The 2019 BMW F 850 GS may have more power, greater ground clearance and tons of electronic whiz-bangs, but is it really worth the upgrade from the original F 800 GS? Photo by the author.
Dang! Just when I thought my first-year F 800 GS was perfectly set up I spent a week on a 2019 F 850 GS in the Premium (“soup to nuts”) configuration. Having upgraded my suspension with Traxxion Dynamics fork internals, and a HyperPro rear shock, then adding a Scott’s steering damper (read: lifesaver), AltRider body protection, a Sargent seat and other goodies, I figured my GS was tricked out nicely. Over the past 60,000 miles, we’ve worked quite well together. Then here comes BMW with a brand new bike for their middleweight adventure slot. Do I need one?
It’s the 850’s new engine that I find most appealing. The whizzy doo-dads like dynamic traction control, electronic suspension adjustment, various riding modes, ABS Pro, keyless ignition and tire pressure monitoring have their place, but I’ve survived several decades of dual-sport and adventure riding without them. And though I was able to strafe my rocky test road with more speed and confidence using the 850’s electronic suspension helpers, most of my adventuring isn’t at a blitzkrieg pace. For newer riders, I see the technology advances as beneficial for making the sport more accessible and the learning curve less painful.
The one electronic goodie I do covet is cruise control, made possible by throttle-by-wire technology. The Kaoko throttle lock on my GS does its job well, but set-and-forget cruise control is a serious step up in long haul comfort. Having endured a couple of 600-mile days on a recent trip, I know precisely how much better my right shoulder and wrist would have felt with a set/resume button at my fingertips.
The F 850 GS’s electronic suspension soaked up the bumps on this rocky dirt road. Photo by the author.
Another plus for the 850 is its tubeless-capable rims, claimed to be stronger than the much-maligned hoops on my 800. It’s not their strength I want–I’ve bashed into plenty of rocks and ruts without bending a rim–it’s the convenience of fixing flats with a plug.
About that motor: per BMW specs, the 850 has five more horsepower and two lb-ft more torque, both coming in around 500 rpm higher that the 800’s maximums. The 850 revs more quickly though, creating a sensation of greater gains (and wider grins). A 270/540-degree firing order gives the mill a more substantial feeling than the legacy 360-degree design, while the counterbalancer eliminates the 800’s slight buzz. Instead, the motor emits a subdued lower frequency vibe that rumbles through the pegs, bars, seat and tank, an almost appealing lumpiness that seems to say “Wick it up, bro. I’m ready.”
On-road the F 850 GS is planted and comfortable, and the author especially appreciated the electronic cruise control. Photo by Steve Yates.
BMW has also played with the gear ratios, lowering 1stthrough 4th gears and raising 5thand 6th. Sixth feels like a real overdrive now, whereas on the 800 it was too low for comfortable interstate cruising. An extra tooth on the countershaft sprocket fixed that on my GS, and if my math is correct it gives me nearly the same ratio as the 850 in top gear. Paired with a bullet-proof clutch, the slightly relaxed gearing has worked for me in the most delicate situations.
The 850’s full-color TFT instrument panel is a splashy upgrade over my bike’s analog/digital unit, featuring numerous screens of data about the machine. Unfortunately, the simple task of resetting the tripmeter requires futzing with two thumb controls and drilling down multiple levels to the correct screen–not what I want to do at every gas stop.
I welcome BMW’s change to an industry standard push-to-cancel turn signal unit from their old and clumsy three-switches-are-better-than-one standard. But all the new wizardry requires more and smaller handlebar switches, with mixed results. The riding mode button is convenient, where the heated grips one is a reach. Changing display screens is easy, but hitting the high beams requires reaching around the left cluster and flicking a small switch outward with a gloved finger. Perhaps BMW’s development riders all have long, thin fingers.
Bright LED headlight, hand guards, plastic belly pan and small, serrated footpegs are all standard on the 2019 BMW F 850 GS. Photo by Steve Yates.
There’s also a short list of where I feel BMW failed in the upgrade. The gas tank, now between the rider’s legs instead of under his or her bum, is handier for filling, but holds less fuel. In spite of a claimed 57 mpg, I can’t believe anyone who’s keeping up with Interstate traffic will see 200 miles from a tank of gas on the 850. And it appears that wizardry adds weight–the 850 has porked out, besting the 800 by 50 pounds. You won’t feel the difference while riding, but it materializes immediately when the bike topples over.
Some components will need replacing upon delivery. The footpegs, which have an adventure-ready serrated surface, are much too narrow for extended periods of standing–my arches complained after half an hour. Down below, the plastic bash plate invites expensive repairs, in spite of the 850 gaining over an inch of ground clearance over the legacy model. This is a $17,000 motorcycle that’s jam-packed with electronic goodies and you still have to cough up a couple bills for decent underbelly protection. In that way, it’s exactly like my 800.
