Your timing is impeccable! I was just posting on a GS forum that the 900GS was now the nicest GS by after the launch of the hideous 1300 GSA when you plop this one out !
Please keep piling hate onto the looks of that bike (1300 GSA) at every opportunity, I want to buy one new from the dealer for pennies when they can't sell them. I'm here in Thailand where they are made. How low can we go. I like the looks. Love the tank actually. The beak is shit but I won't see that while riding. To me it's a Judge Dredd bike. With a beak... Haha
Great to see you testing the F900 GS, I took one out for a test ride recently and was truly impressed, looks great , handles really well, was light and extremely easy to ride , only down side was when I had the dealer "spec' it up to how I wanted it the cost got a bit 'salty' however the 900GS is now top of the list for my next new bike purchase.
Had a lovely 850gs since 2019, bought it new. Thought would never ever apart from it. Lovely ride, did 20k km. Then I did a mistake. Took 900gs for a test ride. Next day I sold my 850gs and bought max specs 900gs and love it very much!
Rode the exact same bike as this on Friday, when my 1250gs was in for a service. I owned an F900xr for two years before the 1250gs, so familiar with the engine. Agree with most of what’s said here but wouldn’t be going round the world on that seat. It’s ok for a wee while but clearly is for off road as per the design. Worth saying the quick shifter on this bike was super slick compared with the 1250gs. Suspension on the 900gs seemed pretty stiff compared to the 1250. Both on road mode. It was a very windy day and my 1250 with an MRA screen wins for wind protection. The 900 did seem very tall compared to my standard height 1250 with seat in the low position. I’m 179cm. Got back on the 1250 and immediately felt at home, feels much more stable. I’ll stick with the 1250.
Done 1200 mile on mine now specced it with the road Tyres,Dynamic package (quickshifer blipper, rider modes) cruise control and standard suspension ,its a great all round bike from weekend blasts with your pals semi long rides to commuting to work, even abit of green laning. Handles and holds a line very well with the 21inch front im impressed.. more than enough poke for UK roads. Ive removed rear pillion pegs as they do get in the way a touch if you want to stand up. All in all great bike if you want to do abit of everything. Seat is a tad hard and narrow comparing to my dads 1250gsa but its still comfortable enough and plenty of room to move around on. A bit pricey compared to its rivals but i think its worth it..
The best GS by far, I owned an 800GS and it was amazingly competent both off road and on. The engine when maintained correctly is one of the most reliable out there!
I think the middle weight section is more exciting than the big stuff. I'm biased though owning an 890 adventure. 150 mile round trip to the coast last weekend and the green lanes round here. It's the most versatile bike I've owned.
I think the mid-capacity bikes are more than enough for 90% of riders and most types of rides. They’re a lot more versatile and more importantly, significantly cheaper than the big boys.
In North America, there are so many long flat highways that are rated at 70 or 75 mph. Montana has a speed limit of 75 mph for most of it. And in North America, it's standard for people to drive about 5 to 7 mph over the posted speed, because the police officially ignore speeding unless it's at least 10 mph over the speed limit. This means, you're cruising at 80 mph in North America, in the places where you need your ADV bike. And in this case, the gear ratios are just not acceptable on any of the modern bikes. All of them need an overdrive gear, because they are really not geared for the roads that exist in 2024. I keep watching reviews, and I love the bike, then realize that it has the same problem: every motorcycle seems to be geared the same as the bikes from the early 1980's when their speedometer only went to 85mph, and they only had 45 ft lbs of torque. Why are gear ratios stuck in 1983---designed more for drag racing than touring on public roadways? Gear ratios are supposed to change, depending on the torque output of a particular engine. But with motorcycles, they seem to just gear them as low as possible, and expect people to ignore the screaming high RPM's on the highway. Well, I'd like to think, that consumers can become more discerning and start asking for an overdrive.
Yes , test road at the launch, and spent maybe a week on it at ors. Love it, definitively more of a bike for an adventure than the 1300adv !!. Having owned 800 gs and gsa is very familiar and chain is really not a problem. Only thing i can see make it perfection would be a shaft !! Keeping my 1250 gs trophy for the rest of this season, but definitely possibilty fir 2025.
Thank you for this. I sat on one a few days ago and am thinking about taking the dangerous step (marriage-wise) of taking one for a spin! Currently have a Ninja 1000. I appreciate that by your measure, I have "impressive pausing skills" and am far more comfortable in a limite/no-PC zone! Cheers from another 70s kid who is nuts about riding in Sydney - Dave
You are right about How blessed we ate as riders today. I was riding when the original zed 900 came out and thought motorcycle engines would never need to be larger. Now we consider a 900 to be small. Strange times indeed.
Nice review Andy safe to say the weather hasn't changed from spring to summer! It's absolutely hammering down with rain as I'm watching this! Definitely no hosepipe bans this year! 🤣
This is - by far - the nicest looking BMW in the adventure segment! It looks sleek and utterly manageable. The ones with their cohoñes sticking out on the side are not my cup of tea at all. This, this is a beauty!
The thinking mans adventure bike from BMW. The bigger newer GS/GSA 1300's are basically just loaded touring bikes now (and have been for years actually)
But then again the new 900R might get you to your destination vs. the 890 R which might leave you stranded with cam lobe wear or coolant leak or host of other gremlins. And that's coming from ADV rider who owns a KTM 890 Adventure.
Definitely a bike in the mid size adventure range that I'm a fan of. So many great bikes in this range, I'd say it would purely come down to brand royalty and looks.
