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Honda Africa Twin vs BMW F 850 GS: Which ADV-tourer to pick

3rd March 2022, 17:29 by Rahul Nagaraj

While Honda is a safe bet (tried & tested), what I really prefer is a BMW.

BHPian kosjam recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

So I have a dilemma. I'm in the market for one of two choices: Honda Africa Twin or the BMW GS 850.

I have test driven the Honda AT and was very happy with the performance of the Honda with its silky smooth engine and linear power delivery, which enabled me to chug right along at 40 km/h even in 6th gear. Had it been the only bike in contention, I would have put money down then and there. But then, when is choice ever that simple?

The BMW GS850 has not been launched yet, but with the launch imminent, I am wondering which one would be ideal for me.

While the displacement figures or the power figures do not match, what does match is my preference for an ADV-tourer and the budget for either of the two.

Most of the riding will be on the highway, but a not so insignificant portion of the rides will be to the mountains and consequently, bad roads. And no bike trip is ever complete without passing through dense traffic, whether in a large city or a small town.

Do I go in for the Honda or the BMW? All pros and cons below are only as compared to each other, not the general market. As the 2022 BMW hasn't been launched in India yet, the points are basis online reviews and specification sheets.

Honda Pros:

Brilliant Machine all around.
Balanced, linear power delivery, power on tap in every gear.
Comfortable seating, good ergonomics for long-distance biking.
Maintenance costs will be lower compared to the BMW.
Both feet reach the ground, can flat foot, which is great for travelling to areas with bad roads, plus improved rideability in heavy traffic

Honda Cons:

While a highly reliable brand, the brand value of BMW is higher.
Looks are subjective and while I do like the AT, the GS looks better IMO.

BMW Pros:

It's a BMW, electronics should be at par with the Honda.
Balanced, linear power delivery, power on tap in every gear. (Presuming to be at par with Honda)
Comfortable seating, good ergonomics for long-distance biking.
Brand visibility is much much higher than Honda.
It looks better than the Honda.

BMW Cons:

Maintenance costs will be higher than the Honda.
The seat height is more than the Honda(860mm vs 830mm) this is a major negative for me, I am 5'7" and being able to put both feet firmly on the ground is important for bad/no roads due to the weight of the bikes in question. I sold my previous bike due to this as one of the reasons, the V-Strom 650.
I know there are aftermarket kits for lowering the bike, plus lower seats, which actually reduce the foam in the seat, making them less cushioned. But I don't know how effective either of these solutions is.

Being a salaried person, I cannot take the risk of buying one and having to sell it due to not being able to adjust later. The honda is a safe bet, tried and tested a wonderful mechanical machine, but what I really prefer is the BMW.

Any insights?

Here's what BHPian no_fear had to say on the matter:

Get the Honda. The BMW launch date is April 2022 (tentative). If you have not paid a deposit on the BMW - account for another 2 -3 months before you can get one. That's pretty much the rainy season and little to no riding if you are based in Mumbai.
With seat height also a factor, I would not recommend trying out aftermarket kits. Knowing how unscrupulous dealers are, they will try to void your warranty using this as a pretext.

Here's what BHPian neil.jericho had to say on the matter:

Kosjam, I haven't really followed the GS 850 in recent times but from what I have read on international forums and seen on Youtube, the Africa Twin is probably the better all-around motorcycle. That is because you are cross-shopping between segments. To me, the part in bold above comprehensively seals the deal for the Africa Twin. It makes no sense to buy the BMW, install all these additional parts and then realize that you are unable to ride the bike comfortably. Service quality-wise (Pan-India), Honda has the edge over BMW.
TBHPians GoBlue and Added_flavor both own the new Africa Twin and can help you with any specific queries on the Honda.

Here's what BHPian Added_flavor had to say on the matter:

Hands down the Africa Twin and not just because I own one. I'll tell you my reasons:
Low Seat height is a boon, especially for those of us in the "Indian standard height" category. AT's seat height in the lower seat setting is 810mm. I am also ~5'7" and trust me this is a boon. I'll vouch for this, especially after my recent Spiti ride where I felt very confident riding through some of the toughest terrains I've ever ridden on.
Electronics - While most features b/w the 2 are on par, the Honda goes one-up with the support for Android Auto/Apple Carplay. The convenience of using the big screen for navigation without having to take your eyes off the road is understated. On a side note, yes the switchgear is a little crowded and unintuitive to use in the beginning. But once you understand the functionalities, it's good to use.
After-sales service cost & experience - While you've rightly pointed out that the service costs will be lower, the service experience also is better with Honda. While I say this with my experience predominantly in Bangalore, I've seen generally happy owners in the Pan India AT group. The Tusker BMW service centre in Bangalore is cramped, has no transparency and is a joke for such a big brand honestly.
Finally, keeping all these things aside, IMO the ATAS 1100 is simply a better bike compared to the 850GS in every way. If you bring the GS1250 into the equation, the decision might get tougher.

