Considering the F800 GS, could do with some advice :)

[PRAETORIAN]

Hi all.

I have not been around for a while due to some changes in personal circumstances. I had to sell both of my bikes but luckily forum members here helped with that Anyways, I am getting back on my feet now and want another bike. I was going to go down the route of sports tourer, or an all out sports bike but then I started thinking of the F800 GS! My brain is pulling me in so many directions I'm starting to dribble from the stress

Anyways, after hearing about how much fun my brother and best mate had in spain recently, I decided the F800 GS might be the bike for me. I have spent the last couple of days browsing the forum for info. I have some questions and concerns. I read the first 10 pages or so of user reviews and all seemed dandy. However, reading other posts I am a little put off. So far my main concerns are:

Faults. So far I have read there are quite a few faults and problems with this bike. Most notably the radiator pipes, the possiblity of some bikes having dodgy front axles, and this ABS problem I keep reading about (I dont want to open a can of worms but it is a concern) and the wobbly fluid resevoir on the handle bar.

Can I be sure that if I order a bike that all of the recall works will have already been addressed when I recieve it?

I also want a few extras, such as engine bars and bashplate. I like the look of the ones that mimic the 1200A and come up the side of the bike. Are there any accepted brands and types that are best to buy? Are they easy to fit, or would dealer fitting be recommended? I'm looking at engine bars, bash plate, better screen and hand protectors and eventually HIDS. Any idea on the ball park figure I need to allow?

Finally, as mentioned in another post, I would like to put some chunkier tyres on it, like Karoo T's. I am concerned about speed rating though. I dont want to have to worry about creepig over a ton on an autoban if you know what I mean. Or am I worrying about nothing?

I am also concerned about tyres that use tubes. I have never had a bike that uses tubed tyres before, so dont know a lot about them. Are they dangerous if the tube pops? Are they any more susceptible to puncures? Can they be easily patched up with a spray can of sealant till I can get to a garage?

Unfortunately I'm working very unsociable shifts at the moment, so I wont be able to get a test ride for another few weeks yet. But so far I think its an ideal bike for me. I had an 1150 GS and although I liked it, I felt it was too big for me. I wasnt comfortable with the weight at all. The F800 GS seems like a perfect compromise between grunty performance and a light, compact weight. However, I will reserve judgement till I ride it!

Is the seat too bad? Do sergant do one for the 800 yet?

Anyways, thanks for reading. Any pointers or advice would be appreciated

Cheers
Matt

 

[mikestatt]

Hi Matt

Having ridden 390 miles on mine yesterday I can say this bike is by far the best of the three I have owned. Out of interest they have been F650GS single, 990 ADV and the 800gs. I rides well and is defo quik enough for use on the british roads.
With regards to the faults I've now done 900 miles (not alot I know) and it hasn't missed a beat. I'm not stupid enough to say there is never going to be a problem but perhaps at this stage in the bikes life BMW have manages to iron out some of the problems.
With regards to the crash bars I've fitted the Adventure Spec ones to mine. They are incredibly substantial and make the bike look fantastic. Crucially they protect the plastics that would be the first place to get damaged if you dropped the bike. They are fitted with 5 bolts into the bike (into holes already there) and 4 bolts to join the right side to the left. have a look on their website or here http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=193621.
With regards to handgurars I have fitted Barkbusters also from Adventure spec. Very substantial and a lot cheaper than the BMW ones.
On the subject of accessories there is no reason you cant fit the ones mentioned yourself but if unsure get some help with the HiDs.
The seat is a bit of a bum killer after a couple of hours but the beauty of ths type of bike is being able to ride standing through 30mps sections whish solves the problem for me.

Mike

 

[PRAETORIAN]

Would I need anything like a torque wrench for the bolts that the engine bars use?

The more I look into this bike, the more I'm sure I want one!

Are Adventure Spec a company like Touratech and Wunderlicht?

