From the moment you swing a leg over the F800GS, it is obvious that this is a completely different proposition to the Triumph. Despite the two bikes vying for the same market, their approaches are totally opposite. Whereas the Triumph is really a road bike with off-road pretensions, which never seem very realistic, the BMW feels like an off-roader with on-road pretensions, which are also not terribly convincing.
The suspension of the BMW is much softer than the Triumph, which feels taut and controlled. The BMW doesn’t exactly wallow around, but you get the feeling that it is set up for off-roading and not on-road work.
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| The BMW has one of these |
The engine, albeit with the standard exhaust fitted, is nowhere near as distinguished sounding as the Triumph’s triple, especially with the aftermarket Arrow system with which the Triumph was fitted. Nor can it hold a candle in terms of performance to the Triumph. If anything, it actually sounds and feels really rough and isn’t as punchy as you would expect a twin-cylinder 800cc engine should be. However, for unthreatening off-road performance it would be perfect; it is neither too peaky or lacking in torque low down.
In fact, everything about this bike points to it being ultimately one-track-minded and it’s all in the details. For example, the ABS can be turned off via a handlebar mounted button and the front brake fluid reservoir is loosely rubber mounted; no doubt to avoid disaster if the bike is inverted. It does mean that it wobbles very un-BMW like when riding but, like everything BMW, it smacks of detail thinking at design level. Also, the rubber inserts into the footpegs can be removed to leave serrated-edged metal pegs for better grip.
The problem that I can see with the F800 is that it is so focussed on off road riding that it suffers on road and, given that these bikes will spend at least 90% of their time on the road, it just isn’t enough to beat its rivals.
I really wanted to like this bike, having had many years of fun on BMW’s and believing in their design philosophy. However, even if I had ridden it before I rode the Triumph, it would have been eclipsed by that bike. Having said that, if I was setting out on a serious trip through Africa, it would be the BMW that would win hands down.
The impression one is left with is that this bike was designed very much with the adventure rider in mind, whilst the Triumph merely pays lip service to the concept and is simply a tall version of their sports road bikes.
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