2018 BMW F 750 GS vs rivals: Specifications comparison

At the Auto Expo 2018, BMW Motorrad expanded its India line-up to include the two new baby GS models, the F 750 GS and the F 850 GS. Until the G 310 R arrives later this year, the F 750 GS will be the most affordable machine in the German manufacturer’s line-up. Despite being a CBU import, BMW has managed to price the 750 competitively at Rs 12.2 lakh (ex-showroom, India).

Deliveries are expected to begin by mid-2018, and when they do, the F 750 GS will go straight up against the Triumph Tiger 800 XR and the Ducati Multistrada 950, two of the most popular and affordable adventure tourers in India.

DESIGN & FEATURES

The Beemer appears to be the most alien-looking motorcycle in this trio, with its unconventionally styled front end. The BMW trademark asymmetrical headlights and long beak lend the F 750 GS an outlandish look, while the tiny front screen seems insubstantial on a large adventure tourer such as this. Additionally, the 750 only gets a 41mm telescopic fork, losing out on the 43mm USD unit offered on the 850. The exhaust end-can also looks rather disproportionate and doesn’t seem to integrate into the tail section of the bike very well. On the positive side, the 15-litre tank looks muscular with smart flanking body panels.

While the Tiger isn’t going to win any beauty pageants itself, it’s certainly more palatable than the BMW. The Tiger’s more proportionate design, with the large (but unfortunately fixed) front screen, exposed tubular frame and neatly integrated exhaust end-can give the bike a beefy appearance. The bug-eyed headlights are a polarising feature on an otherwise smart looking motorcycle.

Ducati has a reputation for producing pretty looking motorcycles, and the Multistrada 950 is no exception. While certainly not as attractive as some of the other models in the Ducati line-up, the 950 is an aesthetically pleasing motorcycle. It certainly looks sportier than the other two motorcycles, with the concave rider’s seat rising sharply into the pillion seat, creating a large void between the rear subframe and the rear wheel. The exhaust end-can is well-proportioned and looks smart, as do the USD fork tubes finished in silver. The large, manually adjustable front screen gives the motorcycle a tall stance, while the two nostril-like, front-facing air intakes stand out on an otherwise well-proportioned bike.

At the end of the day, looks are purely subjective. There will certainly be those who prefer the quirky styling on the BMW to the plain-Jane looks of the Tiger or the more sporty appearance of the Multistrada, just as there will be strong advocates for the design on the other two motorcycles as well.

Coming to the features, the Tiger XR continues to get an LCD instrument panel with an analogue tachometer, unlike the TFT display offered on the higher variants. It also gets switchable ABS and Traction Control, but misses out on riding modes. Unique to the Tiger is a height-adjustable rider’s seat, offering two options of 810mm and 830mm (the lowest of all three motorcycles in this comparison). Adjustable levers and a USB power socket are thoughtful, and are offered as standard features. The XR, being the base variant, loses out on some of the useful features offered on the XRx such as the heated grips, knuckle guards and an adjustable screen, but these can be had as optional extras.

Likewise, the BMW gets adjustable levers and a 12V power socket, along with switchable ABS and Traction Control (labelled as Automatic Stability Control), but additionally also gets two riding modes and an LED tail-lamp. In true BMW fashion, the F 750 GS can be had with a host of optional extras, including electronically adjustable suspension, a more advanced Traction Control system, two more riding modes, LED headlights, keyless ignition, a 6.5-inch TFT display and a Quickshifter.

The Multistrada 950 is quite easily the best-equipped motorcycle here, coming with four riding modes, three-stage ABS and an eight-level traction control system. All of these can be controlled via the LCD display. Suspension and braking components are also comprehensively better than in the other two bikes, as will be discussed later in this article. The 950’s seat height is the tallest here, at 840mm, but a lower seat is available as an optional extra.

