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F800GS initial riding impressions


Firefight911

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Still getting to know her but it is a strong foundation of a relationship already!

 

Some initial thoughts -

 

The bike is very flickable. With its weight carried very central and low, in a narrow frame, the bike is very easy to transition form side to side and maneuverability is great. Slow speed stuff is easy and higher speed stuff is great as long as you remember that it requires low effort to initiate action. If you ham fist the inputs the bike will become upset. This is due to the long travel suspension and light input requirements. Just talk to her telepathically and she'll respond much better.

 

That being said, the F8GS is very competent for strafing. I am getting the feeling that the Deathwings are a hindrance in this arena. Once I burn them up, I'm thinking either Anakee or Conti Trail Attack for day to day. Either Karoo or TKC for dirty duty. Also, I'm still fiddling with the F8 suspension. It is quite pitch sensitive and this is really affecting the front end feel and feedback. It's harsh up front but the rear adjustment greatly affects this so I'm still working on it.

 

The brakes are not what you are used to. They require a much higher effort than the R12GS or most of the other bikes you are probably familiar with. This just requires a bit of adjustment in your brake use and is actually a good thing when it comes time to go off pavement as lockups/over braking should be less frequent.

 

This is quite possibly the best Alaska bike around. Only issue will be fuel. There are already fixes for this, albeit, very expensive at this point. I'll prolly look for a Kolpin or similar range enhancer when Jamie and I plan for our trip next year.

 

The seat is pretty decent but I have already got an order on its way for a Renazco seat to improve the long day seat stuff. I do notice some shifting around after a bit of saddle time currently.

 

Day to day stuff, commute, yad, yada, is great with current gearing. Longer distance stuff needs a 1 tooth smaller front sprocket. Transmission is butter. Very close ratio gear box. Slick and smooth.

 

Motor is very linear but does have a hard transition at low rpm, throttle settings when rolling on the throttle. Fine tune the wrist and all should be good.

 

Mirrors are very functional. Great rear view.

 

Overall, this is a great balance of a bike between Adventure, dirt, and street. Absolutely no regrets. Her Hotness did good with this surprise!!!

 

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Farkles, to date -

 

Touring windscreen - huge improvement in wind management. Perhaps an extender for long distance stuff. We'll see. I really like what the touring screen did for the wind. No buffeting, etc.

 

Handguards/Spoilers - 50 yard Phil protection and cold weather improvement. Great for the falls, so so for the weather protection. I have excellent cold/wet weather gloves so I'm not concerned.

 

Hepco Becker crash bars - Very nice integration. Very easy to mount. Great prtotection for side panels, etc.

 

Touratech adjustable shift lever - Couldn't get my foot under stock lever to shift. BIG improvement!!!

 

Touratech oil filter/cooler guard - A MUST do to protect these pieces, IMO.

 

BMW vario side/top cases - Gret integration and easy use with nice size adjustability.

 

Centech fuse panel/Autcom/Zumo 550/GXM-30/B2B/relay/Gerbing are all in and on the work bench awaiting install. More to follow on this as packaging is a planned thing on this bike. There is not a lot of wasted space to place everything. I'll post this project when I do it in the next week or so. It's all planned. We'll see how it goes.

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Tighten the preload way up on the rear and snug the dampening also, should ease up the front some, think you read the same thread tho on Advrider.

 

The brakes will do better with some miles, pretty soft at first on the 650 also.

 

They have two dewalts on the floor here, and I have to see them everytime I go in, arrrgh.

 

Oh, Hello Danny.

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Day to day stuff, commute, yad, yada, is great with current gearing. Longer distance stuff needs a 1 tooth smaller front sprocket.

 

You want a smaller front sprocket for longer distance stuff? I would think higher gearing, similar to the F650GS, would be preferable to even lower gearing than the standard F800GS for long distance. I've replaced the front sprocket on the F650 with the F800 size (one tooth less), but left the rear unchanged so it's almost as low-geared as the F800.

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Hi Arne,

 

I'm enjoying my new 800GS. I'll put some real miles/km's on it this spring/summer. Hope all is wonderful in beautiful NZ.