Andy, great review that covers most bases. The weight saving is presumably enhanced by the loss of fuel capacity which, at 15 litres is far below the competition. The tank may well be made of plastic but its bulk implies more than that. With over an imperial gallon less than, say, the KTM 890 or Tiger 900 that’s a major negative for me from a refuelling frequency perspective and range if in far flung places. It’s one thing I miss about my old GSA and Africa Twin both having a real world 300 miles plus. On a like for like basis (middle weight adventure bikes) the Tiger 900 offers more not least protection from drops. The BMW looks very vulnerable especially the exhaust from low slung headers to the silencer which sticks out as all seems to do. Having ridden 4,200 miles in the US last month on a KTM 690 Enduro accompanied by my old buddy on a 2020 Tiger 900 I’d pick these as the do it all bikes with off and on road bias respectively. Cheers, Ian
Fantastic bike took one out on a test ride from Bahnstormer and again at tge ABR festival I've had several F700/800/750 GSs but will keep my 750GS for now as its a better touring bike
I would go for the 'middle-weight' bike in this category every time - bigger is not always better. I look at this bike and can imagine having fun riding it, I don't get the same feeling looking at the new 1300 GS.
Nice review Andy. I'm hoping your going to try the new F800GS as well. I tried one briefly and really enjoyed it. Plus it was a lowered version so I could get my feet flat on the ground!
Thanks for your review Andy, my impressions were similar when I test rode one at the launch in SA. Standouts for me coming from an F850 is the improved engine responsiveness and the very slick quickshifter. I’m very tempted to get one.
Another great review. For a guy who doesn't go off-road you seem to be testing the off-road models lately. If you add the Premium and Enduro Packages you will have more electronics and cruise control. The only knock I have against it is the pitiful 3.8 gal (14.4 liter). All of its competition is running 5.3 gal (20 liter) Tanks. Of course, BMW has a solution. Get the F900 GS Adventure. It comes with class leading 6-gal (22.7 liter) tank. If you're going around the world it would be the better bike for that trip. For me since my adventures are all on tarmac the 2024 800 GS would be my choice.
All points indicate good bike. Looks great even in yellar. Good vid on a we slick day. Let the boys clean it up. Next time. Man that's a lot of water in the streams. My adventure camping mates say they couldn't go for many days because of it.
Now you're on to something mr Flyer! And in this beautiful colour! So sleak! This is the bike. Same pricelevel as KTM 890 Adventure and the Triumph Tiger 900 GT here in Denmark. Thank you mr Flyer!
Larger is not always better. I hane a 310 GS and love it. Not peppy like my R1250RS but still brings smiles and praise from strangers. Depending on my mood, even my 20 hp Classic 350 is a great all day ride. "Nice" to have variety in the garage. If I could only have 1 bike my choice would be a mid size bike. Center stand? 👍👍
@@TheMissendenFlyer R1150GS I’ve just rebuilt the engine (snapped the exhaust studs, badly corroded). Won’t be too long until it’s running again. 32,000 miles the engines like new, still has the cross hatching on the bores. You’re welcome to ride it for the channel when it’s done.
Great review Andy, I opted for the F900GSA and just love it, comfy, and has all the gadgets. It is a little heavy, but I'm use to that now, rides a dream like sitting in a arm chair . 900cc is ample for me 😊 I just love it. I would love you to review the GSA and hear your thoughts 👍
Great first review on this Andy, a definite alternative to the base model africa twin. It would be interesting if you could do a comparison of both bikes please, if thats something that interests you?
Almost €18,000 over here in the Netherlands for the base F900 GS...... wow. Take the Adventure and you're at €20,000 and when you add some extra's in the configurator, you'll end up at €23,000 or more. I like BMW's and although they never were cheap, their prices have now become quite exorbitant. I suspect our government having a chronical hole in their budget, adding 20% BPM BEFORE adding 21% VAT bumps up the price quite a bit. And yes, that's the customer paying taxes ON taxes, something governments swear will never happen but quite openly do.
Send a happy thought to us in Denmark then. We have 150-180% tax on all cars and bikes. The cheapest entry-level F900GS is €27.000 here. If you want the fancy suspension, you're looking at 33-35.000... 😅
In April I bought a very nice, clean F800ST with 11K miles for only $2,300. Good for another 20 years. Nobody ever needs to buy new; buy one that is a couple or more years old with low miles. You'll save 80%.
The T7 is going to be half the price of the beeemer. My guess is the bmw will be a far better on road bike with offroad similar between them. I have tiger 900rp very happy with it.
Interesting review & bike. Seems like a decent package. Looks pretty good & quite sleak too. Not sure about the colour but I could see it growing on me. Got a hint of police bike about it maybe.
One of my gang I ride with just bought this bike with the ENDURO pkg and loves it...we've ridden heavy off road with it and performs excellent....some quirky things like he broke a turn signal and the brake and other turn signal stopped working....so seems odd BMW would only have one relay switch for all the rear lights. He been GSA rider for years and on the 2016 GS Trophy team USA....he loves the bike and I may get one as well...nice review as always - just wish the gas tank had more capacity another gallon would have been nice.
BMW has really done its homework with this bike in just about every aspect. It's another one of those bikes which asks a question very loudly indeed, what real world advantage is there in a litre+ adventure bike on the road and in the dirt?
