F850GS vs. Africa Twin vs. Tiger 800 | 2018 MY Comparison Review - Part I

It’s time for the most anticipated comparison review of the year. BMW F850GS vs. Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports vs Triumph Tiger 800 XCa. Three of the best - and all of them are new models. The F850 was built from scratch, the Africa Twin got a serious update and an anniversary version, while the Tiger was also revamped.
So, which one is the best? We took them out for a four day ride in Romania. The first episode will focus on street performance - handling and power delivery on curvy roads, comfort, suspension setup. The second part will focus on off-road abilities. So stay tuned for more.
Which one is your favorite? The BMW F850GS, the Africa Twin Adventure Sports or the Tiger 800 XCa? Vote for it here: drvm.co/youtue9acf
Part II (Off-Road): • F850GS vs Africa Twin ...
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[@bighaasfly]

Well I'm only 4 minutes into the video and I'm not sure which bike is going to win, but so far you've sold me on making a trip to Romania! It's gorgeous!

[@daff4377]

Google transfargarasan highway

[@adrianhrusca4067]

Yes...and it's very wild...and very free (for exploring)...

[@kubotamaniac]

Those bikes are like pick-up trucks in United States and Canada... They are all relatively good, they all have their goods and bads, but at the end, you will choose the one with the looks that you prefer!!! In my case, I prefer the looks of the Tiger.... Thanks for that very good video!

[@Ritalie]

Correct. The looks of a vehicle are more important than the function. You can't drive something that is super ugly. The reason you buy a motorcycle is because they are supposed to be beautiful, and fun. Not because you "need" one.

[@LookattheBiggerPic]

Your riding footage and aerials are just getting better and better - your team nicely conveyed how close these 3 are and how likely, we'd be very happy with any of them... special mention needs to be made regarding your videographers and editors - really great job guys! Much thanks for sharing such excellent, happy, quality work!

[@rockafella1690]

LookattheBiggerPic Here here

[@geoffp48]

Nice introductory review sir, and after reading a lot of the comments below I felt a need to contribute. I think I'm coming from the opposite side of the arguments below. Now being a senior citizen with a life time of enduro riding, I'm looking at 'adventuring' farther by incorporating touring into the enduro aspect. I smile at all the comments about tubed tyres and the 'stranded' comments. We rarely ride without having to remove wheels and change or patch tubes. Sometimes even stuffing grass into tyres to 'get home'. Its all part of 'our' adventure. Ahhh... Nice to have first world problems! I spent yesterday participating in planned test rides of the new triumph explorers and the BMW GS Rally X. Given my brother grabbed a GS 1200 about 6 mths ago I have spent a few hrs on that, and he is attempting to motivate me to join his longer 'adventures'. Honda was across the road from Triumph, so after lunch I thought I should at least sit on one, given I was so close. And at 10k cheaper there was no way it could be near as good - could it? How disappointed was I. This bike should not be so good !!! All my seating position and bar height complaints to the former 2 where solved. The AT sport was perfect for position - particularly standing. And those brakes. Wow! The rear triumph brakes where almost non existent in comparison. I could go on & on I'm sure - but in Summary, the purpose of my comment is to suggest that folk Test Ride this bike prior to making any final decisions on the other majors. Particularly if you do want to 'adventure off road'. They are all great bikes. For me this was a fantastic bike - but I have an offroad bias. Given my age group, the lack of 'tech' gives me more time to concentrate on 'the ride' . And for us old fellas without the previous luxuries of tech - we have spent our lives producing ABS and Traction Control through lever and throttle control. So for me the Africa Twin had way more Tech than my Yamaha and KTM enduro bikes. This Africa Twin is now at the top of my short list.

[@Tmagri4]

Just picked up the Tiger 800 Xrx (road version). Very pleased with the decision...great bike!

[@StayFriendly290]

I have my Afrika twin for 1 week now and i love it! i dont regret anything! :)

[@jku175]

I’m the proud owner of Honda AT DCT no words to express on twisties and hairpins up hill and down hill with DCT just glide with it . 👍👍

[@brucekendall52]

Tks for the review guys.

