The new BMW F 700 GS and BMW F 800 GS.

When BMW Motorrad extended the GS family with an entry-level and medium category in 2007 in the form of the F 650 GS and the F 800 GS, there was no doubt as to the message: lots of riding fun based on light, safe controllability over all surfaces, plenty of drive power and endurance on trips - even when there are only gravel tracks left to get you where you're going. A concept in two versions which many motorcycling fans responded to enthusiastically. BMW Motorrad now continues this chapter of the GS success story with the updated versions of these two successful enduro models: the F 700 GS and F 800 GS. As always, BMW Motorrad has faced the challenge of taking something that is already good and making it even better, consistently focusing on building on the characteristic strengths of the GS in refining the concept. ...More




GALLERY

If calling the 800CC a 650 wasn't confusing enough for folks, now they have taken the same bike, newer year, and named it a 700.

And the goofs already had perfectly good understandable nomenclature (GS and GS Adventure) they could have used. Now they have messed it up even more.

PGlaves said:

If calling the 800CC a 650 wasn't confusing enough for folks, now they have taken the same bike, newer year, and named it a 700.

And the goofs already had perfectly good understandable nomenclature (GS and GS Adventure) they could have used. Now they have messed it up even more.

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Bmw anounced the release of a new bike? Looks like they are just trying to clarify the name of all the F & G bikes. I guess this is so the G-650-GS can have its name back. Maybe when they actually get around to releasing a bike it would be an F-800-RT.

PGlaves said:

If calling the 800CC a 650 wasn't confusing enough for folks, now they have taken the same bike, newer year, and named it a 700.

And the goofs already had perfectly good understandable nomenclature (GS and GS Adventure) they could have used. Now they have messed it up even more.

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I was just getting used to the 658GS name......

Someone in BMW probably got a promotion and a big bonus after pitching the idea of naming the bikes F650GS and F800GS. Must have been a terrific PowerPoint presentation.

Well, anyway, the F series are nice bikes, and as usual, I want one. Actualy, either numbered bike would do nicely

RedRam said:

Well, anyway, the F series are nice bikes, and as usual, I want one. Actualy, either numbered bike would do nicely

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What he said. Love the bikes.

i have a 2011 F650GS. to avoid explaining all the 650/800cc stuff to people i took all the identifying stickers off my bike. maybe i'll pick up some of the new F700 stickers and put them on, that way i will feel like i have the latest and greatest from BMW without the expense of actually having to buy one. i thought about getting F800 stickers to put on but i am not sure i can handle all the power a 800 makes.

Love the coppery brown color but can the GS line up get any more confusing???

Planet BMW must be an interesting place. The whole bunch need to get into a good drug rehab program. While they are there the folks on this forum can rename the BMW lineup with nomenclature that makes sense.

I see the 700 has 75HP. How much did the 650 twin have?

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Model designations of any brand seem more a product of the executive dart. A good or bad motorcycle by any other name will be just as good or bad.

The real story of the revised F GS models has to do with:
A.
BMW Motorrad ABS available as standard in all models from now on.
Increasing importance is attached to the issue of safety in public and political debate. As a leading motorcycle manufacturer, BMW Motorrad has always been aware of its social responsibility in this connection. In 1988 the company presented the world's first serial production motorcycles with the antilock brake system ABS - the most effective technical safety bonus to this day.

The next logical step follows now: from model year 2013, BMW Motorrad will be offering ABS as a standard feature in all models. The company is being proactive here, significantly pre-empting the requirement for ABS likely to be introduced in 2016 for all newly registered motorcycles in Europe. The first new models in which this measure is to be applied are the 2-cylinder models BMW F 700 GS and BMW F 800 GS....More
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B
Triumph Motorcycles Tiger 800XC and the need to compete with that bike. My read on this is BMW takes on the Triumph XC first with this incremental update of the F series and will take on the new Triumph big Tiger and Yamaha's Tenere with the Wasser Boxer when released.

You guys are talking about it making sense to riders. The manufacturers are just trying to make sense of EU regs (regs which India increasingly mirrors), the EU economic situations and building bikes.

Don't over think it, BMW isn't

Call them or name them what ever they choose, they still look like ant eaters to me.

I 'll bet they continue to sell every one they make .
Just not my style in motorcycles.

The thing that got my attention was the mention of a lowered suspension model from the factory. Good for us stubby leg guys , probably not so good if you plan to go seriously off road.

The next model will be F750GS .

They did add a second disc uo front. I wish they had added another gallon capacity to the fuel tank

A second disc up front looks better ( more balanced look) but i wonder why ?

The weight of the bike and the power are similar to my 2005 Triumph Bonneville (sold) .
It only had one disc , was a pure road bike , most likely faster than the F and I never wished for another disc on it up front.

The money to add a second disc could have been better spent on suspension, or a SEAT

40427 said:

A second disc up front looks better ( more balanced look) but i wonder why ?

The weight of the bike and the power are similar to my 2005 Triumph Bonneville (sold) .
It only had one disc , was a pure road bike , most likely faster than the F and I never wished for another disc on it up front.

The money to add a second disc could have been better spent on suspension, or a SEAT

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The single disc on my F650Gs has plenty of power, but the amount of force necessary to get max. braking is way to high. Probably could be improved with a different master cylinder, but a second disc would be welcome. Owning an F650Gs twin and having ridden Bonnevillles, in the twisties your Bonneville would be quickly left behind. The GS's are surprising fast!

I suspect it has to do with the electronics having more swept area to help manage stopping capability and the force required to do it.

WebBikeWorld has a good article on BMW's abs system development over the years. IT may help understand if not totally explain why they use a twin rotor system on their internal designed abs systems.