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F800GS review after 1600 mile/6 day trip

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Mar 28, 2005
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I just got back from a 6 day ride and thought I would discuss some of the issues mentioned on the F800Riders Forum and AdvRider and give a short review of the F800GS for those on TWT who either have or are considering the bike.

The Trip –

Three friends and I took a 6 day ride to Northern Arkansas. One from Katy, Texas on a Triumph Thunderbird Sport, one from Lake Jackson, Texas on a Harley Davidson Ultra Classic, One from Dallas on a BMW GSA and me, from Houston on the F800GS. This was an all paved road trip.

Daily Mileage -

Saturday - 330.0

Sunday - 301.2

Monday - 166.6

Tuesday - 192.7

Wednesday - 351.9

Thursday - 228.2

Total - 1570.6

Daily Average - 261.8

The issues –

1. Wind Screen – I have the stock wind screen and it seems to fit me perfectly. My head is in clean air and I have no head buffeting at all. I doubt I will replace the Screen.

2. Engine Heat – The temps ranged from lows at night in the high 50’s to highs during the day in the Mid to upper 80’s with most of the riding days ranging from the mid 60’s to the high 70’s. I never had a problem with engine heat and honestly never even noticed any excessive heat – from anywhere – at all – all weekend.

3. Headlight bolt vibrating loose – Did not happen. I have one of the wire headlight guards that uses the same mounting points as the headlight with longer bolts and that may have done the trick but my headlight bolts were never loose.

4. Vibration problems – non existent. Never had any hand numbness or any other vibration problems. I like to keep the bike in the power band and tried to stay in a gear so my rpm’s were always at 4000 or above. No noticeable vibration in the pegs, seat or handlebars. Once on the freeway I pushed it to 111 mph (per gps) and it seemed a bit buzzy above 100 and when in the twisties above 6500 rpm’s it would also get buzzy but that was about it.

5. Running Hot – Coolant leak. - None

6. Gasoline Splash back when filling – Never happened. I would stick the nozzle all the way in and pump until auto pump shut off, then pull the nozzle out and finish filling and never once had any problems with splash back.

7. Stalling in the rain – I did the Charcoal Canister drain hose mod before leaving because I expected to get some rain. We hit some light rain for a short time on a couple of days but nothing that would cause problems. On the last day it was raining when we left the hotel and the rain ranged from light to very heavy over the next 175 miles. We stopped at 50 miles from the hotel to get gas. The bike sat under the station awning for about 15-20 minutes after filling and before getting back on the road. We pulled out and it started a heavy rain almost immediately. The bike hesitated a couple of times and I pulled in the clutch and it died. I released the clutch and it restarted but still hesitated and skipped. I thought “oh crap” and down shifted and kept the bike in the 5000 rpm range, I noticed a couple of more hesitations but keeping the bike in the high rpm range seemed to shove enough gasoline thru the injectors to keep it running ok.

About 30 miles down the road we needed to stop to turn onto another route and I was worried. I came to a stop and the bike idled just fine. Another 100 miles of moderate to heavy rain and never another hesitation. The bike ran great the rest of the day. I really have no idea what caused the little bit of hesitation.

I had none of the other problems with wheel bearings, clutch, chain, computer or anything else.

Basically, except for that one burp after filling the bike during the rain storm, it ran flawlessly all weekend and it did great at everything.

The ride and review.

I had the suspension set at the mid point for both pre-load and damping and it rode and handled great on all road conditions and all riding conditions.

On the way up the others complained about the ripples and bumps on some of the roads and how bad the surface was and I had never noticed them. The bike’s suspension soaked up everything and I rode in comfort oblivious the bumps and ripples.

The gas mileage was great for me. I see these guys getting 60-65 mpg and it does not happen for me. I have a very active throttle hand and my running average is usually around 43-45 mpg.

In the mountains riding the back roads at 50-65 mph in the cool mountain air I was getting 58-60 mpg (ok not real mountains for you guys in the Rockies and the Alps – we are talking 2500-3500 feet, but mountains for us guys who live at 50’ above sea level and whose highest elevation is a freeway interchange).