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Day to day stuff, commute, yad, yada, is great with current gearing. Longer distance stuff needs a 1 tooth smaller front sprocket.

 

You want a smaller front sprocket for longer distance stuff? I would think higher gearing, similar to the F650GS, would be preferable to even lower gearing than the standard F800GS for long distance. I've replaced the front sprocket on the F650 with the F800 size (one tooth less), but left the rear unchanged so it's almost as low-geared as the F800.

 

Got that backwards, didn't I?

 

Let's go one up then. Lower revs at a given speed.

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Thanks Marty.

 

I'm approaching 12,000km on the F650GS, after almost 9 months. Sold the 1200GS last October, as I wasn't using it except for an occasional ride. Are you keeping the 1200GS?

 

The 650GS is turning out to be an expensive experience. The additions have included:

Topbox from the 1200GS (new mounting plate).

BMW large sump guard.

BMW radiator guard.

BMW hand guards with 'wings'.

Pro-oiler chain oiler.

Givi windscreen.

Givi crash bars.

TKC-80 tyres.

 

Fortunately it's a fuel miser, averaging 4 litres/100km.

 

All is well and still beautiful in NZ. Have recently spent some time with a Canadian couple touring the country on two bikes, and am expecting some more Canadian visitors before long.

 

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Hi Arne,

 

The extras do add up. I'm keeping the 12 for now. Depends on how suitable the 800 is. I'll know by the end of summer.

 

Hi to Ilsa. :wave:

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PSSSTTT!!! Ya forgot a reflector... :grin:

 

MB>

 

No I did not! It came off right after these pics were taken!!

 

And WHY do you remove the reflectors??????

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Side reflectors: They are a add-on only required in the USA. Apperently in Europe and elsewhere they manage to see a bike even if it does not have side reflectors.

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Side reflectors: They are a add-on only required in the USA. Apperently in Europe and elsewhere they manage to see a bike even if it does not have side reflectors.

 

That and for some reason we can't seem to keep them on our bikes. They are stuck on with double stick tape and we have experienced them just falling off. I performed a preemptive strike and just removed them on the two F's this time around.

 

No other reason.

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Side reflectors: They are a add-on only required in the USA. Apperently in Europe and elsewhere they manage to see a bike even if it does not have side reflectors.

 

That and for some reason we can't seem to keep them on our bikes. They are stuck on with double stick tape and we have experienced them just falling off. I performed a preemptive strike and just removed them on the two F's this time around.

 

No other reason.

 

So WHY do you remove them?

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Side reflectors: They are a add-on only required in the USA. Apperently in Europe and elsewhere they manage to see a bike even if it does not have side reflectors.

 

That and for some reason we can't seem to keep them on our bikes. They are stuck on with double stick tape and we have experienced them just falling off. I performed a preemptive strike and just removed them on the two F's this time around.

 

No other reason.

 

So WHY do you remove them?

 

Hey Jacqueline, have you ever considered law school? :grin:

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Would most of us agree that anything to make us more visible at night may be a good thing? That is the reason for the side markers. They make us more visible to cross traffic at night. I posted what my HD dealer told me when he noticed that they were not on the front of my HD in another thread.

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Would most of us agree that anything to make us more visible at night may be a good thing? That is the reason for the side markers. They make us more visible to cross traffic at night. I posted what my HD dealer told me when he noticed that they were not on the front of my HD in another thread.

 

You have a long uphill road in front of you if you think a 1"x3" reflector is gonna "make us more visible." And if there is any reliance on something such as this, my guess is that you'll have a quick downhill slide. Just my IMO. Do your own thing.

 

Now back to the riding impressions . . .

 

I have progressively adding in a bit more preload and there has been an quantum leap in the front end feel. That harshness is fading and the mid corner feel has improved. I need a few more runs but it is definitely an improvement.

 

It is too bad that it has a non-adjustable damping rod front end and not an adjustable cartridge but it is workable and understandable when you realize premium suspension is an aftermarket thing, not a factory thing.

 

It goes in for its first service this week, finally, so I'll report back after it comes back. If it is anything like Jamie's F800ST was, it should be significant.