I think this is a viable option now for anyone who comes to the end of a PCP deal and wants to stick with a bmw (that’s under warranty so don’t want to buy at the end). Cheers Andy - aptly timed video after yesterdays antics on the web 😊
Nice ride. Nice review. Handsome bike. Around the 7:24 mark - that bar you can mount your navigation if you want to go down the "route". I see what you did there. A play on words. Very clever you. LOL :)
I sat on a Rallye version a couple of weeks ago and was very impressed, it has the higher spec suspension and cruise control. I went back to test ride I, but it had sold. I'm seriously considering this to replace my 2018 R1200GS.
I was interested to see this review when it popped up in my notifications as i was recently given this as a loan bike by BMW. Long story short, my R1250R went in for warranty issues, mainly corrosion on a 6 month old bike (!), and i had this for a few days. You are often criticised for liking every bike and i think you are right that no company makes a bad bike anymore. However.......on this occasion, i do think you are wrong with this one. I found the bike very basic including the menu system, but more importantly the ride was horrible. I found the steering vague (probably due to the 21 inch front wheel) and the engine incredibly vibey. The pulling power is good and its fast when opened up but the power is up the top end so it needs to be worked. Having got back on my R1250R once back at the garage, it highlighted to me how magical my bike is. Such a joy to ride, so smooth and the power band is real world friendly with excellent torque low down in the rev range. It also munches the miles with ease. Most people dont venture off road so anyone in the market for a bike, when this GS is c. £12k starting, consider the R1250R, which is so much nicer to ride, considerably more comfortable and much better on longer journey's. Keep up the good work!
I’m not sure how I managed to miss this review but glad to have watched it now. A lovely bike. Sadly, there will be no more bikes coming from Barnstormer Maidenhead.
Great review as always. I love this bike but am concerned about tank range. I have had a 1200GS and currently a 1250 GSA. Whilst I do not need the range of the GSA a few more litres would have been the seller for me.
This literally has 1.5 seat, so forget 2 up travelling. Also, the wind buffeting you get with this bike is the worst I’ve ever experienced. It’s really easy to ride and very smooth, but it’s more like a giant dirt bike than a mile crusher unfortunately…
World traveler in the sense of Long Way Round, I’d take this over my bigger boxer GSA any day. And compared to the new fugly 1300GSA, this looks amazing. If your idea of world traveling is doing iron butts on highways, this may not be ideal, but there the Goldwing, or an RT or even a cruiser may be better. But if you want to be able to explore all the nooks & crannys of your travels, a real ADV bike like this may be perfect. Nearly 80lbs lighter than my R1200GSA and over 100lbs lighter than the new R1300GSA, this is svelte.
I bought an (2007) F800ST after having tried a (2008) R1200RT; I find the lighter F800 more than adequate and a lot more fun to ride. I did not like the 1200 in city traffic and lane splitting: way too big, heavy, laborious. The F800 feels light, nimble, and is VERY fast, with only 85 HP but that's all you really need.
Watching with the subtitles on and the sound right down, to stop the wife from moaning. Had to screen shot and play this back when your talking about the colour, the text decides the colour is s poo yallow😂😂
Nice review. This is a bike I have been waiting for the review. Unfortunately, the local dealer wants between $16K and $17K US dollars, plus about $2500 in freight, set up, build, doc fees, bumper stickers, and whatever else they can soak you for. Likely to be north of $20K out the door which takes me right out of the market. Oh well.
That bike is the sweet spot! I've had 3 boxer GS's and 2 800GS's and the 800's were so much better for me in the real world. This bike looks WAY better than the 1300ADV, in my opinion! We cannot discount the value of looking back at your bike with a smile, when you walk away from it! HaHaHa!!!
I had a look at one when I was getting my 900r serviced. Gotta say does look nice in a different kinda way. Pulled up outside Sportsbike shop in Birmingham a week ago. Guy there with a 1250r, I says, Are you my Daddy?😂
Hello Andy, good review pal and I agree the F9 is defo a better bet than the new ugly 13 GS, is the vid a bit grainy not your usual 4k was it weather erosion? 😂😂😂
@@specialcircs to my understanding only BMW has shaft drive ADV bikes, maybe Triumph did one. So what's the problem with a chain, it surly is the industry standard for bikes no matter what type.
I really like the look of this bike, possibly about the only bike I'd consider chopping in my Aprilia Tuareg 660 in for, although it is a tall bike as stock and is a bit heavier.
This is not yet launched here in India, but I am thinking of getting this one for daily riding and long touring instead of the big GS as I do not have a heavy build I think this would suit me best. It's cheaper & easier to manage than bigger GS, the only issue I can sense is with the seat height as I am not very tall.
Imagine if this was another £1000 but had all the bells and whistles - adjustable screen, all the electronics and shaft drive. Its a shame they don't give you all the stuff until you go for the massive bike a lot of people don't really need/want.
With only 14ltrs in the tank, you’re going to struggle on your “round the world” trip. Surely an adventure bike should be carrying at least 20ltrs to warrant such a moniker? So, ditch one of the panniers for a Jerrycan I’d suggest.
Compared to yesterday and the 1300GSA - this is still an off-road bike 😂. The colours make it look a bit like an ambulance. Looks purposeful and enduro like you say, great fun! And cheaper! But I’d miss the power on road…
@@chrishart8548 Depends what you’re coming from! My BMW r1250r is 136hp and 143 Nm (vs this near 105). Since that’s my baseline, I think I’d miss the power on the road (especially lower speed acceleration). But equally, you don’t need more power than this GS for off-road, and my bike weighs too much to be useful.. An excuse for another bike, aye!