We spent half of one day on the way up, two days there and half of one day on the way back riding riding curvy twisty fun roads. After one full tank in pretty much constant tight twisties where the bike stayed between 3rd and 4th with an occasional foray into 2nd with me constantly rolling on and rolling off the throttle and staying in the 4000-6000 rpm range the bike got 56 mpg. I was impressed.

I got an overall average mpg for the trip of 51 mpg and this is unheard of for me.

The bike handled great in the twisties. Tight turns or sweepers made no difference. The bike held tight with no drifting and no squirrelly handling regardless of road surface.

I am not an extremely aggressive rider but I am not a wimp either. For example, on a right hand curve marked 35mph I will generally go in around 45 and come out the other side around 60 with medium to hard acceleration entirely thru the curve. I like to enter the curve with this bike at around 4000 rpm’s so I have good throttle response thru the curve. (I am a bit more wimpy on left turning curves – I know it is the same physics and I should be able to handle both equally well, but my brain just will not allow it to happen.)

The bike handled all excellently and when I encountered the occasional decreasing radius curve that I was just a bit too hot to handle I could back off the throttle or even drag the rear brake slightly with no loss of control. The bike just did great and I thoroughly enjoyed riding it the entire trip.

Finally, the stock seat is pure torture. I have an Alaskan Leather sheep skin seat pad which is the only thing that got me thru the longer days and even then by the afternoon I had to stop every 45-60 minutes.

I took the pad off one day thinking maybe the seat without the pad may be better. Wow, that was a mistake I did not make again.

Before another trip I will get a new seat. I am leaning towards either the Corbin or the Rick Meyer. I emailed Rick and he has some stock seat pans that he can use but you have to give him a $500 deposit which you get back when you send him your seat pan.

So it is $419-$50 (DS discount) = $369 plus that $500 deposit for the Rick Meyer or $439 for the Corbin.

I have had 5 Corbin seats. Loved 3 of them, hated one of them and thought the 5th was not a sufficient improvement over stock to be worth the money. I have had 1 Rick Meyer and loved it. I am still torn on which way to go.

I know ergonomics is a personal thing, but this bike fits me. The riding position is perfect. The foot peg location is ideal. I have rox risers with the handle bars pulled back and down and am very comfortable with no arm or back fatigue at all.

I have nothing but great things to say about the bike (except for that stock seat) and am extremely happy with my purchase.

I will make a post in the next few days with photos in the Ride Reports section.
 
Nice review, this is a possible future bike for me, so I'm interested in how you like it over the long run.
 
I am 5'10", 170 lbs, 30 inch inseam.

On this trip, when the bike was not loaded I was on the balls of my feet. When not on a trip I keep the preload backed off completely. I also have the low seat.

The combination of no preload and the low seat lets me get almost flat footed.

My buddy who rides the GSA is about 6'3" and 240-250 lbs. He took the bike for a test ride really liked it and would like to get one for day trips and dirt but said it was too cramped for him to take it on any serious road trip.
 
Thanks... I'm 6'4" and was thinking about the 800GS. Actually I'm torn between a Tiger, GS, Versys or V-STrom.... I can't decide what to go with next ;)
 
Thanks... I'm 6'4" and was thinking about the 800GS. Actually I'm torn between a Tiger, GS, Versys or V-STrom.... I can't decide what to go with next ;)

Ride them all and let the bike pick you. I had intended to get the 800cc F650GS but when I went for the test ride I also rode the F800GS and, for me, there was just no choice after that. The F800 just felt right.

Just curious. I know they are pricey but have you ridden the big GS or the GSA. My firend loves his.
 
I have ridden the Tiger and loved it. The GS I have not ridden, but I have ridden my Dads 1150R and its probably similar. As for the Versys and V-Strom, the dealer won't let me test ride if I don't have cash in hand or preapproved credit.
 
Thanks for the perspective on this bike. I think it may be in that sweet spot for me when (and if) I pull the trigger on a dual sport.

