popipants
Race Dog
This report is slightly over due. So here goes...
Last year after the Kubu Island trip I decided it is time for a change so I sold old faithful (1150GSA) and bough an 800GS.
My reasoning was that my wife hardly every rides with me anymore (she is babysitting) and I wanted some-thing smaller and lighter for the technical bits.
Those who followed my buying thread would know I choose between a 990 and the 800. After two unsuccessful test rides on the KTM and some shitty pre-sales service I ordered the 800 from Hentie (who delivered to my house the next day!! :deal: :deal: :deal: :deal
Not having ridden much the last year I have not done the whole 1150 vs 800 thing. But after doing 5000km thought Namibia the last 13 days I think I’m now qualified.
Especially since I did a similar trip with the GSA 4 years ago.
Mods I made to the 800.
Wild@hart crash bars
Akro Exaust
Brake fluid protector
Handle Bar raisers
Big foot
Head light protector
Panniers + Luggage plate
Touratech bash plate and toolbox
My comments
On tar – Trans Kalahari. Anybody who has done this knows what I’m talking about.
I missed the screen and general wind protection the GSA gave. The 800 you seem to get tired more quickly due the lack of protection.
There have been a lot of people complaining about the 800 seat. But I did not find it any worse than the GSA. My ass got soar on both!!
Doing 700+ km in a day your ass will get sore. The fuel range of the 800 was an issue but it was solved with a 10 litre jerry can on the back seat.
The 800 gave such good fuel consumption that the 16 + 10 litres would give me an easy 450+ range. Over the 500k km I averaged 4.9.
I missed the Pod’s – for putting my feet on when I’m tired
On dirt. This includes dirt highways and some technical stuff like rocks and sand.
The 800 was awesome. In riverbeds and high speed sand roads the 800 was a lot better than the GSA. It seemed to track a lot more straight and I got a lot less wobbles (and underpants skid marks). Because of the weight I also got a lot less tired riding in thick sand and I did not get stuck once.
Where I had deflated the GSA’s tires to 1.2 bar I kept the 800’s tire pressure to 2 bar the whole trip. I never deflated.
When I lost my balance in the river beds and had to stop. It was easy to get going again. The GSA tended to get stuck when pulling away in thick sand. On the rocks I missed the 1150’s short first gear. The 800 stalls very easily. But in sand the 800’s longer great suited me better. I could go faster before shifting to 2nd. That made the shifting easier, because I normally lose my balance when I go to 2nd.
The point of no return is also a lot lower on the 800, so you not fall over so easily in slow soft sand.
The 800’s engine breaking is a bit of a problem, if you have got the revs up you need to watch your throttle hand, because closing the throttle suddenly will make in fall over the screen.
The front suspension has been an issue for most 800 owners (and KTM owners). I honestly cannot understand way, the front is on the soft side and could be improved BUT I do not think it is a must do or makes the bike "lewens gevaarlik". On the entire trip I bottomed the front only once when I hit a wash away at about 90 km/h. But most bikes would have bottomed there. I also bottomed the rear twice going through fast the woops.
That is a lot less than the GSA. I used to have to slow down a lot more for the little riverbed crossings with the GSA to stop it bottoming out. The 800 took most of those without any problems. In about 2000 km of Namibian dirt I did not get a tank slapper once. My average speed was between 85 – 110 and on the odd occasion I went to 140. The bike was dead stable, even with panniers.
On dirt I loved the short screen; it doesn't interfere with you seeing the road even when very dirty.
In general the 800 was a lot easier to handle than the GSA. It stands on the side stand a lot more upright than the GSA. Meaning you did not have to watch where you parked and what gradient the slope is.
Have you ever tried to get on (and off) a GSA with panniers parked on a left hand gradient?!? Very tricky.
In general; parking the bike, getting on and off and reversing out of parking’s and refuelling was a lot less of mission than the GSA. It was a very easy bike to live with for 13 days.
The chain on the 800 is annoying, because it needed oil half way thought the trip. Luckily the tubes vs tubeless weren’t an issue because I never got a flat.
The 800 is not as comfortable standing as the GSA was. I find it ok when going slow, but any speed above 80 km/h it gets uncomfortable; it feels like I’m standing with my legs to far apart.atch: atch: atch: atch:
So do I miss my GSA…sometimes…sometimes not. :ricky: :ricky: :ricky: :ricky: :ricky:
Last year after the Kubu Island trip I decided it is time for a change so I sold old faithful (1150GSA) and bough an 800GS.
