The premium middleweight adventure bike that doubles as a daily commuter

Adventure bikes are made for long, multi-day rides, perhaps with a pillion and luggage. Unlike cruiser-based touring bikes, adventure bikes are designed to handle bad roads or even no roads at all. That means the mechanical ability to handle all kinds of terrain, and the electronics to support it and keep you safe. Of course, to handle all this you need a big engine and you don’t have to worry about driving at highway speed all day.

This over-engineering gives adventure bikes crushing power, but it also gives them big curb weights and thirsty engines. Not an ideal combination for everyday use, or for the city in general. However, over time, manufacturers have realized that adventure bikes are the perfect bikes for the city, if size is kept in check. This is how the adventure bike was born that can not only tour, but can also be a daily companion. Here’s one that can do it with the best of them.

The BMW F 800 GS is the premium middleweight adventure bike that doubles as a daily commuter

The GS series is extremely popular, and even the small displacement GS will get a boost with the upcoming F 450 GS. The large-displacement ADVs are often the horse of choice for continent crossers or off-pavement tours. However, there wasn’t always something that both had a good poke and was conducive to frequent city driving. But there is now an answer.

The price starts at $10,925

The F 800 GS can be seen as the budget entry into the premium segment of BMW’s adventure range, but that would be only one side of the story. This is a motorcycle based on the F 900 GS and given a different mission. While the 900 in the form of the F 900 GS Adventure is designed to go both off-road and for multi-day tours, the F 800 GS is designed to prioritize everyday usability, with the option of also going away for a weekend.

BMW F 800 GS engine

The F 800 GS shares its engine with the F 900 GS. The bore, stroke and compression ratio are identical. The only difference is the peak power and where it is generated: the F 900 GS produces 105 hp at 8,500 rpm, while the F 800 GS has 18 hp less at a lower speed of 6,750 rpm. The torque is almost identical for both. There’s a by-wire throttle and two driving modes as standard, and more can be added via the options list. This is one of the few engines with dry-sump lubrication. This means that the oil is not stored in a pan under the engine, which means that the ground clearance is high.

Relaxed acceleration suitable for both city and highway use

The six-speed gearbox suits the F 800 GS’s desire to be a relaxed product, capable of highway stints as well as city driving. BMW lists its maximum speed as 180 km/h. A two-way quickshifter is an optional extra and a necessary addition for commuting to save some left hand fatigue. BMW has opted for a conventional chain drive to the rear wheel.

BMW F 800 GS engine specifications

BMW F 800 GS chassis

Just like the drivetrain, the F 800 GS shares its chassis with the F 900 GS. It uses a steel twin-spar frame, but the swingarm and wheels are made of aluminum. The suspension consists of a 41 mm telescopic fork at the front and a single damper with adjustable spring preload and rebound damping at the rear. This is a refreshing change from the fully adjustable suspension, and if you plan to keep the F 800 GS for a long time, the cost will tell you exactly what a good decision this is. The brakes are a similar story: there are two floating discs at the front with two floating piston calipers, while the rear disc has a single piston caliper. ABS is present, as is a six-axis IMU, but many features you would associate with a premium product are on the options list.

The dimensions are fairly compact

The F 800 GS is one of the lower middleweight adventure bikes due to its positioning as an urban product. The seat has a reasonable height and depending on your preference you can adjust seat heights from 30 inches to a maximum of 33.3 inches. Strangely enough, BMW does not provide figures for ground clearance; with the dry-sump engine it should be excellent.

BMW F 800 GS features

The F 800 GS does not have a long list of standard features, but the features are good. It starts with a 6.5-inch TFT display that has Bluetooth and navigation as standard. Other standard features include traction control and cornering ABS, heated grips, adjustable front brake and clutch levers, a 12V and USB socket, and LED headlight and turn signals.

The list of optional equipment is top notch and you can tell by what’s on it. It includes electronic suspension, two more driving modes, a two-way quickshifter, keyless ignition, tire pressure monitoring and the emergency call function. In addition, there is luggage, handlebar risers, a high windshield and an engine protector. There are even enduro footpegs, but one thing not on the options list is wire wheels – you’ll need to get an F 900 GS for that.

BMW F 800 GS Competition

The F 800 GS is the only product of its kind at this price. Sure, there are other products that perform a similar function, but none of them have the premium feel of the BMW brand, and none of them offer some of the premium features that the F 800 GS can be equipped with, such as electronic suspension or keyless ignition. In terms of features, the closest is the CFMoto Ibex 800 E, which has a few premium features such as the radar-based blind spot monitoring and an 8-inch TFT display with Apple CarPlay that is also a touchscreen.

The value choice has to be the Honda Transalp. It produces more power than the BMW, has slightly better equipment in standard form and is a very good city motorcycle despite the 21-inch front rim. However, if you’re looking for a middleweight ADV with a 19-inch alloy wheel up front, then you should look at the Suzuki V-Strom 800, which looks very similar to the BMW on the spec sheet. It also costs less than $800 the price of the European bike, but offers standard inverted Showa SFF-BP front forks, Nissin brakes with radial-mount fixed calipers, tool-less rear preload adjustment and a standard two-way quickshifter.

BMW F 800 GS vs rivals