[@paragpaliwal6845]

For the video I was waiting for!! 😎

[@FoolishMuleProds]

You guys are great. Complete, knowledgeable and honest. Much appreciated.

[@Lawman-196]

Very nice review, and it was great to get 3 different riders' views. Nice to see you discuss the finer points in riding. Great job!

[@frankmalone236]

Thank you, gentlemen. Enjoyed very much!

[@stijnos1991]

Great channel for motorcycle reviews. I have been following you guys for some time now and the footage keeps getting better. Keep up the good work!

[@chrisredfield3240]

So the honda 1000cc is fastest bmw 850cc middle and 800cc triumph slowest. I see a pattern here !

[@ClinttheGreat]

CCs are less important than HP. As they mentioned, all are equal in HP.

[@Supernova12034]

@@ClinttheGreat lol no replacement for displacement.

[@westcoastbiker9944]

Realy high production quality! Great job;) excuse my English :) nice bikeselection for comparisation

[@matthewcarl4504]

You guys do a great review. Very impressed by your reviewing in a language that isn’t your native language. Bravo!

[@martyman25008]

Thank you so much for doing a great review! You'd be the first to run the Tiger 800 XC vs Africa Twin! Great stuff

[@moulin6]

Well done guys!! Great review!

[@RSLoBERS]

I'm (quite) happy owner of the new Africa Twin Adventure Sports with manual gearbox. I cannot say anything about the comparison between the bikes since I did not try new BMW 850 but I can share with some pros and cons about this bike. Pros: - Great sound with stock exhaust, I'm surprised you didn't mentioned it. - Very good looking, - I love the suspension offroad it eats up every potholes and obstacles on the trail without bottoming and rebound problems, - It has lovely engine clearance especially comparing with the other 2 bikes, - Good brakes - Provides good space for a rider, - It comes with quite high handlebar position which helps in riding in a standing position - Great for offroad - Ability to turn ABS (rear only) and Traction control without a hassle, - Easy to change the tyres (well engineered), - Heated grips, Cons: - I'm very surprised about you saying that the weather protection is good in AT. I'm 186cm and in my opinion it is opposite of good. The vibration and buffeting on the helmet was so strong that it was almost unbearable. Only after purchasing visor deflectors, wind deflectors, forkshield the problem of the vibration was lowered to the acceptable level. Of course I use a highest seat hight possible. - Crash bars fitted to it are just a not funny joke. They have to be replaced ASAP after purchasing the bike. It is a pitty that customer has to pay for them, - No cruse control, - Seat is not comfortable in longer trips, - the preload adjustment should have some scale which would help to set the suspension to already known levels for different types of terrain or luggage, - My bike have problems with backfiring of the engine (maybe it is isolated problem only for my bike) - There should be more power for 1000cc engine. For my taste it would use at least another 40-50hp - It is not easy to predict the behavior of the front tyre. After time I got used to it but there is not enough feedback on the corners about the traction of the front end, - I think Honda should rethink the lights. It looks stupid that one of the lights is on and another not, - The throttle is a little bit to sensitive. They should dial it down a bit. On bumpy roads it is hard to keep the power linear. - The stash and tool boxes way of opening is just a joke - Aftermarket, handguards, crashbars, forkshield, skidplate, panier racks are essential if you want to keep the bike safe in low speed offroad crashes. The OEM equipment is shit. I could talk about it for hours but probably no one will read it anyways, so I will end up here for now. If anyone have some questions I can gladly answer them in comments. All in all I can recommend the bike to anybody and judging only on the reviews and articles it is no brainier for me to pick AT against F850 and Tiger 800. The only motorcycle I would consider instead would be KTM 1090 or upcoming 790 and the only reason for that would be much more hp than AT. Cheers

[@guedes36]

Eu li. Obrigado!

[@issamelsayd]

Thanks a lot for your very instructive comment

[@zzxx33mh]

Yes..you light on points that most review didn't mention..thnx..that to be considered when deciding..

[@RSLoBERS]

In general I'd like to express that I would buy this bike second time. My review may seem negative which was not my intention. In my opinion it is one of the best options on the market if not the best. You have to be aware though that it is not a perfect bike. No motorcycle is.

