Rob
11-02-2007, 04:15 AM
<center>http://f800riders.org/IMG/other/gs.gif</center>
What may be the best kept secret in modern motorcycling history has revealed itself a few days ago. Take a look at the picture above - it probably is what we'll be officially referring to the as the BMW F800GS within the next 5 days.
Now the picture that you see above actually has *two* bikes in it. (like you couldn't tell!) Which one is the real F800GS? Is there a new F650GS? How about a F800GS Dakar? Let's run through what we know... or rather what we *think* we know:
http://www.breemernet.nl/Files/BMWF800GS2007.jpg
This guy looks to be the first official picture of the F800GS. On September 16th, a poster on F800Riders.org called it:
Originally posted by Nadeem
21 inch front wheel, upside down forks, 890mm seat height(870 low) 85bhp chain £6k plus
This picture appears to be spot on with what Nadeem relayed to us. Big 'ol front tire? Check. Upside down forks? Check. Chain? Check.
What we don't know is the seat height - and something doesn't seem to add up here. Assuming the front wheel is a whopping 21 incher, the perspective of the picture just doesn't seem to add up.
By our admittedly unscientific measure, if you take the largest diameter of the wheel, it's about 133 pixels. If you take the seat height to the ground, you're looking about 208 pixels. That would put the seat height at around 32.5 inches - or 825mm - or about what the R1200GS is sitting at. Very interesting...
Now what if the front wheel is smaller. Maybe 19" or 20". Well, that would make the seat even lower.
Beyond the seat height, lets look at price. Nadeem put forth a price of around 6,000 British Pounds, and we would be absolutely *thrilled* if that were the case. Here's why:
The pricing on the 'other' F800 models currently in the UK:
F800S - £6295
F800ST - £6895
and these guys:
G650 Xchallenge - £5995
G650 Xmoto - £6195
and now the US prices:
F800S - $9475
F800ST - $10475
G650 Xchallenge - $8500
G650 Xmoto - $9100
See what we mean?
Everyone seems to be thinking that the F800GS is going to come in around the $13000 level. We don't think so - at least not without some serious options.
We're guessing (again relying on Nadeem's post) that it's going to come in at $9500. Add ABS (we'll say $900) heated grips ($250) and a full set-o-bags at around $750 and we'll *still* be in the $11k range - fully loaded. That my friends, isn't exactly KLR country, but it is very, very reasonable for a trail rated (sorry Jeep), premium, Enduro.
This bike could be huge. Absolutely huge...
http://www.breemernet.nl/Files/BMWF650GS2007.jpg
Now this motorcycle is absolutely intriguing! It appears to be an F800GS, or at least a street oriented version of it. New wheels, single disc (say wha?) in the front, and what appears to be lower seat. Nadeem said:
Originally posted by Nadeem
detuned 800 engine 55bhp but still 790cc(why call it a 650?) lower seat height than above approx £5250
Lets take it step by step.
Point One - When the F800S and ST were launched, they had the option of a lower performance engine in them. They were marketed in Europe only, where insurance is much different than what we see here. It was the same engine, just detuned - exactly what Nadeem said.
Now is this absolutely coming with that detuned engine? My guess is probably not - at least not to the US. It will be, I think, available with the 800 engine at full spec. It's just a different model.
Point Two - The lower seat. Comparing this motorcycle's picture to the first motorcycle we analyzed, it's pretty east to tell that it's at the same aspect ratio. Same exhaust can, same engine size, etc.
Using the same calculation that we used prior, we're calculating the seat height to be approximately 29.5" or 750mm - give or take about the same as the super low F800S/ST.
Point Three - Pricing. This really throws us for a loop. The pricing above basically puts this motorcycle into the slot that was vacated by the F650 - the standard F650GS.
Would BMW USA price a bike like this under what they have the 650 models going for? I would think no. But then again, what would you price it at? I'm going with about $8000 - assuming that Nadeem is correct again.
So, that's where we stand right now. Two pictures. A few unverified facts that seem to check out 100% so far. Five days to go.
We'll find out most everything on November 6th at 13:30 local time in Milan. We'll be covering everything in real time here on F800Riders.org
Discuss...
