Was in Bahnstormer last week and this was in there (sold). It definitely looks better with the panniers and TKC’s
, but the screen is tiny
I’m sure its a great bike, haven’t seen one on the road yet though.
I know, old thread...
Anyway, I just want to post something positive
I got mine 850GSA HP a month and a half ago. And so far I enjoy riding the bike very much. Compared to the 1250 it is down on power, but it feels lighter riding it and is far more fun on twisty roads.
Lacking the heavy flywheel of the boxer the QS works better than for the boxer. Living in a country with strict speed limit enforcement, the power is more than plenty when riding solo. Riding two up works well, but compared to the 1250 you need to shift a lot more with the added load.
I got the tiny HP screen and the Rally seat. The seat was too tall for me, so I changed it to the regular seat. Even if the screen is small, it offers clean air to the helmet. The weather protection do suffer though, so I have ordered a TouraTech screen. However, after having gotten used to the smaller screen, I must admit it grows on me.
Gas milage is a tad better than the 1250, but not by much. Typical range would be 550km where the 1250GSA would offer 650 km range.
A lot has been said about the bike being top heavy, due to the larger fueltank. To me, it feels like the 850 is easier to ride slow than the 1250.
Compared to the 800 the engine revs a lot easier (I guess going from 360/360 crank to 270/450 makes a difference) and it feels much more powerfull.
All in all I'm super happy with the 850GSA.