Back in 1997ish BMW tried a plastic tanks, but they found the ethanol in the U.S. fuels at the time would bubble the tank and blister the paint. I remember that happened to bikes once serviced would bubble on the showroom. BMW replaced the plastic tanks with metal ones so hopefully they corrected that problem. Moto Guzzi and Ducati had similar problems with their plastic tanks.
KTM has been using plastic tanks on its adventure, dual sport and dirt bikes for years and show no problems with using the ethanol fuels in the U.S. In fact, almost all manufactures use plastic tanks on their dirt and dual sport bikes. And on other adventure bikes as well.
Great to have a good looking bike back on the channel after yesterday's monstrosity! Only potential downside of this (other than being a BMW and, for various reasons, I am not a fan of the marque) is the tank capacity at only 14l. Seems manufacturers are reducing tank sizes to enable a lower fully-fuelled mass, which is a bit superficial. I can't help but feel this will compromise the range and it should really be up in the 18-20 litre area. Great review though, thank you!
Before assuming this would be good off-road you need to ride it off-road. Its max power figures are developed high up in the rev range. More telling (off-road) would be how much power it has at half those revs. And tip-toes are not much help in the dirt when you're really struggling. But it's a nice-looking bike and the weight-saving is welcome. But remember, a "proper" enduro is around 150k (or less for some). That's why you'll always be up against it on these hybrid bikes.
I'd definitely rather have this than the big GS. This, or indeed an Africa Twin - bikes that actually at least pay lip service to the idea of going off road.
Adventure tourer you say. So, why no centre stand nor say Dunlop Mixtour chunky tyres? No engine under belly protection from rock damage. It's a road bike only in that spec!
It has off road tyres at a no cost option. I'm sure I saw a center stand in the options. I had a comfort pack on mine this gave heated grips and a center stand. I'm sure the one I saw in the showroom had belly protection.
Your timing is impeccable! I was just posting on a GS forum that the 900GS was now the nicest GS by after the launch of the hideous 1300 GSA when you plop this one out !
Glad you approve!
plop...lol
I totally agree with you. Best bike bmw released this year
Please keep piling hate onto the looks of that bike (1300 GSA) at every opportunity, I want to buy one new from the dealer for pennies when they can't sell them. I'm here in Thailand where they are made. How low can we go. I like the looks. Love the tank actually. The beak is shit but I won't see that while riding. To me it's a Judge Dredd bike. With a beak... Haha
Great to see you testing the F900 GS, I took one out for a test ride recently and was truly impressed, looks great , handles really well, was light and extremely easy to ride , only down side was when I had the dealer "spec' it up to how I wanted it the cost got a bit 'salty' however the 900GS is now top of the list for my next new bike purchase.
Had a lovely 850gs since 2019, bought it new. Thought would never ever apart from it. Lovely ride, did 20k km. Then I did a mistake. Took 900gs for a test ride. Next day I sold my 850gs and bought max specs 900gs and love it very much!
Best looking new GS yet!!!! BMW havn,t completely lost there way . 😊
Couldn't agree more!
Rode the exact same bike as this on Friday, when my 1250gs was in for a service. I owned an F900xr for two years before the 1250gs, so familiar with the engine. Agree with most of what’s said here but wouldn’t be going round the world on that seat. It’s ok for a wee while but clearly is for off road as per the design. Worth saying the quick shifter on this bike was super slick compared with the 1250gs. Suspension on the 900gs seemed pretty stiff compared to the 1250. Both on road mode. It was a very windy day and my 1250 with an MRA screen wins for wind protection. The 900 did seem very tall compared to my standard height 1250 with seat in the low position. I’m 179cm. Got back on the 1250 and immediately felt at home, feels much more stable. I’ll stick with the 1250.
Done 1200 mile on mine now specced it with the road Tyres,Dynamic package (quickshifer blipper, rider modes) cruise control and standard suspension ,its a great all round bike from weekend blasts with your pals semi long rides to commuting to work, even abit of green laning. Handles and holds a line very well with the 21inch front im impressed.. more than enough poke for UK roads. Ive removed rear pillion pegs as they do get in the way a touch if you want to stand up. All in all great bike if you want to do abit of everything. Seat is a tad hard and narrow comparing to my dads 1250gsa but its still comfortable enough and plenty of room to move around on. A bit pricey compared to its rivals but i think its worth it..
The best GS by far, I owned an 800GS and it was amazingly competent both off road and on. The engine when maintained correctly is one of the most reliable out there!
Rotax motors for the win.
"when maintained correctly"
Does BMW not do it correctly, then?
@@joeRepublic85 I'm sure they do.... when the owners take them to the dealership for service.
The 800F Rotax engine is a gem! The china lonkin engine in the 900 is probobly not that relible…
I think the middle weight section is more exciting than the big stuff. I'm biased though owning an 890 adventure. 150 mile round trip to the coast last weekend and the green lanes round here. It's the most versatile bike I've owned.
I agree - middleweight is where it's at....
I think the mid-capacity bikes are more than enough for 90% of riders and most types of rides. They’re a lot more versatile and more importantly, significantly cheaper than the big boys.
Another great c.900 adventure bike, so many good ones now and it’s all you need for most UK riding.
In North America, there are so many long flat highways that are rated at 70 or 75 mph. Montana has a speed limit of 75 mph for most of it.
And in North America, it's standard for people to drive about 5 to 7 mph over the posted speed, because the police officially ignore speeding unless it's at least 10 mph over the speed limit. This means, you're cruising at 80 mph in North America, in the places where you need your ADV bike.
