I can wholeheartedly say
that, straight up, the new
engine is excellent. It’s quick,
responsive, smooth and very
torquey for its 853cc capacity
The 850 comes with shift-assist, which I’m
in two minds about. Yes, it’s fun to use when
you’re in ‘road race’ mode in the twisties, but is
it really necessary on an adventure bike? When
riding offroad the clutch is always your friend…
which kind of renders the shift-assist pointless
and it adds a complexity which could be hard
to fix if it fails, particularly when exploring
beyond the black stamp…as adventure bikes
are meant to do. Then again, it’s these ‘toys’
which manufacturers are increasingly having to
target at potential customers – if the premium
competition has a certain ‘toy’, then it’d be sales
suicide not to have it on your own machine.
I can wholeheartedly say that, straight up, the
new engine is excellent. It’s quick, responsive,
smooth and very torquey for its 853cc capacity.
BMW claims 4.1l/100km for the new bike,
which combined with the 15 litre tank gives a
maximum range from full to empty of 365km.
I loved Dynamic power mode and used it all
the time – it’s certainly useable in all conditions.
The only slight negative is that, perhaps for
some, it might be a touch too snappy power-
wise to get truly great traction in an offroad
situation, but, let’s be honest here, 90% of
riders seldom venture far from the tar seal
and a few gravel roads. Plus it’s a hoot on the
gravel with the TC off, even with full road tyres.
Now, does that shoot down my foot-peg and
shift-assist argument too? Of course, there
are less powerful engine modes specifically
designed for the task at hand. They are Rain,
Road, Enduro and Dynamic. With each different
power mode selection, a corresponding
rear suspension setting is automatically
electronically selected for you too. For example,
Road mode offers a plusher more comfortable
ride while not feeling as taut and controlled
as Dynamic. Of course, for offroad riding you
can select Enduro mode, which reduces power
significantly. But I like to have full power at
my wrist all the time and be in control of such
things. Maybe I’m just old fashioned... but, for
me, the throttle has always gone both ways.