R850GS GOOD OR BAD?

[ENG]

Hi Guys,
I have been offered an R850 GS (silver / yellow) with 1,800 miles on a W plate. Are they any good?, or would you avoid and go for an 1150GS?. It has been in long term storage since new and they want approx £4- £4,500???

Thoughts????

Regards Andy B

 

[DavidHolmes]

A day loaner of an 850GS persuaded me to trade in my K75S in for an 1150GS three years ago.

I loved the 850. I bought an 1150 because, at the time, the difference in new price was negligible, and the 850 was based on the 'old' 1100GS. So the extra for the 1150 seemed worth it.

The 850 is a great bike - overpriced at new, overpriced by BMW dealers (it costs as much as an 1100/1150 to make). It was made to fullfill a need in the German market (just like the old R450).

It has a smoother, free reving engine, a completely different feel to the 1150. I love it, but I have never bought one because of the difficulty of selling it second hand when it was so closely priced to the 1150 and didnt 'benefit' in resale value from either the 'update from the 1100 to the 1150', nor the rave reviews the 1100/1150 was getting in the bike press at the time.

So if you want one, buy it. But bear in mind that it will be very difficult to sell on. The price offered is what my 2001 1150 GS was supposedly worth on a 'Y' plate with 44k on the clock a year ago.

Then again, "Long Term Storage" can mean a lot of different things.....

 

[Beak Freak]

Although I have never owned an 1100/1150 I have ridden plenty. IMHO there is very little difference apart from the bigger is better attitude of some people.

The 850 is a very sweet engine and for touring/scratching/town riding is just as quick as an 1100 .

I have fitted a race pipe (two brothers) new header pipes (wunderlich) and an ECU chip to mine and it has improved pick up and there is a slight but noticeable increase in performance. Having said all that, the bike was perfectly fine before, I just like buying expensive bits of kit!

I would have thought that the price seemed quite good (though it depends on how well it was trated for those 1800 miles).

 

[Andrew B]

I bought one a few months ago and have found it to be very good indeed, keeps up with most things on the road and as said before is just 250 cc's less than its bigger brothers.
I bought it mainly for the milage and condition as after testing 1150 (couldn't afford), 1100, and 850 didn't really notice much difference upto the magical "ton" marker, and the fact that SWMBO wanted to come touring with me.
So far it has returned about 50 to the gallon and has been subjected to some abuse (sorry use) both on and off road not exactly showing restraint from the right wrist
I think the phrase is horses for courses if you want one you will not be dissapointed, after all its a GS!!.
Downside is that insurance I was quoted the same for a 1100 as the 850
PS it is standard at the moment apart from lower pillion footrest, TKC 80's and much polish.....now wheres my touratech catalogue...

Happy riding

 

[ENG]

photos of 850gs

Does anyone have any digital photos of the above? front/rear/ side?

 

[Max_Kool]

Look for a picture of just any 1100GS, these bikes are the apart from the barrels, pistons and final drive.

 

[Gecko]

Re: photos of 850gs

Does anyone have any digital photos of the above? front/rear/ side?

Looks just like this except your tank sticker will say R850GS instead of R1100GS.
The stigma of 'only riding an 850' is only a stigma given out by those that don't know what they are talking about. It's a bloody fine machine which will do everything you want .....unless you are trying to keep up with a mate on a Hyabuse on the German autobahns

 

[ENG]

R850GS 2000 W

Hi Guys!!
thanks for all your advice. I bought the 850 GS, and what a fantastic machine it is. It is a 2000 on a W plate, silver/yellow with only 1,800 miles and not a mark on it. I am now in the process of looking for a hard copy of the BMW manual, you can't read a CD!!
Anyone fitted Tobinators and an 1150 screen?

Regards Andy B

 

[Rabbitson]

ctrl + p

enjoy!!

 

[~Stef~]

Hi Guys,
I have been offered an R850 GS (silver / yellow) with 1,800 miles on a W plate. Are they any good?, or would you avoid and go for an 1150GS?. It has been in long term storage since new and they want approx £4- £4,500???

Thoughts????

Regards Andy B

You dont want that, you want a nice CX500, much cheaper, more reliable and prettier

 

[Gecko]

Re: R850GS 2000 W

Anyone fitted Tobinators and an 1150 screen?

Regards Andy B

....and so it begins......next:
Crash bars
Light bar
Extra lights
Horn
Panniers & Top cases
Side panels
For peg lowering kits
Wide Tails.....etc etc


:drackula HA HA HA !!!!! ANOTHER SOUL CLAIMED BY THE TOURATECH/WUNDERLICH DEVILS