And in this case, the gear ratios are just not acceptable on any of the modern bikes. All of them need an overdrive gear, because they are really not geared for the roads that exist in 2024.
I keep watching reviews, and I love the bike, then realize that it has the same problem: every motorcycle seems to be geared the same as the bikes from the early 1980's when their speedometer only went to 85mph, and they only had 45 ft lbs of torque. Why are gear ratios stuck in 1983---designed more for drag racing than touring on public roadways?
Gear ratios are supposed to change, depending on the torque output of a particular engine. But with motorcycles, they seem to just gear them as low as possible, and expect people to ignore the screaming high RPM's on the highway. Well, I'd like to think, that consumers can become more discerning and start asking for an overdrive.
@@starseeddeluxe change the final gearing, simple enough.
I love the F900gs and if I had the money I would buy one! Totally love the yellow/green colour. Awesome bike.
I have had mine for about a month now with the enduro pack. Great little bike 👍
Good to hear!
Yes , test road at the launch, and spent maybe a week on it at ors. Love it, definitively more of a bike for an adventure than the 1300adv !!. Having owned 800 gs and gsa is very familiar and chain is really not a problem. Only thing i can see make it perfection would be a shaft !! Keeping my 1250 gs trophy for the rest of this season, but definitely possibilty fir 2025.
Thank you for this. I sat on one a few days ago and am thinking about taking the dangerous step (marriage-wise) of taking one for a spin! Currently have a Ninja 1000.
I appreciate that by your measure, I have "impressive pausing skills" and am far more comfortable in a limite/no-PC zone! Cheers from another 70s kid who is nuts about riding in Sydney - Dave
Best of luck!
¨Piss pot brake reservoir¨ … nice one sir 😂😂😂
What we've all been thinking, right?
Nice to see BMW trimming this model down. Kind of reminds me of the first F800 GS bikes.
You are right about How blessed we ate as riders today. I was riding when the original zed 900 came out and thought motorcycle engines would never need to be larger. Now we consider a 900 to be small. Strange times indeed.
I have the F900GSA he is a big boy but I absolutly love it. Great Review Andy 👍
Thanks 👍
Love the look of that bike. In that colour as well.
I was Watching the BMW F 900R
Race Series at Snetterton on Quest
Sunday (Same Engine )
Very Entertaining it was a Wet Race
This one’s been interesting me for a while tbh. It looks cracking.
So much better than its big brothers!!!
Nice review Andy safe to say the weather hasn't changed from spring to summer! It's absolutely hammering down with rain as I'm watching this! Definitely no hosepipe bans this year! 🤣
Very depressing isn’t it - chucking it down here too…
This is - by far - the nicest looking BMW in the adventure segment! It looks sleek and utterly manageable. The ones with their cohoñes sticking out on the side are not my cup of tea at all. This, this is a beauty!
The thinking mans adventure bike from BMW. The bigger newer GS/GSA 1300's are basically just loaded touring bikes now (and have been for years actually)
Agreed. Much more manageable off road.
Here in Australia the 14.5L tank isn’t going to cut it. We need at least 20L due to the distances. Pity about no cruise control.
you can get cruise control, this bike just wasn't spec'ed with it.
But then again the new 900R might get you to your destination vs. the 890 R which might leave you stranded with cam lobe wear or coolant leak or host of other gremlins. And that's coming from ADV rider who owns a KTM 890 Adventure.
@@greatfallskam excellent point. I would never consider one of their recent twins.
It's just incredible how much better this thing looks than the new 1300 Adventure
Enjoyed my test ride on the 900 much more than the 1300, can’t believe how much they’ve improved from the old 800
Well it was 16 years ago the 800 was launched so that's a wile to make improvements.
Cracking review, Andy! Looks like a really great bike!
Definitely a bike in the mid size adventure range that I'm a fan of. So many great bikes in this range, I'd say it would purely come down to brand royalty and looks.
Andy, great review that covers most bases. The weight saving is presumably enhanced by the loss of fuel capacity which, at 15 litres is far below the competition. The tank may well be made of plastic but its bulk implies more than that. With over an imperial gallon less than, say, the KTM 890 or Tiger 900 that’s a major negative for me from a refuelling frequency perspective and range if in far flung places. It’s one thing I miss about my old GSA and Africa Twin both having a real world 300 miles plus. On a like for like basis (middle weight adventure bikes) the Tiger 900 offers more not least protection from drops. The BMW looks very vulnerable especially the exhaust from low slung headers to the silencer which sticks out as all seems to do. Having ridden 4,200 miles in the US last month on a KTM 690 Enduro accompanied by my old buddy on a 2020 Tiger 900 I’d pick these as the do it all bikes with off and on road bias respectively. Cheers, Ian
Fantastic bike took one out on a test ride from Bahnstormer and again at tge ABR festival I've had several F700/800/750 GSs but will keep my 750GS for now as its a better touring bike
I would go for the 'middle-weight' bike in this category every time - bigger is not always better. I look at this bike and can imagine having fun riding it, I don't get the same feeling looking at the new 1300 GS.
Nice review Andy. I'm hoping your going to try the new F800GS as well. I tried one briefly and really enjoyed it. Plus it was a lowered version so I could get my feet flat on the ground!
I’ve test rode this bike a few times and for this is the better option for people who want to do on road an off road bike
@@maxflight777 it’s a 50/50 bike mate check out @motology he use to race off road see what he says
Hate to give up my 310gs but that looks tempting.
Thanks for your review Andy, my impressions were similar when I test rode one at the launch in SA. Standouts for me coming from an F850 is the improved engine responsiveness and the very slick quickshifter. I’m very tempted to get one.
