GS 800 Pics (Official pics)

[Trailrider]

Nice. I like the yellow with knobblies. Needs a serious bash plate.



Is that GPS taking the guy to the Mall? BMW riders...

[Moggy]

OK! I'm in love...I want one....

concerned about the bash plat though and the small screen. TT and other aftermarket suppliers will no doubt fill that gap

[Moggy]

Clutch looks cable operated

[Colyn]

Jaaasaaaam ... I like it ... I like it a lot

Looking at the shots with that rider on it does not appear to be too high ... or that guy is a big guy

[lecap]

Quite nice.
Looks a lot like a Battlestar Galactica interceptor. Cool.

The foot pegs seem to be off the F650 GS or very similar. Take the silly rubbers off and pack them nicely until you sell the toy to some Sunday daddy and they are actually ok.

Very practical position for the external power plug. No more hands and knees like on my R1100GS.

Better solution for the exhaust than on the XT660.

Some things not so cool:

USD forks. I know, better than standard forks. But more difficult to protect the inner tubes from damage. They make much sense on the track on a MX bike but not sooooo nice on a DS tourer.

The front brake reservoir looks like off the R90/6 shelf

The headlight cluster looks a bit too much Battlestar Galactica (taken from the scale plastic model construction kit) / cheap waterproof & floating torch from Builders Warehouse.

The routing of the front brake line and ABS sensor cable looks plain amteurish k@k. Just that they did not use cable ties. The huge loop of the brake line crossing over the fender is a hot contender to the new KLR's "locking cable".
Would be so much nicer to fit the brake line snugly over the front fender and run the line and ABS cable through a sliding pipe a la DR650.

Centre stand: No comment.
I never needed one. To spray the chain you get someone to tilt the bike over the sidestand or stick a tire lever under the foot peg (see Heaven and Hel ride report).
If you have a puncture throw the damn thing on its side. Just make sure you've got a MF battery. If you have a 650GS (no MF battery) use a tomato box

No frame cradle. Impact has to be absorbed by the bashplate and engine casing. Let's hope the mounting points have enough "meat".

[SGB]

Looks good, like it, I predict that demand will exceed supply.  Belly protection will need attention, and the catalytic convertor (assme that is what it is behind the engine) and the "silencer" at the back are very exposed.  And a hydraulic clutch.....  It is just soooo much nicer, why would they use a cable on a bike like this?  The tubed wheels might be a disappointment for the pure GS'ers, but the 650 riders are comfortable with them.

[Colyn]

Do you see the sprocket configuration ? ... looks like on the 450 ... no tension issues as the swingarm moves and I believe the front sprocket has some form of auto tensioning like on the S and ST belts ... that will make the cahin less of an issue to those that like the shafts.

After staring at the shots for more than an hour I have this to say ... I want one !

As can be expected there will be criticism but that is natural ... this bike is going to make life hard for the opposition and if you take that KTM only sold 30 bikes in the bigger capacity up to August then one has to wonder how many of those 30 will be taken by this bike ... interesting times ahead that is for sure.

[Goose]

After staring at the shots for more than an hour I have this to say ... I want one !

+1 - really nice.. 

[topbox]

screen, bashplate etc.  nothing that cant be easily fixed

i think its a winner

[Colyn]

screen, bashplate etc.  nothing that cant be easily fixed

i think its a winner

I agree with you on this 100% ... this bike is coming into a space that BMW seriously needed something and from what I see on the shots this one can be a big success.

I also think this is the one that will allow the guys that don't like the boxers  to buy a BMW. I personally never liked the boxer and that is why I rode Kawasakis till I got the opportunity to ride the K1200 GT and I was hooked.

I also think that there will be a hard run from aftermarket suppliers to provide the goodies that we will moan about.

[Panne]

Thanks for the pics Kev.

Here's my 2c:

...The headlight cluster looks a bit too much Battlestar Galactica (taken from the scale plastic model construction kit) / cheap waterproof & floating torch from Builders Warehouse.

The routing of the front brake line and ABS sensor cable looks plain amteurish k@k. Just that they did not use cable ties. The huge loop of the brake line crossing over the fender is a hot contender to the new KLR's "locking cable".
Would be so much nicer to fit the brake line snugly over the front fender and run the line and ABS cable through a sliding pipe a la DR650....

+1

...Belly protection will need attention...

+1. IMO it should come with a decent bashplate as standard. TT and the other guys can then improve on the standard item if they like.

Apart from the above, I like it.

[Colyn]

Jislaaik party van julle ouens is darem heavy vinnig om woorde soos "amateurish" en "k@k" te gebruik.

Ek sien ook dat daar well a tipe "bashplate" is ... onthou net ... daar gaan seker minder as 1% van die fietse in ZA verkoop word en die meeste mense in die res van die wêreld het geen proobleme met die 1200 bashplate wat deur baie hier ook as k@k beskryf word.

Van wat ek hier gelees het op die forum is daar baie manne met goeie tegniese vaardigheid en in my opinie is a k@k bashlate mos a briljante kans vir iemand om lekker geld te maak ... of nie ?

