Hey all,

So I currently have a bmw 800gs sitting in the shed, and it's currently sitting there with little use.

I bought it in mint condition, without a single scratch or mark on it anywhere. As such I'm almost scared to take it out anywhere. Obviously road riding is fine, but I wouldn't take it out in the wet, or off-roading. The other day it fell of it's side stand (parked on a hill), and snapped the screen costing about £200 to replace it.

Anyway, based on how little I've actually been using it, I'm toying with the idea of just selling it and buying something else. I see it as a lot of money to be sitting in the shed, whereas I could buy something older for half the price, and then not be worried about hammering it, or be worried that it's losing value sitting there doing nothing.

Also I want to get handy with spanners, so that when I do eventually do a big trip (Mongolia is my highest priority), I can fix (or diagnose) problems if they arise. I guess with the beemer it would be more a case of finding the nearest dealership?

Anyway, do you think it's a bad idea to 'downgrade', should I just stick with the current bike and appreciate it's advantages for when I do eventually do a big trip on it.. or should I just weigh it in and replace it?

Cheers
-agour

I presume you mean an F800GS, how about selling it and buying an R80GS? Little or no depreciation, easy to maintain and perfectly up to a trip to Mongolia.

Plenty of good options, xr650/600/400. Suzuki dr650 or drz400. Klr Kawasaki. Yam tenets or xt 600.loads of other options but all those offer simple mechanics and are more than up to the task. I wouldn't even dismiss a lightweight 250 and learn to travel light.

If your big bike sits in the shed get something light and get out and enjoy it. Plus you'll have a stack of cash left to do the trip.

My yam ttr250 has been all over it owes me nothing and always puts a smile on my face.

Bit left field but how about a Ural 2wd sidecar outfit

No point in having a bike you're afraid to enjoy. I've been there too many times myself.

You watch your pride and joy depreciate while having only 20% of the fun you could be having.


If it's the trails, wilderness and adventure you crave, you have to be willing to take some bumps and scrapes.


And don't think of it as a downgrade. A cheaper, rattier, simpler bike will have OOOOODLES more character and fun than your Bavarian sausage machine.

That my friend.. Is an UPGRADE.

Grab yourself a Dommie off Ebay and let her rip.

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Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

I hope you don't mind me suggesting the problem is you, not the bike. The F800GS is perfectly capable of doing the sort of journeys you envisage. But going to somewhere like Mongolia will require you to 'man up' and you need to even ride in the rain. So you need to overcome your concerns.

Do you have any biking friends who you can talk to?

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"For sheer delight there is nothing like altitude; it gives one the thrill of adventure
and enlarges the world in which you live," Irving Mather (1892-1966)

It's not that I'm scared of riding in the rain or anything, I'm all for it. It's just that I didn't want the salt on the roads to damage the bike if I didn't have time to wash it (stupid I know). And no to bike related friends, I guess I'm still new to this area. I am going to HUBB ireland in two weeks though, so I'm sure there will be plenty of knowledgeable people there!

I also know that it's more than capable of the journeys, I'm just babying it too much for my liking.

Yeah. that's what I was thinking Ted! And whats a dommie?

I was looking at the DR's stu, but I'll definitely have a look at the others too. I nearly bought a ttr250 the other day for dicking around on and greenlaning and such, but bought a ktm 200 instead.

I probably should have mentioned that too - that I bought a ktm 200egs to take greenlaning so I wouldn't trash the beemer. Which the more I think about it, the more silly it is really. The best thing to do would be ride the 200 for a while so I'm used to off-roading, then just take my normal ride out there so I get used to riding the trails on the machine that I would end up taking to far away lands.

I had an F8gs bought as a "lightweight" alternative to the ubiquitous 1200GS. I hated every mile on it and yes I did thousands of miles on and off road. I was scared of dropping and damaging it too. Not because i need to man up but because it always felt like it was about to catch me out and dump me in my ass both on and off road. And the cost of replacing all that pretty adventure plastic doesn't bare thinking about. I was really pleased to see the back of it. Too tall too heavy vague handling and fragile. I'm importing a nearly new DR from the states after considering all the options. If you fancy that let me know.
Ps. Ireland meet was a blast. Definitely be there again next year. In fact going over again in three weeks for some more of that scenery and friendly hospitality.