Thanks for your reply too

Matt

 

[tommyboy]

Hi Matt,

I picked up my 800GS yesterday after having an 1150 (W reg) 1150 GSA (04 reg) and another 1150 GSA (02 reg), mine has almost a year to run with the warranty so that gives me piece of mind ref recalls etc.

It's a very very different ride to the 1150, the only thing in common in my opinion is the sticker that says GS. Its like comparing your old walking boots to a pair of trainers. To me this bike feels closer in many ways to my old GSXR600 than my GSA, throttle response is immediate and sharp, steering is quicker than I expected too. I found the seat ok for a couple of hours then needed a rest to let some blood back into my bum cheeks and was then good to go again, this was the same with my GSA tbh, although I only weigh 10 stone so not sure if heavier riders would find different.

It is much more affected by bumps (at speed on Mway) that the 1150 would float over, this I think is due to weight difference which is why I sold the GSA anyway so I can't really moan about that. If it was all day Mway cruising then the 1150 would win but in the real world where I have to stop for petrol and heave the beast from it's side stand and then contend with the height and weight around a town centre then for me the 800 is much better.

Hope this helps a bit.

Tom

 

[mikestatt]

I didn't use a torque wrench. Three of the holes appear to be specifically for accessories, two of them had bolts in that needed to be changed, there may be torque settings fir those somewhere but you'd probably have to ring a dealer for that. I'm not worried though.
Just do a Google search for Adventure spec, they've got loads of stuff for the 800GS including a great looking bash plate that I'll get in the future.

Mike

 

[PRAETORIAN]

I didn't use a torque wrench. Three of the holes appear to be specifically for accessories, two of them had bolts in that needed to be changed, there may be torque settings fir those somewhere but you'd probably have to ring a dealer for that. I'm not worried though.
Just do a Google search for Adventure spec, they've got loads of stuff for the 800GS including a great looking bash plate that I'll get in the future.

Mike

I am already on there Very suprised at how cheap the accessories are to be honest. £500 is going to buy the basics (bash plate, hand guards, tail plate and engine bars) I was afraid I was going to be looking at at least £1000-£1500+.

OK, so does anyone have metal luggage? I have heard metal mules are popular due to the fact they can be used on any bike as long as you have the right fixing bracket. I'm not keen on the basic luggage that BMW do. I like silver metal luggage, not dull black stuff

 

[divelandy]

Hi Matt,

I have a F800GS, built Dec '08, registered March '09 and just coming up to 5k miles.

Anyways, after hearing about how much fun my brother and best mate had in spain recently, I decided the F800 GS might be the bike for me.

Make sure you go for a test ride, as the bike has an interesting character. Quirky looking, some interesting characteristics and tall, but the best fun i've had on a bike for quite a while

I read the first 10 pages or so of user reviews and all seemed dandy. However, reading other posts I am a little put off.

Just remember that members generally post gripes and issues and don't post "i travelled nK miles and the bike was great!".
- apart from an <ahem> 'enhancement' (recall) to replace a working fuel sender with another working fuel sender, i've not had an issue with my bike since i've brought it - unless you include the times i've fallen off when exceeding my skill level!

So far my main concerns are:
Faults. So far I have read there are quite a few faults and problems with this bike. Most notably the radiator pipes

I've not had an issue and believe all bikes affected have been recalled, or will be fixed at next service.

the possiblity of some bikes having dodgy front axles

As far as i understand, this affects a batch of bikes with the axle manufactured outside of tolerance during September '08. If you buy new, yours will be built after this (mine was).

and this ABS problem I keep reading about (I dont want to open a can of worms but it is a concern)

I'm not sure of an issue with ABS - again i've not had one, or something i've picked up on this year while i've been keeping an eye on this section of the forum.

the wobbly fluid resevoir on the handle bar

This is not an issue but fit's in to the 'interesting character'. I don't notice it - as i spend most of my time grinning and looking ahead on the road.