[Highlander]

ooo this bike is gonna sell everywhere you go.

Like the yellow

[Panne]

Jislaaik party van julle ouens is darem heavy vinnig om woorde soos "amateurish" en "k@k" te gebruik.

Ek sien ook dat daar well a tipe "bashplate" is ... onthou net ... daar gaan seker minder as 1% van die fietse in ZA verkoop word en die meeste mense in die res van die wêreld het geen proobleme met die 1200 bashplate wat deur baie hier ook as k@k beskryf word.

Van wat ek hier gelees het op die forum is daar baie manne met goeie tegniese vaardigheid en in my opinie is a k@k bashlate mos a briljante kans vir iemand om lekker geld te maak ... of nie ?

Colyn, miskien was ek bietjie vinnig maar die feit dat ek lecap grotendeels aangehaal het beteken nie noodwendig ek stem woord vir woord sy mening saam nie. Hoe dit ookal sy, elkeen het sy smaak en my persoonlike opinie is dat hulle dalk 'n beter plan kon maak met die rempype.
 
Ja, daar is wel 'n tipe "bashplate" en ons is maar 'n klein deel van die totale mark. My vraag is net: motormaatskappye doen klein aanpassings aan 'n nuwe model voor hulle dit plaaslik bekend stel, kan die motorfietsouens dit nie ook doen nie, of is dit nie ekonomies haalbaar nie?

Laastens is daar altyd 'n geleentheid om geld te maak, jy moet net die gaping eerste raaksien.

[Colyn]

Panne ... ek verstaan

Wel ek sal dit weer sê ... die WD site het goeie tegniese mense en goeie tegniese ryers en daar is baie breins hier om dinge te sien wat kan verbeter word vir ZA omstandighede. Soos ek verstaan van BMW is die bashplate issue iets wat in hulle mening bie belangrik genoeg oor genoeg eenhede voorkom nie en dus nie baie ernstig is nie. Ek besef ook dat die bashplate issue hel belangrik vir ZA ryers is. Nou wonder ek maar ... a goeie korporasie onder die vaandel van WD kan mos 'n besondere betalende onderneming word. Al daai klein dingetjies ... verskillende mense mak verskillende goetjies endie WD word die outlet portal ... kopers besef van die begin af dat die produkte soort van "tuis nywerheid" is en nie in blink plastiek met allerhande useless goeters op verpak word nie en bloot net a werk het om te doen.

WD vat a persentasie en die res gaan na die "vervaardiger" toe. DIt is hoe goeie gemeenskappe self onderhoudend word en nie wag vir a BLING FACTORY om die goeters teen a moerse prys op die mark te bring nie.

In die 70's ws daar baie ouens wat crashbars so gemaak het in hulle spaartyd en goeie diens gelewer het aan a gemeenskap waarby hulle a belang het.

Kom nou manne ... wat het geword van die eens beroemde en berugte Afrikaner Entrepeneurskap wat selfs kernbomme ontwikkel het toe die wereld ons wou uitwis. Hoekom wag ons DS manne altyd vir TT ... hulle is a klomp tossers in my oe wat net reg sit om goeters teen a helse prys aan ons te verkoop en score omdat BMW hulle as "offcial" suppliers beskou.

[Panne]

Kom nou manne ... wat het geword van die eens beroemde en berugte Afrikaner Entrepeneurskap wat selfs kernbomme ontwikkel het toe die wereld ons wou uitwis. Hoekom wag ons DS manne altyd vir TT ... hulle is a klomp tossers in my oe wat net reg sit om goeters teen a helse prys aan ons te verkoop en score omdat BMW hulle as "offcial" suppliers beskou.

In hierdie geval stem ek volmondig saam.

[tok-tokkie]

Those are great photos.  A lot of people have been waiting for this bike & I don't think they are going to be dissapointed.

Where so many bikes are being aimed more at tar than dirt this is very good to see.

Upside down forks.  But no adjustments on them it would seem.
Bash plate; but it has to be attached to the engine.
Fuel tank is way higher than on the F650 unfortunately.
Has the quirky BMW winker switches.
Water temp?  Fuel gauge?
I was mystefied by the bolt in the center of the front sprocket cover.  Looks like the 450 bike with the rear fork pivoted through the gearbox output shaft.  I don't think that is what is going on here so what is that bolt for?  Now I see from one of the later photos that it is the bolt holding the sprocket to the shaft.
I like the frame.  Radiator is high up and well protected from stones and falling damage.

[SGB]

I was mystefied by the bolt in the center of the front sprocket cover.  Looks like the 450 bike with the rear fork pivoted through the gearbox output shaft.  I don't think that is what is going on here so what is that bolt for?  Now I see from one of the later photos that it is the bolt holding the sprocket to the shaft.

Looks like the "conventional" arrangement where the swing arm bolt and "sprocket shaft" are offset.

[BMWPE]

very nice!!!!

[Doggone]

Really very nice looking machine!