Head to Head 2016 BMW F800GS Adventure and 2016 Triumph Tiger 800 XCa

2016 BMW F800GS Adventure

The F800GS Adventure was first released in 2015. It comes with enduro footrests, a reinforced adjustable foot brake lever, engine protection guards and a pannier rack, as well as an underseat fuel tank that raises the capacity from 16 litres on the standard F800GS to a whopping 24 litres. Like any good BMW there are plenty of electronic factory fitted upgrades too, such as Electronic Suspension Adjustment (ESA) and Automatic Stability Control (ASC), as well as an enduro riding mode which customises the ABS and ASC settings for off-road conditions. Other optional extras include a navigator system, lockable aluminium top cases and panniers.

What it’s got

The BMW F800GS Adventure is powered by a liquid-cooled, 798cc, DOHC, parallel-twin, fuel-injected four-stroke engine with four valves per cylinder. Power runs through a six-speed constant-mesh gearbox. The front suspension is a fully adjustable Marzocchi 43mm upside down fork. The rear swingarm has a monoshock with WAD strut adjustable for preload and rebound damping. Braking is handled by two 300mm discs on the front wheel, clamped by four-piston calipers with switchable ABS. The 265mm disc at the rear is clamped by a two-piston caliper with switchable ABS. The fuel tank holds 24 litres.

Geometry

Frame: Tubular steel. Rake: 26°.

Trail: 117mm. Wheelbase: 1577mm. Seat height 860-890mm Weight: 214kg (dry). Wheels: Wire spoke rims (21-inch front and 17-inch rear).

Performance

Power: 62.5kW @ 7500rpm

Torque: 80Nm @ 5750rpm

Compression ratio: 12.0:1

Bore and stroke: 82mm x 75.8mm

Top speed: 199km/h

Fuel consumption: 4.3L/100km

Price

$18,650 (+ ORC)

2016 Triumph Tiger 800 XCa

The Triumph Tiger 800 was first released in 2011 in two variants – the XR and XC. The XR caters for touring on tar and comes with a 19-inch front and 17-inch rear cast alloy wheels, while the XC is off-road orientated with its 21-inch front and 17-inch rear wire wheels. The 2015 Tiger 800 was bestowed with ride-by-wire throttle and came in XRx and XCx versions with an option for a lower seat. There are also premium XRt and XCa Triumph Tiger models with all the fruit including heated grips, four throttle maps, cruise control, and three riding modes that pair ABS and TC settings with a throttle map for road, off-road or custom settings.

What it’s got

The Triumph Tiger 800 XCa is powered by a liquid-cooled, 799cc, DOHC, transverse-triple, fuel-injected four-stroke engine with four valves per cylinder. Power runs through a six-speed constant mesh gearbox. The front suspension is a fully adjustable WP 43mm upside down fork. The rear swingarm has a Showa monoshock with adjustable preload and rebound damping. Braking is handled by two 308mm discs on the front wheel, clamped by two-piston calipers with switchable ABS. The 255mm disc at the rear is clamped by a single-piston caliper with switchable ABS. The fuel tank holds 19 litres.

Geometry

Frame: Tubular steel. Rake: 24.3°.

Trail: 95.3mm. Wheelbase: 1545mm. Seat height: 845-865mm. Weight: 203kg (dry). Wheels: Wire spoke rims (21-inch front and 17-inch rear).

Performance

Power: 70.8kW @ 9250rpm

Torque: 79Nm @ 7850rpm

Compression ratio: 11.3:1

Bore and stroke: 74mm x 61.9mm

Top speed: 193km/h

Fuel consumption: 5.3L/100km

Price

$19,750 (+ ORC)

Most people think that BMW’s blue and white logo represents an airborne propeller derived from the Munich manufacturer’s origins in aviation. However, the ‘roundel’ is a combination of Bavaria’s flag and a logo of BMW’s founding company, Rapp Motor Works.