► Longer journeys, touring potential, two-up and trip reports

  • Thread starter Thread starter Porthos1
  • Start date Start date
Good info, thanks. :thumb2 Sounds like it will do really well when exploring back roads, or if you need to squeeze the most miles out of that last gallon/liter/dram.
 
fishburger said:
Hi
I did not measure,but had a look at the computer to see the average and it was 0.44 liters pr 10km.

Yesterday I measuerd my consumption,how far I could get on one tank ie 17liters ,I tried to drive the bike as economical as possible and I got 340km out of 12.73 liters,with an other 4 liters left in the tank
That is 63 miles pr us\gallon,an gives the f 800 gs a safe "crusing" range of at least 400km\250 miles with out going dry.
crusing speed during test 80-90 km\hr
fishburger
Click to expand...

Thats 75mpg in my book :eek:
 
800 Paddy

Hi Tim

Oh yeah I know about linked brakes and the lack of them,,believe me if you do not use the back as well as the front with a load ya don't stop.

The screen for me at 5'8" did give a bit of increased noise with my System 5 but overall it did a good job no real buffting as such, kept a bit more wind and rain off me.
But I want to try the BMW OEM item again, like you said I think the TT wind defelector may do a job and give cooling when required, I need to test a few options on this as ther are a number of variables.

Never had any side stand issues and my rear end was heavy.
 
If I wore GS Rally gloves they were fine but if I wore the Atlantis gloves I got numb fingers.

Hi Paddy
sounds like you had a great trip,is the atlantis gloves thin summer gloves,as I was wearing and your other pair a little more "stuffed"
how was the beer?
fishburger
 
Yeah the beer was good,The GS gloves are padded a bit more.

I don't know how you did that milage in the standard chair, I salute you.
 
F800GS as a touring bike

Has anyone done much touring (2000 km or more) yet with their 800? How do the bikes handle the miles?
 
touring

I did 600 miles down through mid Wales from Manchester and then onto Totnes in Devon and then back to Manchester in a weekend. The conditions were difficult in that there was continuous torrential rain for the whole weekend and strong cross winds. We were two up and fully loaded.

the bike had plenty of pulling power in all the ranges and the purpose of the trip was a fact finding mission for a much larger 3000km ride across Europe in 3 weeks. I bought TT handguards with extenders. A luggage rack, a TT windscreen extender, an airhawk to alleviate the numb bum and I want to put lead shot in the handlebars to get rid of the vibration at motorway cruising speeds. Other than those minor things I think it's a great bike to go touring on.

The worse the conditions the better it performs.

Jon :aidan
 
tip said:
Has anyone done much touring (2000 km or more) yet with their 800? How do the bikes handle the miles?
Click to expand...

2500 kilometres through France in May. Mostly raining, but bike was warm & comfortable and rock steady - even with fully loaded panniers and top box.
60 mpg became irrelevant when the French fishermen blockaded the fuel depots and the petrol stations ran dry!

Am already planning my next trip through eastern Europe - I may consider the lead shot in the handle bars though, it can get a bit tingly.

:thumb2
 
thanks guys good feedback. Keep them coming, nice that you mention the accessories and if you were with a passenger or not.
 
I've a 650 not 800 but am just coming to the end of a 4,000 mile European tour. Am in Calais at the moment ready for an early morning ferry home tomorrow. Have done 7,000 miles altogether on the bike and am very happy with it.

Doing the miles was fine and I've obviously developed calluses on my bum as the seat, though hard, hasn't really caused me any grief. I've had no problems with vibrations in the bars or elsewhere. I did find it developed a bit of a weave doing the ton but that may have been the shoe bag attached to one pannier so I wasn't loaded evenly. It was pretty heavily laden as although we were camping I wanted a bit of comfort. We had campbeds, table and chairs & even the kitchen sink with a big tent between the two bikes. It coped with the weight really well and after the first day I didn't notice it.

The only problem I had was the top hose on the radiator working loose on two occasions. We noticed it before it came off completely and had an adjustable spanner with us for the C clip so pushed it back on with minimal loss of coolant. I'll be getting the dealer to check it when it goes in for its ( belated ) 6000 mile service.

I rode pillion for 300 miles when Gipsy's bike went tits up. I did not enjoy that although he was quite happy riding it. I loathe going pillion at the best of times but the pillion seat was particularly uncomfortable.

I had a new rear tyre before setting off (Bridgstone battlewing) - that's still got plenty of tread but is rather squared off. The original front tyre is fine.

I would assume the 800 is much the same for long distances, though wouldn't recommend it two up.
 
800GS as a tourer

I've just returned from a trip around Europe and down into Croatia on my 800GS. I got it early May and have now clocked 7500 miles on it, so have some good experience of it on lots of terrains and in all kinds of weather. I'll write a ride report in the next few days and give some reflection on the bike's merits and less laudable attributes.
 
I took one out 2up, can't say I would relish the thought of touring on it fully loaded!

It's a small bike with very little road presence or the guts to pull with any real meaning!

I guess on your own and travelling with not to much kit it would be ok. Pretty nimble off road too compared to a 12, 1150 etc!

It's quite a lively little engine but imo opinion falls a little short in the mid range and lacks the torque of the 12, but then this is to be expected I guess.

I suppose it all depends on what you've been used to riding.

Nice bike though!
 
dirtydog said:
It's a small bike with very little road presence or the guts to pull with any real meaning!

I guess on your own and travelling with not to much kit it would be ok.

lacks the torque of the 12, but then this is to be expected I guess.
Click to expand...

Don´t know hom much kit you usually carry but it feels great, would go round the world with passenger, depeding on total weight, the 800 comes with a gearbox :rolleyes:, 1200 does not feel as lively, do not know what tuning options 1200 have but sure need some tuning before I personally would go for one.
 
ZZ10 said:
Don´t know hom much kit you usually carry but it feels great, would go round the world with passenger, depeding on total weight, the 800 comes with a gearbox :rolleyes:, 1200 does not feel as lively, do not know what tuning options 1200 have but sure need some tuning before I personally would go for one.
Click to expand...

I agree. It feels very lively, pulls away in 5th or 6th at 80mph rather impressively I thought and that was two up on the M5. :bounce1

Its also nimble and easy to handle. I stalled it yesterday on an incline and nearly dropped it but was able to man handle it back under control. I'm 5' 7" and 13 stone so no giant. If that was a 1200 I would have lost it. :augie

I love this bike!
 
Now done 8,000 + miles on my 800GS, Black Forest, Eifel's, just home from a 2,500 mile trip Denmark and back... couldn't think of a better 'bike to be doing it on!

Down to personal issues of course, always subjective...

:beerjug:
 
2000 miles up

My 800GS passed the 2000 mile mark today just as I got home after a blast through the "Trough of Bowland" and upto Devils bridge and back again. Touch wood, no problems other than minor cracks apearing around screen mounting points. Anyone else got this problem.

Bob - happy as a pig in muck!
 
Had it 3 months but never seem to have time to ride it because of my job (Lorry Driver) so just Sundays if she lets me out.

Bob
 
I can heartily recommend the BMW touring screen. Fitted it last night and my 800 is like a new bike! At motorway speeds its tons more comfortable
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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