tested the f800gs today. and coming from a nice comfy r1200gs it wasn't too shabby. the akrapovic got rid of the bored grunty sound and it seemed smooth. smooth enough to fool me into thinking she's a slow going one. took it for a tiny bit of offroad. bit of country lanes and some city centre frustration. all was very familiar and smooth. did I say it was smooth? so.. why would I not buy this bike? is there a possibility I'll miss the on/off clattering torque of the 1200? will I get bored of this one as soon as I fear? why oh why does it seem like it doesn't have enough power? and most importantly, if I like this one, what else would I like even more? price including farkles seems close to an r1200gs. shoot. don't even aim :) thanks for your opinion
Or the KTM 990 Adventure! You surely ain't gone get bored with that one! But I am also sure that the F800GS is much more fun than the R1200GS..
I bought a F800GS a week ago it is a really fun bike, it has plenty of power if you rev it past 6,000. I've been riding for 30 + years and I wanted something smaller and lighter than what I was used to, The F800GS get to 90 mph real fast. I've had faster more powerful bikes but the F800 is plenty fast, I already dumped it once because I was pretending it was a trials bike in front of my friends house..... For some reason once it starts to lean it is alot harder to correct than a 125,
If I could do it over again, I would buy the 990 KTM or the 1200GS. I love my 800, but it compromises too much for me. I'm 6' 2" and fit comfortably with bar risers. I think it just needs a bit more power and a larger rear wheel. Sent from Galaxy N2
If you're willing to pay the extra $$ and don't want to get do too much off-road consider the Ducati Multistrada. They sell it as being like 4 bikes in one, got a lot of power and low weight. It's not as ready to hit the trail, but I'm sure you could make it that way if you wanted. I've had the 800gs for two years and am far from bored, but, as many others have said, it not the best at anything, more than good enough for me. There have been a couple of times I've wished for something faster, while on the German Autobahn, but truthfully the balance is more suited for what I want. Hope that helps.
As exotesthrasouden said, it's not the 'best' at any one thing, but it all comes together as one of the most perfect all-rounder bikes I've come across. There are not many other bikes which ride so consistently regardless of weight (alone or fully loaded with a passenger + filled panniers), they seem to shrug off the weight like nothing. And there's nothing quite like the reactions of smug bastards on sportbikes when they realise you're still right on their tail on a twisty road 15 minutes after they've flown passed you on a straight stretch (alone or fully loaded with a passenger + filled panniers)...
multistrada and ducati in general don't really appeal to me. it's just a little too designy for my taste. think I'm a bit frightened by the maintenance from hell stories I've heard. but it looks and feels like a ton of fun. I'll try it out the 990 adventure looks like something in between the f800 and the 1200. probably less comfortable than the both of the above. I remember taking it for a spin a couple of years ago and cooking my ankle and arse on this bike. also felt like a paint shaker. I'll try it again sometime soon to make sure. what I'm looking for is something like the f650 in terms of fun, but a bit more highway useable. the r12 is great replacing this one with the same seems a bit daft the Triumph sound like an oversized razor and looks the part as well. but I'll see if it can change my mind. I bought a gs, so looks can't really be an issue now can they
The multi is nice, but I would not ride it half the places I take the f800. It's too delicate, too much plastic, and too much of a road bike. Gravel roads maybe, but not at any great speed. Guy I work with just got a new one and it looks / sounds badass. But it's Ducati, not a dirt bike :) Didn't like the looks of the triumph, too many tubes and weird angles going on there. That triple is smooth though, I rode the 1200 explorer and besides being a whale of a bike it was smooth and fast. KTM 990 or the new 1190 if you want some real power for the streets and offroad ability. The 800 works for me - I get to pretend it's a dirtbike sometimes, cruise okay on the highway, tear up the backroads rough or smooth. Doing 80+ on the F800 for days on end gets old, but whatever. It's a compromise.
since it'll come up sooner or later I'll start it: why don't you consider the 700GS. It is a good compromise and "more roadworthy" than the 800GS since it has a 19' front. It is cheaper and you can farkle it out like an 800GS. The power difference isn't very noticable. Get a good windscreen and seat and there you go.
I'm with epic XC on this. The 800 allows to me to hit trails that I would otherwise only do on a dirt bike. I've done some longer tours with a friend that was on a 1200gs, that beast did well on just about everything, sand, mud and stream crossing were more tricky for him, due to the weight. On the highways his did much better, slick it would have been fine, but we had 2 weeks of gear. Taking off next week for another 3 week tour, I'm sure I'll have more perspective on the 800 or 1200 after.
I wonder where the price would go on a farkled out 700. I'm guessing I'll end up with something that almost looks like the 800, only a lot more expensive. the 800 I rode had almost no miles on it. and it felt a bit docile. full throttle at the start felt like riding my 500 Honda. it didn't surprise me, felt planted, smooth and safe. same goes for the offroad bit we did. or sliding the back on cobbles. I expected a tad more hooligan in this bike I guess. looking at the tach I noticed it was a lot faster than it felt. and cruising 120kph did feel quite comfortable. this is not all bad though. over 90 percent of the time I ride, I ride gently, within speed limits and with regard for my and other peoples safety. the thing I like most about the boxer is just that. when treated nicely the bike is smooth and calm. it doesn't ask for a revvin nor does it encourage to wild out. but it can be quite rowdy when it needs to be. in contrast are jap bikes. they seem to beg for revs and come alive once you do. things I read about Ktm is that they tend to encourage the inner hooligan. this discussion has put the following on my to-ride list: triumph XC ktm 990 are their other alternatives for the 800?
I've just read somewhere that the suspension on the 2013 model was upgraded. did this take care of the issues a lot of people were having with the older model? what will help the older model with this? different springs in the front? thicker oil? rear shock good or does it also need replacing?
I think the F800 is starting to bring out the inner hooligan in me... my average mileage has gone from 56 down to 49 with no other changes besides the gear I ride in and how far I twist my wrist That stopwatch on the dashboard may or may not contribute to this when I try to beat my time to work. 50 minutes today
most accidents happen on the way to work or other repetitive errands you know :) few weeks ago I scraped my cilinder head cover on a roundabout. too bad I wasn't on the bike when I scraped em
The nice thing is that the authorities (at least in the UK) don't see the F800GS as a hooligan bike. In general it is viewed as a sensible and respectable choice. But it tempts you every day to engage in all manner of antisocial behaviour.
Exactly! I find the same thing! It's quiet, low revving, tall, and easy to make it look like you're not screwing around or going way over the posted limit.
As a one-bike solution, the F800 is pretty hard to fault. The KTM1190 might be more up your alley if you find the 800's power lacking - but coming from a boxer, don't be afraid to give it some revs. The power keeps coming well after your old redline. I'll probably go the KTM route when I next trade up, since occasional two-up duty is now in my job description. The 800 isn't able to comfortably accommodate a pillion behind my, err, generously-proportioned backside.
The 800 has one of the best engines Ive ever ridden. Crazy good fuel economy and tons of power to loose your license over and over.