Keep an eye on that hesitation ... see if you can get it to repeat. Do you think there was any chance that a little water got into the tank on that rainy day - maybe the pump nozzle was wet?

Thanks!
 
Thanks for the perspective on this bike. I think it may be in that sweet spot for me when (and if) I pull the trigger on a dual sport.

Keep an eye on that hesitation ... see if you can get it to repeat. Do you think there was any chance that a little water got into the tank on that rainy day - maybe the pump nozzle was wet?

Thanks!

That is my guess. Problem is I do not know how the exit valve works on a BMW or a bike with a fuel guage etc. On bikes with reserve, the water would have dropped below the exit valve for the tank and it could not have been that. If the exit valve on my tank is at the lowest point that is most likely the culprit, but I just do not know how the tank is designed internally.
 
I have ridden the Tiger and loved it. The GS I have not ridden, but I have ridden my Dads 1150R and its probably similar. As for the Versys and V-Strom, the dealer won't let me test ride if I don't have cash in hand or preapproved credit.

Post a thread here asking other TWTers for help, someone will let you ride theirs. If you were closer you'd be welcome to try mine... you still are if you come by Frisco.

Also - try another dealer. :)

Back on subject - a pretty cool review. I met a guy up in CO mountains that had a 800GS and he and his girl were riding around like crazy, he loved the thing! I am not surprised you like it so much. 800GS has all of the elements of what I consider a great bike, now if they only ironed out the kinks and dropped the price a little (yeah I know I am dreaming about this 2nd thing).
 
It's a beemer, if you want it cheaper buy it used. Great bikes, but talk about sticker shock! :eek:
 
I am 5'10", 170 lbs, 30 inch inseam.

On this trip, when the bike was not loaded I was on the balls of my feet. When not on a trip I keep the preload backed off completely. I also have the low seat.

The combination of no preload and the low seat lets me get almost flat footed.

My buddy who rides the GSA is about 6'3" and 240-250 lbs. He took the bike for a test ride really liked it and would like to get one for day trips and dirt but said it was too cramped for him to take it on any serious road trip.

Thanks... I'm 6'4" and was thinking about the 800GS. Actually I'm torn between a Tiger, GS, Versys or V-STrom.... I can't decide what to go with next ;)

At 6'4" the R1200GS might suit you better. I'm 5'10" (barefoot) 155 lbs with a 32" inseam, and even with my wider Corbin (again the stock seat is torture after 500 miles) I can almost flat foot it. I don't have the preload bottomed out, but have it set for 1 up riding. I don't usually bother with 2 feet down though, 1 is enough.

Like others, I'd suggest riding them all. I was sold on the 1200 GS after sitting it. I thought it was ridiculously big until I actually owned it and saw how functional it was. How many bikes can you haul $100+ in groceries with?
 
I missed you at Pie Run Bignjsa, hopefully if you were there you got to look at a Strom.
 
I have ridden the Tiger and loved it. The GS I have not ridden, but I have ridden my Dads 1150R and its probably similar. As for the Versys and V-Strom, the dealer won't let me test ride if I don't have cash in hand or preapproved credit.

I'm in Converse. Maybe we should meet up some time & you can ride my Versys. Where in SA are you?

In fact, here's a guy selling one in Austin:

http://www.kawasakiversys.com/forums/showthread.php?p=53233#post53233

http://www.twtex.com/forums/showthread.php?t=43115
 
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I have ridden the Tiger and loved it. The GS I have not ridden, but I have ridden my Dads 1150R and its probably similar. As for the Versys and V-Strom, the dealer won't let me test ride if I don't have cash in hand or preapproved credit.
I am 6'5" and love my GSA. I am in Alpine tonight. Just rode the Heaven to **** Ride. I owned a Strom before my GSA and I would have been begging for mercy after all the miles I have rode lately. I have rode 7,000 miles in the last 30 days. I rode the Tiger, Ducati Multistrada, KTM 990 ADV, Buell. Verys is too small for me. I love the GSA more than any of the other 50 bikes I have owned!:rider:
 
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