Can anyone help me here?

I am hoping to eventually go on a trip from South America to Canada with my girlfriend and was looking at a BMW F800GS

Is the bike to small to carry all of our gear as well as a pillion passenger?

I am 5'9 and think that a BMW 1200GS would be too big for me,

I still have to sit my test (currently on a 125) and my only motorcycle travel adventure was on a Minsk in Vietnam in which I was in an accident which involved a lot of bribes!

any advice would be much appreciated

Cheers

I don't think it's necessarily too small at all (I ride one), but it depends on what / how much you intend to carry and whether you intend to camp (extra gear). I use 2 hard panniers and an Ortlieb bag (camping) on the back and, with some rearranging, could fit 2 people.

I agree that a 1200 might be a little too much. I've ridden both the 1200 and 800 GS's; both felt like they had the same power (although the 1200 has more, it's also heavier) and I thought the 800 was a more manageable bike all round (for me - I'm 6') - I also found it the more fun of the two! 60mpg doesn't hurt, either!

The 800 is a TALL bike; You might also consider a lowering kit, if it's not already fitted.

You could persuade your other half to take a test as well . This might solve the problem!

Theres lots of stories on ADVrider of people riding 2up on 800gs with no problems, fully loaded.


HAve u thought about the tiger 800? thats an excellent bike too with lots of power and space.

Look for
Spain, Siberia, mongolia, pamir 2011 ... and back
on ADVrider ride reports, thats one currently going 2up on gs800



posted a link first but it was signed in as me :S

I think the main thing really is to be comfortable with the bike you ride. I did south america on a GS 650 (no pillion) and I appreciated the light weight when off road.
On the other hand my everyday bike is a 1200GS, much heavier and taller (I am just 5,8) but I recently came back from a 4500km trip with a pillion (no off-road).
My suggestion is... get the bike months before you leave.
I had my GS for a few years now, all the mods I have done where suggested by experience and things I wanted to change/improve.
Make sure you have enough time to know your bike and make sure you do any modification well ahead the day of departure.
Once you are "comfortable" it wont really matter the engine displacement.

I do recommend tho metal panniers... the Vario style ones tho great for everyday use and city rides are not the best on long rough roads...

Hello from New Mexico. I own an 800 GS and a 1200 GS Adventure. I have ridden two up on both bikes, and just returned from a two-up trip in Peru, Bolivia and Argentina. I love my 800 GS for solo off-road touring, and for short two-up rides. However, for a ride such as you are planning, I would use a 1200 GS (not Adventure). You can get a lowered seat in necessary, and your lady will be significantly more comfortable. You will have short spots of difficult riding, but with the correct tires, the 1200 GS will do fine. I would recommend the 800 if you were planning lots of single and two-track trails with big rocks where the 21 inch front wheel would be advantageous, but that would not be two-up.

Good luck. It will be a fabulous trip!

Therandyman

i can confirm the F800 GS will not be small at all. if you prepareit correct it will do the job you need.
i did 1800 miles with a passenger + her stuff while i was on a 15 thousand mile trip...
more details on my website below

__________________
http://heesopedia.com/ - EVERY DAY IS A RIDING DAY

Hi,

I would use a cheaper and more trust worthy bike such as Honda Transalp etc. I have been traveling together with my girlfriend + camping stuff on a transalp with no problems. The F800GS is know for engine trouble with less then 100.000 km. Thats why i would never by one.

Greetings, Tobi

I spent a month around Europe with a pillion on a BMW 650 single. It wasn't too small at all but I would have liked more power at times. I was carrying a lot of gear and while we managed on dirt roads it was uncomfortable. Offroad with less weight the bike was awesome.
I have to echo the other comments though. The 800gs is not reliable. They have multiple issues, I had one myself and have been in touch with other riders who used them and they're not great. The Tiger is also not great. It's worth thinking about other bikes. The 650 rotax engine is more reliable and while it's not as powerful it makes up for it nicely with the economy and the range increase you get. Also as a novice rider maybe the G650gs would be a better buy? I met a guy who did years on the road with the old Dakar and it never went wrong. I met a guy 2 years on the road on the 800, it broke down 17 times. Sadly I had many of the same issues with mine but with the rotax engine, it was hassle free.
You need to be comfortable on the machine. We went through Pakistan and hit some offroad stuff. It was great fun and mine was faster and more agile over it than the KTM990 I was riding with (just don't) but we were followed by a 3 wheeled car from Russia which more or less did the trip in the same time we did. Anything is capable of this if you modify your driving style. You'll have to anyway with a pillion.
I guess I'm saying, do your homework. Every bike is a compromise so figure out what's most important to you and accept the weaknesses for what they are when you prep for your trip.
Have fun!

As an add-on I met a guy on a Transalp. It did the job but he said it didn't have enough character and he didn't care about it. Another guy did it on an Africa twin... he flew it home to sell it because, again, it was souless. It's probably more important than anything else to love your bike, whatever bike it is.

You don't say when you are aiming to take off on this trip but there are a whole load of factors in this question, apart from the bike that you might eventually use.
What I do suggest is that you do some research in here about the other threads and ride reports, and blogs, which will tell you how other folks are doing with riding two up over long distances.
The HUBB is full of this invaluable information, first hand, on just about every aspect of what you are considering to do - for one, sound out your girlfriend about taking her own bike licence test and riding her own bike.

__________________
Dave

Its a matter of what bike fits YOU, after you have been riding for a while you will form your own ideas, as mentioned EVERY bike is a compromise.

We did 22,000 kms in SAmerica 2up on a DR650, it can be done, but 650's with their shorter frame are a little cramped for 2up riding, the 800 GS by comparison has plenty of room for 2up and gear.

We thought we were having it tough on the DR until we met a Czech couple on an Enfield Bullet 350 in the middle of nowhere on stock tyres in Bolivia.....Respect!

If you are not too tall it is perfectly feasable, singles are cheaper to buy and maintain and will take a beating, the DR averaged around 70 MPG (UK gallons) or 4 Litres/100.

If you have a tight time contstraint then the 800 might be better for faster more relaxed cruising on highways and taking 2 bikes is an option, my wife rides, but did not feel comfortable riding in Latin America and taking one bike was a lot cheaper, but its harder to get to some places 2up.

__________________
Cheers
Grif

'11 KTM 450 EXC
'09 Suzuki DR650
'00 Discovery Series 2 V8
'95 Defender 90 300 Tdi Overlander
http://gipperstravels.blogspot.ca

Get a Corbin seat !!!! You'll get lucky every night !!

__________________
....rather Die Living.....than Live Dying !
www.globetrekkers.net.au