[sharkbait]

Here's the official video of the bikes from BMW.
Holy shit those bikes look amazing.
Can't wait for them to get here. Worth waiting out for if you ask me. It's either this or the new colour scheme Africa Twin for me. Price point and launch dates are the only factors that's going to tip me in either direction.

https://youtu.be/Pab6NdrFn-c

[rajushank84]

I was hoping this time they match the horsepower of the F7 with the horsepower of the

I like the F8 but don't care for its 21" spoke wheels. Much prefer the 19" alloys on the F7. I don't see why the road-going version should have lower hp.

I also hope they introduce an F850R. That would be dope.

I shouldn't have sold the first one.

[nambiarshreyas]

Bmw motorrad launches bookings for the f750gs and f850gs according to zigwheels. Interesting pricing, taking the fight into tiger territory. 12.2 lakhs and 13.7 lakhs ex-showroom respectively.

[Nilesh5417]

Originally Posted by nambiarshreyas

Bmw motorrad launches bookings for the f750gs and f850gs according to zigwheels. Interesting pricing, taking the fight into tiger territory. 12.2 lakhs and 13.7 lakhs ex-showroom respectively.

I think the F750 is priced 2lacs higher than where it should be and the F850 should have been at the price point of F750. These are ex-show room prices so adding a couple of lacs more for OTR blows them out of the park. I understand BMW thinks it can command a premium but if that translates to wows on the net with limited sales, hows it helping their cause i wonder. The Tiger 800 itself seems overpriced to me and now these.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by Nilesh5417

The Tiger 800 itself seems overpriced to me and now these.

Interesting. I thought they got the pricing ok. Tiger 800 was the competition anyways and the BMW brand certainly commands more brand pull in the market IMO.

[Axe77]

Even at current pricing, the 1200 GS are flying out of the showrooms. I know of at least 6 purchases in Bombay in the last 3-4 months. Mostly HD riders switching. This is from information from my triumph and friend's Harley group only.

I think if they match the Tigers on price, they would still do very well. Depending on how the new 800s compare to the BMWs at same price each will find its own taker.

[sharkbait]

Following up the Auto Expo and post discussions with the BMW guys, I had almost given up my pursuit of the F850gs. No matter how desperate I am for this motorcycle I am not going to be MADE to pay almost double of what everyone else pays around the world for the same bike just cause I was born in this country and live and work here. God dammit, 30%+ of my income leaves my bank balance every year anyways.

This morning though, the govt seems to have listened and have thrown me and other folks like me a V-Day gift. They just announced a 50%+ slash of taxes on CBU's.

https://m.timesofindia.com/business/...w/62900709.cms

I hope BMW quickly revises their prices and sends out info on the new price points. Either that, or they better start assembling the bikes in Hosur, Bangalore through the CKD route to impress upon guys who have no intention on paying double for no reason.

Fingers crossed.

[rajushank84]

Originally Posted by sharkbait

No matter how desperate I am for this motorcycle I am not going to be MADE to pay almost double of what everyone else pays around the world for the same bike just cause I was born in this country and live and work here.

I agree, and I think most of the companies are making a huge mistake in not locally building and launching big displacement bikes in India. I know the popular theory is that there isn't a big enough market for it, but I completely disagree. India loves bikes, and a lot of India is rich. Even in the segments that aren't rich, there are people who take five year loans - and forego car ownership - just to have a proper sports bike.

I'm really confused as to why TVS and Bajaj haven't launched big-displacement bikes yet. It can't be that they lack the capability. Its almost like, these companies classify buyers as either super-rich celebrities who will pay tens of lakhs of rupees or working-class commuters who want 70kmpl from their commuter bikes. I feel like they are missing out on everything in between, which includes a very real segment that wants performance bikes at 5-6 lakhs.

I have the fortune of living in USA for now (a situation that will change, but that's off topic). Last year I test-rode a ZX10R that had been marked down to $10K out the door. I was tempted by the price, but it got me thinking, why isn't there a comparable Bajaj for the same price? Even if you ignore the real PPP (Purchasing Power Parity) which I think is around Rs.12 to a dollar, and go with the actual conversion rate of Rs.63-64, if this bike had been placed in a showroom in India it would be gone pretty quickly.

[sharkbait]

Originally Posted by rajushank84

I agree, and I think most of the companies are making a huge mistake in not locally building and launching big displacement bikes in India.

Couldn't agree with you more. If the GS was priced at say 10 lakhs OTR, I'd buy two. One for myself and one for my brother. Not bragging but there's nothing that bike (or this country) offers that suddenly makes it worth twice the amount of money.

To add insult to injury, I think they have a plant in Thailand too. Could have manufactured and imported from there cause we have a free trade agreement with that country. Although most GS's are meant to be built in their main plant. They have a partnership with TVS at their plant in Bangalore. They share so much tech with them that they built the 310 series with them. Yet they can't figure assembling these bikes locally.

So many options and yet they go with the one that yeilds them (and the govt) the most money. I think this is just down right lazy behaviour.

You have an entire population of middle class and upper middle class individuals who are aspirational, have the ability to make it work and who have been on two wheels for most part of their lives looking forward to owning and touring the length and breadth of this beautiful country comfortably and then you have these idiotic manufacturers who miss the plot. I just don't get it.

I mean we got our first "adventure tourer" from Royal Enfield with 410cc displacement and a chassis that would find it hard to keep up in locations it's named after 15 years too late. As ridiculous as this sounds, the market here is ripe for a company like Reliance (who I genuinely hate for their substandard products and services) to come and disrupt this space big time. Atleast that would make sales heads and company heads sit up and take note. For what it's worth, thanks to Jio or I'd still be paying 1k+ for basic internet on my phone!