From where I sit on my trusty steed, the 850 offers some big improvements and stacks up better to its middleweight competition, while also failing in some key areas–mainly weight and range. And although the new motor, wheels and suspension make a tempting combo, my 800 has proven itself a faithful, reliable partner in my adventures, and not one I will cast aside anytime soon.
BMW’s best-selling touring bike becomes the R 1250 RT for 2019, with more engine displacement and ShiftCam variable valve timing. (Photos by Kevin Wing)
The time for big changes to your best-selling motorcycle models is generally not when their sales are on the upswing, and BMW knows this as well as anyone else. It moved about 3 percent more bikes in the U.S. last year in a mostly flat market than in 2017, with just three twin-cylinder models responsible for 37 percent of the total: the R 1200 GS, R 1200 GS Adventure (GSA) and R 1200 RT. As anyone who owns one can attest, these bikes have become very, very good at their missions, whether it’s knocking out 300 miles of Backcountry Discovery Route on a GS or GSA adventure bike or reaching the end of a 3,000-mile sport-touring ride on an RT ready for 3,000 more.
All five oil/liquid-cooled BMW boxers get the 1250 twin for 2019, including the R 1250 GS adventure bike, which also has an updated rider interface and electronics.
So, if it ain’t broke…you only mess with it if necessary. More powerful competition like the KTM 1290s certainly qualify as a motivator for change to the R 1200s, but not a “have to” when sales are good. On the other hand, tougher Euro 5 emissions standards that take effect January 1, 2020, are definitely a have to. BMW has decided to tick both boxes early, by adding 84cc more engine displacement for more power overall and ShiftCam technology to the new 2019 R 1250 engine’s valve train, a form of variable valve timing that broadens the powerband, increases fuel efficiency and decreases emissions. All five larger oil/liquid-cooled R 1250 boxer models (GS, GSA, RT, R and RS) get ShiftCam for 2019, in fact, and related changes such as toothed silent cam chains (previously roller chains), an optimized oil supply, twin-jet injection valves and a new exhaust system. To sweeten the deal there are some nice styling, suspension and electronic upgrades to the bikes as well.
It’s hard to imagine the R 1250 twin’s intake cams sliding back and forth unnoticed by the rider, but they do, in 2-5 milliseconds and at 5,000 rpm or less depending on load.
Common in the automotive world where economies of scale and more engine elbow room make it easier to implement, variable valve timing is still pretty rare in motorcycles, but as emissions regs tighten we’re likely to see it more often. Honda’s VTEC was first—on the Japanese market 1983 CB400F—followed by the 2002 VFR800 VTEC, and lately Suzuki, Ducati and Kawasaki have all used a form of VVT in a single model. BMW’s system is unique in that—rather than only opening two of four valves at lower rpm, or partly rotating the intake cam independently of the crankshaft to advance or retard the valve timing—ShiftCam slides or “shifts” the boxer engine’s intake cams sideways at midrange rpm, engaging side-by-side partial- or full-load cam lobes as needed. Electronic actuators in the cylinder heads shoot a pin into one of a pair of curved ramps on the cams, shifting it to full load mode at 5,000 rpm no matter what, or at lower engine speeds based on load. The shift happens in 2-5 milliseconds and is undetectable, other than a useful extra gob of smooth grunt at low rpm, noticeably more power on top and a tiny bit more mechanical noise. BMW claims the jump from 1,170cc to 1,254cc and ShiftCam raise output over the entire R 1250 powerband, with 9-percent more horsepower peak (136 at 7,750 rpm) and 14-percent more torque (105 lb-ft at 6,250 rpm). At the same time fuel economy is said to be 6-percent better, the minimum fuel octane requirement has been lowered to 87 AKI and the bikes all meet Euro 5.
New cylinder head covers and exhaust manifold routing are a giveaway that this is an R 1250. Time for a new nickname–pointy head, perhaps?
Since they’re its best sellers here, BMW launched the R 1250 GS, GSA and RT at a single event in Palm Springs, California, where we could take advantage of some sandy and challenging desert dirt roads on the GS models, and lightly trafficked mountain and desert highways for some RT peg scraping. I also rode an RT away from the event, and we picked up an R 1250 GS Exclusive for some further testing, so we’ll update this story with dyno and fuel economy numbers soon. In addition to ShiftCam 1,254cc engines, all three bikes enjoy some other new features I’ll address here, but for greater technical detail on each model refer to the following:
The GS models at the launch were shod with Continental TKC 80 DOT knobbies, a no-cost option we genuinely appreciated in the sandy bits.