Can I be sure that if I order a bike that all of the recall works will have already been addressed when I receive it?

I'd expect so - if your concerned, ask the dealer to confirm that there are no outstanding recall's on your bike

I also want a few extras, such as engine bars and bashplate. I like the look of the ones that mimic the 1200A and come up the side of the bike. Are there any accepted brands and types that are best to buy? Are they easy to fit, or would dealer fitting be recommended? I'm looking at engine bars, bash plate, better screen and hand protectors and eventually HIDS. Any idea on the ball park figure I need to allow?

He he, you may want to extend your credit limit at this point...

I liked the adventure-speck protection kit (http://www.adventure-spec.com)

• Adventure Spec bash plate: £145
• Adventure Spec crash-bars: £180
• Les Wassal HID 50 conversion: £160 (you may be able to get deal if you contact Les directly
• '08 BMW R1200GS hand guards: £75
• +P&P

I brought the MM screen, but found this caused a lot of turbulence around my head, so i've gone back to the original screen which is very accpetable for long rides, though won't give you 'tourer' stile weather protection.

I've fitted these myself and if your competant with a screwdriver and have a set of the star shaped (torx?) drivers, then you'll have no issues

Finally, as mentioned in another post, I would like to put some chunkier tyres on it, like Karoo T's. I am concerned about speed rating though. I dont want to have to worry about creepig over a ton on an autoban if you know what I mean. Or am I worrying about nothing?

I'm still trying to wear out my battlewings, so can't help on this issue. One of the reasons for me buying the F800GS was to slow down. It does cruse happily at 80mph - i've done an hour at 90, but found it hard work.

I am also concerned about tyres that use tubes. I have never had a bike that uses tubed tyres before, so dont know a lot about them. Are they dangerous if the tube pops? Are they any more susceptible to puncures? Can they be easily patched up with a spray can of sealant till I can get to a garage?

My take on this (totally untested!) is that

1. tubed tyres are = untubed as far as getting a puncture
2. take a spare tube, puncture repair kit & tools if you want to self-repair.
3. IMO a tubeless tyre is generally more rigid than tubeless, but either one with a significant puncture can be unfortunate. NOTE that punctures often leave the offending item in the tyre, so generally don't do a cartoon 'pop' and rapidly deflate. Keep an eye on your tyre pressures and life's generally good.

Is the seat too bad? Do sergant do one for the 800 yet?

After 'settling in, I can now do a tank of fuel (~190miles) between stops, but do need to have a break, rather than get straight back on.

HTH
Steve</ahem>

 

[PRAETORIAN]

Steve, thanks for taking the time to post that reply. Very much appreciated

I'm getting excited now. Its like that feeling you get when you know you have made your mind up and you are one step away from signing on the dotted line!!

All that is left now is a test ride I sat on one at the bike show. I liked the compact feel. Was a bit too tall for me as standard, so I think I will opt for a low seat. I only have a 29'' inside leg, so I was on my toes. However, I will have a go on both types of seat, as without the heavier weight of the bike to support, I might get away with a standard seat.

Thanks again for the great reply

Matt

 

[Klanky]

Hi all.


So far my main concerns are:

Faults. So far I have read there are quite a few faults and problems with this bike. Most notably the radiator pipes, the possiblity of some bikes having dodgy front axles, and this ABS problem I keep reading about (I dont want to open a can of worms but it is a concern) and the wobbly fluid resevoir on the handle bar.

Mine is a May '08 model. No problems with either the front axle or the radiator hoses. I've done just short of 6k now. The ABS 'concern' is overblown, really (IMO, before anyone starts). As for the wobbly resevoir, you'd think the bloody thing was whiplashing around the bike like a rabid ferret the way some people talk. It's on a flexi mount (sensible idea IMO) and it moves a bit....suprise, suprise.....

Can I be sure that if I order a bike that all of the recall works will have already been addressed when I recieve it?

