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F850gt

101K views 146 replies 41 participants last post by  Right Hand Drive  
#1 ·
So, will we see a F850GT, or has this already been discussed elsewhere?
 
#3 ·
I agree with Bill, even if I think that the belt drive is much better than the chain drive for a light road use, BMW will revalue the cost of maintaining the GT as is is now. I'm afraid that they will decide to discontinue at all the production of the GT.
 
#4 ·
It probably isn't happening w/ BMW, but it ought to and that is they should survey buyers to ascertain how many considered ST/GT's belt drive as a significant factor in their purchase. It absolutely was for me and I'm sure a few others considered it a significant factor. Plus, what is the real production cost difference? It can't be all that much as a portion of the total cost. After all, these bikes MSRP is still up there above a whole lot of other offerings.
 
#7 ·
Belt drive was very much a deciding factor for me.
The new engine has the final drive on the other side to the 800, so they will have to design a new swing arm. Probably won't happen, shame.
Don't really want to go back to cleaning oil off the bike, and shafties are heavier than I like.
May go electric.....
 
#8 ·
The belt drive was something that got the F800GT onto my short list, but it wasn't the only factor. I would seriously consider the F850GT...but doubt that I'd buy it.

The F800GT is not a bad bike. It has no significant flaws IMHO, and has quite a lot going for it. Assuming BMW does their homework on the new model, we're looking at the difference between an A- and an A.

It comes down to the age old question for me. Does the new bike I'm looking for have specific and significant enough advantages to off-set the cost it'll take to sell my old bike and buy the new bike? If not, I can't justify the trade.

BMW can do all they want to the new model. But I probably won't buy one till I need (not want) to replace my GT. The GT satisfyies all my needs and desires now and for what I feel I want in the next few years.

I did some long distance traveling in some trying weather last summer on my GT and loved the way it did what I asked it to do. I'd find it hard to believe the new model would make a significant enough improvement to get me t sell a bike I love.

Chris
 
#9 ·
I'd find it hard to believe the new model would make a significant enough improvement to get me t sell a bike I love. Chris
For sure--w/o at least at a minimum a full range electric screen, hand wind protection, ABS Pro, cruise control, better suspension...what more could it possibly bring to the table for you to improve your total sport touring experience? Kawasaki's latest offering sums it up: all you need to do is hang side cases on a sport bike and voila, it becomes a Sport Tourer. It looks fun but I'm sure I'd still be stuck in that same ergonomic position today if I'd taken that thing x-country and back for 9+K miles!

 
#10 ·
When I hit 60 and decided to return to biking I was adamant that I didn't want a chain, but the only "small" shaft drive bike under consideration was the Deauville. A friend put me on to the F800ST - I hadn't even known that BMW made "small" bikes, let alone ones with belt drive.

One test ride later and I was the owner of a new ST. Since then BMW have raided my bank account to the tune of a new GT and now the RS. I'm toying with the idea of an RT....

For me the belt drive was the most important factor in my choice.
 
#12 ·
Belt drive was a must for me also. I drove shaft drive for 17 years then stopped ridding for 20 years, got back into ridding with a chain drive that lasted for less than three months, it's belt or shaft for me nothing else will do. I would not even consider a new GT if it was chain drive, the chain would be a deal breaker.
 
#13 ·
For me, it was the looks, weight, mid-size engine, BMW brand name and integrated luggage of the ST that pushed my buttons. I would have preferred shaft but belt was fine. When the GT arrived with its hard bags, that was my impetus to trade up. They meet my needs better than the ST's expandable sport bags, plus I think they look better too. I had no other reason for buying the GT, and aside from the smoother engine in my ST vs. my GT, I haven't noticed any other real-world differences that matter to me.

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#14 ·
I would have preferred shaft but belt was fine. Sent from Motorcycle.com Free App
Even w/ it's transverse crankshaft? I can't come up w/ one compelling reason beyond somewhat better reliability in gravel and water exposure for shaft over belt in a transverse crank-shafted design. Intuitively I don't like the bevel gear concept compared to keeping as much as possible rotating in the same plane. Shaft will generally outlast belt at least in the BMW world, but still there is more maintenance w/ shaft over belt plus the potential for rear wheel lock up seems greater in shaft and chain over belt.
 
#22 ·
There's one thing going for the GT, be it F800 or F850. If BMW drops it from the lineup, they are conceding the market to the other manufacturers and pigeon-holing themselves into more of a niche market of just the GS and RT.

I fully expect to see the F850GT in a year or so. It may not be a big seller, but with all the electric features, it'll command a lot of attention and I think a lot of sales. The commonality of parts with the F850GS will make it economically feasible.

Chris
 
#23 ·
It may not be a big seller, but with all the electric features, it'll command a lot of attention and I think a lot of sales. Chris
You're thinking cruise control and an LED headlight as new electric features? If they drop the belt in the process, these two electric features will hardly be sufficient to garner real attention. Add some trick electrically adjustable wind management, ABS Pro, and better suspension along w/ those two electric features they might actually distinguish the bike from all the other compromised ST solutions out there, provided the keep the belt which is truly a unique and highly desirable attribute of the line.
 
#26 ·
I'm with emlevy - I don't want all that stuff. It just drives the price up. The F800GT is an affordable all-rounder. Jack up the price for all those ditties and I'm not gonna be a buyer. While I can afford $20-$30,000 bikes easily enough I wouldn't buy one because there are so many good $10-$15,000 bikes. I prefer having 2-3 less expensive bikes than one expensive one.
 
#27 ·
I'm kind of like you, Jim. I can afford anything on the market. But just because I can afford it, doesn't mean I have to buy it.

The marketing folks have a job to do...to convince you that you can't possibly live without this option and that option. That a dynamic suspension has to be better than a traditional suspension, for instance. I tried the dynamic suspension on the RS and RT both on some long test rides, and still prefer the old style, out of date, inferior suspension on my GT. (No offense meant, Richard or Noel.) I just couldn't feel that much difference...and what I felt as a difference, I wasn't sure was better. But it would be cool to tell someone that I had a "dynamic" suspension and that the ABS was also "dynamic" and could adjust in a turn. The new TFT display is just "eye candy" in my opinion. I'd figure out the RT's display eventually, but I thought to myself as I was riding it, that I was able to find the info I wanted without an owner's manual on the GT...and without a "wonder wheel". Sometimes engineering for the sake of engineering, isn't better. All that marketing and marvelous engineering is designed for one thing...to help me part with my money.

Fortunately, I can think for myself. ;)

BTW, I'm not knocking anyone who decides to buy a new bike, or an RS or RT. They just aren't for me, and I'm very happy with what I have.

Chris
 
#28 ·
I personally think a color TFT display on a motorcycle, in lieu of traditional gauges and tactile switchgear, is a bad idea. We complain about distracted drivers yet it seems most new cars are equipped with them. Now you can't do anything without taking your eyes off the road and looking down. Turn up the radio? Turn on the AC? Hit the rear defroster? Gotta look down to do it. I don't see the point on a bike.

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#29 ·
I think BMW would be mad to drop the belt drive - it would make more sense to drop it from the line. They’ve got a long history of touring style bikes so I doubt they’d discontinue it - a revamp would probably get more people interested and lift sales, anyway.

For me:
Cruise control - essential for a touring bike where you may do long stints, just to rest your right hand.
Better lighting - although not a fan of expensive LED headlights they are very bright. Philips extreme bulbs to make the GT headlight better but it is pretty dated.
Bigger tank - although fine for some on here 15L just isn’t enough for a touring machine. If I commute I get about 150 miles to reserve, whereas my 800GSA seems better on fuel as I get 290.
A proper top case - whilst the 29L item looks nice with the bike my trousers pockets can take more storage
Better screen - too much wind noise and not a lot of protection (although the aftermarket already offers plenty of solutions for the GT)

To be honest none of the above is essential and even if it all appears on a new model I’ll still be happy with my 800GT. I also really like the underseat tank when fuelling as it’s a piece of cake to fill up - very car-like. I certainly wouldn’t spec one with the “extras” like keyless ride, gearshift assist, dynamic ESA, TFT etc as I had most of that on the big GS and it all gets in the way of a good bike imho.
 
#30 ·
Mat, I believe your F800GSA has a 6.1 gallon tank...so you get about 100 more miles than the standard GS or the GT get, simply because of the increased fuel capacity. I do wonder what they'll do about a large fuel capacity on the F850GSA when that comes out. I suspect they have something already figured out for that though...maybe an underseat tank?

You have some options for your lighting that are available now. I use the Cyclops LED lights. They are a fine piece of kit. The company has videos online of how to fit them to your GSA. I find the light cutoff and pattern virtually identical as I had with a halogen bulb on my GT...but much brighter.

The previous owner of my GT went with aftermarket panniers and top case, instead of BMW accessories. So I don't have any complaints there. Thirty-seven liters in each pannier and 45 liters in the top case.

Chris
 
#35 ·
Sure, my GSA has 9L more in the tank but gets about 140 miles more as it seems to do about 5-10mpg better than the GT despite the same engine and 15Kg more weight. My point is that as a "touring" bike 15L is a bit mean. It's not so much how far you can go on a full tank but on half a tank as you don't always start every journey with a full tank (or the second half of a round trip). I'm not that bothered about LED lighting (although it's alwats been slightly mystifying that the LED rear light is standard on the F700/F800GS but an optional extra on the GT), and adding additional lights is probably better to get a broader spread of light.
On the plus side, the GT feels much sharper and more lively than the GSA so they're a nice combination :)
 
#34 ·
Mark, you're right about the other models. But I believe they don't sell much better than the F800GT. The top models are the R1200GS and RT. If BMW starts dropping all those other models because of low sales, then they leave those markets open to the competitors. At least by keeping the models, it is like having a "toe in the door".

I just don't think BMW will drop the GT and allow that "door" to close.

But I could be wrong. I can't remember the last time BMW asked me for my opinion... ;)

Chris
 
#36 ·
Marketing doesn't convince us to want all the bells and whistles, it tries to convince us that brand X has the best bells and whistles. If motorcyclists insisted on bare bones bikes, the market would be flooded with them. The bells and whistles exist because buyers want them.