My reasoning was that my wife hardly every rides with me anymore (she is babysitting) and I wanted some-thing smaller and lighter for the technical bits.
Those who followed my buying thread would know I choose between a 990 and the 800. After two unsuccessful test rides on the KTM and some shitty pre-sales service I ordered the 800 from Hentie (who delivered to my house the next day!! :deal: :deal: :deal: :deal
Not having ridden much the last year I have not done the whole 1150 vs 800 thing. But after doing 5000km thought Namibia the last 13 days I think I’m now qualified.
Especially since I did a similar trip with the GSA 4 years ago.
Mods I made to the 800.
Wild@hart crash bars
Akro Exaust
Brake fluid protector
Handle Bar raisers
Big foot
Head light protector
Panniers + Luggage plate
Touratech bash plate and toolbox
My comments
On tar – Trans Kalahari. Anybody who has done this knows what I’m talking about.
I missed the screen and general wind protection the GSA gave. The 800 you seem to get tired more quickly due the lack of protection.
There have been a lot of people complaining about the 800 seat. But I did not find it any worse than the GSA. My ass got soar on both!!
Doing 700+ km in a day your ass will get sore. The fuel range of the 800 was an issue but it was solved with a 10 litre jerry can on the back seat.
The 800 gave such good fuel consumption that the 16 + 10 litres would give me an easy 450+ range. Over the 500k km I averaged 4.9.
I missed the Pod’s – for putting my feet on when I’m tired
On dirt. This includes dirt highways and some technical stuff like rocks and sand.
The 800 was awesome. In riverbeds and high speed sand roads the 800 was a lot better than the GSA. It seemed to track a lot more straight and I got a lot less wobbles (and underpants skid marks). Because of the weight I also got a lot less tired riding in thick sand and I did not get stuck once.
Where I had deflated the GSA’s tires to 1.2 bar I kept the 800’s tire pressure to 2 bar the whole trip. I never deflated.
When I lost my balance in the river beds and had to stop. It was easy to get going again. The GSA tended to get stuck when pulling away in thick sand. On the rocks I missed the 1150’s short first gear. The 800 stalls very easily. But in sand the 800’s longer great suited me better. I could go faster before shifting to 2nd. That made the shifting easier, because I normally lose my balance when I go to 2nd.
The point of no return is also a lot lower on the 800, so you not fall over so easily in slow soft sand.
The 800’s engine breaking is a bit of a problem, if you have got the revs up you need to watch your throttle hand, because closing the throttle suddenly will make in fall over the screen.
The front suspension has been an issue for most 800 owners (and KTM owners). I honestly cannot understand way, the front is on the soft side and could be improved BUT I do not think it is a must do or makes the bike "lewens gevaarlik". On the entire trip I bottomed the front only once when I hit a wash away at about 90 km/h. But most bikes would have bottomed there. I also bottomed the rear twice going through fast the woops.
That is a lot less than the GSA. I used to have to slow down a lot more for the little riverbed crossings with the GSA to stop it bottoming out. The 800 took most of those without any problems. In about 2000 km of Namibian dirt I did not get a tank slapper once. My average speed was between 85 – 110 and on the odd occasion I went to 140. The bike was dead stable, even with panniers.
On dirt I loved the short screen; it doesn't interfere with you seeing the road even when very dirty.
In general the 800 was a lot easier to handle than the GSA. It stands on the side stand a lot more upright than the GSA. Meaning you did not have to watch where you parked and what gradient the slope is.
Have you ever tried to get on (and off) a GSA with panniers parked on a left hand gradient?!? Very tricky.
In general; parking the bike, getting on and off and reversing out of parking’s and refuelling was a lot less of mission than the GSA. It was a very easy bike to live with for 13 days.
The chain on the 800 is annoying, because it needed oil half way thought the trip. Luckily the tubes vs tubeless weren’t an issue because I never got a flat.
The 800 is not as comfortable standing as the GSA was. I find it ok when going slow, but any speed above 80 km/h it gets uncomfortable; it feels like I’m standing with my legs to far apart.
atch: atch: atch: atch:So do I miss my GSA…sometimes…sometimes not. :ricky: :ricky: :ricky: :ricky: :ricky:
