It is no secret that BMW has developed a new middleweight GS, including an all-new engine to replace the 798cc parallel twin found in the current F800GS.
Expected to displace approximately 850cc, a new parallel twin F850GS should take a bow at EICMA on November 7 next week. The teaser video below doesn’t reveal much, other than the fact that the bike will be dirt oriented and feature a new TFT display, together with all the latest electronic rider aids. Take a look:
See more of MD’s great photography:
What are the little wings sticking out of the fairing?
Turn signals.
Thanks. Very minimalist turns signals that likely work very well.
That’s not very German sounding techno.
Here’s to hoping for a small be effective little arms race in the parallel twin segment. I’m dying to see the KTM. The BMW twins are rowdy little little guys. This next one should be pretty sweet. Though I am not a big fan of the chassis that BMW fits their parallel twins in.
I had an F800GT. It was fuel efficient and easy to use but “rowdy” is not a word I’d use to describe it.
BMW should just bring back the HP2 and be done with it.
Fails Euro4 emissions standards, me thinks.
Another useless video…look forward to seeing the bike.
About sums things up.
Useless to you maybe, but useful to BMW since they achieved their goal of getting our attention.
heres is an unrelated question. why is the cigarette lighter type power accessory port still used? its such an outdated huge clumsy item. almost everything uses a USB connection now. just curious…
when you purchase a contemporary vehicle, the port is still there (sometimes multiples), and rarley do you see the actual lighter!
I believe that there are certain accessories (think heated gear) that require more power than a USB can supply. Maybe some kind of two port system would work. USB for data transfer and charging small items and a larger connection (a new kind not based on an anachronism…new cars don’t even come with ashtrays anymore, let alone coil type cig lighters) for things with higher power requirements.
that is a good question. yes, heated gear is 12V though MKI canbus couldn’t handle the amp draw. dunno, maybe they’ve upgraded the circuit since ’05…? most hardcore BM riders just hardwire their 10,000 gadgets direct to B+ anyway. positive eyelets stacked up like lollipops.
The BMW style power port on my 2014 RT powers my 15 year old Gerbing jacket liner just fine but both ports together are rated for 10 amps.
It is not a “cigarette lighter” style plug. These are what are sometimes called powerlet plugs, they are smaller,way more sturdy and clamp the positive post. They are used on most all Euro bikes. USB plugs only provide 5v, these are 12v for as SausageCreature says electric vests and also GPS and other 12v accessories.
is it smaller? looks proportionate to a “lighter” port.
First World Problems. Don’t they just make our lives hell?
USB is limited to 5V, and certainly its current limit is well below what’s required for a vest, etc.
After I put about 40k miles on my ’00 R1150GS, and sold it, I rented an early F800GS and had a strong distaste for its soft fork (I’m a Clyde), engine vibration, and lack of torque. Though power wise, I suspect it would outrun the GS in a straight line race.
Small air compressors use them. Utilizing a power port gives you the option.
that makes sense, but why are they so big and ungainly? a typical 2 pronged USA wall outlet handles 120v and is a lot smaller and streamlined. youd think by now theyd have come up with a system that was more compact…
Legacy. They’re providing a socket to power an existing market of accessories that use that plug standard. Coming up with something new would be a little risky.
A two-pronged wall outlet only handles 15-20 amperes (which, at 120V is a lot of power). I think the power port design is good for double that current.
re: “120V is a lot of power”
the Chancellor is digging the conversation…
https://tinyurl.com/l2ybk2r
They should be like Apple, and get rid of that antiquated port and go with wireless power. Oh wait…
USB connections are no good on a bike due to all of the vibration and motion. They start off ok, but as time goes by, they begin to loosen and lose power intermittently. A powerlet type socket grips the plug, and maintains steady power. They are used for many things – GPS, heated clothing, powering/charging a phone or other electronics.
As engines are growing bigger in middle class they are filling already crowded market. Instead makers should redirect effort into 500-600 class, which has lots of vacancy and allows models such as Honda CB500 X to bask in sun unopposed.
+1. I suspect a well tuned mid size adventure bike would be my favorite, and do amazingly well. I further suspect good success even if the price was high v. the open class, providing it had the performance to back it up.
