New F800GS at Experience

[Dave Ross]

#2705

I saw the new F800GS at Experience today. They have a demo bike and they will make it available for test rides soon.It looks quite good. Experience has fitted an aluminium belly pan and will also fit an after market exhaust pipe. The seat height looks to be quite reasonable, and should open up the adventure riding scene to more people.  I'll have to get into the queue to take it for a spin.

[Dennis Prendergast]

#10641

What colour schemes are we in the colonies getting?  I prefer the black and yellow myself.

[Dave Ross]

#10642

It was the charcoal colour. I suppose they'll get the colour you'd want if you ordered one.

[Anonymous]

#10643

I agree the bike does look good Alex and sitting on it I had no problems reaching the ground. All I need to do is stop the bike where there are no pot holes beneath my feet.I thought the bike looked much better than the photo's I'd seen.Henry says they have 10 pre-sold. I wonder if we'll end up with the long delays to delivery like they do overseas in some places.The new 650 looks pretty good as well. You have to wonder if the new 650, with spoked wheels and the motor more standard 800 as opposed to being detuned would have been a good seller. It would put the 650 in more of a Scrambler league and people who weren't so tall would have a pretty confortable adventure bike.I thought the centre stand (and side stand) was pretty impressive. There was a comment about the brake hose running from one side to the other on the front wheel. It's looped in the air about three inches above the guard. On some bikes they run it right up under the front fairing and back and on the Ducati's they take it over clipped to the mudguard. You have to wonder if it's prone to getting hit where it is.But like you said a nice looking bike and I'm looking forward to being able to ride it. It looks like it would be a nice bike to own.

[Dennis Prendergast]

#10644

I saw an F800GS, in black and yellow, in the flesh at Ruapuna on Sunday last.  The mechanic from 'Rides brought it out and I had a sit on it.  It looks awesome frankly, quite tall which suits my long legs but the main stand looks as if I made it, if you know what I mean.  It's like a 1200gs on a diet, I've read a good article on them and they say the fuel economy is amazing. I think $20,000 is a bit steep especially when it was parked near a 2008 GSXR750 👿 that costs $16995 (full fairing and all that) anyway, I wouldn't say no to one. 😎

[Dave Morris]

#10645

I saw an F800GS, in black and yellow, in the flesh at Ruapuna on Sunday last.  The mechanic from 'Rides brought it out and I had a sit on it.  It looks awesome frankly, quite tall which suits my long legs but the main stand looks as if I made it, if you know what I mean.  It's like a 1200gs on a diet, I've read a good article on them and they say the fuel economy is amazing. I think $20,000 is a bit steep especially when it was parked near a 2008 GSXR750 👿 that costs $16995 (full fairing and all that) anyway, I wouldn't say no to one. 😎

yeah but the technology difference between bmw & sudszuki, well ask yaself

[Russell Taylor]

#10646

I saw an F800GS, in black and yellow, in the flesh at Ruapuna on Sunday last.  The mechanic from 'Rides brought it out and I had a sit on it.  It looks awesome frankly, quite tall which suits my long legs but the main stand looks as if I made it, if you know what I mean.  It's like a 1200gs on a diet, I've read a good article on them and they say the fuel economy is amazing. I think $20,000 is a bit steep especially when it was parked near a 2008 GSXR750 👿 that costs $16995 (full fairing and all that) anyway, I wouldn't say no to one. 😎

I sat on it too.Please go out and buy one, and let me buy it from you in three years. The depreciation on new bikes is huge, and I'll only be able to afford an F800GS when you want to trade up.It looks and feels very cool, but at probably $24K including ORC and bags, it's just too dear for me.

[Dave Ross]

#10647

Please go out and buy one, and let me buy it from you in three years.

Good plan to get your hands on a clean bike  :-D. I've bought my bike new 5 1/2 years and 91000km ago. It hasn't depreciated a cent, as it's not for sale. I bought it to enjoy and use as often as possible and it still makes me as happy as the day I've bought it. It now has a slightly used look to it, but I prefer to call it patina. You are right of course, buying and selling bikes is a good way to lose money, even if you're a dealer :-). The trick is to buy one you really want and like, then spending a bit of money on it every now and then is not nearly as upsetting.

