F650Dakar_Norway
Registered user
http://www.dirtrider.com/reviews/motocross/141_0811_2009_bmw_f800gs_web_impression/index.html
Quote:
"Onto the off-road and here is where I see the biggest problem or shortcoming with the package. People might be buying this bike based on the impression that this is a big dirt bike. Forget it. This is a street bike that you can ride off-road. Or an adventure bike, one capable of going off-road, with caution. If you want a really big dirt bike get an HP2 or a KTM 950SE, there is a really big difference, trust me.
Typical to the GS line, this bike is not an Adventure version either. What I mean by that is the suspension is set up for street riding with a much less progressive damping and it rides low in the stroke. As such, it bottoms out at the first sight of a bump with a clank that is telling you, in mechanical language, that you are going to break something or crash and get hurt unless you slow down. Yes, we saw it happen a few times on our trip. From blown rear shocks to bent rims to broken bodies, we saw carnage. And yes, it was caused by 100% rider error in my not-so-humble opinion. I rode all the same places, usually slower than the affected parties and I was fine, so was my identical bike.
The riding position on the F800GS was comfortable from sit-down roads to technical stand-up off-road riding.The suspension is pretty much non-adjustable in the front. It rides too low in the stroke and could use some stiffer springs to use the top of the stroke more effectively. The rear has preload adjustment (I ran mine full stiff to get the most shock stroke I could) and there is an adjuster on the bottom of the shock that controls rebound, I assume, that I didn't feel the need to touch.
In the dirt the light feeling stays, which is a good thing if you don't get fooled into riding to fast! The handling is planted and the weight keeps the bike stuck to the ground and it gets good traction-as long as you possess and utilize throttle control. Because here the parallel twin gets very snappy and has a hit on the bottom of the power delivery that likes to light up the tire and get the bike moving too fast. I found it a lot better to be a gear or two high and really let the bike bog down to a smoother power level combined with enough clutch work to keep my speeds down.
"
My impressions exactly. The snappy throttle and non-adjustable suspension being the primary culprits IMHO.
Quote:
"Onto the off-road and here is where I see the biggest problem or shortcoming with the package. People might be buying this bike based on the impression that this is a big dirt bike. Forget it. This is a street bike that you can ride off-road. Or an adventure bike, one capable of going off-road, with caution. If you want a really big dirt bike get an HP2 or a KTM 950SE, there is a really big difference, trust me.
Typical to the GS line, this bike is not an Adventure version either. What I mean by that is the suspension is set up for street riding with a much less progressive damping and it rides low in the stroke. As such, it bottoms out at the first sight of a bump with a clank that is telling you, in mechanical language, that you are going to break something or crash and get hurt unless you slow down. Yes, we saw it happen a few times on our trip. From blown rear shocks to bent rims to broken bodies, we saw carnage. And yes, it was caused by 100% rider error in my not-so-humble opinion. I rode all the same places, usually slower than the affected parties and I was fine, so was my identical bike.
The riding position on the F800GS was comfortable from sit-down roads to technical stand-up off-road riding.The suspension is pretty much non-adjustable in the front. It rides too low in the stroke and could use some stiffer springs to use the top of the stroke more effectively. The rear has preload adjustment (I ran mine full stiff to get the most shock stroke I could) and there is an adjuster on the bottom of the shock that controls rebound, I assume, that I didn't feel the need to touch.
In the dirt the light feeling stays, which is a good thing if you don't get fooled into riding to fast! The handling is planted and the weight keeps the bike stuck to the ground and it gets good traction-as long as you possess and utilize throttle control. Because here the parallel twin gets very snappy and has a hit on the bottom of the power delivery that likes to light up the tire and get the bike moving too fast. I found it a lot better to be a gear or two high and really let the bike bog down to a smoother power level combined with enough clutch work to keep my speeds down.
"
My impressions exactly. The snappy throttle and non-adjustable suspension being the primary culprits IMHO.
