Alright, let me preface this with 2 things:

1) I realize that this is a Honda Africa Twin forum so it probably has a lot of both Honda and Africa Twin fan bois (myself included)

2) I have ridden a couple BMW motorcycles and I think they make an incredible motorcycle.

After seeing the newly released F850GS adventure, I got worried that I made a horrible mistake in the fact that I did not at least wait until I could test drive one before purchasing my ATAS. So naturally, I pulled up the ATAS and F850GS adventure spec sheets and started comparing them side-by-side. After about 5 minutes my tune changed completely and started to wonder who the **** in their right mind would purchase the BMW over the AS?? The adventure sports beat the GS on almost every single spec (power/suspension travel/ground clearance/weight/fuel capacity/etc), really the only spec that the BMW seemed better on was the fuel consumption and considering the smaller fuel tank it seems like a bit of a wash. I haven't even mentioned the obvious fact that the AS has the DCT option...

With all that being said, can anyone explain why someone would spend around USD$3k more for a BMW F850GS Adventure over an ATAS?

The bike does look sexy as **** though.

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I also have written several BMWs and they are good bikes. I think to make a true informed decision about this you would have to ride both the bikes back to back to do a real comparison, numbers as we all know doesn't always tell everything. I believe both bikes are good bikes and it may very well be the Honda is the better option for 3K less but until I ride both of them I know I couldn't make an informed decision about it. Never the last unfortunately I did not test ride BMWs because they were not in my price point and so I went with the Africa twin it suited my budget.

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Yeah why do not buy a BMW with a chinese loncin engine for just 3k more .
they got just two main engine recall since were presented , what can go wrong....

Perhaps under engineered an undersized front forks that the only true fix is a $2,800 pair of aftermarket shocks to go up front. What about under supported widscreen braces and right foot peg mounts that break, oh and handlebar control failures and instrumentation that suffers water intrusion. I think they all have problems and short comings tbh after all humans design and build them. I know the haters when it comes to the Chinese made rotax but hey, I make BMW cars in good ol Spartanburg SC so I get global manufacturing.

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I believe the F850GS Adventure has 43 mm forks and the ATAS has 45 mm and since they roughly weigh the same (Africa Twin supposedly weighs slightly less). I am by no means a suspension expert, so correct me if I am wrong, but wouldn't that mean that the forks on the BMW are then even more under engineered / undersized than the ones on the ATAS. Mind you I am strictly talking about the adventure sports version vs the f850gs adventure model.

Perhaps but the point I was making is all though we chose the AT in one of it's various forms and it is a great bike (I love mine) neither our or the other options are perfect either mechanically or personally. I have rode some good bikes that either the ergos or just the way they ride didn't make them a good choice for me. If it would have been a good fit or I liked it and a comparable model from another manufacturer was cheaper but I don't like it then it's a moot point. Value for your investment on an object like motorcycles isn't derived from tangible factors due to the very fact our hobby/sport/addiction is founded in emotions.

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I’m amazed you are allowed to ride a bike with such poor eyesight.....

I wanted to like the 800, I already owned an 800S and really liked that bike... As a toy. I wanted to like the 800GS as a replacement for my old 1100. But, I found it bland and unexciting. And it wasn't as though this opinion was based on an ordinary test ride. I hired one for 4 days riding in the Black Forest, by day 3 I gave it back and spent day 4 on a friends 1200. While he and his wife went to Baden Baden for the day. I really can't see how an 850 would be any better, or better than my AT 'Sport. I'm pretty much done with BMW, The company and the way they deal with their customers is very different to the company I had to deal with back in the 1990s. Too big to care, just about sums them up nowadays.

The only 800 that tempts me is the very sweet F800R with AC Schnitzer exhaust, to my mind this is the only F bike worth a second glance. (As a toy)

You always spend more money, (BECAUSE ITS GERMAN )

And you can act arrogant because it's German

I've had 5 BMW's.

Sam