The R 1200 GS series is popular because of its Swiss Army knife-like versatility—it’s not just a big dual-sport capable of tackling some pretty gnarly dirt in the right hands, or even just easy dirt roads connecting pavement—it’s also a great sport-touring bike, commuter and corner carver. For many it’s the one bike that does it all…unless of course it’s too tall for you and you don’t ride off-road, in which case the R RT is a better choice. With its lower seat height, excellent wind protection, comfort and handling, the dream of many a BMW enthusiast is to have both it and a GS in the garage.
Little has changed in the RT’s cockpit for 2019, yet it’s still among the most functional in its class.
For 2019 the R 1250 GS and RT add Hill Start Control (HSC) to the list of standard electronic features that includes two riding modes—Road and Rain—and Automatic Stability Control (ASC), or basic traction control. HSC holds the bike in place on hills when you release the brakes, making it easier to start out.
We had a fair amount of rain on the second riding day of the launch, a good time to be on an RT with its highly effective electric windscreen, protective fairing and heated grips and seats.
The RT also benefits from standard ABS Pro for 2019, essentially cornering ABS, which is still part of the optional Ride Modes Pro package for the GS. Other Ride Modes Pro functions for both bikes include an additional Dynamic ride mode, Dynamic Traction Control (DTC), and new Dynamic Brake Control (DBC), which prevents throttle application under hard rear-wheel braking. The GS also gets Dynamic Pro, Enduro and Enduro Pro riding modes and HSC Pro. DTC works in corners, and the “Pro” suffix basically allows more user control over the brakes and suspension. And if you’re not confused by all of that, you’re better off than most of us.
Large, bright 6.5-inch TFT display is new to the GS and GSA. It’s many functions and information include media, smartphone and navigation connectivity, and it’s all controlled with your thumb on the left grip.
All of this is displayed on a bright and easy-to-use 5.7-inch TFT display on the RT that returns unchanged for 2019, but the GS and GSA get new tablet-sized 6.5-inch TFTs with Navigation, Media and Smartphone app Bluetooth connectivity and enough menu options and information to launch the space shuttle. Once you figure it all out, zipping through all of the selections is quick and easy with the Multi-Controller wheel on the left bar.
Tubeless cross-spoke wheels are standard on the GS Adventure, or a $500 option on the GS. BMW’s excellent front clampers are partially integrated with the rear brake.
As before changes to the riding modes make complementary changes to the optional Dynamic Electronic Suspension Adjustment (D-ESA), which can be customized, and the Auto Leveling preload function introduced on the GS for 2017 has been added to the RT. This eliminates the need to make preload changes, say, when a passenger climbs on, and can be overridden with MIN and MAX preload settings on both bikes.
GS models come with drop-on top case and saddlebag mounts for its Vario hard plastic luggage line, which expands with a lever to hold more gear.
BMW is fond of equipment “packages” that tend to find their way onto most of the bikes sold in the U.S., such as Select, Premium, Exclusive and HP Motorsport packages that include things like Keyless Locking, no-cost high or low seats, special wheels, GPS, TPMS, billet items and more. It’s not easy to find “base” models of the typical BMW motorcycle in the U.S. in fact, but most of the options are pretty desirable even if they tack on cost.
Chief advantages of the GSA include a larger 7.9-gallon fuel tank, more suspension travel, a larger windscreen, protection bars and luggage racks. It’s ready for a long ride, but tips the scales at nearly 600 pounds fully gassed.
Forgetting about all of the bells and whistles, though, just how well do the new 2019 R 1250 GS, GSA and RT work? I started out in Palm Springs on a GSA, and was immediately pleased to find a new low adjustment position for its rider’s seat, letting me at least get the balls of my feet on the ground now, and I have a 29-inch inseam. Once I got the “dongle” installed under the seat that enables all of the “Pro” functions of the ride modes, I fiddled with the larger new display for a while but decided it could wait until lunch and kept my eye on the traffic and our group leader, who was in a serious hurry to get to the dirt section. The increased power, acceleration, smoother power delivery and throaty exhaust bark of the new engine is quite welcome, and on the road the Dynamic ESA works really well with the longer-travel suspension of the GSA to provide a soft but well-controlled ride.
A skilled rider can ride the big GS and GSA like a dirt bike off-road, but mere mortals are advised to pilot one more like a Jeep–slow and steady wins the race.
