eNewsletter | Contact  

BMW F800GS: Mid-weight master

By Jamie Elvidge

There's something about Africa that makes you feel wild, and it's not just the elephants and ostrich and zebra wandering about. Certainly if you're lucky enough to be in Africa on a motorcycle, you'll feel twice as alive.

Which is why, I guess, BMW chose Durban, South Africa, for the international launch of its long-awaited F800GS. That, or the fact the monkeys made for cheap entertainment.

The concept of a GS that might be lighter than the R1200GS line and more capable off-road, yet more powerful than the single-cylinder F650GS, has stirred huge anticipation. After riding the bike in a variety of situations, I'm excited to report that the newest GS, with its sporty transverse parallel twin, robust suspension and $10,520 price tag (plus $495 destination charge) is the best of both worlds.

Our test ride began on the busy highways that sprout from Durban, South Africa's second largest city. Passing was constant and would have been arduous on the single-cylinder GS, but instead was sublime, with the 800's claimed 85 horsepower spread nicely over the engine's mid-range (peak 7,500 rpm). The motor has plenty of torque too, allowing for minimal downshifting around town.

As the teeming portside city gave way to rolling hills and endless fields of lush, green sugarcane, we spent the greater part of the morning in photo sessions, doing fast, repeated corners as well as countless on-the-dime U-turns, both terrific circumstances for bike testing. Although the new GS borrows its basic engine from BMW's middlweight F800 Sport series, it is otherwise a unique beast. The aggressive 45mm upside-down fork and dual-strut swingarm setup work nicely, settling into and tracking a line in all cornering situations, including those featuring African-style potholes and pavement breaks.

The bike's remarkable lock-to-lock steering radius, combined with a well-positioned, high, wide bar is especially magical for tight turns. Our sugarcane-lined sweepers eventually gave way to more remote villages, laced together by twisting, steep, single-lane roads. Nice that BMW had supplied us with the bike's optional Garmin GPS and a preprogrammed route. Without it, many of us would still be riding circles somewhere in the African wilderness.

The F800GS's Brembo brakes (twin four-piston calipers and 300mm discs up front and a single two-piston caliper and 265mm disc out back) were tested time and time again on tiny South African roads peppered with rocks, ruts, school children, goats—even the occasional zebra. Stopping power was ample, and having BMW's revised (optional) ABS system onboard was a positive, especially since the new system can be easily disengaged when you're ready for some serious dirt play—something you rarely wanted to do on previous GS editions.

The new F800GS performs well in every situation, but its greatest talent is as mid-sized off-road bike. Even wearing street tires, it ate up all the dirt trails BMW sent us down, most of which weren't over-the-top challenging, but did entail 60 or so miles of dirt paths that featured deep, jagged ruts, mud holes, steep, rutted hairpins, sandy sections and some slippery-as-snot downhills.

I don't claim to be a great dirt rider, but as we all know, some bikes make us better. This is one of them. It feels remarkably light for its claimed 408-pound dry weight and is easy to throttle steer. For a truly journey-worthy motorcycle, the F800GS is an excellent dual-purpose machine.

And a looker? That's obvious. As BMW's head of motorcycle design, David Robb, put it: "The 800 is a travel enduro. It needed to have a totally different look, feel and ambition than the F650GS." At the same time, he wanted a more purposeful look than the R1200GS.

The F800GS uses all-new running gear and shifts cleanly through its six speeds. Its modern-looking stepped instrument cluster features an analog speedo and tach and a separate window for digital info. The unit I was riding, equipped with the taller version of two available saddles (for a 34.6- or 33.5-inch seat height) wasn't overly high for a 5'10" rider. The seat itself is stiff, in a nod to the bike's off-road nature.

Compared to the R1200GS, the bigger enduro is more comfortable for long-distance riding, and is especially nice for passengers. Acceleration and sheer presence are also superior on the larger bike. Whether all that is worth $5,000 more than the F800GS is a personal question, but certainly not if you have any off-road ambitions.

Compared to the original F650GS, the 800 outdoes the original single-cylinder version by a long shot. However, the differentiation is harder with that bike's new successor, which is still called the F650GS but now sports an 800cc engine. Basically, it is the F800GS—just with different styling, engine tuning, a lower seat, a less aggressive fork, one fewer disc brake, a 19-inch front wheel instead of a 21 and a base price around $8,800.

In the end, though Africa does, indeed, make the wild-at-heart wilder, it's all the better if you're on the right motorcycle. Seen from aboard the F800GS, the country manages to light a fire in your soul and under your bum.

—Jamie Elvidge is an award-winning journalist living in Northern California. She has been reviewing motorcycles for more than 20 years.

2008 BMW F800GS
Engine	798cc fuel-injected liquid-cooled parallel twin
Bore x stroke	82mm x 75mm
Transmission	Six-speed
Final drive	Chain
Tires	90/90-21 front; 150/70-17 rear
Front brake	Dual 300mm discs, available ABS
Rear brake	Single 265mm disc, available ABS
Front suspension	45mm upside-down fork, 9 inches of travel
Rear suspension	One-piece cast aluminum swingarm, 8.5 inches of travel
Seat height	33.5-34.6 inches
Wheelbase	62.1 inches
Fuel capacity	4.2 gallons
Dry weight	392 pounds
MSRP	$10,520