BMW carries on the F 800 GS and F 800 GS Adventure in 2018 with their 800 cc engine and capable onroad/offroad features. The former is more of a casual commuter / funbike, while the “Adventure” is geared toward touring and long-range work, and naturally, both come with the top-notch engineering one expects from BMW.

Continue reading for my review of the BMW F 800 GS and F 800 GS Adventure.

2015 - 2018 BMW F 800 GS / F 800 GS Adventure

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2015 - 2018 BMW F 800 GS / F 800 GS Adventure
  • Segment: Array
  • Engine/Motor: Parallel-Twin
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array

BMW F 800 GS / GS Adventure Design

The lines between on and offroad enthusiasts are becoming rather blurred nowadays, with a majority of major manufacturers having established themselves within the dual-sport/adventure bike sector. While it can be said that all bikes have a certain amount of form-follows-function apparent in the design, that is especially true with rides like these. Nothing else in the world looks quite like an adventure bike, and with good reason, because nothing else can straddle the line between two distinctively different worlds quite as well.

This pair leads the way with a laced front wheel, bird's beak fairing and guards to protect the swept portion of the inverted front forks; all very offroad-tastic indeed. An asymmetrical, side-by-side headlight arrangement gives the face a sort of “winking robot” look that comes off almost as accidentally cool, and an oddly shaped windshield tops off the whole thing with protection for the rider as well as the over-under instrument cluster.

A typically high fuel-tank bump gives the F 800 GS brethren those classic, adventure-bike flylines that tumble down to the bench seat. While the base GS carries a straight seat with no distinction between where the rider area ends and the pillion pad begins, the Adventure has a proper scoop with some rise to help keep the rider's butt in place.

Exposed Trellis-frame members lend an air of strength with a confidence-inspiring skid plate to protect the stressed-unit engine from terrain strikes. The base model comes with oh shit handles for the passenger ahead of a tapered sub-frame area, and the Adventure adds a luggage rack and hard saddlebags to facilitate the longer rides and touring activities it was built for.

Short standoffs mount the turn signals all around, but they aren't quite as vulnerable to scrub strikes as one might imagine, and the tucked-away, LED taillamp has a built-in modulator that flashes in a hard-to-ignore fashion. Personally I like that feature for the extra bit of safety it provides, and since there's really no downside to it, there's no reason to not throw it on at the factory.

BMW F 800 GS / GS Adventure Chassis

Tubular steel members make up the front of the stressed-engine Trellis frame, with square stock to form the rear for a balance of strength and weight, and a yoke-style swingarm made from aluminum to keep unsprung weight low at the rear wheel. A 26-degree rake and 4.6 inches of trail seem about right on paper, but leave the bike with an unfortunate tendency to understeer a bit at speed. Still, maneuverability is decent at lower speeds, and so the bike is agile enough to navigate offroad terrain with little fuss.

Stout, 43 mm usd forks support the front end on 9.1 inches of travel, but I'm a little disappointed to note a complete lack of adjustability. Really, guys? At least the rear monoshock comes with adjustable preload and rebound damping for a little ride control.

A 21-inch front rim mounts a narrow, 90/90 hoop with a 17-inch rim in back for the 150/70 rear rubber, and the fact that they are laced fits the offroad facet nicely, plus they just look really cool. Twin-pot calipers bite the dual, 300 mm discs up front and a single-piston caliper binds the 265 mm disc in back. Bless BMW for including ABS and for making it switchable for those times you'd like a little bit of slide in your ride.