I would say so, you'd be hard pushed to get an 'old stock' model the way they've been selling. Obviously the dealer would be best placed to give you the manufacture date and what tweaks/upgrades the bike has.

Finally, as mentioned in another post, I would like to put some chunkier tyres on it, like Karoo T's. I am concerned about speed rating though. I dont want to have to worry about creepig over a ton on an autoban if you know what I mean. Or am I worrying about nothing?

TKC80's up to ton no prob. Some people have mentioned the bike shaking its head a little at these speeds on TK's...a slight weave in my case, nothing more. Anything over this for sustained periods and you really should be looking at more roadbased tyres....but the TK's are bloody good.

I am also concerned about tyres that use tubes. I have never had a bike that uses tubed tyres before, so dont know a lot about them. Are they dangerous if the tube pops? Are they any more susceptible to puncures? Can they be easily patched up with a spray can of sealant till I can get to a garage?

Flats are no different to tubeless, nothing dramatic - I've had two rear flats so far. just felt 'boggy' with a lot of tyre noise. Susceptability? Dunno, maybe I was just unlucky. Dunno about sealants at all.

I had an 1150 GS and although I liked it, I felt it was too big for me. I wasnt comfortable with the weight at all. The F800 GS seems like a perfect compromise between grunty performance and a light, compact weight. However, I will reserve judgement till I ride it!

Try not to compare it to any Boxer...it doesn't work, they are different animals. I think mine's the best all-round bike I've ever owned.

Hope you enjoy the test ride and come over to the Dark Side* of BMW.


*or are the Airheads the true Dark side?

 

[Uinneag]

Hi Matt

Tash absolutley lives the Shiver now named Lorenzo

She had the F800GS and got rid to get your bike, we found the Shiver is a far superior bike build wise compared to the GS.

When you add up all the extra's etc it certainly is not a cheap bike we paid £8.5k and were offered £4.5k in a trade in by BMW in Glasgow for a bike with 2k on it and 10months old as they could only give F800S price as the GS was too new

I'm really pleased yir getting back on your feet

All the best

 

[PRAETORIAN]

Hi Matt

Tash absolutley lives the Shiver now named Lorenzo

She had the F800GS and got rid to get your bike, we found the Shiver is a far superior bike build wise compared to the GS.

When you add up all the extra's etc it certainly is not a cheap bike we paid £8.5k and were offered £4.5k in a trade in by BMW in Glasgow for a bike with 2k on it and 10months old as they could only give F800S price as the GS was too new

I'm really pleased yir getting back on your feet

All the best

Hi Johnny, hows it going mate?

Really glad to hear you still have the Shiver. Its a great bike. In fact I am more than tempted to get another one myself!! Its an awesome ride, and sounds amazing Glad Tash likes it I am after something a bit easier to tour on this time around though. The Shiver isnt the best comfort wise, or practicality wise. The new Shiver GT looks promising though. But then you still have the problem of luggage

So you reckon the build quality of the GS 800 aint up to much mate? How did you find the ride and handling? After knowing how the Shiver rides, I would hope to match its handling with the GS 800.

..........I miss my Shiver Have to be strong.......the Shiver is no good for touring..........stay strong, I wont let the dark side get me!!!

Matt

 

[PRAETORIAN]

Thanks for the input Klanky, much appreciated

It does seem to feel that the issues with this bike are perhaps not as severe as I first thought. I would not compare it to a boxer. But I will be comparing it to my last bike, an Aprilia Shiver. OK, that was a V-Twin, not a parallel, but as far as performance and handling goes, for the price of the Beemer I would expect it to hold its own against the Shiver (which in all fairness is a hooligan bike ) I'm not expecting it to be better, but at least some competition.

Matt

 

[Morticia]

I am already on there Very suprised at how cheap the accessories are to be honest. £500 is going to buy the basics (bash plate, hand guards, tail plate and engine bars) I was afraid I was going to be looking at at least £1000-£1500+.

