Is the new 2006 BMW F800S a worthy threat to the SV?

[zunkus]

Is the new 2006 BMW F800S a worthy threat to the SV?

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/Article_Page.aspx?ArticleID=2544&Page=1

Would you consider switching to it?

[Well Oiled]

Nice mid-size bike, but it won't compete on price.

[SVeeedy Gonzales]

Not much competition to anything when you can get a 2005 Jap sports litre bike for a few hundred quid more. Or two mint 2nd hand SV650s. BMW are alright but they're not THAT good for reliability and finish.

[Cloggsy]

Would you consider switching to it?

No, don't like it...

But then again...

http://www.goodwinfamily.force9.co.uk/F800S_1.jpg

It comes in Orange =P~

[wheelnut]

It looks like a well designed bike, at least it has some proper forks :P

Not sure about the belt drive and ABS though

[rob13]

it might compete on a track but in looks department its ugly compared to the SV as is the kwak. The Beemer looks like an old design of something else but i cant think what it is.

[Peter Henry]

We did chat about this a while ago and I think it looks pretty good. Likely to be a reasonable bike to ride but will have a premium price tag purely due to the name. 8)

[The Basket]

Like most BMW's, it looks like it's been designed in the dark by 10 different people. It looks ok though but half finished and rather like different bits bolted together. The Sv is far more attractive.

It's like comparing the SV650 with a Ducati Monster. Same sort of thing but not really in the same market.

The 800 will not take sales away from the 650.

[northwind]

Nah, I really like the looks... It's purposeful, and it looks engineered rather than designed, which I kind of like. That bike's going to sell to people who think the SV's perfect but too cheap or common I think.

I have to be honest, I'd be tempted- I love the SV's spec but the cheapness of it is irritating sometimes. ABS? Nice one... And with it being a NMW someone'll probably be along with a HID headlight and all the aftermarket bits you can dream of.

But it's not an SV beater or direct competitor.

[Anonymous]

It may sell well to the late 30s 40s new bikers I guess who will buy for the quality brand (rightly or wrongly, of course as reliability of BM is more italian then japanese). But what you will get is quality components (probably braided hoses etc), no chain may well appeal to many newbies (it would have done me as a mechanophobe :lol: ), and a two year warranty (noting unusual there) with pan-euro breakdown and incl travel insurance. The latter may appeal to newbies with ambitions to tour. If its anything like the F650 in reliability it could be much better than the bigger BMs. THe F650 isnt really a competitior on price when you look at it being a thumper and you could have a v-strom for same or less money but look how many of them you see.

So I agree its not a competitior to the SV but its probably a nice bike. I suppose a few BM fans may buy one as a second bike to balst around on rather than their RTs and whatever.

Now that engine in a trailie frame, now that would be interesting. A v-strom with quality components.

I dont like the design at all tho, and not the R1200S either which should be a great bike...light, bags pf low down and mid-range.

[Peter Henry]

Dr.Rich wrote:

as reliability of BM is more italian then japanese).

Err like what you saying then? :? Steady there Doc! :wink: 8)

[Sid Squid]

Nah, I really like the looks... It's purposeful, and it looks engineered rather than designed, which I kind of like. That bike's going to sell to people who think the SV's perfect but too cheap or common I think.

I have to be honest, I'd be tempted- I love the SV's spec but the cheapness of it is irritating sometimes. ABS? Nice one... And with it being a BMW someone'll probably be along with a HID headlight and all the aftermarket bits you can dream of.

The most intelligent and objective comment yet - agree entirely.

It's utterly irrelevant to criticise any machine on account of it's looks, maybe you like it - maybe you don't like it, what possible difference will this make to how good it is?

[chutz]

it sounds ok to me. I'm not a fan of BMW but that is more to my taste than their other bikes...

[The Basket]

The looks of the BMW are subjective...but it doesn't look pretty...just functional. Style and glamour is important...The likes of Ducati wouldn't sell a motorcycle otherwise.

The Bandit has ABS and so will the SV in time. The SV is a budget machine and abs will put the price up....rather ruining the point.

The SV is a budget machine sold to people on price, cheap running costs and the novelty of being a v-twin. The BMW will be pricier and for BMW fans only.

[haggis]

But the SV is also bought by people who know you don't have to spend a large sum on a full-on sportsbike to have fun. If you're a regular track addict then it's probably not on your list, and I can't see the Beemer on that list either.

The other point is that the SV has a greatly built up reputation as a newbies bike, for good reason I might add. Would a more costly BMW appeal to the majority of these buyers? I'd guess not.

I'd put it in a list with maybe a big capacity Monster or Guzzi owner.

[northwind]

'zactly, the same things that makes the spec of the SV perfect for a lot of us would also drive away a lot of more fashion-conscious riders, who don't want a "beginner's" or "girl's" bike. (others of us prefer to take their girl's bike and make the race reps look silly...). Also people who believe that you get what you pay for- the SV is known for cheap build quality after all, the higher BM price tag will convince people they're buying an unburstable Bavarian panzer, even if they're not.

I don't agree that the SV sells purely on price at all though. My budget when I got it was from C90 to GSXR1000, but after looking at all the options the one I came back to time and again was the SV. It's not just a cheap bike, if that was it then every SV rider would buy a Bandit. I got mine used for £2500, if I'd paid a grand more I'd still have been delighted with what you get for the money. It's a great wee bike in its own right.

The lassie I bought the SV from was much the same- she could have had just about any bike but she wanted a practical, mid-capacity twin that could handle and look good, and there jus weren't many out there at the time. Now there's two. I'm discounting the Kwak because it looks like it was dropped from a plane ;)

Her husband had a 748 mono but they both used the SV more, because it was good enough for most of the riding they did, easier to fix when one of them managed to bruise it, and never gave them mechanical gyp. She'd not ridden for a year after a bad crash spooked her, and she'd decided not to get back on the SV as she had no confidence on it- last I saw she had a Mille.

[zunkus]

The SV is a budget machine sold to people on price, cheap running costs and the novelty of being a v-twin. The BMW will be pricier and for BMW fans only.

I don't agree. I always thought that Suzuki should have been wiser and provided a higher spec machine and maybe call it the SVR or something to show its that bit better. The SV has one of the best V-twin engines around both in 650 and 1000 guises.

Image that an Sv with upside down forks, lighter wheels and better spech rear shock was available. Wouldn't we all drool? I disagree with it being cheap the reason we bought it.

I bought because it's the best V-twin available for the price. Value for money is not the same as cheap

[Ceri JC]

Well, if looks aren't an issue (eg it's purely a working bike), for the same money you could get a new V-strom 1000cc Grand Touring version with all the accessories already on it. I know which I'd rather have.

[creamerybutter]

Reminds me a lot of this:

http://www.matfys.lth.se/Niclas.Danielsson/pictures/MCbilder/yamaha_trx850_800.jpg

I'm not a fan of it's looks but I wouldn't discount it on those grounds but when I come to move on from the SV I'm going for a triple (probably).

[Ceri JC]

Reminds me a lot of this:

http://www.matfys.lth.se/Niclas.Danielsson/pictures/MCbilder/yamaha_trx850_800.jpg

I'm not a fan of it's looks but I wouldn't discount it on those grounds but when I come to move on from the SV I'm going for a triple (probably).

Someone wrote in to Bike to point out the same thing :)

[northwind]

Not so much inspiration as actual theft ;)

[The Basket]

I don't think the BMW is based on the TRX.

I like the TRX :)