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It goes in for its first service this week, finally, so I'll report back after it comes back. If it is anything like Jamie's F800ST was, it should be significant.

 

 

Hmmm, I wonder if it'll make it to the Un under its own power. :grin:

 

 

 

Paybacks are fun. :wave:

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RE: side reflectors. All you have to do is google: "motorcyle reflector law". If it isn't illegal in your state, it is a bad idea to take them off.

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Let's bury the reflector issue. I think we all get the point.

 

The man rides responsibly, that is a fact.

 

Nuff said.

 

MB>

 

Agreed on part 1. Some may disagree on part 2.

 

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

About that 17T CS, you can get one off a friendly F650GS, Jean's likes the 16T, and I have not been able to talk her into going back, even tho she is running much smaller rear tire which reduces the gearing even more.

 

On the run to BB, when I was running 80, she said the rpm was 5500, high but not bad, still some power left.

 

Just put my GT on ebay, Jean and I rode 2up today to local BMW meeting, and then lunch, backroads mostly, 125 miles, just missed a ticket 3 different times (no RD mounted). Bike beat us both up, handles but with some work, it is gone! Don't need no stinking cruise control, ESA, electric screens, ha.

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  • 4 months later...

Hi Arne,

 

I read you have mounted a Pro-Oiler on your F650GS.

 

Do you have ABS brakes?

Did you tap of a hall sensor? Can you tell me how you did it?

Or did you use the magnet and magnet reader?

 

I know the Pro-Oiler which I mounted on a previous bike (CBF600). On the Honda the Pro-Oiler worked very well by tapping of the hall sensor.

 

I'am interested because I ordered a F800R with ABS brakes and probably I will want to install a Pro-Oiler.

Pablo from Pro-Oiler explains to me that I will have to use the magnet and magnet reader because I cannot tap off the hall sensor from the ABS brakes. (I think this is for safety reasons).

 

Well I am very interested how you installed your Pro-Oiler.

 

Many thanks for any reply.

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Hi Arne,

 

I read you have mounted a Pro-Oiler on your F650GS.

 

Do you have ABS brakes?

 

Yes, it has ABS.

 

Did you tap of a hall sensor? Can you tell me how you did it?

 

Or did you use the magnet and magnet reader?

 

I used the magnet and the sensor supplied with the ProOiler. There's an attached photo which shows how it's mounted. I was advised not to glue the magnet directly onto the brake disc, but the magnet is not long enough when it's mounted on the disc carrier/ABS ring. You can't see it in the photo, but the ProOiler magnet is glued to another small magnet of the same diameter to give it the correct height.

 

There's a small strip of plastic from a tie strap glued to the swingarm to keep the sensor in place.

 

I know the Pro-Oiler which I mounted on a previous bike (CBF600). On the Honda the Pro-Oiler worked very well by tapping of the hall sensor.

 

I'am interested because I ordered a F800R with ABS brakes and probably I will want to install a Pro-Oiler.

Pablo from Pro-Oiler explains to me that I will have to use the magnet and magnet reader because I cannot tap off the hall sensor from the ABS brakes. (I think this is for safety reasons).

 

Well I am very interested how you installed your Pro-Oiler.

 

Many thanks for any reply.

 

Although in my opinion the ProOiler is better than the Scottoiler, it can have some problems. For some reason I seem to wear out the nozzle much faster than normal. The first one only lasted a few thousand kms. The second one is getting worn as well. Pablo thought it had been damaged during a tyre change, but it looks more like wear from rubbing against the sprocket. On both sides. Maybe the mounting system lets it vibrate sideways during riding so it touches the sprocket. Anyway it definitely doesn't keep the oil on the sprocket and chain, leaving the rim and tyre sidewalls covered in oil after a longer ride.

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I can see now the the magnet and reader can be installed "invisible". Thanks for the photo.

 

When I had the Honda I also had a problem once with the nozzle. It seemed that I tightened the nozzle too hard (the two nozzles go wider when they are too hard tightened) and they didn't make contact with the sprocket leaving the oil everywhere except on the sprocket.

 

If you could send a photo of the nozzle and the sprocket it would be easier to get an idea for a solution.

 

 

 

 

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