Frame:

Tubular steel trellis frame, load-bearing engine

Front suspension/Travel:

Upside-down telescopic fork, Ø 43 mm/9.1" (230 mm)

Rear suspension/Travel:

Aluminum 2-sided swing arm, WAD strut (travel related damping), spring pre-load hydraulically adjustable (continuously variable) at handwheel, rebound damping adjustable/ 8.5" (215 mm)

Castor:

4.6" (117 mm)

Steering head angle:

26°

Wheels:

Wire spoke wheels

Rim, front/rear:

2.15 x 21"/4.25 x 17"

Tire, front/-/rear:

90/90 - 21 54V /-/ 150/70 - 17 69V

Brake, front:

Dual floating disc brakes, dual-piston floating calipers, diameter 300 mm

Brake, rear:

Single disc brake, diameter 265 mm, single-piston floating caliper

ABS:

BMW Motorrad ABS (can be switched off)


BMW F 800 GS / GS Adventure Drivetrain

BMW pushes these rides with a water-cooled, parallel-twin that comes with counterbalancers to dampen the engine vibrations so your butt and hands won't get the tingles on you. Dual overhead cams time the four-valve heads. A relatively hot 12-to-1 compression ratio means you'll be feeding it the premium-pump champagne to prevent pre-ignition/detonation. Naturally, electronic fuel injection delivers the juice to help develop the 85 ponies at 7,500 rpm and 61 pounds of grunt at 5,750 rpm while meeting EU-4 emission standards and delivering 54 mpg. Oh, and the catalytic converter doesn't hurt, either.

The short-stroke mill runs an 82 mm bore and 75.6 mm stroke for a total displacement of 798 cc, but as you can see, the power numbers look more like what you might expect from an engine closer to the one-liter mark. A standard, mechanically-actuated clutch couples engine power to the six-speed gearbox -- no need for a slip-and-assist clutch here -- and a tough chain drive makes the final connection to the rear wheel.

Engine:

Liquid cooled, 4-stroke parallel twin engine, four valves per cylinder, double overhead camshafts, dry sump lubrication

Bore x stroke:

82 mm x 75.6 mm

Displacement:

798 cc

Rated output:

85 hp (63 kW) at 7,500 rpm

Max. torque:

61 lb-ft (83 Nm) at 5,750 rpm

Compression ratio:

12.0 : 1

Mixture control / engine management:

Electronic fuel injection

Emission control:

Closed-loop 3-way catalytic converter, emission standard EU-4

Clutch:

Multi-plate wet clutch, mechanically operated

Gearbox:

Constant-mesh 6-speed gearbox with straight cut gears


BMW F 800 GS / GS Adventure Pricing

MSRP on the base model F 800 GS runs at $12,295, and the Adventure model understandably commands a bit more cheddar at $13,895. Of course, that's before you start looking at the tasty options BMW has on the menu, such as the lowered seats and suspension, electronically-controlled suspension components and traction control, just to name a few.

Packages:

Includes

Additional Price

F 800 GS:

Dynamic:

Ride Modes Pro, ESA II, ASC

+$700

Comfort:

Heated Grips, On-Board Computer, Center Stand, Saddle Bag Mounts

+$500

Style 1:

Light White, Hand Protection

+$450

Style 2:

Black Storm Metallic, Hand Protection

+200

Low Suspensions Plus:

Low Suspension, Heated Grips, On-Board Computer, Saddle Bag Mounts

+$580

Premium:

Heated Grips, On-Board Computer, Center Stand, Saddle Bag Mounts

+$500

Standard:

Heated Grips

+$250

F 800 GS Adventure:

Dynamic:

Ride Modes Pro, ESA II, ASC

+$700

Style 1:

Hand Protection

+$250

Premium:

Ride Modes Pro, ESA II, Heated Grips, On-Board Computer, Center Stand

+$1,100


BMW F 800 GS / GS Adventure Competitors

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Even though there's no shortage of competition on hand, the Japanese market didn't have anything with just the right displacement for my head-to-head with the base F 800 GS, but just a short hop West across the English channel is all it took to find the Tiger 800 XR by Triumph.

While I never have cared for the bird's beak front end, I can't say that I'm particularly fond of the headlight can and windshield arrangement on the Tiger; it reminds me of a pair of glasses that has slipped too far down someone's nose. Beyond that difference, there's quite a bit of similarity between the two, from the vented engine cowl to the stereotypical fuel-tank bump and on back to the bench rider/pillion seat.

