F800 GS - 1yr On

Silversurfer

Registered user
Joined
Jul 15, 2010
Messages
66
Reaction score
0
Location
Teesside
Bought the bike in June 2010 from Alan Jeffries in Shipley. Got a good deal on my 2 px’s (Honda ST1300 Pan and Aprilia Pegaso 650 - way better than my nearest dealer Coopers at Sunderland) Pretty much ordered everything with the bike - Comfort Kit, (Computer, ABS, Heated Grips and Centre Stand), Touring Screen, Engine Bars, Hand Guards and Full Vario Panniers and Top Box kit and BMW Tank Bag and Comfort Seat. Alan Jefferies delivered the bike with everything fitted free of charge and with all the originl bits in boxes so full marks to them for that.

Put a 100mls on the bike in the first day so booked it straight in for the 600mls first service only to find a months waiting list meant I couldn’t ride it for 3 weeks. Thought the £100 for a oil change service a bit stiff as the first service on all previous new bikes had been free.

As I rode it more I added a few more extras, all of which were, to me anyway, essential. Dropped the forks through the yokes as I’m a bit short in the leg and the comfort seat is a bit taller than the standard seat. Added handlebar risers to compensate. Bought a Wunderlich Screen Deflector which clips onto the top of the BMW Touring Screen as it seemed to put all the wind blast straight under the bottom of my crash helmet. Definately recommend the screen deflector. Fitted a Ram Mount for my Zumo SatNav. Wrapped some reinforced rubber hose around the handlebars under the Ram Mount U bolt first to soak up any high frequency vibes which I’d read could affect the SatNav - works fine - had no problems in 12k miles. Had some brackets welded on to the engine bars to take crash bungs, (removed the bars from the bike so the welding would not affect the bikes electronics), as the BMW engine bars would not protect the side plastics in the event of a drop. If I had realised before I ordered the BMW bars I would have gone for the Givi’s which extend upwards to protect the side plastics. Fitted a home made mud flap to the front mudguard to protect the oil filter and cooler and a rear splash guard to protect the rear shock

Ran the bike in and then did a 3600ml trip to Southern Spain to visit friends in September and was really glad I had fitted the comfort seat. The original BMW saddle is only good for around 50mls before it seemed to dissapear up the crack of me bum. Had to do a few miles on gravel roads as my friends live in the mountains in Andlucia and would definately advise turning off the ABS. Went down a really steep gravelled bank with a sheer drop on one side and with the bike fully loaded with 3 weeks camping gear and the ABS kept coming in with the result that I had virtually no brakes. Definately a sphincter tightening moment. Promised myself some off road tution in future.

Ran the bike through winter, ( I simply couldn’t bear not riding for months). The BMW finish appears excellent. No sign of any meaningful corrosion other than some slight rust staining on a couple of front wheel spoke fastenings.
Just got back from an 8 day tour to France. Averaged 62mpg over 1600mls which included some fully loaded hard Autoroute riding. Generally get around 68 - 70mpg on local runs.

Reliabilty has been excellent. Starts first time every time, handles really well providing you adjust the rear shock and damping to suit the load and the only failure in 12500mls has been a dipped headllight bulb. Replaced the rear Michelin Annkee at 9500mls and the front at 10500mls.

This is my first BMW and I am very impressed with this bike
 
Nice reading.jaycommando Iam another one:clap.Never had one single problem with mine.:beerjug:
 
Just nudging 59,000 miles on my 800GS and still smiling :thumb

:beerjug:
 
well as this seems to be the thread to praise rather than complain i am definately +1 for this being an awesome bike.

It is far more competant a bike than i am a rider.

14000 miles in a year and a half and i luvs it.
 
+1 for me 30,000+ on my first and now on my second done 6000miles since mid March only sold my first as now will probably be my last chance to buy a new bike in these hard times.
No issues even the "chocolate chain" lasted 15,000miles on my first 800GS then I DID,d it (before recall bugger!) and the DID was still on when sold with not a lot signs of wear after another 15,000 I ride all through the winter.
The 800GS does all I want very well with less fuel, I never managed to get more than 40mpg out of the 1200 GSA I am averaging 60mpg out of the 800GS, setting off for Istanbull next Thursday!!
 