[@Lawman-196]

Good feedback, and I am considering it as well. Between the Honda and the KTM, but I think the KTM is a little more pricey. The back fire is on many new bikes due to emissions....that and you throttle issues are probably easy fixes with a Power Commander and a little adjustment with the air flow. Would you recommend getting the plain AT and getting aftermarket crash bars & hand guards? Thanks again!

[@rcbnl37]

Nice review, valid points and good sound/video quality

[@stefanjepp6612]

I like the Africa Twin, the looks, the sound and the driving

[@andreaswales8923]

Test rode AT and found it way to big, bought the triumph buy the way and loving it , great work by the way love the channel 👍🏻

[@MatBettinson]

NIce one! No bad bikes here.

[@ans512]

Seriously...what a work.... lovely job you guys have!

[@maymoralescedres5924]

Amazing test! Well done! Good job, thank you.

[@aarongood220]

Good review lads!

[@71dcboy]

Super glad you're making these videos, I'm deciding between the AT and the GS. So this should really help me. The only bike I've ridden (on road) is the Triumph so that helps give me an idea. Looking forward to the offroad test, that will be important to my decision. Also great cinimatogrpahy on these videos! Great to have multi angles and stuff rather then just one talking head.

[@Chris-vq5vr]

Another great review guys. I absolutely love Romania 🇷🇴. I lived in Oradea for 2 years and travelled all over this beautiful country. Greets from Australia

[@glennsjobom4370]

Love your tests, keep up the good work guys!

[@DriveMagRiders]

Thanks

[@staninjapan07]

Another great video, guys, well done! Having swapped a manual bike for a big scooter due to left hand/wrist pain (probably made worse by clutch lever use), I now wish I had gone for one of the Honda DCT bikes. Time to head over to part 2...

[@amhedet]

Can’t wait for Episode 2!

[@jankos74]

Thank you for the part 1 test...I will looking forward for the part 2 😎

[@Obywatel_RP8P]

Great work guys. Thank you. Regards from PL.

[@ArriGaffer]

Yes I also loved the production value. Major kudos to the crew! It goes without saying that all three of these bikes are excellent and anyone would not go wrong in owning any one of them. It factors in as to who is your best dealer. What ever you ride, be safe and have fun!

[@patrickm8877]

Great job guys! Great comparison! 👍

[@Giannhsss13]

Keep up the good work !!!! Waiting for the next one !!!!

[@davidcarr5718]

Thanks for a great review.

[@TNRJ125]

Great video, awesome work guys!

[@bigburly13]

I feel like the time trials changed the entire dynamic of the review. Once the AT proved the fastest, EVERYONE fell in love with it.

[@iPritamHD]

Good job there..I must say your quality and overall editing has improved by miles...Love from India.

[@jtandy]

Very informative. Thanks guys!

[@Si_in_Finland]

Great video !!! Brilliantly filmed too. It would be helpful when talking about comfort of bikes to know how tall you are. Keep up the good work ! :)

[@Bob-Maplethorpe]

The lead guy is odd in how he asks questions. He just seems disconnected from the conversation.

[@MagicAyrtonforever]

@@Bob-Maplethorpe LOL

[@MotoServiciosdeSanMiguel]

Nice video guys, it was a surprise.

[@magneto675]

Great video keep up the good work!

[@mariusungureanu3069]

Guys, for real, i truly like you because you are real. the emotions everything you are trying to send is real. I ve been on this cabin last year with my 2006 GSA and ... when i ve ride on the Alps, i realized that indeed we truly have a beautiful country I feel you in every word you said.

[@ADVRaiderKTM]

Best motorcycle review of the year! (Just because I want all three in my garage :))

[@alanpettibone]

This is by far my favorite “Borat Bike Review” parody. Well done, sir.

[@SelyanK]

Borat the movie 😂😂

[@Damothedevo]

Great videos, very informative, thanks.

[@anton5749]

Great vid. Good work!