God dammit.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by sharkbait

This morning though, the govt seems to have listened and have thrown me and other folks like me a V-Day gift. They just announced a 50%+ slash of taxes on CBU's.

I hope BMW quickly revises their prices and sends out info on the new price points. Either that, or they better start assembling the bikes in Hosur, Bangalore through the CKD route to impress upon guys who have no intention on paying double for no reason.

Fingers crossed.

Prices should be revised for most CBUs soon. For the likes of 750 and 850GS, the customs duty would have fallen from 75% to 50%. That's rather significant.

Originally Posted by rajushank84

I know the popular theory is that there isn't a big enough market for it, but I completely disagree. India loves bikes, and a lot of India is rich. ad been placed in a showroom in India it would be gone pretty quickly.

Dont think so. For example, you can see the sales figures for the vehicles already built or assembled (SKD) in India and considered fantastic pricing. Like the Ninja 1000, Africa Twin, Hayabusa etc. Although these bikes do comparatively better than the CBU ones - still the entry double digit figures does not justify manufacturing / CKD assembly here.

High time all the 300s start getting manufactured here though. Market has certainly matured that much, and no use having a CKD 300 class now with products like the Ninja 300 and Yamaha R3 at double the price, when compared to the made in India 300s like the KTMs and TVS.

[rajushank84]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Dont think so. For example, you can see the sales figures for the vehicles already built or assembled (SKD) in India and considered fantastic pricing. Like the Ninja 1000, Africa Twin, Hayabusa etc. Although these bikes do comparatively better than the CBU ones - still the entry double digit figures does not justify manufacturing / CKD assembly here.

Are these bikes really priced competitively or comparable to other countries though?

In CA I am seeing multiple brand new Ninja 1000s listed for $9K. Add taxes & fees and it should be around 10K. That's without negotiating. I am sure there is at least $500 of negotiating room in there (I have done it multiple times). That's around 6-6.5 lakh INR. But if I am not mistaken, the on road price in Bangalore is closer to 12 lakhs and above.

Africa Twin is listed at $12K. Even if you are terrible at negotiating and pay full list price (sadly, I know people who do that!) and generous fees & taxes for another 2K, it comes to 9 lakh in INR. There is a lot of negotiating room in there so let's say 8.5 lakh. Quite a difference from the on-road price of 14 lakhs in Bangalore.

Even Ninja 650 brand new showroom list price is $6400. Even if you do a minimal one-word negotiation it will be $6000 and that's like 3.8 lakhs in INR. Then why is it 5.5-6 lakh in India? If anything it should be cheaper, not costlier. Its not like bikes fly off the showrooms in USA. Riding here is considered a crazy hobby that slightly eccentric risk-prone personalties take up, out of poor judgment.

Similarly, I see brand new Hayabusas listed for 11.8K (easily 11K doable by negotiation).

If Ninja 650 is offered at 3.8 lakhs ex-showroom. Do you really think this won't do well? This is what they are selling them for in America.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by rajushank84

Do you really think this won't do well? This is what they are selling them for in America.

I do see your point. But -

1. Government wants their share. The main policy being that the higher the price, the higher the taxation.

2. Even if you assemble in India, still the prices wont come down to exact same prices - as there is still a 15% import duty to be paid. Add road tax of another 12% of the ex-showroom price which already contains import tax and other such taxes - you see where the 30 - 35% markup in prices come from.

3. Numbers wont still be good. Only Royal Enfield is selling premium priced bikes at respectable numbers, and even the popular KTM numbers dont come close enough.

Ninja 650 currently sells around 30 units a month at 5.3L ex showroom. At 3.8L ex showroom, I feel it might do around 100 units a month. Enough to justify local production? No, in my personal opinion.

Anyways - the topic here is F800GS. The below thread would be more apt for this discussion -
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motorb...cost-less.html

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by nambiarshreyas

Bmw motorrad launches bookings for the f750gs and f850gs according to zigwheels.

Going by similar sentiments as the thread title - Where in the world is 750 and 850 GS?

Launch happened but they have maintained silence afterwards. Initially I assumed its due to import duty cuts, and later the launch of the Tigers.

However, now the Tigers have reached the showrooms. But no signs of the middle weight GS twins arriving anytime soon.

Cold feet?

[BoltThrower]

rented this one out in Sydney last year and rode around the coast and the blue mountains. As good as it was, I still feel like I'd rather spend money on a triumph tiger when it comes to Highway duties. couldn't take it off road since it was explicitly forbidden in the rental agreement so can't say anything about that but in my mind I'm fairly sure I'd much rather prefer the Tiger as a highway companion. This may be because it was a rental but the beemer lacked, hmmm, I wanna say character but I mean much more than that. It lacked enthusiasm. and joy. It felt.. too German. Could also be because I was riding with a pillion the whole time. That tends to take the fun out of things, motorcyclically speaking.

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by BoltThrower

rented this one out in Sydney last year and rode around the coast and the blue mountains. As good as it was, I still feel like I'd rather spend money on a triumph tiger when it comes to Highway duties. couldn't take it off road since it was explicitly forbidden in the rental agreement so can't say anything about that but in my mind I'm fairly sure I'd much rather prefer the Tiger as a highway companion. This may be because it was a rental but the beemer lacked, hmmm, I wanna say character but I mean much more than that. It lacked enthusiasm. and joy. It felt.. too German. Could also be because I was riding with a pillion the whole time. That tends to take the fun out of things, motorcyclically speaking.

Personally I do not like any of the models with the 21" front wheel. Ruins handling dynamics for me. Whether it is tiger XC 800 or Bmw 850 GS I'm sure.

That's why the 1200 explorer / 1200 GS / 800 XR / 750 GS are the only bike's I'd consider from these two options.