Mine will have it's third birthday this month, and there have been no problems worth mentioning. It has spent most of it's life on hard rocky mountain tracks. So life has not always been a walk in the park. :bounce1
Excellent bike..
 
Well it seems to me that there are far more satisfied 800GS owners than 1200 owners :eek:

We don't seem to ask stupid questions, we just appear to get on with the job of riding :blagblah

Plus we (800 owners) seem to admit that the bike does everything we want, maybe better that what we are, whereupon the 1200 owners seem to have rather large testicles and something to prove ... aka the Charlie and Ewan 'Wannabe's'

Maybe we're just an inferior breed :nenau

:beerjug:
 
Still smiling Micky...... but also on your third arse transplant :P

PS Having had an F800R on loan sometime ago report here and loved it I reckon an F800GS would do nicely for me too:thumb

Rushy, I had the F800R and loved it apart from my leg curve being a lanky type was a bit uncomfy after an hour, so test rode the F800GS and bought it on the spot! :thumb
 
allmost 1 yr on !!!

Hello,

I'm not really new in UKGS forum, but lost my account which I had for my R1150GS until June 2006.

Now driving a F800GS since 3 August 2010 [after 4 years F800ST].
Love my bike [30 Y Jubileum edit]. No problems whatsoever until now.

Today I got 22600 kms [about 14125 miles] on clock. Quite a lot and it's 99,5% onroad.
This bike gives me so much fun on road especially in turns, that I'm principal not going to ride offroad anymore.

Compared with R1150GS and F800St the bike seams to feel better in turns than the other bikes, but it can be due I'm more experienced now ;-)

What's extra in/ on the bike except of 30 Yrs Jub Edit stuff;
** BOS exhaust;
** UNI foam airfilter [directly imported from USA] [using K&N oil to spray it];
** Tutoru chain oiler [I use cheap chain saw blade oil];
** NGK Iridium plugs;
** Hyperpro progressive rear shocks and front spring kit;
** Castrol Power RS Racing 5w40 full-synth motoroil [bike loves it - going to change every 13K kms instead of 10K !!];
** homemade rear hugger [to keep the shocks clean]

Front tyre - Michelin Anakees lasted until 19500 kms
Rear tyre is still on it - until 24K !!!!!

Now mounted Conti's Trail Attack in front - looks quite fine to me.

Quite a lot home/ work traffic [75 %]. rest for fun [tours; France; The Morvan, Les Vosges, went to the UK for short trip in April, Germany; The Eifel; quite a lot of smaller tours in Holland]

Last week Sep 2011 going to Italy Dolomites for 9 days [have been there twice with R1150GS and F800ST]

I washed my bike once, and still looks fine - no corrosion.
When I got the bike new - I sprayed heat resistant clear paint on motor-engine and some bolts and parts. Before winter time I sprayed Valvoline Superwax on corrosion susceptible parts. It all worked perfect.

All parts [brakes] are still good. Chain only adjusted twice.
I think like the tyres which holds quite long, the chain will last long also, because I don't drive away very fast a lot.

+ For
** Good looks;
** Much tork, so quite fast;
** Sitting position - I never get tired;
** very good mileage - home/work 1:26 kms [3,8 liter on 100kms];
** trouble-free
** Very trust-worthy and quite comfortable onroad [I pressume oofroad as well ;-)]

- Against
** buffeting with standard screen; [I cut od about 2 inches of screen -- now buffeting free - I'm 1,78m = 5'10]
** front wheel wobbeling around 25/35 miles a hour [gone with Hyperpro spring kit]
That's it

Lot is written about the 'SEAT' - it's not only a F800GS problem.
I ride with original seat - 200kms in a day, not a problem at all.
LONGER distances; I wear cycling shorts under my clothes - or.... when travelling to Dolomites AIRHAWK.

Next week the bike will have it's 20K maintenance - after the valves will be adjusted [if neccasary] it will even ride better :-).

Think I can easily make 100K kms without much engine troubles.

Regards,

Rob
 


Back
Top Bottom