BMW’s R1200GS still defines the adventure class for many despite the introduction of some great machines from the likes of Honda and KTM in recent years – but it isn’t always the best option for your average rider.
With some major changes to meet the new Euro 4 emission standards, the Bavarian manufacturer recently unveiled their latest F800GS Adventure, and MCN’s Andy Downes reckons that for most, it’s all the adventure bike they’ll ever really need.
With genuine off-road ability, plenty of options for storage and a large 24-litre tank for longer trips, it’s still a great bike if you’re off touring, but can also be more suited to everyday use in and around towns and cities, where the size of the larger R1200GS can somewhat limit your progress. It’s also a far less daunting experience for a rider getting their first taste of an adventure machine.
One of the biggest changes to the new model is the introduction of a ride-by-wire throttle which gives the new bike a noticeably different feel to the outgoing model, making power delivery much smoother from the parallel-twin engine. This change has also allowed for the introduction of multiple rider modes as found on other BMW models. An optional extra, Enduro mode is designed for light off-road work on road tyres, whilst Enduro Pro focuses on optimising performance on off-road tyres.
BMW have chosen to fit Michelin as one of the OE tyre options on the new F800GS Adventure, and after a first test of the bike in this week’s MCN Andy says:
“Even in Adventure spec the F800 sticks with road-focused Michelin Anakee 3 tyres as original fitment, which are pliant and grip well. The ABS and tyres work well enough in combination to be able to bring the bike to a howling stop in complete control in the dry despite the tall and narrow 90/90 front profile and 21in rim.”
For the more adventurous rider, the Michelin Anakee Wild is also available as an optional extra.
The bike is expected to land with dealers in the UK very soon.
You can find out more about the Michelin Anakee 3 here.
