Motorcycle Review — 2018 BMW F850 GS
This week I’m reviewing the new BMW F850 GS. Whenever a BMW GS is mentioned, people automatically think of the good old 1200 GS that’s been around for years. It’s viewed as probably the best big adventure bike out there and is massively popular. BMW have had a mid-size GS (in various 700 to 850 versions) before but these have never sold as well as the 1200. Will this new 2018 850 GS be able to change that?
My first impression when I went to collect the 850 that it looked bigger in the flesh than photos. When I sat on it it was also higher than expected. It was noticeably higher than my Suzuki Vstrom 650. I’m 6ft tall and was only just flat footed when sat on the bike. The 850 GS is off road focused though, so as well as the large (and very skinny!) 21" front wheel, it has longer suspension and more ground clearance than it’s more road focused 750 GS brother.
Once sat on the bike it’s a really nice place to be. The particular bike I rode had quite a few options though; it had the upgraded large TFT colour screen, a quick shifter, and the “comfort” option pack that included things like heated grips, keyless ignition, and tyre pressure monitor.
In the looks department, I’ve mentioned in reviews before that in general adventure bikes split opinion. If you like adventure bikes, then I think you’ll like this. As with all GS models it has the non-symmetrical headlight which again, splits opinion even further. Overall I personally think it’s a nice looking bike. Things like the gold forks, spoked wheels, various bits of protection, and the front beak, make it look like it means business.
As mentioned before, it appears to be a bigger bike than it actually is. Once on it then the seating position is really comfortable. The seat itself is fairly well padded and proved to be very comfortable over a full day riding. The mirrors work really well. At first I thought they looked an odd shape but visibility was great and they worked well.
One thing that was a surprise to me was how low the front headlight and screen were. It worked in creating clean air but this does come at you rather than over you. At the end of a days riding, I had lots of dead flies on my helmet which doesn’t usually happen on my Vstrom. This does back up my thoughts about the lack of wind and weather protection. This wasn’t an issue on a sunny day, but I think I’d be looking for a larger aftermarket screen for any all weather touring.
When it comes to switchgear and accessories then this bike is packed with technology. Everything works really well and as expected, is really high quality. The colour TFT screen was lovely to use and even though you can dive into loads of menus, it’s still pretty easy to use. The bike has various rider modes and these can be changed quickly while riding along, by just pulling the clutch and hitting a dedicated mode button. Everything on this bike is just quality and very well built. Pretty much what you expect from a premium brand like BMW.
Now to the engine. In summary, it’s brilliant! It felt much more powerful (it’s 94bhp) than I expected and is really free revving and smooth. It sounds pretty good though the stock exhaust sounded a bit quiet for my liking. This is probably a good thing for touring, but it would be interesting to hear the difference that the optional Akroprovic makes. The clutch is light and smooth and the gearbox is light, precise, and easy to use. As I mentioned earlier, this bike had the optional quick shifter (and auto blipper). It’s the first time I’ve used one myself and I found it to be very easy to use and just brilliant. When accelerating hard the upshifts were lightning quick. It really did transform the riding experience for me.
The suspension is the most comfortable and capable I’ve ever felt on a bike yet. The chunky (and gold which of course makes a difference!) USD forks and mono shock rear soaked up every bump up yet still handled well. Even with that large front 21" wheel, it still turned in quickly and felt nimble. When it comes to stopping then I found the brakes to be excellent. The rear brake was ok, but the front really was brilliant. It has Brembo brakes on the front which weren’t just powerful, but also nice and progressive.
So who do I think this bike suits? Anyone in the market for an adventure bike, especially if they are looking to occasionally stray off the tarmac. I think it would be worth looking at the more road focused 750 GS if you’ve no intention of any off road riding.
I’m not sure if it would be a great first bike, as it may feel a bit big and intimidating (even though it isn’t at all in reality). I don’t think it would suit smaller riders either. The demo bike I used had actually been dropped (and had the scuffs to prove it!) by someone who wasn’t used to the height, even though they had a heavier bike with a larger engine themselves.
Now to the price… The 850 GS is £9,400. Although this particular bike would be nearer £11,000 with all the options it had. It’s not a cheap bike, but when compared with equivalent bikes (the Triumph Tiger 800 is an obvious alternative) from other mainstream manufacturers, it’s about the same price and what you’d expect.
So, to my usual positives and negatives…
The 3 things I like best about this bike are:
- The engine power and way it’s delivered. The bike was much quicker and smoother than I expected it to be.
- The suspension. It worked brilliantly in all aspects.
- The quick shifter. Even though this was an option, it was still one of the things I enjoyed most about the bike.
And any negatives…
I think that the standard wind protection could be better, especially for an adventure bike. Its height could put some people off, and make it unsuitable for smaller or less confident riders. Although I thought the engine was great, it did occasionally feel a little lumpy at very low revs.
One thing that is a negative for BMW rather than anyone else, is that I can’t see why anyone would buy a 1200 GS when this is so good. The only reasons I can see are the bragging rights of 1200cc (and having the top model), much better wind protection, and the shaft drive. But if you compare prices, a massive spec 850 GS may be £12k but a well specified 1200 GS can be £20k! There really isn’t a £8k difference in my opinion so it’s a difficult one to justify.
So in summary. I think the 850 GS is a great allrounder and all the adventure bike anyone needs. I also think it would be interesting to compare it to both the 1200 GS, and even the opposite end of the scale with BMW’s new 310 GS.
Finally, I’d like to say a huge thanks to the BMW dealer who let me have the 850 GS for the day. This is Barrie Robson Motorcycles in York. They have loads of bikes in stock covering the whole BMW range. And they’re a super friendly family run business too, so well worth a visit.
Thanks
Richard
Useful Links:
Barrie Robson Motorcycles
http://www.barrierobsonmotorcycles.co.uk/
Official BMW F850 GS Webpage
https://bmw-motorrad.co.uk/en/models/adventure/f850gs.html
