MCN Fleet: The sun doesn't have to shine for the BMW F800GS to thrill

The GS and I are getting along nicely and it’s proving to be a proper workhorse that transforms my weekly slog from Cambridgeshire to Devon into an effortless cruise.

The 800 eats the miles like a buffalo at a buffet so I can spend hours in the saddle without an ache or pain; thanks to its relaxed, upright riding position. I just stick the electronically adjusted suspension into Comfort mode to soften it up and get on with the job.

So far a lot of my riding has been in less than ideal conditions but the sodden spring roads and cold evenings have done little to dissuade me from riding. I can’t think of a single occasion where I haven’t been happy to jump aboard the BMW. It makes living without a car a bit easier and the GS makes it far more rewarding to ride in the rain and cold.

I recently lent my bike to a colleague for an adventure bike test where it was used off-road and had Continental TKC70 tyres fitted to better suit the dual purpose of using the bike both on the road and off. 

Trouble is, I haven’t found them to be that inspiring for my road riding, especially on dual-carriageways where they feel unstable – they also feel a bit jelly-like through corners. I’m going to keep them on the bike as I’ll be riding it off-road myself next month, but I’ll be looking to fitting a more road-focused tyre afterwards.

With the summer finally appearing around the corner, I’m looking forward to having some proper B-road fun on the GS and exploring more of the BMW’s potential on warm, dry roads. 

I’ve started finding more twisty routes for my daily commute from Stamford to Peterborough to avoid the monotony of the A1 so with that and some off-road skills training looming, I might even get the tent out and do some proper exploring.