Totally agree
Another great review. For a guy who doesn't go off-road you seem to be testing the off-road models lately. If you add the Premium and Enduro Packages you will have more electronics and cruise control. The only knock I have against it is the pitiful 3.8 gal (14.4 liter). All of its competition is running 5.3 gal (20 liter) Tanks. Of course, BMW has a solution. Get the F900 GS Adventure. It comes with class leading 6-gal (22.7 liter) tank. If you're going around the world it would be the better bike for that trip. For me since my adventures are all on tarmac the 2024 800 GS would be my choice.
All points indicate good bike. Looks great even in yellar. Good vid on a we slick day. Let the boys clean it up. Next time. Man that's a lot of water in the streams. My adventure camping mates say they couldn't go for many days because of it.
Now you're on to something mr Flyer! And in this beautiful colour! So sleak! This is the bike. Same pricelevel as KTM 890 Adventure and the Triumph Tiger 900 GT here in Denmark.
Thank you mr Flyer!
My pleasure as ever John!
Great bike but nothing beats my Triumph 900 GT Pro by looks.
Subjective...Triumph have yet to build a bike I'd actually want to buy,and certainly not that one!
That's the best of the bunch
The GT Pro looks hideous compared to this
Larger is not always better. I hane a 310 GS and love it. Not peppy like my R1250RS but still brings smiles and praise from strangers. Depending on my mood, even my 20 hp Classic 350 is a great all day ride. "Nice" to have variety in the garage. If I could only have 1 bike my choice would be a mid size bike. Center stand? 👍👍
I’ve never once had praise, comments or complements on my GS.
Infact I’m lucky if I get a nod
Aww, which one do you have?
@@TheMissendenFlyer R1150GS
I’ve just rebuilt the engine (snapped the exhaust studs, badly corroded).
Won’t be too long until it’s running again.
32,000 miles the engines like new, still has the cross hatching on the bores.
You’re welcome to ride it for the channel when it’s done.
@@TheMissendenFlyer the Halcyon Green Classic 350., also the Rocker Red Continental 650 GT. Love them both.
Great review Andy, I opted for the F900GSA and just love it, comfy, and has all the gadgets. It is a little heavy, but I'm use to that now, rides a dream like sitting in a arm chair . 900cc is ample for me 😊 I just love it. I would love you to review the GSA and hear your thoughts 👍
Yes I wouldn’t mind a go on one….
Does the GSA have cruise control?
Hi yes mine does. I'm sure it's standard along with heated grips. I upgraded to the pro pack which was good value
In the USA the F900 GSA Rider Pro Package has keyless start and cruise control. Sounds like a great bike.
Great first review on this Andy, a definite alternative to the base model africa twin. It would be interesting if you could do a comparison of both bikes please, if thats something that interests you?
Almost €18,000 over here in the Netherlands for the base F900 GS...... wow. Take the Adventure and you're at €20,000 and when you add some extra's in the configurator, you'll end up at €23,000 or more. I like BMW's and although they never were cheap, their prices have now become quite exorbitant. I suspect our government having a chronical hole in their budget, adding 20% BPM BEFORE adding 21% VAT bumps up the price quite a bit. And yes, that's the customer paying taxes ON taxes, something governments swear will never happen but quite openly do.
Send a happy thought to us in Denmark then. We have 150-180% tax on all cars and bikes. The cheapest entry-level F900GS is €27.000 here. If you want the fancy suspension, you're looking at 33-35.000... 😅
Wow that’s expensive…beating the U.K. on rip off prices is quite an achievement
Do I need to point out that voting matters?
In April I bought a very nice, clean F800ST with 11K miles for only $2,300. Good for another 20 years. Nobody ever needs to buy new; buy one that is a couple or more years old with low miles. You'll save 80%.
€13,500 for the base model and €14,750 for the Adventure in Germany, maybe try voting in a different government next time.
Thanks for the 900 review. Well timed. Thinking of buying a T7 so this comparison is really relevant. Thanks. William.
My pleasure!
My pick would be a T7 with the road tyres.
The T7 is going to be half the price of the beeemer. My guess is the bmw will be a far better on road bike with offroad similar between them.
I have tiger 900rp very happy with it.
Interesting review & bike. Seems like a decent package. Looks pretty good & quite sleak too. Not sure about the colour but I could see it growing on me. Got a hint of police bike about it maybe.
I'm suddenly craving a liquorice allsort :) (in green, black & red!).
One of my gang I ride with just bought this bike with the ENDURO pkg and loves it...we've ridden heavy off road with it and performs excellent....some quirky things like he broke a turn signal and the brake and other turn signal stopped working....so seems odd BMW would only have one relay switch for all the rear lights. He been GSA rider for years and on the 2016 GS Trophy team USA....he loves the bike and I may get one as well...nice review as always - just wish the gas tank had more capacity another gallon would have been nice.
BMW has really done its homework with this bike in just about every aspect. It's another one of those bikes which asks a question very loudly indeed, what real world advantage is there in a litre+ adventure bike on the road and in the dirt?
I think this is a viable option now for anyone who comes to the end of a PCP deal and wants to stick with a bmw (that’s under warranty so don’t want to buy at the end). Cheers Andy - aptly timed video after yesterdays antics on the web 😊
Yes that was entirely by chance - I had no clue the GSA was going to be launched yesterday until the day before!
I think the new 900GS is a stunning bike!
Nice ride. Nice review. Handsome bike.
