BMW800GS

[Shep]

I had a go tonite on the new BMW 800 GS to be honest i was terribly dissapointed, very poor badly thought out design.

Virtually no wind protection, and a seat that made the Africa Twin seem like a gold wing !!!!

Who the hell builds an adventure bike in this day an age, with non existant wind protection and diabolical seat.

Also had very little feel or feedback and no feel from the controls especially the clutch, not bad suspension. Also the engine produced good power but only when thrashed.

I rode the new Transalp 700 ( Cheaper) and the KTM 990 Adventure ( bit more expensive) and to be frank there is no comparison.

Some of the mags rated this GS better than the 700 Transalp just shows the power of all those BMW advertising pounds.

I rode there on my DL650 V Strom and i was really glad i was leaving on my wee strom which is a much,much better bike.

[jimmysimpson1]

Aye good one Shep. At last, someone who says it like it is. The power of BMUU advertising. Lots of peeps are convinced the big GS is better than a Varadero. Not from my experience of the German bike it's not and way over priced. That's part of the scam, make it exclusivly expensive..

[Rubberchicken]

Yeah it's a BMW conspiracy, not just a matter of people having different ideas of what makes a good bike...

[Cabby]

Yeah it's a BMW conspiracy, not just a matter of people having different ideas of what makes a good bike...

[StumpyFingers]

I think some BMW owners only get them for the badge.
Jeremy Clarkson and crew reckoned the new Ford Mondeo was better than the equivalent BMW but it does not seem to sell in large numbers because of the badge.
I think the bike market is going in the same way, the majority of the BMW riders who got the 1200 GSA only got it because of the LWR and LWD.
The quality of the bike has been proved by LV with three drive failures.
It is a shame because some of the early BMW's are worthy of the name.

[Shep]

I really wanted to like this GS800 as it looks like a modern day Africa Twin, it is nothing of the sort i had a 1 hour test ride and i gave it back after 20 minutes tired of the wind noise and awful seat.

I rode the KTM 990 the previous day NOW THAT WAS A TOOL.

I just dont get the whole BMW "pay loads of money for a very average bike, and then loads more for accesories and servicing"

far better alternatives especially when the GS800 is concerned.

[Mabels Old Man]

It's all down to personal choice. The 1200GS is one of the countries top selling bikes and I know lots of owners. In Beaulieu this year there was a guy came onto our stand slagging off the 1200's reliability. was he an owner.......no, did he take into account the fact that he was in a tent with 8 1200 owners who hadn't had one bit of trouble ..........no.

It's only the bad stories that get publiscised what's the point in printing stories about thousands of happy owners, it doesn't sell!!

KTM's have been unreliable.

Personally I don't like them, too small. I prefer my GSA but then I would. TA's nice bike not enough power, my opinion, and crap tank range for an adventure tourer.

[piguglyshandydrinker]

]It's all down to personal choice. [/size]

Exactly

What a boring world it'd be if one bike suited us all!

Phil

[sbikerbud]

Exactly

What a boring world it'd be if one bike suited us all!

Phil

but imagine how cheap spares would be...and how many bits would be in the scrappies

[Free Dom]

It's all down to personal choice. The 1200GS is one of the countries top selling bikes and I know lots of owners. In Beaulieu this year there was a guy came onto our stand slagging off the 1200's reliability. was he an owner.......no, did he take into account the fact that he was in a tent with 8 1200 owners who hadn't had one bit of trouble ..........no.

It's only the bad stories that get publiscised what's the point in printing stories about thousands of happy owners, it doesn't sell!!

KTM's have been unreliable.

Personally I don't like them, too small. I prefer my GSA but then I would. TA's nice bike not enough power, my opinion, and crap tank range for an adventure tourer.

Good points made- BM's are obviously overpriced and you are jointing a cult (joke) but if i had the money i would find it difficult not to get one of their smaller trail bikes.
You sound a little hypocritical (no offense) regarding 1200Gs reliability- True older KTMs id have reliability issues on (talking about the adventure range of course) pickups and such but considering they now lead in the Dakar choice.. and man.. if you every road one on a trail it'd make your gums bleed like a crf450x.
Sorry, saying this you did write- 'KTM's "HAVE" been unreliable.'

New TA does have a pants range. I intend to do what i have always done and carry caned fuel under my panniers for toping up. I don't like all that fuel bringing the center of gravity up.

I didn't realise GS's was one of the best sellers (they have to be pretty damn good then).
...Maybe this is the underlined cause of the credit crunch??