept and frequently scraped, some routes can turn really nasty.Riding on the F800GS was done at 80km/h in 5th, most of it standing (Stand Up, Look Up, Open Up). On good roads one could go faster (watch out for being caught out by the sudden sandy pit though), but often one would suddenly be forced to reduce speed to 40km/h or less without the opportunity to gear down – partly because of standing, but mostly because the road had deteriorated to such an extent that you are holding on for dear life: you will hit a sandy pit, often mixed with gravel. Cages also saw the pit and tried to take evasive action to the left or right whilst braking, causing rocky sand ridges combined with deep tracks to crisscross the road ahead.

The only solution to a situation like this is to choose a line, Stand Up, Look Up and Open Up. Whilst the bike is scrubbing around for grip and a line underneath, you pray and hold on for dear life, hoping for a solid patch to regain composure.During the ordeal you need a smooth hand and enough torque to pull you through.And this is the thing with the F800GS. As with most bikes, at 40km/h in 5th you are suddenly out of the convenient torque range of 3500- 4500rpm (3rd and 4th are not suitable – too much power makes the bike jerky and can be lethal).

On the F800GS the standard engine management settings make the throttle twitchy and very sensitive at low revs (which you desperately don’t need), and not much power is available at 2000rpm.This is why the accelerator module is a must. It does two things: it cures the sensitive throttle and significantly increases power and torque at low revs – precisely what you need to pull through the danger zone, especially when trying to save the day in a sandy patch at 40km/h and 2000rpm.

The Accelerator Module cures the sensitive throttle that can cause the rear wheel to do strange things, or the bike becoming jerky: moving the weight from back to front and back again; and the smooth torque at low revs effortlessly powers the bike through trouble.Don’t get me wrong. I gained new respect for my F800GS. It has all the pedigree to handle bad roads with aplomb and saved my life. The accelerator module just makes it so much better.In short: I was so impressed with the Accelerator Module that I am now selling them…

Kind regards Roodt Griesel

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