Around the 7:24 mark - that bar you can mount your navigation if you want to go down the "route". I see what you did there. A play on words. Very clever you. LOL :)
Well spotted! I wish it had been intentional!!!
Looks so much better than the new 1300
So does Wall-E ! : )
'piss-pot reservoir' - 😁that's funny, but I agree. Appreciate the honest review. Think I'll stick with the 850 adventure.
I sat on a Rallye version a couple of weeks ago and was very impressed, it has the higher spec suspension and cruise control. I went back to test ride I, but it had sold. I'm seriously considering this to replace my 2018 R1200GS.
That exhaust box thing just before the akrapovic screams "remove me".
8:27 ... I paused the video and it actually looks like it's been in a sideways collision. Ugly a.f.
I was interested to see this review when it popped up in my notifications as i was recently given this as a loan bike by BMW. Long story short, my R1250R went in for warranty issues, mainly corrosion on a 6 month old bike (!), and i had this for a few days. You are often criticised for liking every bike and i think you are right that no company makes a bad bike anymore. However.......on this occasion, i do think you are wrong with this one. I found the bike very basic including the menu system, but more importantly the ride was horrible. I found the steering vague (probably due to the 21 inch front wheel) and the engine incredibly vibey. The pulling power is good and its fast when opened up but the power is up the top end so it needs to be worked. Having got back on my R1250R once back at the garage, it highlighted to me how magical my bike is. Such a joy to ride, so smooth and the power band is real world friendly with excellent torque low down in the rev range. It also munches the miles with ease. Most people dont venture off road so anyone in the market for a bike, when this GS is c. £12k starting, consider the R1250R, which is so much nicer to ride, considerably more comfortable and much better on longer journey's.
Keep up the good work!
I must gove an R1250R another go....
I’m not sure how I managed to miss this review but glad to have watched it now. A lovely bike. Sadly, there will be no more bikes coming from Barnstormer Maidenhead.
No sadly not...
A much better prospect for your adventures !
The F900 certainly looks promising. We will have to see what the future brings. Must at least test drive it.
Still love the 850 and shall miss it! This one gets the headlamps straight from the 310 series. :D
Nice review, I sat on a 900 GSA at the ABR and it seems a well thought out bike, and it is a supermodel compared to the 1300 GSA
The 900 GSA is really no different from the 850 GSA except for the engine. And it's incredibly heavy probably 10kg more than the new 1300
Great review as always. I love this bike but am concerned about tank range. I have had a 1200GS and currently a 1250 GSA. Whilst I do not need the range of the GSA a few more litres would have been the seller for me.
The direct Janpanese competition to this motorcycle is the Suzuki Vstrom 800DE and I recon will be very cheap compared and will take you farther.
Great review dude.. lovely looking specially compared to the a new GSA 😊 Pete
I 100% agree. This feels a much better world traveller than the 1300 GS/GSA.
Depends what size you are , for me 900 is to small
This literally has 1.5 seat, so forget 2 up travelling. Also, the wind buffeting you get with this bike is the worst I’ve ever experienced. It’s really easy to ride and very smooth, but it’s more like a giant dirt bike than a mile crusher unfortunately…
World traveler in the sense of Long Way Round, I’d take this over my bigger boxer GSA any day. And compared to the new fugly 1300GSA, this looks amazing. If your idea of world traveling is doing iron butts on highways, this may not be ideal, but there the Goldwing, or an RT or even a cruiser may be better. But if you want to be able to explore all the nooks & crannys of your travels, a real ADV bike like this may be perfect. Nearly 80lbs lighter than my R1200GSA and over 100lbs lighter than the new R1300GSA, this is svelte.
@@janw4725 How tall are you and how much do you weigh? I also found the 900 a bit small. Figured it could be fixed with lowering the pegs.
I bought an (2007) F800ST after having tried a (2008) R1200RT; I find the lighter F800 more than adequate and a lot more fun to ride. I did not like the 1200 in city traffic and lane splitting: way too big, heavy, laborious. The F800 feels light, nimble, and is VERY fast, with only 85 HP but that's all you really need.
Watching with the subtitles on and the sound right down, to stop the wife from moaning. Had to screen shot and play this back when your talking about the colour, the text decides the colour is s poo yallow😂😂
Top notch video brother.thanks
Much appreciated
Reminds me of the V-Strom, light good power and handles well.
Think the 900 gs range might become there best seller soon Andy Swast them the ABR very nice bikes👍
Really nice review Sir👍🏻
Thank you....
Great review and nice bike but for me, BMW need to junk the chain for a shaft. Cheers
Nice review. This is a bike I have been waiting for the review. Unfortunately, the local dealer wants between $16K and $17K US dollars, plus about $2500 in freight, set up, build, doc fees, bumper stickers, and whatever else they can soak you for. Likely to be north of $20K out the door which takes me right out of the market. Oh well.
Great review as ever, interested to hear how you think it compares with the tiger 900 you also reviewed recently, any favourite??
Both great - if I had to choose I’d take the bmw (marginally) as the Triumph is too tall for me…but I may change my mind tomorrow!!
Tank capacity seems low. 3 to 6 litres more would not hurt. It is a touring bike after all.
That bike is the sweet spot! I've had 3 boxer GS's and 2 800GS's and the 800's were so much better for me in the real world. This bike looks WAY better than the 1300ADV, in my opinion! We cannot discount the value of looking back at your bike with a smile, when you walk away from it! HaHaHa!!!
I had a look at one when I was getting my 900r serviced.
