08-09-2020, 08:11 AM
To Ferret’s point, all F800GT engines were made in Austria by Rotax but the bikes were assembled at the BMW factory in Spandau, Germany (Berlin). The F850 and F900 engines are made in China by Loncin but the bikes are assembled in Berlin. All F800-series engines have counter-balancers, but they’re twins, not fours, so they do vibrate more than a Japanese four (mostly at higher revs — 80+ mph).
The F850GS that I rode in the Alps last summer felt stronger and smoother than my F800GT. I really liked it. I’ve not ridden an F900 yet but BMW is not offering belt drive on these models and I think the styling is a bit weird. I’m not sure where stories of poor reliability come from - there’s nothing inherently unreliable about these bikes. My 2013 has only been to the shop once in the seven years that I’ve owned it, and that was to change the brake fluid.
The F850GS that I rode in the Alps last summer felt stronger and smoother than my F800GT. I really liked it. I’ve not ridden an F900 yet but BMW is not offering belt drive on these models and I think the styling is a bit weird. I’m not sure where stories of poor reliability come from - there’s nothing inherently unreliable about these bikes. My 2013 has only been to the shop once in the seven years that I’ve owned it, and that was to change the brake fluid.