Paul's Thoughts - 2013 BMW F800GS

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Paul Guillien, Touratech-USA's General Manager, shares his thoughts on BMW's updated mid-weight adventure bike, the 2013 F800GS.

Having ridden nearly every adventure bike on the market, both on and off-road, Guillien is able to provide a unique perspective on BMW's updated F800GS. "I've spent the bulk of my time adventure riding on this motorcycle," said Guillien, "I've logged about 10,000 miles, half of which were off-road on a 2009 F800GS and I am really excited to test the new 2013 F800GS."

"The F800GS was the first mid-weight adventure motorcycle," says Guillien. "Prior to its arrival, your only options were 650 singles and 1200cc twin cylinder bikes, but this was the first parallel twin 800cc motorcycle on the market and really created a new category." The benefit of a mid-weight motorcycle, Guillien says, "is that you still have really good power but the bike is a lot easier to manage, it's easier to turn around and it's a lot easier to get off of the sidestand, which makes it a really good fit for a lot of people."

For 2013, BMW Motorrad added a handful of new features to the F800GS, one of them is their ESA suspension system. "They've added dampening in the rear shock," said Guillien, "there's nothing in place in the front fork, but the rear has three different setting for dampening - there's normal mode, there's a comfort mode and then there's a sport mode, which you use for off-road or aggressive riding."

One of the other new features on the 2013 F800GS is a traction control system. "There's a switch that allows you to turn the traction control on and off. When you leave it on it basically cuts the ignition whenever the rear tire is spinning, which keeps the tire from rotating when you don't want it to and helps to keep the back of the motorcycle behind you," said Guillien.

Because the F800GS has long travel suspension, one of the features Guillien feels makes the F800GS such a great bike off-road, some people, however, feel that it's a little too tall. So for 2013 BMW is offering a lowered version of the F800GS, which, according to Guillien "is great because it allows more people to have both feet on the ground and be comfortable." However, if you have an F800GS that is older than 2013, Touratech offers a lowering kit which decreases the seat height of the older model bikes.

"One of my favorite features of the F800GS is the transmission," said Guillien. "It's got a really quick shifting, dirt bike feel to the six-speed gearbox, and I was relieved when I rode the 2013 model and found that they hadn't changed that."

Another feature found on the F800GS that Guillien feels is essential for off-road riding and adventure touring is the 21" front wheel. "For me it's a lot more fun to ride off-road," Guillien said, "because you can go a little faster, you can go on more interesting off-road terrain, you can actually ride on Jeep trails and things with water crossings and washouts and you can just really have a lot more fun on a bike with a bigger front wheel and taller suspension."

When asked what his overall impression of the updated F800GS, Guillien replied; "I really like the 2013 bike, it retained all of the things I liked about the older model, but they improved the suspension which was my biggest complaint, so I think that BMW did a good job addressing its weakness; they've fixed it, they've made it a better motorcycle and it continues to be my favorite bike."

For a look at all of the Touratech accessories available for the F800GS, click here:

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picking mine up this weekend. I can't wait!!!

ChristopherKueber
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I bought an f 800 gs last year and they are great.

wiggelpuppy
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Well done overview. I’m looking to get a second bike, this would be an easy choice for some truck trails etc. Ride on!

Porschedriver
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@m3ld4r10n: The Africa Twin was first available in 1988. The BMW R80G/S was first available 1980. Doesn't matter what bike "founded" the but one thing is for sure: it was not the AfricaTwin. Even Yamaha's XT600Z Tenéré was released 5 years before the Honda AfricaTwin. 
What model do you mean by EXP500? Never heard of a Honda with that name. But if you're thinking of the XL500 (1979-1984) I still have to proof you wrong. That bike was just an "answer" on Yamaha's XT500 (available from 1976 till 1989).
So much for history lessons...

BFDi
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What is the music on the background???  Awesome video!!

moulin
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What about other complains, the rims, are supposedly soft and bend too much.
The bold from the rear suspension that bends and deforms?

sebastianschulz
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What about a disclaimer that this guy was paid to say all that?

MrLankruza
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Amen! 800GS started it all? WTF? Also what about the XTZ750 Tenere????

joenviro
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How do those nobby tires handle on the street? Slippery? What about wet roads? Thx!

awrizzo
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What tires would you recommend for primarily road use on the F800GS? I have the tkc80 but the vibration on the highway here in Texas is like hell

batman.._
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whats up with so many F800GS owners never upgrading their exhaust to something that looks less like a trash can

jamesf
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I just bought a 2013 but I didn't get a manual with it. How do you turn off the rear traction control?
THanks

TheDirtyyoungman
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Great video but the background music is killing me. Silence is better

mikesanders
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Don´t forget the DR 800, way before the BMW

fernandomartinena
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Oh dear. He never rode the Triumph 800XC then....

fredbrackely
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Just a fuckin' 5 minute commercial. And a very boring one at that.

benfarmer
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