Gotta say does look nice in a different kinda way.
Pulled up outside Sportsbike shop in Birmingham a week ago.
Guy there with a 1250r, I says, Are you my Daddy?😂
If you took the badge off, I would have reckoned it's a Transalp. The fit and finish looks excellent though
Will you be riding the road focused one? Whatever number that is now. Good review as always.👍
Hello Andy, good review pal and I agree the F9 is defo a better bet than the new ugly 13 GS, is the vid a bit grainy not your usual 4k was it weather erosion? 😂😂😂
Maybe!
Wish it had shaft drive - if it did I'd be in!
Or belt drive, like most of the 800 series had
@@ceesklumperbelt drive, like even my Yamaha NMAX 160cc scooter has. Why can't they give us what we want....
Yeah shaft drive would be enough to make me consider something like the 1300 GSA one day when I master riding a bigger bike.
@@specialcircs to my understanding only BMW has shaft drive ADV bikes, maybe Triumph did one. So what's the problem with a chain, it surly is the industry standard for bikes no matter what type.
@@YelwasMoto Guzzi TT85 has shaft drive
I really like the look of this bike, possibly about the only bike I'd consider chopping in my Aprilia Tuareg 660 in for, although it is a tall bike as stock and is a bit heavier.
Great to hear from you again!
@@TheMissendenFlyer I very much enjoyed your pub quiz with Richie. I think I helped Dave lose lol 😆
This is not yet launched here in India, but I am thinking of getting this one for daily riding and long touring instead of the big GS as I do not have a heavy build I think this would suit me best. It's cheaper & easier to manage than bigger GS, the only issue I can sense is with the seat height as I am not very tall.
Great content as always.ways. Would you consider buying this bike if you never take it off road?
I'm sure somne would....
Nicely done review
Glad you liked it!
Imagine if this was another £1000 but had all the bells and whistles - adjustable screen, all the electronics and shaft drive.
Its a shame they don't give you all the stuff until you go for the massive bike a lot of people don't really need/want.
Oooh that off centre join line at the back of the tank is doing my OCD head in.
With only 14ltrs in the tank, you’re going to struggle on your “round the world” trip.
Surely an adventure bike should be carrying at least 20ltrs to warrant such a moniker?
So, ditch one of the panniers for a Jerrycan I’d suggest.
Nice review Andy, as ever! Hope your shoulder is doing ok now?
I wish! Another operation is on the cards M’fraid…..
@@TheMissendenFlyer sad times sir
Compared to yesterday and the 1300GSA - this is still an off-road bike 😂. The colours make it look a bit like an ambulance. Looks purposeful and enduro like you say, great fun! And cheaper! But I’d miss the power on road…
It's 105hp this bike is probably a rocket on the road.
@@chrishart8548 Depends what you’re coming from! My BMW r1250r is 136hp and 143 Nm (vs this near 105). Since that’s my baseline, I think I’d miss the power on the road (especially lower speed acceleration). But equally, you don’t need more power than this GS for off-road, and my bike weighs too much to be useful..
An excuse for another bike, aye!
Looks great - very supermoto looking at the rear, if it had a 17" front wheel option, it would still look great
If someone wanted a 17" front wheel they are probably better off with a f900xr
Back in 1997ish BMW tried a plastic tanks, but they found the ethanol in the U.S. fuels at the time would bubble the tank and blister the paint. I remember that happened to bikes once serviced would bubble on the showroom. BMW replaced the plastic tanks with metal ones so hopefully they corrected that problem. Moto Guzzi and Ducati had similar problems with their plastic tanks.
KTM has been using plastic tanks on its adventure, dual sport and dirt bikes for years and show no problems with using the ethanol fuels in the U.S. In fact, almost all manufactures use plastic tanks on their dirt and dual sport bikes. And on other adventure bikes as well.
I have two BMW R 1150 RS 2004 /2005 both have plastic tanks
Good review - what do you think as a daily ride?
Perfect!
Great to have a good looking bike back on the channel after yesterday's monstrosity! Only potential downside of this (other than being a BMW and, for various reasons, I am not a fan of the marque) is the tank capacity at only 14l. Seems manufacturers are reducing tank sizes to enable a lower fully-fuelled mass, which is a bit superficial. I can't help but feel this will compromise the range and it should really be up in the 18-20 litre area. Great review though, thank you!
That's what the GS Adventure addresses, it's got a 23 litre tank. The BMW parallel twins are also extremely fuel efficient.
I read your small print items 1 to 12, and will take the compliment of item 11.
Well done....
Interesting bike. The front end reminds me a bit of the honda nc750x.
By the time you got to Marlow bridge you had me very interested as a potential gsa replacement
Before assuming this would be good off-road you need to ride it off-road. Its max power figures are developed high up in the rev range. More telling (off-road) would be how much power it has at half those revs. And tip-toes are not much help in the dirt when you're really struggling. But it's a nice-looking bike and the weight-saving is welcome. But remember, a "proper" enduro is around 150k (or less for some). That's why you'll always be up against it on these hybrid bikes.
I'd definitely rather have this than the big GS. This, or indeed an Africa Twin - bikes that actually at least pay lip service to the idea of going off road.
Agreed
Adventure tourer you say. So, why no centre stand nor say Dunlop Mixtour chunky tyres? No engine under belly protection from rock damage. It's a road bike only in that spec!
It has off road tyres at a no cost option. I'm sure I saw a center stand in the options. I had a comfort pack on mine this gave heated grips and a center stand. I'm sure the one I saw in the showroom had belly protection.