Here's what BHPian GoBlue had to say on the matter:

I truly appreciate the focus of your bike shortlist, which indicates that you know exactly what your use-case is and you've homed on to two of the better motorcycles that do an EQUALLY fine job of what you're looking for.
Please let me know which trim of the ATAS (Africa Twin Adventure Sports) you took a test ride of, the DCT or the MT. That would help to share relevant perspectives.
As a 2021 ATAS MT owner, let me begin by adding objectivity to the conversation by sharing some aspects of the Africa Twin vs. the 850 GS as well as the 1250 GS. These are objective comparisons, and whether these are advantages are up to an individual to decide based on THEIR preferences:
Engine | 1100cc parallel twin:
Its character is more like a V-Twin, but it feels extremely refined (unlike a V-Twin)
It's not really comparable with the 850GS as there's no replacement for displacement, litre-class is litre class. Having said that, the 850 GS has sufficient punch and should not disappoint (have ridden the 850GS).
Having ridden the 1250GS recently, I have found the power delivery to be similar to the 1250 GS.
Chassis Setup | 21" Front / 18 " Rear:
The 850 GS gets a 21 F / 17 R setup
The 1250 GS gets a 19 F / 17 R setup
There's a clear advantage of having a 19/17 setup for on-tarmac touring, as it results in better handling in the ghat sections (1250 GS has an advantage here, over the 850GS as well as ATAS)
When it comes to a 21" Front, however, I personally prefer the 18" Rear setup of the ATAS. Not only is it way better when the tarmac ends, even on tarmac it gives a much better feel/stability (especially with full panniers, a top-box and a pillion seated - worst-case load scenario for chassis performance).
Suspension | 45 mm Showa USD forks / Showa rear:
ATAS gets full adjustability at the front as well as rear: compression, rebound and spring-preload.
850GS gets 43mm forks without any adjustment at the front, only re-bound/pre-load at the rear
The suspension plushness of the ATAS is premium. In addition, one can set up the front suspension for individual rider weight (sag). Having full re-bound/compression damping adjustment increases one's options to tweak the behaviour as per one's needs.
45mm vs 43 mm is not really an objective comparison, the ATAS is a much larger/more powerful bike than the 850GS, thereby resulting in different spec suspension being chosen by design (this by itself, doesn't mean anything)
The 1250 GS gets a much better suspension system than the ATAS, the 850GS is under-equipped (considering what you pay for the 850GS that is, in isolation the 850GS is fine for someone who may not wish to adjust the suspension ever)
Electronics:
This is where the ATAS is superbly well equipped (probably better than the 1250 GS)
Full touchscreen TFT. I'd felt that this would be a gimmick, but after having used it for a year, the luxury of navigating directly with the gloves on is such a premium feel.
The clarity/resolution/size of this TFT is slightly better than that of the standard BMW TFTs. The layout too, I prefer that of the ATAS. UX is again a subjective thing, there may be differences in perspectives.
4 Level engine braking, 7 Level traction control, 3 Level wheelie control, 6 Riding modes (using an IMU)
Wired Apple CarPlay / Android Auto (can be converted to Wireless using a WiFi dongle)
Connectivity with a Bluetooth headset like Sena AND the phone (at the same time)
The sheer number of features this combination offers is mindboggling. The best of which is the ability to use full-screen Google Maps on the main TFT, with navigation instructions being heard via Sena. Any Music app can be played on the Apple CarPlay and controlled via the switchgear. Phone calling control can be done via the switchgear, no need to take the handoff of the handlebar to use the Sena buttons. The list is exhaustive.
Recently the HexEZCAN has come out for the ATAS (similar to the 1250GS), which can enable aux light/horn control using the switchgear. Thanks to BHPian Added_flavor for having shared this insight.
ATAS shows Diagnostic Error codes / their interpretation directly on the TFT (no need to connect a Diagnostic Device to see if there are any error codes that have sprung up).
There's a separate secondary screen to show basic information when the TFT is being used in Apple CarPlay mode.
Mass centralization / feel while riding:
ATAS is extremely nimble at LOW SPEEDS, to me personally, its mass centralization felt better than the 1250 GS.
It has dual radiators which not only offer incredible cooling performance, also helps achieve better mass centralization.
I ride the ATAS regularly in city traffic, it's as friendly to ride as any commuter bike.
Tank range & fuel requirement:
24.8L tank on the ATAS, have seen a range of 580 km after a tank-full
It requires only 91 RON fuel with 10% Ethanol (read any bunk pan-India). there's no need to fill premium/higher-RON fuel.
Honda has detuned the India-spec ATAS by 1-2 HP to ensure varying fuel quality doesn't affect the motorcycle in any way
Size and part quality:
The ATAS looks bigger than even a 1250GS, comparable to a GS Adventure
Thereby, it is a much bigger motorcycle in every which way than the 850GS. This may be a positive or a negative depending on an individual's perspective.
It is a positive for me because the wind-protection and comfort on offer is absolutely STELLAR
As for the quality of all the parts, panels and switchgear - in my personal opinion, it is at par with the 1250 GS (in some areas perhaps better).
The seat height is 810 mm (adjustable to 830 mm)
Transmission options: DCT / MT (take your pick)
To sum it up, the Honda ATAS is in a segment of its own. It is not trying to be a "wannabe" 1250 GS. It offers a lot more capability than an 850GS and also offers a different take compared to a 1250GS. Looks are subjective, I see no value in commenting.
The ATAS is Honda's flagship ADV bike, while the 850GS is not BMW's flagship (that would be the 1200 / 1250 GS). While spending this kind of money on a motorcycle, I'd personally always consider a brand's flagship, as that is the product line where the entire R&D investment has seen maximum focus.
Sharing some pictures for reference: