Picked up this Today
Discussion
Anyone who knows me, knows my love of the BMW GS so it will come to no surprise to those that I have picked this wee beauty up today.
Let me start with the ascetics of it. Just look at it, German engineering perfection. Its laden with BMW badges everywhere to tell the world, "I'm better than you, I can afford more on my PCP". It just looks sleek as f
k doesn't it. I used to feel embarrassed talking to women at bars when they asked what I drove, I'd cough skoda then have to explain its not a taxi its the vrs remapped one, this was met with oooh or blank faces, hardly a fanny magnet is it. Now I can slide my pint across the table and utter the words BMW GS F800 Trophy. I particularly love the mooosive front wheel, making the rear one look like its been snorting thalidomide. The head on display is made of stuff you just don't get anymore on 2017 bikes. Two illegible dials, right on top of each other so you don't know if its your revs or speed at a glance. Then there is the trip computer. I've only ridden it during the day but I assume its in fking Braille because in low sun you can't see it worth a fk.
Lets get on to handling and performance. It's the 800, I couldn't handle the 1200 obviously. But what an engine the 8v parallel twin is, it think it puts out something like 80 bhp but I'll never use all of that on tap, the most you can go is 70 why would you need more. Coming from 600cc's I'm used to banging through the box, I felt right at home on this beast, constantly searching for gears. You ask for the power, thinking it can't be this slow can it, I'm in too high a gear....I'd check the gear indicator but I can't see it, ooooh there's the power, oh was that it, I fking love diesels. Those crazy Germans have made a bike you can't highside, simply brilliant.
Its a good thing it comes equipped with Brembo's with all this power on tap. The twin pot calipers, the size of many sports bike rears stop you well. I've always felt like an outcast, a freak if you will, like there was something wrong with me for years. I'd see other motorists approach a T junction or roundabout at great speed then slam on the brakes at the last minute forcing the front to dive scarring the life out of me. Like the big white painted lines and give way signs had just jumped out in front of them last minute. Why am I cursed with the simplest of anticipation skills why can't I be like everyone else. Well thanks to these Brembo's I have my wish, I feel like a real boy now. I too can arrive fashionably late to junctions with these binary brakes.
Lets get to the handling, now this is only the 800 so its a bit slimmer and more agile than its bigger brother. Having two Daytona's I thought it would feel the same if not better in that department how right I was. I love the Clydesdale horse riding position, the cramp I get from having broken my pelvis when I was younger having to straddle this bike. I have struggled on track with late apex's, I always thought it was me, reading the corner wrong, being afraid to go in later, deeper and the fact I'm st. But turns out its been the bikes. Finally it all clicks with this understeery bmw. I countersteer the fk out it like some DAS Jedi knight, the bike thinks about it, then finally bows to the power of the countersteer in the nick of time. I love being 15ft in the air, theres so much more sky to see now.
So what do I think of the GS, well I think thats it for me I've found my bike. The blade, ninja and daytonas are going up for sale. The SACU licence has been handed back, this is all I need. The only problem is I will now have to change every aspect of my life to suit the bike I ride. Gone are all the punk and indie bands on my spotify, replaced with "dads ultimate driving cd and Now thats what I call rock". When I get home the Laura Ashley and Ikea furniture is going in the bin replaced with everything from the British heart foundation store to give my house that "near to death" smell. Gone is Netflix replaced with youtube dashcam IAM users videos. Finally I am no longer a slave to the Gillette corporation, I can grow a beard or even better a moustache. No more reading up on Brembo master cylinders or quickshifters for this chap, I need all my time to peruse the BMW adventure leisure wear whilst rattling a hard boiled sweet of my teeth loudly thinking of places to stick my umpteen go pros.
Let me start with the ascetics of it. Just look at it, German engineering perfection. Its laden with BMW badges everywhere to tell the world, "I'm better than you, I can afford more on my PCP". It just looks sleek as f
k doesn't it. I used to feel embarrassed talking to women at bars when they asked what I drove, I'd cough skoda then have to explain its not a taxi its the vrs remapped one, this was met with oooh or blank faces, hardly a fanny magnet is it. Now I can slide my pint across the table and utter the words BMW GS F800 Trophy. I particularly love the mooosive front wheel, making the rear one look like its been snorting thalidomide. The head on display is made of stuff you just don't get anymore on 2017 bikes. Two illegible dials, right on top of each other so you don't know if its your revs or speed at a glance. Then there is the trip computer. I've only ridden it during the day but I assume its in fking Braille because in low sun you can't see it worth a fk. Lets get on to handling and performance. It's the 800, I couldn't handle the 1200 obviously. But what an engine the 8v parallel twin is, it think it puts out something like 80 bhp but I'll never use all of that on tap, the most you can go is 70 why would you need more. Coming from 600cc's I'm used to banging through the box, I felt right at home on this beast, constantly searching for gears. You ask for the power, thinking it can't be this slow can it, I'm in too high a gear....I'd check the gear indicator but I can't see it, ooooh there's the power, oh was that it, I f
king love diesels. Those crazy Germans have made a bike you can't highside, simply brilliant.Its a good thing it comes equipped with Brembo's with all this power on tap. The twin pot calipers, the size of many sports bike rears stop you well. I've always felt like an outcast, a freak if you will, like there was something wrong with me for years. I'd see other motorists approach a T junction or roundabout at great speed then slam on the brakes at the last minute forcing the front to dive scarring the life out of me. Like the big white painted lines and give way signs had just jumped out in front of them last minute. Why am I cursed with the simplest of anticipation skills why can't I be like everyone else. Well thanks to these Brembo's I have my wish, I feel like a real boy now. I too can arrive fashionably late to junctions with these binary brakes.
