Think the BMW F 850 GS isn’t hardcore enough for you? Come 2019, you will have the option of a more capable baby GS – the F 850 GS Adventure. Months after a test mule was spied, BMW Motorrad has filed paperwork with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), enlisting the F 850 GS Adventure as a 2019 model.
The Adventure gets more off-road kit than the standard F 850 GS in the form of longer travel suspension, a thicker sump guard, a considerable amount of crash protection, auxiliary lights and aluminium-finish luggage panniers. A larger screen and fuel tank are also seen in plain sight in the spy images. Engine performance figures of 95hp at 8,250rpm and 92Nm of torque at 6,250rpm are identical to the standard F 850 GS, as is the 21-inch wire-spoke front wheel. With a width of 939mm (without mirrors) and a height of 1,492mm, the Adventure is wider and taller than the standard bike. The new variant is also heavier by 15kg, bringing the fully laden weight up to 244kg. Part of this increase can be attributed to the bump in fuel capacity and the extra crash protection.
When launched, the F 850 GS Adventure will go up against the Honda Africa Twin Adventure and the Triumph Tiger 800 XCx. While the parallel-twin Honda, at 998cc, enjoys a slight displacement advantage, the performance figures are very similar, with the Africa Twin churning out 94hp at 7,500rpm and 99Nm of torque at 6,000rpm. However, the Honda bike does have a trump card in the form of its Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT). The Triumph also puts out a very similar power figure, with 94hp at 9,500rpm, but its torque output of 79Nm at 8,050rpm is slightly lower than that of the competition. The Tiger, like the GS, comes with a conventional six-speed gearbox.
The standard F 750 GS and F 850 GS were launched in India at the 2018 Auto Expo in February at Rs 12.2 lakh and Rs 13.7 lakh (ex-showroom, India), respectively. The Adventure is expected to officially break cover towards the tail-end of 2018 at either EICMA or Intermot.
The updated Tiger 800 XCx currently retails in India at Rs 13.76 lakh (ex-showroom, India), with the XCa expected sometime in the future. Honda is yet to announce its India-specific plans for the Africa Twin Adventure. More details as we get them!