[@MatBettinson]

Outstanding! I was looking forwards to this and you haven't disappointed. One thing I'd say, you guys shouldn't be afraid of using your names. Your work is so good, where's the harm in getting your name out there a little? Tell you what though, Africa Twin surprises... It would be really interesting to see how the regular AT with the quickshifter option would have done it :) I'm surprised the F850GS wasn't quite up to scratch. BMW seem to have thrown the features at the wall without really dialling in the stuff that matters. Very good to know, will give me stuff to try when I test ride all three myself. Thanks guys.

[@FilmHerald]

Yeah was also surprised the BMW seems pretty unrefined. Very big head scratcher as to why the Africa Twin is missing cruise control though.

[@GerhardCombrink]

I also agree. The ATAS is begging for cruise control and BMW will make a huge mistake if they don’t bring DCT to the market soon. BMW should also stop underestimating the competition who are pulling out all the stops to perfect their adventure motorbikes to steal numbers from yet unreleased BMWs. I sincerely hope BMW fix the issues with the release of the adventure version in the same way Honda fixed the issues with the release of the adventure sports. The standard Africa Twin never excited me, but this new model tickles the soul.

[@MatBettinson]

I was always drawn to the AT. I'm more bothered by tubed tyres. Both other bikes here have tubeless tyres, Honda stubbornly refuses to give us the option, just like they're refusing to add CC despite the fact the bike is ride by wire so it would be trivial to do. As for the ATAS, the protection is a little lacking, particularly the engine bars. I saw a vid where a guy test rode an ATAS and had a very slow speed off and smashed the engine. I'd rather a standard AT and then add aftermarket protection. Irritatingly, in Australia, the standard 2018 AT is not available with DCT, you *must* buy the ATAS. Oh Honda, why do you make it so hard? Throw us a bone.

[@MatBettinson]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/aISZmaqnaZaDpc0m53s

[@andreyka64]

Your video quality is amazing ! I'm shocked you barely have 34k subs !

[@thinc2272]

awesome review. Real life info that is useful for us who actually ride the bikes in normal conditions.

[@ianlevy8765]

Thanks guys, well done ... great report!

[@israelsantos1582]

great video mates

[@oriolpicascomas711]

Congratulations! nice review, amazing landscapes, I wish I could go there someday (with an Africa Twin of course! :D ) I long for the next episode. Regards from Barcelona!

[@DriveMagRiders]

Thanks for watching. Barcelona... what a nice city. Visited three times and I can't get enough. (Cristian)

[@kpanagos]

Great video once more. Thank you very much.

[@Bunnunoox]

I like how much your production value has improved. You could still make it seem a little less awkward and artificial, but I think that will come with time. I have subscribed and look forward to the next episode.

[@DriveMagRiders]

Thank you very much.

[@kleerauber3931]

This Video helped me very much, thank you!

[@astronautonroad1]

I have hit like just by looking at the title!!! Much awaited !!!

[@cristian821987]

Quality stuff made in Romania.Great job guys!

[@ionutk2000]

Da da. Foarte bun review! Asfalt uscat!!!

[@kymstock1852]

A good review, but still superficial for ADV bikes. These bikes need to cope with weeks of travel with load( luggage) and see how the riders feel about them then. For me the AT needs cruise control to be serious ( add $2000 for the McCruise system). The Tiger is the third update of a proven bike available since 2011. The AT is still very new and the BMW is unproven. Hopefully your part 2 won't be just a bit of rougher dirt use only. Add some weight and do a multi day ride so we can see what breaks.

[@lifeisgoodno1]

i was looking for this test without the triumph thank you

[@alrightdave6135]

Nice review guys

[@hudsonrilke]

Quality video. Nice work

[@grimmbikerirl6089]

great review i am picking up my honda africa twin adventure sport next week

[@terenceokeeffesmotorcyclestuff]

well done that man!

[@MathieuTerzian]

You will love it! I know that for a fact 😏

[@grimmbikerirl6089]

Mathieu Terzian thanks man I am looking forward to getting it

[@MatBettinson]

NIce! Trading up from?

[@grimmbikerirl6089]

Mat Bettinson 2012 Yamaha xj6

[@thejohnnerparty]

LOL. Very funny guys. I liked the review very much. I can't wait to see the off-road test.