OK, so does anyone have metal luggage? I have heard metal mules are popular due to the fact they can be used on any bike as long as you have the right fixing bracket. I'm not keen on the basic luggage that BMW do. I like silver metal luggage, not dull black stuff

Hi Matt,

I have owned my 800 since Easter... Really good grunt when you get the open road. I admit i have not done as many miles as i would like due to work committments. Anyway, your asking about luggage. I looked at the aluminium luggage for mine, the dealer told me that they can leak at times. I went for the black luggage panniers, they expand to allow more space and one will take your helmet its that big. I went to Pidcocks at Long Eaton for min and spoke to Richie, he arranged everything for me...no hastle and the after sales are great too.

Hope you are able to join the bumble bee brigade soon

Luci

 

[PRAETORIAN]

Hi Matt,

I have owned my 800 since Easter... Really good grunt when you get the open road. I admit i have not done as many miles as i would like due to work committments. Anyway, your asking about luggage. I looked at the aluminium luggage for mine, the dealer told me that they can leak at times. I went for the black luggage panniers, they expand to allow more space and one will take your helmet its that big. I went to Pidcocks at Long Eaton for min and spoke to Richie, he arranged everything for me...no hastle and the after sales are great too.

Hope you are able to join the bumble bee brigade soon

Luci

Hi Luci, I will most likely be using Pidcocks Long Eaton if I buy a new one, as its only about 45 miles away up the A50. Did you buy your bike from them, or did you use Clarkes in Birmingham? If you bought from Pidcocks, who did you deal with? I have tried sending them a query off their website but it keeps failing I didnt really want to buy another new bike again, not after how much money I lost on the Shiver after only about 8 months of ownership. But it seems like the best choice in terms of getting a newer version of the bike and balancing the costs

Leaking luggage is nothing new. Thats why you should always use inner pannier bags Just out of interest, how much did they charge you for the full luggage system?

As far as the bumblebee brigade goes, I am undecided. I love the black and yellow colour scheme, but at the same time the grey has a classy feel to it too, similar to the 1200A I think I will go for the black and yellow scheme though, as I liked it from the first moment I saw it, wheras the grey has sort of grown on me.

Hope you manage to get some more riding done. Its been killing me not having a bike!

Cheers

Matt

PS Is that a real cat in your avatar, or is it one of the photoshopped ones from lolcats?

 

[Jondd21]

Hi Matt, I bought a secondhand 800 from a BMW dealer recently. With only 500 miles and 4months old and very well speced. I paid £7K.

My olny issue is that it is not the most durable bike cosmetically, suffering at many road conditions ( salt, etc ) so a good coating of rust preventer helps.

However it is a joy to ride and ride it I will.

I like yourself, am always looking for add on's and will eventually get all I want when finances allow.

Just one pointer for you. Do a search on the prices they have been selling for on here and a well known auction site. Its surprising

Good Luck mate .

 

[Ross Dean]

F800GS problems? See my answer here: http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=139877&page=11
The problems were, in the main, early problems with a new bike and the "bad news" tendancy of forums (we all talk about a just few problems). Its a brilliant bike!

 

[Micky]

25,000 miles on my F800GS and no troubles worth mentioning

All recalls sorted, runs like a dream. Front brake master cylinder reservoir straight swop for the 1200gs so now solidly mounted on top of the master cylinder... no probs.

Handles like a dream with the 21" front wheel, such that I can easily grind the center stand down on left and right hand corners

Tubes no problems. Me and Gracie on here did 19, 500 miles on our two F650GS's a couple of years ago, rough roads of Siberia and Mongolia... not a puncture between us. With tubed rims might be a bugger to mend a puncture, put with a spare tube you're on your way again. Tubeless tyres are great and easy to mend, but if you can't mend 'em, the tyre gets a split then you're scuppered. There are those that will say you van put a tube in, yes you can, if you have one with you, if you have the tyre levers with you... and if you can break the bead to rim contact

Buy one, ride and enjoy

Set off to ride overland to India in three weeks on it ... no resrvations about using the F800GS at all.

