Supposedly, dual-plugging adds a little power and increases gas mileage. The one thing they told me to watch was that the ignition timing is different. I think the PO was just a tinkerer and added every possible mod he could. So far, it's run great. I took a 200 mile ride one day with a friend who bought a Honda Transalp about the same time I got my bike and the Beemer was trouble-free while he struggled with fuel supply problems as his engine kept bogging down. His bike is a '90, mine's an '84. I was very proud to say the least!
Thanks for the info on the fork gators, I do prefer the clean look of the bare slides. The one thing I've read is that the gators protect the slides from rock dings, which could initiate leaks. It's a chance I'm willing to take.