Middle Beemer
MIDDLE BEEMER
CW FIRST RIDE: 2008 BMW F800GS
BLAKE CONNER
WHEN BMW RELEASED THE F800S and ST last year, first question we asked was when would we see a GS version of the platform? After sampling those two models and their shared parallel-Twin engine, we knew the powerplant would be perfect in a mid-sized adventure-bike. Lightweight, smooth and torquey, it seemed like a logical choice.
Apparently, Munich was way ahead of us in this logic, considering the three-to-five-year development period BMW head designer David Robb quotes as the norm from concept to production.
BMW’s R1200GS is the company’s number-one-selling model worldwide (see sidebar, page 60), but there was an obvious gap between its small F650GS Single and the large-displacement Boxer. Although quite capable in a wide variety of terrain, the big GS is ultimately handicapped in off-road conditions by its considerable weight. So despite being billed as a go-anywhere, do-anything model, the 1200 and its owners spend most of their time on-road, just looking the part-globe-trotting Scottish actors notwithstanding. In the case of the entry-level Single, its lighter weight makes it fairly capable, but the engine doesn’t have enough oomph to satisfy most customers’ asphalt needs.
Meant to bridge the gap between the two platforms, the new-for-2008 F800GS promises to be one of the most off-road worthy in BMW’s Enduro range.
Personifying the bikes, Robb described the Boxer GS as the experienced, chiseled older uncle, while the Single is the pimply faced teen; the new bike fills the role of the mature-yet-aggressive 30something. Key to meeting the design and engineering goals was to create a substantially lighter chassis with conventional suspension and chain final drive, making the bike truly dirt capable and durable.
Power comes from a modified version of the Rotaxdesigned, 798cc, liquid-cooled, dohc, parallel-Twin found in the aforementioned S/ST. One of the main differences between the mill in the GS and the others is the inclination of the cylinders, which in this case are rotated back from the S/ST’s 30 degrees to an almost-vertical 8.3. Not only did this allow the chassis to be more compact, but it gave the clearance necessary to accommodate a better-inthe-bumps 21-inch front wheel. The modified crankcase features mounting points for a protective skidplate, while the cylinders have been reinforced where the engine mounts
to the frame. The water pump has been moved to the top right side of the head and runs off a cog on the camshaft; that position is more protected and allows use of much shorter hoses, reducing weight and making the front of the engine more compact.
Four valves per cylinder are actuated by follower arms, driven by twin cams. A large-volume airbox is made possible by the relocation of the 4.25-gallon fuel cell and filler cap to below the rider’s butt, a la the F650. The fuelfuel-injection system features BMS-KP engine control and twin 46mm throttle bodies. Unique to the system is the variable-pressure fuel pump that not only determines the duration of the squirt but the pressure at which it’s injected. As a result, the control unit can use throttle position, load, engine speed, air temp and info from the O2 sensor in the exhaust manifold to provide the engine with the precise mixture it needs at all rpm and throttle settings without the usual fuelreturn lines required on other EFI systems. Semi-dry-sump lubrication keeps oil flowing inside the engine and tranny, while an external oil-cooler helps keep temps down.
Handling exhaust duty is a stainless-steel system incorporating a catalyzer in the manifold and a secondary air-injection system to meet Euro-3 standards. The left-side-mounted stainless-steel silencer is a slip-on unit secured by tension springs, making the swap to the 4.4-poundlighter carbon/Ti Akrapovic unit offered as an accessory a snap.
A claimed 85 horsepower is sent to the rear wheel not by a belt drive as on its street cousins, but via an O-ring chain that is better able to withstand the torture of rocks and dust. Internal gear ratios of the six-speed gearbox are identical to those of the S/ST, but the output shaft has been modified for chain final drive with lower gearing.
One of the reasons I found myself in Durban, South Africa, for the launch of the bike is that the GS line is the best-selling range of any of brand in that country. Our scheduled test route included about 50 percent dirt, mostly in the form of single-lane farm roads, with an optional “A-loop” that consisted of steep, rutted and rocky terrain for those with more off-road experience. The rest was a mixture of asphalt ranging from pristine highway to pothole-chocked rural roads.
It didn’t take me more than five miles-guided by an optional Garmin Navigator III GPS-to feel at home on the GS. The excellent seating position is upright and comfortable, and although the seat is firmer than that of its big brother, nine hours of riding was easy to endure. Two seats are available with either 34.7or 33.5-inch heights. A wide, tapered handlebar, perfectly positioned footpegs (with rubber inserts removable for dirt use) and a mid-size windscreen made riding the bike feel completely natural-either seated on-road or standing off-road.