 

[Tengiz99]

Had the bike since October, put 4000km on it and it's just coming up to the 10,000 km service. No problems, a few recalls but nothing that reared it's head with me, all were calls from the dealer to bring it in and have them dealt with. Do have a weep from what looks like a head gasket type thing (all getting a bit technical for me), and throttle fairly snatchy, but the realibility thing does not seem to be a huge issue (ok so if you're the one that had a problem you may not agree). As some have said before, it's the problems that you get to hear about.
+1 for the adventure spec bars.

 

[parrot]

Mine was one of the early ones... got it on launch day in fact.

9,000 miles later and the only problems have been the key antenna, (replaced under warranty),and a fuel warning light that tells lies.... rely on the trip meter now.

All recalls done by Rainbow without fuss

Minus points... that seat Had it reworked with a gel insert, only slight improvement, but maybe down to the fact that it's a low seat option.... and that's it.

On the plus side: brilliant bike, fantastic handling (on battlewings), cheap to insure (sub £100 first year), 60 to the gallon, tyres lasted 7,000 miles.
More importantly real world useable (from solo, to 2 up and luggage european touring).......and still has that grin factor.

If mine got written off tomorrow I'd get another, no hesitation

Let us know how you rate it if you decide to go for it.

 

[Morticia]

Hi Luci, I will most likely be using Pidcocks Long Eaton if I buy a new one, as its only about 45 miles away up the A50. Did you buy your bike from them, or did you use Clarkes in Birmingham? If you bought from Pidcocks, who did you deal with? I have tried sending them a query off their website but it keeps failing I didnt really want to buy another new bike again, not after how much money I lost on the Shiver after only about 8 months of ownership. But it seems like the best choice in terms of getting a newer version of the bike and balancing the costs

Leaking luggage is nothing new. Thats why you should always use inner pannier bags Just out of interest, how much did they charge you for the full luggage system?

As far as the bumblebee brigade goes, I am undecided. I love the black and yellow colour scheme, but at the same time the grey has a classy feel to it too, similar to the 1200A I think I will go for the black and yellow scheme though, as I liked it from the first moment I saw it, wheras the grey has sort of grown on me.

Hope you manage to get some more riding done. Its been killing me not having a bike!

Cheers

Matt

PS Is that a real cat in your avatar, or is it one of the photoshopped ones from lolcats?

Hi Matt,

I delt with Ritchie at Long Eaton, he is a really nice guy...to be honest i have a contact at top level bmw and spoke to him before i bought my bike as i didnt just want the sales patter....my contact said these were one the best to buy....i have hankered for one for 2 dirt bike shows and could be found sitting on the bike on the stand hugging it..

Personally i will only use Long Eaton, i went to Clarks and found them 'kin useless. The sales person had the personality of a dead duck (sorry if anyone knows people there)he was unhelpful to say the least. To me Pidcocks rule, i keep meaning to go and see Richie as i want to put an akropovic on the bike.

I agree there is a certain sauveness about the blue/back colour, but being an outgoing person it had to be black and yellow for me.

Luggage: I think it was around £400 fitted....i had it all in with the deal when i bought the bike...only thing i did not have was the abs...never had a bike with it yet. Point taken about the liners, just looking for liners to go in them. Have not used them yet though, wanted to be 'at one' with the bike before i put them on.

I try to use the bike too and from work as i have a 40 mile journey each way when i am in the office..i use the A5 to keep my skills up to sharpness...

As for the cat - he is real....its Theo, he is a rescue cat, very stupid and i think as it appears he was taken away from his mum too early, a bit slow in the development dept...doesn't meow, just squeeks.

Send me a pm if you are going over to Long Eaton, i may be able to get over there too...Richie is overdue a visit from me, personally, i like to see him wince when i walk in the door....i am his worst nightmare.

Luci