Isn’t Yamaha supposed to land an FZ-07 engined Adv like a ton of bricks in the middle of that class? Given the price/performance/popularity enjoyed by the rest of the bikes on that platform, plus the VStrom, Versys, NC and CB, I doubt the Euros would want to get too close. The Euros are pretty much doomed to play in the higher price ranges. Which is a lot easier to justify, if you get some extra power for your extra money.
Not without reason I picked CB500X as example. I examined closely both Strom and Versys before deciding for he former. My criteria was part of “road-partnership” weight – I did not want to go over 440lbs mark. And price played into it too.
But, big but, if there was something in 500-600 bracket and similar weight and power, I’d consider it. Perhaps KTM with its new parallel twins is moving in that direction. Of course, expected price will be little bit north from Honda’s.
A middle aged rider/owner posted extensive side by side review of his KTM big bore single adventure bike (estimate vintage 2014) v. his CB500X parallel twin w/full after market adventure kit comprising wheels, suspension, IIRC sub frame, etc, etc, sorry forgot the name, I think made in England.
Walk around takes place in what is apparently his airplane hangar (with plane) in the mountains between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe.
He has posted videos with maps of his adventure rides, an accomplished rider, thousands of unpaved miles on both bikes.
He loves both bikes, and as expected, they share little in riding experience. The Austrian is a rip snorting monster eager to devour any obstacle in its path, the Honda infinitely more civilized, etc.
He makes the case for both bikes, and happily does not pick a winner for the viewer, who may be shocked how good is the Honda overall.
If someone needs proof that a Goldilocks sized adventure bike is ideal, this is it.
IMO factories are more likely to release open class bikes for sum total one reason: the larger the engine displacement the greater is “perceived” (not real) value.
Factories need to look only to the caged world to see the case for a state of the art small/ultra high perceived and real value vehicle: For decades BMW owned the small sedan/small coupe market with their 3-Series, considered the epitome of class, style, and performance. The M3 to date is still an icon with few if any peers.
Just go ahead and release a $10k adventure bike with medium displacement engine. If the performance is there, guys will trade their Africa Twin for it, and create a halo around the entire brand.
re: “all-new”
or overbore new…?
Q: overbore new…?
A: wait, “hawk-eye” John says no.
With the chain on the left now it does seem to be new and not just overbore, wonder if they have dropped Rotax, now?
re: “wonder if they have dropped Rotax, now?
hmmmn maybe they have. i can’t see much point in incurring the massive cost to retool a whole engine program in this category (just to swap drive sides) unless of course the new engine production was being offshored to China/India and would be “cheap as chips”. that’s not the kind of ledger entry a BM accountant is going to overlook.
even seen one of the original F800 engines apart, and i don’t recall there being any limitations on bore spacing, or who knows…? maybe there was and i just don’t remember (getting old). i do recall the engine was pretty trick with a center dummy rod for balance like a Supermono.
Chain drive on the L/H side. Is this a first for BMW?
Q: Is this a first for BMW?
A: no, the G450X endurocrosser circa ’09 was a “lefty”.
37 mph at 5000 rpm in 2nd gear seems like pretty tall gearing.
Teaser vids for the most part are a complete waste of time
agreed.
Well at least we know the model is aimed towards rock climbing 20-somethings and not warehouse-party-going-hipsters! (like my T100 lol)
Yes but they do as intended, I’m sure you watched the video and you’re aware of a soon to be released new model. 😉
Not if you were about to buy the existing model and would like to see how a new machine weighs up in comparison.
Look the other way. And be quiet about it.
Just got back from riding the BMW demo’s in Daytona. I can say that the GS class was the best out there. I hope they don’t change much, it looks like they went with spoke wheels and sealed rims, which would be an improvement. My only concern would be keeping the weight down.
The F800 GS and GSA already has spoke rims, the F700 has cast.
But the current F800 rims are old tube-type. That’s the point….. currently BMW makes you choose between cast/tubeless (F700) or spoked/tubes (F800). The new bike appears to use the spoked/tubeless design of the R1200GS and this is a big improvement if so. And it appears you might get a 21″ front end with tubeless.
exactly my point.
Hope they release the GSA version sooner rather than later but they tend to wait to find the weak points of the GS and fix them on the GSA.