Just realised that it is almost a year to the day since I collected my GS and thought i would post my experiences.
During the last year, I have done 9k miles on the bike including 2 largish trips, one to the Sahara via Morocco and a more recent lap of Europe. Prior to the 800GS I had a 12GSA.
BMW literature describes the 800GS as 'unstoppable' - an outlandish claim which, at least in my experience, is damn near true.
I have thrown everything at this bike. Flat out motorway miles, scratching round Alpine passes, crossing rivers right up to the air intakes and blasting along the dunes. It hasn't missed a beat nor even used a drop of oil.
During the last trip, a Swiss dealer point out that my chain / sprockets needed the recall and even that was done with the minimum of fuss (and this included stripping one of their showroom bikes).
My bike was supplied and serviced by Bahnstormer, near Alton. Like the bike, these guys are faultless and the service offer by John in particular is above and beyond the norm.
Over the year, the bike has averaged about 50 mpg. I have alternated between Conti Trail attacks and Conti TKC 80s - both great tyres.
To make a good bike better and more suitable for my needs, I have added the following farkles:
Extended Handguards
Adventure Spec Crash Bars
G-it Sump Guard
Vario Panniers & Top Box
Zumo 660
Autocom Logic L1
Powerbronze Adventure Screen
Touratech Tank Bag
Touratech Headlight Guard
Touratech Big Foot
So to anyone out there thinking about buying an 800GS and getting worried about the reports of chain problems, battery issues etc - these defects whilst regrettable are likely to only affect a small proportion of the GS's on the road.
These bikes are the absolutely nuts and there are few bikes I would choose to put into my garage to replace the GS (albeit there are many which I would like join it in the garage).
Ramblings over..
Cheers
Rod
During the last year, I have done 9k miles on the bike including 2 largish trips, one to the Sahara via Morocco and a more recent lap of Europe. Prior to the 800GS I had a 12GSA.
BMW literature describes the 800GS as 'unstoppable' - an outlandish claim which, at least in my experience, is damn near true.
I have thrown everything at this bike. Flat out motorway miles, scratching round Alpine passes, crossing rivers right up to the air intakes and blasting along the dunes. It hasn't missed a beat nor even used a drop of oil.
During the last trip, a Swiss dealer point out that my chain / sprockets needed the recall and even that was done with the minimum of fuss (and this included stripping one of their showroom bikes).
My bike was supplied and serviced by Bahnstormer, near Alton. Like the bike, these guys are faultless and the service offer by John in particular is above and beyond the norm.
Over the year, the bike has averaged about 50 mpg. I have alternated between Conti Trail attacks and Conti TKC 80s - both great tyres.
To make a good bike better and more suitable for my needs, I have added the following farkles:
Extended Handguards
Adventure Spec Crash Bars
G-it Sump Guard
Vario Panniers & Top Box
Zumo 660
Autocom Logic L1
Powerbronze Adventure Screen
Touratech Tank Bag
Touratech Headlight Guard
Touratech Big Foot
So to anyone out there thinking about buying an 800GS and getting worried about the reports of chain problems, battery issues etc - these defects whilst regrettable are likely to only affect a small proportion of the GS's on the road.
These bikes are the absolutely nuts and there are few bikes I would choose to put into my garage to replace the GS (albeit there are many which I would like join it in the garage).
Ramblings over..
Cheers
Rod
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after three years of toucher with a KTM 990 Adventure 