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have fun with your helmet!

I had my Bonneville from 2004 to 2012. I think I paid something in the 4-grand sort of area. I rode it off road and in the snow. It was an utter hoot except for the odd bit of hassle with the coil.

I used to get pulled up by the typical Bonneville polishers for my dinged silencers and general filthy appearance. They’d also shake their heads because I’d run semi-knobblies rather than Avon Roadrunners or whatever they thought looked right. I’ve had them wanting to call an ambulance because I’d lost an indicator (but gained a Transit van mirrior!) days earlier. I did end up buying new silencers off e-bay, but they weren’t that expensive as everyone wanted loud and shiny not standard with the odd scratch.

After 8 years of not giving a **** the Suzuki dealer gave me £1300 for it. I think he sold it to a guy who probably put a lot of time in but basically just did a deep clean and sold it on e-bay for £2500. This guy told all sorts of half truths and I wouldn’t have wanted to live with the come back, but I think the figure says something.

£4000 less £1300 divided by 2900 days gives a cost of 93p a day. I can live with this.

The same figures for the Suzuki which I found didn’t fit me give a scary £2.00 a day . The error is not in how you keep it (only issues when sold were a lightly scratched hand guard) but how long.

My 14 month old V7 is now parked outside. It has semi- knobblies and my wife has written “Dirty Boy” in muck on the tank

Enjoy that DR, bikes for riding are way more fun.

Andy

How are you finding the V7? I considered one seriously as a travel bike as it ticks all my boxes plus I think they're gorgeous. Reliability put me off. I'd be interested to hear how you are enjoying it
Alan

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have fun with your helmet!

To keep the mods happy I will direct you to the thread here

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...guzzi-v7-79979



Staying OT it's great. 300 mile range, tubeless tyres, ride it all day comfort, low, light, simple.

Reliability I wouldn't worry about. Piaggio seem to have dragged the production and spares people into the right century. Most bits are either stuff Guzzi has done right for years, or stuff Piaggio bought from the same suppliers every other bike maker uses.

Andy

Brilliant. They are gorgeous little characterful bikes with good ergos, massive tank range, simple engine and a shaftie. What more could you ask for for road biased travelling
Now back to topic. Sell the GS!
Alan

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have fun with your helmet!

Generally I would tell people to ride what you already own. Unless you are good at it, buying and selling bikes constantly is a quick way to lose cash. (BUT good for me as I only buy used bikes)

Id recommend putting some knobblies and crash bars on the 800GS and ride the crap out of it, throw it down the trail a few times and get over faffing around worrying about getting salt on it.

IF you really cant do that, then sell it and buy something Japanese with one cylinder and a carb and use something that you don't mind dropping. That's the good thing with Honda XR, Yamaha XT and Suzuki DR singles, there is no cosmetic plastic guff to break on them.

As the guys have mentioned, the depreciation of it just sitting in your garage/shed is huge - may as well enjoy riding it, after its got a few dings and scratches on it you wont worry so much about it

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Cheers
Grif

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

Wow! Quite a condemnation of the BMW R800GS! The BMW leg humpers over on ADV Rider would not be pleased at your well considered comments!
We just don't hear that many negatives on that bike from actual owners.

I was very interested in the F800GS when it first appeared ... nearly put a deposit on one. As time went by and more friends bought them my view changed. Then, a year after it's release the magazine got one to test. I only spent a few hours riding it and never really did off road.

I actually liked it a lot on the road. It fit me, handled very well, felt lighter than it was. But then you start reading about folks out on the road and the story is not so rosy.

I do remember getting back on my DR650 after testing the F800 and feeling like I was now riding a Trials bike.


Staged "off road" shot on F800GS.

I know the feeling and the scratch has to be itched.

I just changed an "adventure" bike (I have come to hate that terminology) into a crotch rocket.
I really don't care what others think which is why I am not naming either of the makes/models here; it really doesn't matter. It was my decision, alone.

I do have my eye on the MG V7 mark 2 for the future however; if I survive riding my crotch rocket and when I am thinking more sensibly once more.

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Dave