bmw f800
After writing all this in the sportsbike thread I realised I should give it it's own little thread all to itself.
Yippee!!. Got the demo F800St for the long weekend. Don't you love shops that do that, give you a $19,000 machine to play on for a 5 day weekend.
I did the Gladstone hill area yesterday and must say this bike is growing on me fast. Bridgestone tyres are my pet hate and this baby has BT020 (touring) tyres.
Did the really tight blue mountain loop and this is where the bike shined. Turned with an ease and speed no 187kg bike has any right too. As I headed up a new-ish R1 follows me. Oh bugger I think, I'm not out to push a demo bike hard and now I have a boy racer on my tail with no doubt hopes of embarrassing me. Well bugger me after a few tight bends and he's disappeared from my mirrors. Next came the Takas that were soaked so it was a crawl and the wet confirmed my distrust of all things Bridgestone. Inexcusably slippery in the wet. My 636 with Pirellis would have run rings around me.
Anyway, back on to dry roads and time to enjoy what I liked about this 85hp puppy.
DISPLAY. My pet hate No. 2 about bikes - they should all have a gear indicator and the F800 dash has a beaut. So easy to read and lots of fun stuff to pass the time. Air temp! Cool, leave Tawa 15c , around Whitby 16c the Hutt drops to 10.5c and colder up the summit. Now you have proof when you 'feel' cold.
Other useful stuff like ave. fuel use etc.. And a fuel guage that seemed damn accurate. At a certain point when the fuel light comes on another display appears counting down how many kms you have left. I'm told by another BMW owner that this is very accurate to 'get off and push time'.
I am seriously thinking of changing to one of these bikes. On average country backroads it's as fast as I would usually ride a sportsbike, simple as that. If full race pace comes into play, sure then it's lack of ponies and not so sticky rubber will be the limiting factor- eventually and not by much. But the test was sweeping around bends I usually take at about 160kph and doing the same speed on the BMW without any drama.
FUEL. I did 290 km yesterday of thrashing it and still haven't had to re-fill the tank. It is down to 18km left but it was a fast day of thrashing it. Let's not mention the average speeds, those who ride with me sometimes have an idea. Lets just say there was no way I was going for an economy run. So to get 300kms out of 16 litres- FAST riding up and down hills is bloody fantastic.
I now believe one test claim that at 90kph it will travel 470km on a tank.
LEAN. This thing leans brilliantly and the suspension does a top job. I kept thinking how fast this would be over hills if I had Pirrellis - that I personally get more confidence out off. This bike is just as much fun on hills as the sportsbikes I've owned. The twin motor provides instant go when it's time to overtake.
ABS- well not on my Christmas want list but have to reluctantly say it works a treat. Weird feeling when the foot pedal starts pumping your foot up and down as it releases-enguages-releases... Does seem to stop a bike very quickly and works safely while cranked over. (Bugger it, I wanted to rubbish this as technology for technologies sake)
These observations are all my personal taste so who cares what others think but I like the look of the bike, I like the comfort without giving away any ability to ride bloody fast. No I wouldn't even bother trying it on a track day- 85hp is just not going to cut the mustard. I like the odd ball aspects like tank under seat, belt drive. I like the luxury of full info display, factory built in heated grips that work a treat! A CENTRE STAND, shit are they handy or what and this one does not touch down in corners. I'd attach some pics but all I have are from other official sites - see mcnews.com.au for a full test and lots of pics if interested.
Oh and Speedking jumped on it and immediately takes off through the gears on one wheel. Then rides up his long curving driveway in a standup wheelie. Stoppies are not going to happen with ABS but we all know a certain world champion stuntsmaster who uses a F800.
To me it's a well put together package but I still think BMW are asking too much but I'm weakening. Another tank full ride and I might be convinced.
Happiness is a means of travel, not a destination
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Originally Posted by MD
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