What may be the best kept secret in modern motorcycling history has revealed itself a few days ago. Take a look at the picture above - it probably is what we'll be officially referring to the as the BMW F800GS within the next 5 days.
Now the picture that you see above actually has *two* bikes in it. (like you couldn't tell!) Which one is the real F800GS? Is there a new F650GS? How about a F800GS Dakar? Let's run through what we know... or rather what we *think* we know:
http://www.breemernet.nl/Files/BMWF800GS2007.jpg
This guy looks to be the first official picture of the F800GS. On September 16th, a poster on F800Riders.org called it:
Originally posted by Nadeem
21 inch front wheel, upside down forks, 890mm seat height(870 low) 85bhp chain £6k plus
This picture appears to be spot on with what Nadeem relayed to us. Big 'ol front tire? Check. Upside down forks? Check. Chain? Check.
What we don't know is the seat height - and something doesn't seem to add up here. Assuming the front wheel is a whopping 21 incher, the perspective of the picture just doesn't seem to add up.
By our admittedly unscientific measure, if you take the largest diameter of the wheel, it's about 133 pixels. If you take the seat height to the ground, you're looking about 208 pixels. That would put the seat height at around 32.5 inches - or 825mm - or about what the R1200GS is sitting at. Very interesting...
Now what if the front wheel is smaller. Maybe 19" or 20". Well, that would make the seat even lower.
Beyond the seat height, lets look at price. Nadeem put forth a price of around 6,000 British Pounds, and we would be absolutely *thrilled* if that were the case. Here's why:
The pricing on the 'other' F800 models currently in the UK:
F800S - £6295
F800ST - £6895
and these guys:
G650 Xchallenge - £5995
G650 Xmoto - £6195
and now the US prices:
F800S - $9475
F800ST - $10475
G650 Xchallenge - $8500
G650 Xmoto - $9100
See what we mean?
Everyone seems to be thinking that the F800GS is going to come in around the $13000 level. We don't think so - at least not without some serious options.
We're guessing (again relying on Nadeem's post) that it's going to come in at $9500. Add ABS (we'll say $900) heated grips ($250) and a full set-o-bags at around $750 and we'll *still* be in the $11k range - fully loaded. That my friends, isn't exactly KLR country, but it is very, very reasonable for a trail rated (sorry Jeep), premium, Enduro.
This bike could be huge. Absolutely huge...
http://www.breemernet.nl/Files/BMWF650GS2007.jpg
Now this motorcycle is absolutely intriguing! It appears to be an F800GS, or at least a street oriented version of it. New wheels, single disc (say wha?) in the front, and what appears to be lower seat. Nadeem said:
Originally posted by Nadeem
detuned 800 engine 55bhp but still 790cc(why call it a 650?) lower seat height than above approx £5250
Lets take it step by step.
Point One - When the F800S and ST were launched, they had the option of a lower performance engine in them. They were marketed in Europe only, where insurance is much different than what we see here. It was the same engine, just detuned - exactly what Nadeem said.
Now is this absolutely coming with that detuned engine? My guess is probably not - at least not to the US. It will be, I think, available with the 800 engine at full spec. It's just a different model.
Point Two - The lower seat. Comparing this motorcycle's picture to the first motorcycle we analyzed, it's pretty east to tell that it's at the same aspect ratio. Same exhaust can, same engine size, etc.
Using the same calculation that we used prior, we're calculating the seat height to be approximately 29.5" or 750mm - give or take about the same as the super low F800S/ST.
Point Three - Pricing. This really throws us for a loop. The pricing above basically puts this motorcycle into the slot that was vacated by the F650 - the standard F650GS.
Would BMW USA price a bike like this under what they have the 650 models going for? I would think no. But then again, what would you price it at? I'm going with about $8000 - assuming that Nadeem is correct again.
So, that's where we stand right now. Two pictures. A few unverified facts that seem to check out 100% so far. Five days to go.
We'll find out most everything on November 6th at 13:30 local time in Milan. We'll be covering everything in real time here on F800Riders.org
Discuss...