BMW R1300GS | F800GS Evolution or Revolution
Meet the New Kids on the Block: BMW R1300GS & F800GS – Evolution or Revolution?
Finally!!! the new BMW GS bikes are freely available for motorcycle tours here in South Africa. And… WOW… just when we thought the GS range couldn’t get any better, they’ve astounded us all and done it again. The R1300GS and F800GS unleashed.
But… are these bikes an evolution of their predecessors or… a full-blown revolution?
What’s changed?! Let’s take a closer peek. What’s new, and what’s going to make adventure riders either whoop with excitement or scratch their noggins curiously with an eyebrow cocked up.
R1300GS – The Boxer Gets a Gym Membership
If the outgoing R1250GS was rugged and well-seasoned, the new R1300GS kid still embodies that same physique… but… after six months of CrossFit… melting away excess fat.
The new R1300GS is around 12 kg lighter than its predecessor, more agile, more responsive.
With it’s centre of gravity way down low… The 1300cc boxer engine now delivers a meaty 145 hp, the most powerful GS ever. That’s a full 9 hp up on the outgoing model. You say that’s only about 7% more power!!! Key here is how those ponies are delivered. That shaft delivers in spades of low-end torque and added mid-range grunt, yet that torque is delivered smoothly.
Coupled with the power gains and weight loss is a completely new frame. The old steel-tube chassis is gone, replaced with a lighter aluminium unit that offers added rigidity and better handling.
New Tech:
- Adaptive ride height adjustment (finally), yeehaa the shorter riders are catered for
- Adaptive cruise control.
- New LED headlight staring coldly into your soul.
- Updated electronics: new riding modes and new safety features.
Somethings don’t changer though. The telelever / paralever suspension setup stays. For the uninformed that’s what keeps the front end planted and stable when on the brakes or indeed gliding through corners.
My first BMW was the R1100S (Boxer Cup Bike). Way back in 1998 they already sported this front end. It transformed its road manners with an incredibly stable ride at high speed through long fast sweepers.
F800GS – The Middleweight Gets a Makeover
The F750GS is gone… in its place… we get the new F800GS. The changes are a little more subtle compared to its bigger 1300 brother, but still significant.
A shift upwards in cubes F800GS getting an 895cc parallel-twin mill, upping power to 87 hp (from the F750GS 77 hp). A full blown 10 hp (13% more).
A new TFT display with improved connectivity, better switchgear, and an upgraded chassis. A decent upgrade without a massive leap, bringing it on par with its contemporaries
New Tech:
- Upgraded suspension with improved off-road ability
- New ride modes for adaptable performance
- A comfy seat for longer stretches
- Good looking with fresh styling
What hasn’t changed though is that it is still a fabulous middleweight adventure bike.
Conclusion
The R1300GS is a leap into the future. Great tech, better handling, less weight, more power… it’ll make you grin every time you twist the throttle.
The F800GS is simply excellent, much more than the sum of its parts. More refined, more power, more capable… still the all-rounder others try to emulate.
And you thought ‘New Kids on the Block’ was a boy band?! Yeah right, these kids are more like ‘Boys to Men’.