While it’s instantly recognisable as a BMW GS, don’t be fooled into thinking this is a minor update. The next-gen F800GS and F700GS will be completely new bikes with clean-sheet redesigns of the engine, chassis, transmission, suspension and styling.
The engine is the most notable change. While still a parallel twin, water-cooled, DOHC design, it looks like nothing is carried over. Notably, its entire layout is reversed. The old F800 engine had its clutch on the left-hand side and the drive sprocket and chain on the right – a relatively unusual arrangement. The new motor is more conventionally designed with a left-hand chain and the clutch cover clearly visible on the right.
What we don’t know is the bike’s engine size. At the moment, the F700 and F800 models actually share the same 798cc capacity. The ‘smaller’ F700 is simply in a different state of tune to give less power (55kW vs 63kW). There’s talk that the next-gen model will be upsized, while the F700GS is set to become an ‘F750GS’. But given that the outside dimensions of the engines will be identical regardless, there’s little to be gained from shrinking the capacity for the cheaper bike. Instead it’s likely the existing tactic of using alternate states of tune is likely to continue.
Engine aside, the new bikes both get aluminium beam frames to replace the existing steel trellis-style chassis. And both appear to have conventionally positioned fuel tanks rather than the under-seat tanks of the existing models.
By Ben Purvis