*Without mirrors

ENGINE & TRANSMISSION

While the BMW and the Triumph feature similarly sized engines at 853cc and 800cc, respectively, the Ducati enjoys a clear displacement advantage at 937cc, and this shows in the power and torque figures. The BMW puts out electronically limited figures of 77hp at 7,500rpm and 83Nm at 6,000rpm from its parallel-twin powerplant. The Triumph makes significantly more power than the GS, producing 94hp at 9,500rpm, while churning out a marginally lower torque figure of 79Nm at 8,050rpm. The Ducati, however, is in a class of its own, producing 111hp at 9,000rpm and 96Nm at 7,750rpm. It is worth noting that despite using a twin-cylinder motor, the Ducati produces peak figures at relatively high rpm.

All three motorcycles use six-speed transmissions and final drive is in the form of a chain, across the board. The Ducati and the BMW both get slipper clutches, while the Triumph loses out.

SUSPENSION & BRAKES

The trend of Ducati supremacy continues in this field, with the Multistrada employing considerably superior equipment in terms of braking and suspension components. While both the GS and the Tiger have non-adjustable front forks (a 41mm telescopic unit on the Beemer vs a 43mm USD on the Tiger), the Multistrada gets a fully adjustable 48mm USD front fork. The monoshock on the Tiger is only adjustable for preload, whereas the GS monoshock gets adjustability for preload as well as rebound damping. The Ducati goes one further and gets a fully adjustable monoshock.

Brakes are a similar story, with the GS and the Tiger using identical front setups featuring two 305mm discs being bitten by two-piston calipers. The Multi employs two 320mm discs and four-piston calipers at the front. At the rear, things are more evenly matched; the Ducati and the BMW both use a single 265mm disc, whereas the Tiger uses a 255mm disc. However, the Ducati gets a two-piston caliper while both the other motorcycles have to make do with single-piston units.

All three motorcycles use cast alloy wheels, measuring 19 inches at the front and 17 inches at the rear. However, in keeping with its sportier intentions, the Multistrada gets larger tyres than the other two, featuring a 120/70-19 front coupled with a 170/60-17 rear. The BMW uses a 110/80-19 front along with a 150/70-17 rear, while the Tiger has a 100/90-19 front and a rear tyre identical in size to the GS.

SUMMING UP

Despite being adventure tourers, none of these motorcycles are exceptionally capable off-road, and they are going to spend most of their time doing long-distance stints on the highway, and tackling our broken surfaces. Having said that, both, the Triumph and the BMW, offer more off-road worthy variants (the Tiger XCx and the F 850 GS) of their adventure tourers. The Ducati can also be had with wire-spoke wheels for a more off-road-friendly experience.

The Tiger is the cheapest motorcycle here, and therefore, rather predictably, the most sparsely equipped. That being said, it does have important safety features such as ABS and Traction Control. Additionally, the Tiger’s sizeable fuel tank, at 19 litres, means that it is well suited to long-distance highway touring. The adjustable seat height is also a very thoughtful feature, and at its lower setting of 810mm, it is low enough to accommodate shorter riders. Moreover, the Tiger is a rugged motorcycle and it has proven to be reliable even in Indian conditions, with a large number of Tigers being bought, used and abused by our buyers. Add to this the large sales and service network that Triumph has in place, with 15 dealerships spread across the country, and the Tiger seems to be a safe buy indeed.

The BMW sits in-between the other two bikes here, both in terms of price as well as equipment. It possesses some useful features that the Triumph misses out on (such as riding modes), but still isn’t as well equipped as the Ducati. On the downside, the small 15-litre tank limits its long-distance cruising ability, and will have you stopping for fuel more often. Another drawback comes in the form of BMW’s sales and service network, with the German manufacturer so far having only seven dealerships and four workshops spread across metro cities in India. 

Best-equipped in this trio is the Ducati Multistrada 950. The adjustable screen and fully adjustable suspension, along with its more advanced electronics package make it the most feature-rich motorcycle of the three, although, all of these features do come at a significant premium. The Multistrada is over a lakh more expensive than the Tiger, and Rs 60,000 more expensive than the F 750 GS (all prices, ex-showroom, India). However, for those of you who want no compromise on sophistication and the best of features, the Multistrada is the most lucrative of the lot.