BMW F 800 GS Adventure 2018 — Specifications

When BMW decides to beef up its middleweight engine to transform it into a long-distance machine, the result is the BMW F 800 GS Adventure, and the recipe deserves closer examination. The 2017 version marks a step toward maturity rather than a revolution: Euro4 compliance, Ride-by-Wire throttle, and a revised dashboard with an engine anomaly indicator. Three kilograms added to the panniers, a redesigned exhaust tip, and the Bavarian twin are back on the attack against distant horizons. It's discreet, surgical, typically Munich.

What truly changes the riding experience is the arrival of riding modes. Four injection maps now structure the machine's behavior: Road and Rain for asphalt, Enduro and Enduro Pro for leaving the pavement. The latter mode deserves the attention of experienced riders, as it disables rear ABS and allows controlled slides upon braking. ABS and ASC can also be independently switched off, regardless of the selected map. For a trail at €12,805, this is a level of personalization that makes some direct competitors like the KTM 790 Adventure or the Triumph Tiger 800 blush, even if the latter offer different engine architectures.

The 798 cm3 twin develops 85 horsepower at 7,500 rpm and 83 Nm at 5,750 rpm. These figures have not changed compared to the standard GS, and that makes sense: it’s the same engine. What changes is the weight to tow. At 232 kg fully fueled, the BMW F 800 GS Adventure 2017 weighs 15 kg more than its standard sister. Consumption increases by about 10% in return, but the 24-liter tank largely compensates: where the standard GS stops, the Adventure continues. Autonomy exceeds 400 km in normal use, which represents a significant argument for the long-distance traveler. The pannier supports delivered as standard complete the picture of a machine designed for the road, not for parking.

The fairing also tells this story. The screen is higher, the handguards frame the handlebars, an engine guard covers the crankcase, and wider enduro-style footpegs sign an assumed off-road intention. The seat rises to 890 mm from the ground, 10 mm more than the standard, and the suspension lift kit is not in the catalog. This point deserves to be clearly emphasized in any BMW F 800 GS Adventure test: average heights will have to compromise with this height, or look elsewhere. The steel tubular trellis frame, reinforced to withstand the additional stresses of the load, remains the backbone of a robust and proven machine.

Faced with the R 1200 GS Adventure, which exceeds €16,000 and imposes its imposing size, the F 800 GS Adventure plays the card of accessibility, both financially and physically. This mid-range positioning makes sense: anyone looking for a used BMW F 800 GS Adventure on the used car market will find a mature, well-equipped machine, the reliability of whose twin is documented over tens of thousands of kilometers and on BMW F 800 GS Adventure forums. The shaft drive and Telelever suspension of the big sister are sacrificed, but relative lightness and budget are gained. For an experienced motorcyclist who wants to cross continents without mortgaging his apartment, or for a rider with an A2 license looking for a bridable machine with great potential for evolution, this Adventure draws an honest and coherent proposition.