Both bikes sport a rider triangle that's comfortable and natural when seated, and allows for an upright, standing position for technical offroad work. Exposed frame members are a constant across the board, but the BMW definitely looks sexier with its Trellis members peeking out at the sides.

Inverted front forks are also featured on both rides with guards to turn grit and grime away from the inner fork tubes in order to protect the fork seals. I'll always prefer laced wheels to mags, especially on offroad bikes, so BMW definitely gets points there. The F 800 also wins out in suspension travel with 9.1 inches up front and 8.5 in the back versus 7.08/6.69 with the Tiger, and this translates directly into greater offroad capability, though to be fair both bikes are a bit heavy to be making jumps or other shenanigannery that will really test those numbers. Big, dual front brakes and switchable ABS is standard equipment on both rides, so neither gains an advantage here.

BMW runs a parallel-twin mill that packs 798 cc but Trumpet favors its 800 cc triple for the Tiger. Liquid cooling and dual overhead cams with four valves per head are constants, but the power figures clearly show the difference between the engine configurations. While the twin is gruntier with 61 pound-feet of torque and 85 horsepower, the Triumph triple brings the ponies with 95 horsepower but only 58.3 pound-feet. The more widely-spaced power pulses from the BMW are definitely more conducive to riding on soft surfaces, since they give the rear tire a split-second longer to gain purchase.

Triumph picks up a minor victory at the till with an $11,700 sticker, a bit shy of the $12,295 price tag on the GS, but honestly that's not enough to make a real difference to someone on the fence, or to combat brand loyalty.

He Said

My husband and fellow motorcycle writer, TJ Hinton, says, “About what I expected; a solid, capable ride. However, I'm a little let down by the lack of features included with the standard equipment. I mean, most of what I'd like to see is available as optional equipment, and I know the factory is trying to keep prices competitive, but it just doesn't have quite as much of that wow factor I normally walk away with. Oh well, sometimes good enough has to be good enough.”

She Said

"It has snappy acceleration and a low center of gravity, so the weight isn't too much of a problem, especially at speed. I'd probably go for something smaller as a commuter, but this is commuter-worthy since it is maneuverable at low speeds for lane filtering, though I'd probably take off the panniers and put on a taller windscreen if that's how it was being used."

BMW F 800 GS / GS Adventure Specifications

Models:

F 800 GS

F 800 GS Adventure

Engine & Drivetrain:

Engine:

Liquid cooled, 4-stroke parallel twin engine, four valves per cylinder, double overhead camshafts, dry sump lubrication

Liquid cooled, 4-stroke parallel twin engine, four valves per cylinder, double overhead camshafts, dry sump lubrication

Bore x stroke:

82 mm x 75.6 mm

82 mm x 75.6 mm

Displacement:

798 cc

798 cc

Rated output:

85 hp (63 kW) at 7,500 rpm

85 hp (63 kW) at 7,500 rpm

Max. torque:

61 lb-ft (83 Nm) at 5,750 rpm

61 lb-ft (83 Nm) at 5,750 rpm

Compression ratio:

12.0 : 1

12.0 : 1

Mixture control / engine management:

Electronic fuel injection

Electronic fuel injection

Emission control:

Closed-loop 3-way catalytic converter, emission standard EU-4

Closed-loop 3-way catalytic converter, emission standard EU-4

Clutch:

Multi-plate wet clutch, mechanically operated

Multi-plate wet clutch, mechanically operated

Gearbox:

Constant-mesh 6-speed gearbox with straight cut gears

Constant-mesh 6-speed gearbox with straight cut gears

Drive:

Chain drive 2.62:1

Chain drive 2.62:1

Chassis:

Frame:

Tubular steel trellis frame, load-bearing engine

Tubular steel trellis frame, load-bearing engine

Front suspension:

Upside-down telescopic fork, Ø 43 mm

Upside-down telescopic fork, Ø 43 mm

Rear suspension:

Cast aluminum 2-sided swing arm, WAD strut (travel related damping), spring pre-load hydraulically adjustable (continuously variable) at handwheel, rebound damping adjustable