Stopping just long enough to make sure we had switched to Enduro Pro ride mode, which allows locking the real wheel, we blasted down an old two-track dirt road which became sandier and rockier as we went, until I was all eyeballs and sweat maneuvering the big GSA with its 7.9-gallon gas tank. Fortunately BMW had equipped all of the GS models with Continental TKC 80 50/50 dirt/street tires that provided good grip, especially in corners, and the additional low-end power of the new engine really helps in the tight stuff. Later on I got some seat time on a regular GS and found that both it and the GSA comport themselves very well on-road, too, with the standard model getting the nod on the street for its lower weight and seat heights. Mission creep has affected their wet weights over the years, however, and our R 1250 GS Exclusive tipped the scales at 570 pounds, a 31-pound gain over our 2013 R 1200 GS test bike. At a claimed 591 pounds the GSA is up by at least 10 pounds for ShiftCam, probably more, but we don’t have an apples-to-apples comparison.
R 1250 RTs can come with Bridgestone, Metzeler or Michelin rubber from the factory. We’ve experienced the most stability with the Michelin Pilot Road 4s.
The R 1250 RT has received fewer changes for 2019 than BMW’s best-selling GS models, but it’s become so refined that every time I ride one I start counting my pennies. The bike benefits nicely from the new ShiftCam engine, too, especially in low-speed maneuvers with its smoother power delivery, and when you’re really caning it, as we did on the winding Pines-to-Palms Highway and the racetrack-like twisting descent to Borrego Springs on Montezuma Valley Road. I left the bike’s ESA settings on Road and Auto Level most of the time, except in the fastest corners where Dynamic damping cleared up a tendency for the bike to wallow a bit. Otherwise the RT retains its former prowess in all sport-touring matters, and has only gained about 10 pounds. BMW should update the RT’s Bluetooth and audio connectivity from the 2014 spec to something like the new GS models, and work on making upshifting smoother with its Quickshifter, but beyond that I had difficulty finding fault with this marvelous sport-touring machine.
With a few exceptions the 2019 R 1250s are changed where it’s needed, and the same where it’s not, maintaining a high level of performance in a shifting world. We’ll append fuel economy and dyno figures to this post ASAP.
2019 BMW R 1250 RT
2019 BMW R 1250 RT Specs Base Price: $18,645 Price as Tested: $25,445 (Mars Red Metallic/Dark Slate Metallic Matte w/ Sport & Select Packages) Warranty: 3 yrs., 36,000 miles Website:bmwmotorcycles.com
The Nmoto Nostalgia is based on the BMW R nineT. Photo courtesy Nmoto.
After its successful debut at the New York International Motorcycle Show in December, the Nmoto Nostalgia project is now entering limited production.
The Nmoto Nostalgia is a one-of-a-kind endeavor to capture the ambition of the legendary BMW R7. With the comfortable suspension and unique steering mechanisms encased in a canonical design inspired by the BMW R7 pre-war prototype, the Nostalgia motorcycle gives enthusiasts a slice of the past without sacrificing performance or rider experience.
The core of the Nostalgia is a modern BMW R Nine T, outfitted with 96 handcrafted pieces. This includes more than 11 premium parts from reputable aftermarket companies. Constructed primarily of aircraft-grade aluminum, the Nostalgia motorcycles are lighter than a stock R Nine T and the original 1934 prototype. Modern technology also provides more power and maneuverability so riders get the best of both worlds – Art Deco design and looks with contemporary performance and reliability.
Enthusiasts and collectors know that vintage motorcycles require constant maintenance and attention, which is why they are more often kept as collectibles than for utility. Nmoto believes that the primary pleasure in motorcycle ownership is in riding, which is why they created the Nmoto Nostalgia. Beyond just being beautiful and wholly distinct, it’s reliable, safe and comfortable enough to ride every single day.
“The response in New York was tremendous,” said Nmoto founder Alexander Niznik. “We had a lot of interest from the public and the media, a lot of positive feedback, and we’re already taking orders, including from famed musician Billy Joel and renowned BMW historian Peter Nettesheim.”
Available in a limited production series, orders are now being taken with a finished base price of $49,500 and an expected wait time of 3 to 6 months. For more details and information, visit nmoto.com.
Bigger doesn’t always mean better, and fortunately for those of us looking for a fun, affordable motorcycle there are more choices than ever. Nearly every manufacturer now offers at least one model that will fit just about any rider’s size and/or budget.
Scroll down for Rider’s 2019 list of Best Bikes for Smaller Riders and Budgets. When possible we’ve included a link to our review, making it easy for you to get a real ride evaluation. We’ve also included the 2019 model year’s U.S. base MSRP (as of publication), seat height and claimed wet weight (when a wet weight was not available from the manufacturer, the claimed dry weight is listed). For more details, you can read our review, which includes comprehensive specs, or click on the bike’s name to be taken directly to the manufacturer’s page.
BMW F 750 GS
2019 BMW F 750 GS (Photo by Kevin Wing)
BMW F 750 GS
$10,395
32.1-inch seat w/ optional 31.1-inch seat or 30.3-inch seat
493 lbs.