[@DriveMagRiders]

Next week :)

[@arlenesauder1913]

That’s the African twins kingdom

[@Humshkin]

Another excellent video. I love how you always go into detail about what you like and don't like so it's never vague and doesn't seem biased. The production level of your videos makes your videos always a joy to watch (planning, camera work, high quality sound, great aerial shots) I didn't even feel the 24mins. Loving your channel from South Africa

[@mysilbergsprekken239]

A fantastic review. Waiting eagerly for part two. I'm considering all these bikes, there are pros and cons as to dealership locations, I'm a huge Triumph fan and love the sound and feel of their engines, but I tried the new africa twin dct adventure sports during demo weekend and I loved it. Waiting for your in debt review and then some one day testing each bike before deciding, all these bikes are about the same in Norway but the Honda is about 4K euro more than Tiger and GS. Thank you again for such an interesting and fun, informative review with comparisons between these bikes :)))

[@originalkontrol]

I'm a fairly new subscriber, but love your channel! Great review, I just bought A new FJ09 (Tracer 900 over there) but an ADV bike is next on my list, and I must Admit I'm happy to see the Africa Twin win this one. Not having ridden any of these machines, it is the one I tend to be most drawn to. I love it's looks and it's great to see it rocks the twisties! Can't wait to see part 2!!!

[@DriveMagRiders]

Thank you, Erik! Next week it's time for the off-road movie

[@originalkontrol]

Hell yeah, looking forward to it, keep up the awesome reviews!

[@markkulyas2418]

I like reviews but remember it all comes down to personal preference, your going to have fun on any of the three bikes, I like the looks of the Triumph :)

[@nottherealrustyshackleford9482]

The arguments between riders is something other reviewers don't allow us to see much of. Very valuable content. Thank you for explaining the rationale behind each perspective. Not easy for us to go test ride all, let alone at same time same conditions. Bravo!

[@TheHumanHonda]

Great video as always! Looks like a beautiful country for riding too 👍 The AT gets my vote!

[@diegogarrido2335]

Nice review! I love my 2016 AT too..

[@madke666]

Best motorcycle KZbin channel! Congratulations

[@wasyfilip8251]

Amazing Transalpina RO. !!!

[@volt8684]

Awesome vlog thanks

[@Yosumi2000G]

Subscribed for great content, accents.

[@Nexus-6]

Another great video! Top spec Triumph and BMW in Canada are more than $20,000 CDN. Meanwhile the Africa Twin Rally is $5000 cheaper. Maybe the Honda isn't quite as 'premium' as the other two, but I'd wager it will be more reliable, and you can get a lot of goodies for the Honda with the money you save buying it. Also where I live, in northern British Columbia, Canada, the nearest BMW and Triumph dealers are 800 kms away, Honda dealer is 160 kms away. A no brainer for me.

[@DriveMagRiders]

holymolie In Europe they have the same price

[@DriveMagRiders]

Thanks for your appreciation

[@terenceokeeffesmotorcyclestuff]

If the criteria is just a 21" front, in the UK Honda featured here £13,549 (non DCT version £12,559, non DCT regular Africa Twin £11,575), Triumph XCa £12,450 (XCx version £11,250) and the BMW starts at £9,775 for a base model. What's going on in Canada?

[@MrKdr500]

The Honda is definitely "premium" in the build quality.

[@terenceokeeffesmotorcyclestuff]

MrKdr500 - hopefully now they are, my 2016 Africa Twin had rotting spokes (very common) but I reckon that engine would of gone on forever trouble free.

[@hoagiesherlin7732]

Awesome video guys i too love the honda !!! I cant wait for the off road video

[@markorebernik3760]

I've ridden the Transalpina last year on my 2012 Tiger 800XC. I had a great time in Romania. Anyway, I've test ridden the Afria Adventure Sports and it's really fantastic, however, it's the most expensive of the three in Slovenia. I don't use it as dual sport, I ride my bike on Pirelli Scorpion Trail 2 tyres and it feels very sporty an manouverable in corners. I do a lot of touring, often riding from breakfast to late dinner and riding comfort is a big thing for me. With some handlebar raisers and an aftermarket touring screen, the Tiger is an awesome bike. Wouldn't mind having either of the three brand new in my garage though. :)

[@fredoc9125]

Another great video and review. Where are these roads? Keep it up guys!