Power from the engine is more than capable of providing 100-mph cruising speeds on the highway, but it’s the flexibility of the unit that is really impressive. Wringing its neck provides an entertaining, sporty delivery. But I could also stick it in one gear and not bother to shift for miles on end due to the available torque.
The engine’s unique balancer correcting rodessentially an additional con-rod that is attached to a counterweight offset 180 degrees from the crankpins-provides very smooth operation.
When the highway ended and dirt roads began, it was the tractable delivery and crisp FI fuel metering that impressed.
On the more technical A-loop, this was especially clear. With a few of the riders in the group ahead of mine stuck multiple times in the middle of the path, regaining momentum on the steep, slick surfaces was tricky. Although the bikes were fitted with the stock dual-sport tires, not knobbies, the low-end torque of the engine made getting the bike crawling again without spinning the rear tire easy, aided by excellent gearing. The slick-shifting tranny is one of BMW’s best, on-road or off.
Harnessing the sweet little engine is a chassis that owners of the big Boxer GS can only dream of. The trellis frame spars and subframe are made of tubular steel, with forged steel used for the lower swingarmpivot plates. At a claimed 408 pounds dry, the 800 is almost 100 pounds lighter than the 1200. Combine that with 42 degrees of steering lock, and riding the bike through tight tricky single-track is very easy, and virtually no U-turn is too tight.
A diecast-aluminum swingarm uses a linkless rear shock with 8.5 inches of travel. It has provisions for preloadadjusted via a knob on the right side of the bike-and compression damping. The 45mm inverted fork isn’t adjustable but its 9 inches of travel is sufficient. On the roughest sections of the technical loop, the bike handled the terrain much better than anticipated. A couple of steep uphill sections were strewn with foot-deep ruts zigzagging in every direction, rocks and loose sand thrown in for good measure, but the 800 tackled the obstacles easily, the suspension providing a plush, controlled ride.
Mounted on the 21-inch front and 17-inch rear rims were Bridgestone Battle Wing dual-sport tires. In all but the slickest, loosest conditions with the tires aired down a bit, they did a good job, but DOT knobbies would be better suited for riders who intend to spend more time off-road. The only problem is that the odd rear rim size seriously limits knobby tire options.
Developing a braking system that is adequate for asphalt stopping but not too sensitive for off-road conditions is tricky. BMW nailed the combination-twin 300mm discs squeezed by two dual-piston calipers, with optional ABS, which can be switched off. The front brake could be wellmodulated on loose surfaces when the ABS was turned off; lever span is adjustable as well. The rear brake has a 265mm disc with a single-piston caliper. Its pedal is perfectly placed for the rider to easily control the brake when wearing motocross boots, standing or seated.
Styling is all GS, with Robb and his team doing a great job of not only keeping the family resemblance but making the bike look as light and purposeful as it is. His crew of designers aren’t just “tailors,” as he describes those responsible for simply covering a bike’s running gear with bodywork. His team tries to integrate mechanical and visual elements into a cohesive package. He knows that early on, the GS1200 platform was criticized as being ugly, but as it’s the best-selling model in the BMW range-almost an icon now-his design group has nothing to apologize about.
The 800’s bodywork is fronted by twin asymmetrical headlights and a windscreen that is available in two heights. Two color options will be available, Sunset Yellow/Black or Dark Magnesium Metallic Matte. U.S. customers will be able to order the bike with an options package that includes an on-board computer, centerstand, heated grips and ABS. The computer expands the dash info available to the rider, adding gear position, fuel level, coolant temp, average fuel consumption and range, and ambient temperature on an LCD screen.
So now that we’ve got you all fired up to run down to your dealer and plop money down on this fantastic new motorcycle, we have to give you the bad news. The bike’s production has been delayed until the fall, as BMW decided to put the not-available-in-the-U.S. F650GS (not the Single, confusingly, but a lower-spec naked variation of the 800 Twin) on the production line first for European customers. This means that buyers on this side of The Pond will have to wait as late as October to get their hands on a middleweight GS. The price has yet to be set in stone but expect to pay just under $11,000 for the base model, and $12,500 with the option package mentioned above. If you’re looking for a more offroad-savvy, do-anything adventure-bike, the F800GS will be well worth the wait.