Lets get to the handling, now this is only the 800 so its a bit slimmer and more agile than its bigger brother. Having two Daytona's I thought it would feel the same if not better in that department how right I was. I love the Clydesdale horse riding position, the cramp I get from having broken my pelvis when I was younger having to straddle this bike. I have struggled on track with late apex's, I always thought it was me, reading the corner wrong, being afraid to go in later, deeper and the fact I'm s
t. But turns out its been the bikes. Finally it all clicks with this understeery bmw. I countersteer the fk out it like some DAS Jedi knight, the bike thinks about it, then finally bows to the power of the countersteer in the nick of time. I love being 15ft in the air, theres so much more sky to see now. So what do I think of the GS, well I think thats it for me I've found my bike. The blade, ninja and daytonas are going up for sale. The SACU licence has been handed back, this is all I need. The only problem is I will now have to change every aspect of my life to suit the bike I ride. Gone are all the punk and indie bands on my spotify, replaced with "dads ultimate driving cd and Now thats what I call rock". When I get home the Laura Ashley and Ikea furniture is going in the bin replaced with everything from the British heart foundation store to give my house that "near to death" smell. Gone is Netflix replaced with youtube dashcam IAM users videos. Finally I am no longer a slave to the Gillette corporation, I can grow a beard or even better a moustache. No more reading up on Brembo master cylinders or quickshifters for this chap, I need all my time to peruse the BMW adventure leisure wear whilst rattling a hard boiled sweet of my teeth loudly thinking of places to stick my umpteen go pros.
poo at Paul's said:
There's no shame in being gay, you could have told us years ago. We secretly knew and it didn't make us think any less of you, (if that were even possible).
Now you go get that mooostache grown, girl.
No time for being gay I'm afraid, too busy reading road craft books. Now you go get that mooostache grown, girl.
You can now post daily in the Commuter thread about how cold / wet / icy / foggy it is in the middle of December too.
I’m disappointed that there’s no mention of a polite vest being bought off eBay, or reference to cancelling any dental visits and saving money by no longer needing to buy toothpaste as well.
I’m disappointed that there’s no mention of a polite vest being bought off eBay, or reference to cancelling any dental visits and saving money by no longer needing to buy toothpaste as well.
Biker's Nemesis said:
Is this the one your work mate dropped or is it a test ride or have you bought it?
I'll come clean. A guy at work (he's 23) bought this on Friday his first bike, went a ride on Saturday in the Perthshire hills where its been -7 for the last two weeks.
He saw sheet ice, slammed brakes on, came to a halt, went to put his foot down, slipped, hit the deck breaking his arm.
I just went to pick it up and ride it the 30 or 40 miles back to his.
I've never been so scared on a bike in all my life, it was awful. I mean it might have been better on dry roads that weren't freezing but I'll never own one of these.
moanthebairns said:
Biker's Nemesis said:
Is this the one your work mate dropped or is it a test ride or have you bought it?
He saw sheet ice, slammed brakes on, came to a halt, went to put his foot down, slipped, hit the deck breaking his arm.moanthebairns said:
I'll come clean.
A guy at work (he's 23) bought this on Friday his first bike, went a ride on Saturday in the Perthshire hills where its been -7 for the last two weeks.
He saw sheet ice, slammed brakes on, came to a halt, went to put his foot down, slipped, hit the deck breaking his arm.
I just went to pick it up and ride it the 30 or 40 miles back to his.
I've never been so scared on a bike in all my life, it was awful. I mean it might have been better on dry roads that weren't freezing but I'll never own one of these.
I don't think I'll ever own a BMW GS, they're just not my bag.A guy at work (he's 23) bought this on Friday his first bike, went a ride on Saturday in the Perthshire hills where its been -7 for the last two weeks.
He saw sheet ice, slammed brakes on, came to a halt, went to put his foot down, slipped, hit the deck breaking his arm.
I just went to pick it up and ride it the 30 or 40 miles back to his.
I've never been so scared on a bike in all my life, it was awful. I mean it might have been better on dry roads that weren't freezing but I'll never own one of these.
Gavia said:
Biker's Nemesis said:
I don't think I'll ever own a BMW GS, they're just not my bag.
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