Dont know why, but i thought i fancied a test ride on an 800GS. Popped off down to the lovely folk at Vines, who supplied with bike and key, arranged sunshine for me and off i went on my much used test route which encompasses some great bends, a bit of town work, dual carriageway... a good mixture.
On statrting up, was pleased to hear a real fruity engine exhaust /note, and thats on the standard can. Out on to the open road in a bit of traffic, very easy to manouvre, good riding position, light on the clutch.
Thought i would see what it is like standing up on the pegs at slow speed. Easy to reach the bars with ny 6' frame, although, not unextectadly the pedals would need a bit of adjustment.
Off into the minor roads....what a delight. Responsive, firm footed (dont know what tyres it was running), easy to steer, great throttle response. This was going to be a hoot!! Out to the Pirbright bends.....luckily not too much traffic to slow me up, gentle pressure on the bars and tip in, and accelerate on the way out.....now grinning broadly!!
Down to the dual carriageway....open her RIGHT up...about 115ish indicated, which took a little while to get there, but wasnt too hard to sustain, but found, for me with standard screen, it was all day comforatable at 90.
Back of the big roads and back towards Vines via some small lanes, dispatch some overtakes with ease, and back into the hands of the staff.
Throughout all of this, i was trying to find what to compare it to, and i reckon that it sits somewhere between a new Honda Transalp and a KTM 990 SM. Having ridden both the afromentioned i reckon the 800 is the more versatile, user friendly, and a better everywhere ride. The one i rode has all the toys. ABS, computer, etc etc at at full price is somewhere in the 8k region, which again sits right between the Honda and the KTM.
I cant comment on the supposed maintainence issues which have been done on here, but i am seriously thinking of it as a replacement to my HP2E in the future........Its a gas...go try!!
Richie
On statrting up, was pleased to hear a real fruity engine exhaust /note, and thats on the standard can. Out on to the open road in a bit of traffic, very easy to manouvre, good riding position, light on the clutch.
Thought i would see what it is like standing up on the pegs at slow speed. Easy to reach the bars with ny 6' frame, although, not unextectadly the pedals would need a bit of adjustment.
Off into the minor roads....what a delight. Responsive, firm footed (dont know what tyres it was running), easy to steer, great throttle response. This was going to be a hoot!! Out to the Pirbright bends.....luckily not too much traffic to slow me up, gentle pressure on the bars and tip in, and accelerate on the way out.....now grinning broadly!!
Down to the dual carriageway....open her RIGHT up...about 115ish indicated, which took a little while to get there, but wasnt too hard to sustain, but found, for me with standard screen, it was all day comforatable at 90.
Back of the big roads and back towards Vines via some small lanes, dispatch some overtakes with ease, and back into the hands of the staff.
Throughout all of this, i was trying to find what to compare it to, and i reckon that it sits somewhere between a new Honda Transalp and a KTM 990 SM. Having ridden both the afromentioned i reckon the 800 is the more versatile, user friendly, and a better everywhere ride. The one i rode has all the toys. ABS, computer, etc etc at at full price is somewhere in the 8k region, which again sits right between the Honda and the KTM.
I cant comment on the supposed maintainence issues which have been done on here, but i am seriously thinking of it as a replacement to my HP2E in the future........Its a gas...go try!!
Richie