[David]

#10648

I'm with you Kokopelli, mine also has no depreciation even though I put 68000km on it over 3 years. Every time I step into the garage and see 'Galactica' sitting there, I smile. :-), when I'm riding I smile  🙂 and when 'Galactica' is broke and I'm fixing her/ it, I smile  🙂 . Long may she live!

[Dennis Prendergast]

#10649

Please go out and buy one, and let me buy it from you in three years.

Good plan to get your hands on a clean bike  :-D. I've bought my bike new 5 1/2 years and 91000km ago. It hasn't depreciated a cent, as it's not for sale. I bought it to enjoy and use as often as possible and it still makes me as happy as the day I've bought it. It now has a slightly used look to it, but I prefer to call it patina. You are right of course, buying and selling bikes is a good way to lose money, even if you're a dealer :-). The trick is to buy one you really want and like, then spending a bit of money on it every now and then is not nearly as upsetting.

I'm with you.  However when I do buy a bike, I look for a bargain and don't buy it unless it is.  You end up waiting for a bit but it's worth it in the end, means you can sell it for a good price.  Case in point the 2004 1200GS for sale on this site, I'd love to buy it as I thinks it is for sale at a great price, however 'er indoors wouldn't tolerate my buying two bikes in as many months.  My habit of changing bikes like Daffy changes his underwear ie: every eighteen months to two years, is wearing thin in this household without increasing the frequency!!!

[Dave Ross]

#10650

However when I do buy a bike, I look for a bargain and don't buy it unless it is.

That's what I did too. Henry made me an offer I couldn't refuse :-). Well, it was an end of the line bike and left over from the previous year.

[Russell Taylor]

#10651

My habit of changing bikes like Daffy changes his underwear ie: every eighteen months to two years, is wearing thin in this household without increasing the frequency!!!Hey Muppet, my underwear habits are not to be discussed on such a public forum.The F800ST I had was only a few months old. There are lots of people who buy a new bike without really knowing what they have got. They sit unused in the garage for a few months, then get sold at a far better price than new.Buy a bargain F800GS, it'll be worth it. Then keep it forever, or until the next wonder model arrives.

[Dave Ross]

#10652

Well, today I got to ride the F800GS. Pretty much only around town, with a short blat on the motorway. I'd love to get it onto a bit of gravel as well.I really liked it. Good ergonomics, very narrow seat. Comfortable suspension, firm but compliant. Hardly any fork dive, a lot less than expected anyway. The engine sounds like a little hornet, quite pleasant really. You can upgrade that with an Akrapovic, to a hornet with a deeper voice.It revs really well, and is quite quick. Quicker than my 1150. In third gear it will pull cleanly from 2500rpm, without a problem. You can still accelerate in 6th, I like that better than the overdrive 6th on the 1150. Shifting is effortless.The 21" front wheel is noticeable, it does not turn as quickly as a bike with a smaller front wheel. That was to be expected. I can see people fitting a taller front screen. Stock is probably ok in summer, but with the current chill in the air a taller screen would be nice.The F800GS feels really light compared to my usual rides. I would feel very comfortable taking this bike to an adventure ride. If I was buying today, I'd probably go for one of these, but only because I have an airhead as well. I just love the boxer engine.This should be a really good seller for BMW. To be fair, I haven't ridden a Ktm 990. The Ktm would be its nearest competitor in my opinion. The F800GS appears to be lighter still and due to that would probably provide similar performance. In the end it will come down to personal preference. I like the trellis frame of the F800, but the 990 is probably easier to keep looking clean, due the large amounts of plastic. I wonder which bike will be cheaper to service.

[Dave Morris]

#10653

and

[Dave Ross]

#10654

[img width=400 height=268]http://lh3.google.com/gregmli/R28irGKPbLI/AAAAAAAABVA/5g-8kyfFvu4/s400/DSC_0081.JPG[/img]The one at Experience looks like this.

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