[@DriveMagRiders]

Fredo C Thank you! Romania

[@Canada151337]

Great content, I like your accents! - A dude from Canada

[@transylvaniadesign5732]

They are from Romania....😁 Right guys? I'm in US...and I'm about to get the Tiger 800... LoL...I can tell you for sure they are Romanians....look how they argue in the video, like gypsies 🤣🤣🤣 sanatate si cat Mai multi kilometrii ....😋 Fara evenimente neplacute.

[@albertptran]

I like that sunlight through the trees

[@nesanrockstar5296]

The Triumph Tiger 800 is my favorite compare to the 850GS. That triple sound is just amazing, but the Tracer is also my favorite bike. By the way, perfect comparison with these two bikes sir.

[@toby7504]

That new Triumph tiger 800 xca are so cool... My next bike l belive. Even if its not the fastest.

[@stevebolton8471]

Love the review, Romania roads look amazing. One minor point. Chest mount is no good, need to see the road when you are riding, not the tank. Other than that some superb camera work and great to have 3 of you discussing the bikes. Subscribed!

[@peak1416]

Good review

[@WillPower46]

I tested all three of the bikes but I liked the Triumph very much so I bought that. The AT was very good but the screen created horrible buffeting. The BMW's biggest problem is that front end, I didn't like the feeling on the front. For me the Triumph is my favourite.

[@suppersready4you]

Great video guys, The scenery is worth to mention, beautiful place Where did you shot the video?

[@harshitsharma08]

Thank you for clearing our doubt 🙂🙂

[@jamesdean3569]

Brilliant - thanks chaps

[@anujaustin]

Great video,

[@fuglyucker6238]

Rip shame he, s gone now, great vids

[@martinboskovic4143]

You make always excelent reviews! Greetings from Serbia from Honda fan 🙂

[@DriveMagRiders]

Hello Martin! Respect to Serbia! I love your country. And visit it every year. Cristian

[@martinboskovic4143]

DriveMag Riders I truly admire your effort and work. Next time when you come to Serbia you can always be my guest in Novi Sad 🙂

[@shakyhandpictures2185]

Well done, all around!

[@windinthewillows6248]

Great review guys. Here in the uk, the new BMW 850GS is getting very little love. I was interested in it last year, but after seeing the new ATAS at the bike show, I’m really glad I went with that. I agree with you guys on the cruise control, Honda need to address this, most large bike can now be had with it, so Honda have no excuse. As for the Triumph, it’s got all the toys, but I don’t like the sound or looks. Don’t know how to vote, so here’s my vote below. As you may of guessed, the winner for me is, 1st, Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sport. 2nd, Triumph Tiger 800. 3rd, BMW 850GS.

[@2Timone7]

It seems every comparo I watch that involves the Honda AT it always seems to come out on top. If I could have a second bike in the garage right now, it would be the AT, though I would try to get one without the DCT (if that's possible).I love watching y'all's videos. Keep up the great work!Edit: OK, you've sold me on the DCT.

[@terenceokeeffesmotorcyclestuff]

Carrying capacity (payload) of each might be a useful comparison too, perhaps you covered that in part two? I know the BMW takes a healthy 216kg, the Triumph 222kg and the standard Africa Twin is a lot less at 195kg (not sure on this DCT-AS model, it is very hard to find). Honda using tubed Vs tubeless tyres for the others is another obvious difference, pros & cons for each type. Great review, looking forward to part 2. I will say on the BMW, it's no looker.

[@kason5048]

Am I the only one who thinks their accent is so charming? Great great job guys. I’m a big fan now!

[@rocket2811]

Tiger sounds the best with Arrow cans. Triple engine rumbles and its silky smooth engine. Lightest among the three is Tiger. Tiger is also fun on twisties. Only downside is not much resale value on Tigers as there are too many of them. Don’t forget it depends on the rider too :) when it comes to who wins the race.