Aluminum 2-sided swing arm, WAD strut (travel related damping), spring pre-load hydraulically adjustable (continuously variable) at handwheel, rebound damping adjustable

Suspension travel front / rear:

9.1" / 8.5" (230 mm / 215 mm)

9.1" / 8.5" (230 mm / 215 mm)

Wheelbase:

62” (1,573 mm)

61.9” (1,573 mm)

Castor:

4.6" (117 mm)

4.6" (117 mm)

Steering head angle:

64°

64°

Wheels:

Wire spoke wheels

Wire spoke wheels

Rim, front:

2.15 x 21"

2.15 x 21"

Rim, rear:

4.25 x 17"

4.25 x 17"

Tire, front:

90/90 - 21 54V

90/90 - 21 54V

Tirs, rear:

150/70 - 17 69V

150/70 - 17 69V

Brake, front:

Dual floating disc brakes, dual-piston floating calipers, diameter 300 mm

Dual floating disc brakes, dual-piston floating calipers, diameter 300 mm

Brake, rear:

Single disc brake, diameter 265 mm, single-piston floating caliper

Single disc brake, diameter 265 mm, single-piston floating caliper

ABS:

BMW Motorrad ABS (can be switched off)

BMW Motorrad ABS (can be switched off)

Dimensions & Capacities:

Length:

90.6” (2,300 mm)

90.7" (2,305 mm)

Width (incl. mirrors):

37.2" (945 mm)

36.4" (925 mm)

Height (excl. mirrors):

52.9” (1,345 mm)

57.1" (1,450 mm)

Wheelbase:

62” (1,573 mm)

61.9” (1,573 mm)

Seat height, unladen weight:

32.3 to 36.2 depending on options

33.9 to 35 depending on options

Inner leg curve, unladen weight:

70.5 to 78.3 depending on options

75.6 to 77.2 depending on options

Unladen weight, road ready, fully fueled:

478 lbs (217 kg)

512 lbs (232 kg)

Dry weight:

Permitted total weight:

979 lbs (444 kg)

1,001 lbs (454 kg)

Payload (with standard equipment):

500 lbs (227 kg)

496 lbs (225 kg)

Usable tank volume:

4.2 gal (16 l)

6.3 gal (24.0 l)

Reserve:

Approx. 0.7 gal (2.7 l)

Approx. 1 gal (4.0 l)

Maximum speed:

Over 125 mph

120 mph

Fuel consumption:

54 mpg at a constant 55 mph (3.8 l)

55 mpg at a constant 55 mph (4.3 l)

Fuel type:

Premium Unleaded

Premium Unleaded

Electricals:

Alternator:

Three-phase 400 W generator

Three-phase 400 W generator

Battery:

12 V / 12 Ah, maintenance-free

12 V / 12 Ah, maintenance-free

Details:

Standard Equipment:

2 Riding Modes (Rain/Road), Ride-By-Wire, ABS (Disengageable), Multifunction Display, Power Socket, Adjustable Handbrake and Clutch Levers, Upside Down Forks, High Windshield, LED Rear Light, Smoked Gray Turn Signal Lenses, Toolkit, Engine Skid Plate, Enduro Tires, Spoked Wheels

ABS, 2 Riding Modes (Rain/Road), Ride-By-Wire, Saddle Bag Mounts, Tank Protection Bar, Engine Guard, LED Rear Light, Multifunction Display, Power Socket, Luggage Rack, Hand Guards, High Windshield, Comfort Seat, Wide Foot Rests, Toolkit

Colors:

2017:

Ostra Grey Metallic Matte, Black Storm Metallic

Racing Red Matte, Catalano Grey

2018:

Light White, Black Storm Metallic, Racing Blue Metallic

Racing Red Matte

Price:

2017:

$12,495

$13,895

2018:

$12,295

$13,895


References

Triumph Tiger 800 XRx

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see our review of the Triumph Tiger 800 Xrx.

Read more BMW Motorrad news.