I have owned my F800 ST ( 2010 model ) for 5 years . Superb bike , good build quality- part German , Austrian and Italian , Most of the bike was built in Germany then moved on to Italy for the last components to be fitted, you can see this when you take off the seat and on the left side are the words 'Made in Italy'-The bike uses the Rotax twin cylinder four stroke engine whereby the pistons rise and fall in tandem with alternating firing strokes . In between the crank is a counter balancer which smooths out any vibration . Unlike the later F800 GT variant which came out in 2011 all the engines for the F800 ST were built by Rotax in Austria. The later GT800 motors were built in China . The ST 800's belts are made by Continental and are the same as the BMW car cam belts and are normally half the price compared to the bike belts ( yep they are exactly the same )...!- To satisfy yourself that the engine is a real Rotax take out the dip stick and 'Rotax' will be written on it . Other tips , oh yes when cold the you may hear some rattle from the engine , this isn't anything to be worried about . Cam chain / Clutch basket rattle ( they all do it) -and earlier models did have a recall ) - On long runs I have got around 65-70 mpg at least and on some occasions when the wind was light up to 80 mpg. Use good quality high octain fuel better for the engine . This new crap is too diluted and you have to consider the basic engine design has been around a very long time , so will only help in the long term . Servicing around 6000 miles for an interim service and full yearly service at say 10.000. The bike you are testing has an aftermarket exhaust and although you might like the 'pop' that could indicate it hasn't been re-mapped for the replacement exhaust , you might want to consider this . They run very well with the original system but the issue is the standard 'can' is very heavy and quiet ...Plus if you're thinking of fitting the BMW panniers they won't fit with anything else other than the original system. These bikes are very underated in every way . They are quick and will hold a steady 90-100 mph all day and they love it . They have a true 140 mph top speed and will do it with ease. Tyres are always a personal choice and I have found that Michelin Road 6's work incredibly well , they give the bike even more feel and allow much more extreme riding ( if you want to !)...Hope some of this helps - NB I have a few vids of my F800 ST on my channel ...Stay safe , enjoy the ride and buy the bike , if you haven't already ...!- And finally the indicators are self cancelling and typically BMW, left is on the left and right is on the right haha.
Mine 2007.. 80,000kms...Great bike....super handling and comfort...easy to ride fast...indicator switches not a problem...main thing self cancellation...unreal safety feature on a bike....Plenty power...use max torque 5...6 thousand rpm....economy just unreal..70 mpg no matter how hard driven....
With an Akra exhaust, and a Power Commander with an appropriate map, it becomes really really amusing. Amazingly torquey, I can ride up through the Alpine roads in 6th gear no probs. Very good sitting position, driven for 8 a whole day, not a single pain.
If you want to access the power take it up to 8.5k rpm instead of short shifting, its a genuinly quick bike for so little power, i put a booster plug on which totally sorted out the lurchy nature at low revs and calms the engine braking somewhat which helps with cornering.
Really great bikes. I have a 2010 f880s, the naked version of this range. They can have issues with their throttle position switches making them cut out when downshifting or at low revs. I replaced the switch as well as the ideal actuator and it's made such a difference, really sings now. I use mine to commute about 60kms a few days a week and it's a very comfortable ride. The indicator cancellation switch takes getting used to - I had a few forward lunges as I used to nudge the throttle by mistake trying to cancel a turn signal. Longest ride I've done in a sitting was about 300 km, as I have only had it about 4 months Would be happy to ride longer too, as it's very comfy. All in all a great ride.
had a 2012 for 4 years new owner, put 20000 miles on it NEVER any problems, took it up to 120mph one day, Still strong...had to sell due to no work :o( ....Just ordered a F750 GS !!
You comment that the seat is low. That is because the bike has the optional extra low seat. The standard seat has a raised triangle “bolster” behind the drovers butt.
I had one for around 6 months. Found the bike to be comfortable, fast, good on fuel, handled really well for what it was, but for me I found it lacking in one thing 'character'. The only time I had a smile on my face was when I was throwing it around twisty roads and chasing and beating cars. I traded it in for a Benelli Leoncino 500 which whilst worse at everything the BMW was good at, has character. My other bike is a Royal Enfield Classic 500 and that really is my keeper. The beemer is an excellent bike, but it just wasn't for me.
I reckon your comment is spot on. I borrowed my brothers for a 300 mile day trip as my bike was in for a service. The bike did everything I asked of it, but I felt somewhat underwhelmed when I got back. I would possibly consider one as an addition to my garage but not as an only bike. Indeed for me the Honda NC750X-DCT is a better option, even though I fully acknowledge it is way less powerful.
I've had my ST for about 4 years now and I am loving it - the "naked" bike is the F800S (known as the Sport) where the ST is the Sport Tourer, they are same bike, same motor, etc, except obviously for the fairings - those heated grips do get very hot, but as I'm from South Africa I hardly ever use then, even during winter. The drive belt can be expensive, especially if you get it from BMW. The controls do take some getting used to and the bike is fairly easy to work on as I do as my bike is way out of warranty. The bike is not blistering quick but I have managed to get about 210 km/h (130 mph) and that's with my wife as a pinion and the topbox on. I commute with it all the time and manage to get an average fuel consumption of about 4.5 - 4.9 l/100km (52.2 - 48 mpg) but I have done a long ride (about 900km (560 miles)) and managed to get the consumption down to 3.9 l/100km (60.3 mpg). So overall it is a great little bike that works for me 🤘🤘
Thanks to your video, I finally found out what the thingamajig to the right and below of the seat is: suspension adjustment. There's a tool for it tucked away under the seat, but now I know where it goes :)
Glad it was helpful! How are you liking your f800? I'm really considering getting one, it feels like a "responsible" choice of bike over a litre bike lol
@@davidsfix I love it. A good beginners motorcycle - which is what I am. Plus I don't have to stress about oiling the chain, this being a belt-driven bike.
It looks like you have the lower BMW oem seat? The normal seat for the ST has like a bulge on the passengers place. I’ve bought a 2012 for 2 months ago (only 24800 km and extremely well maintained) and I have never been happier. I’ve ben driving bikes since 2002. Suzuki GS500E, Kawasaki ZZR 600, Suzuki VZ800 Marauder but have never been so satisfied as after buying the ST. (I Denmark bikes are very expensive we pay the normal prive plus 180% i TAX.
Hey, I've seen you are pretty skilled at changing gears including downshifts with revmatching, how do you find the gearbox compared to other motorcycles, especially japanese? I like the F800S and one of the main reasons for me to avoid it is the gearbox about some say its clunky, rough, "agricultural" etc. In the video it looks you don't have any problems changing gears smooth and precise and if I'm not mistaken you also changed gears up without clutch. I own an F4i right now and the gearbox is quite good, not perfect, clunky from first to second sometimes but I hate motorcycles which change gears in a rough way so wound not trade my F4i for a F800S if I don't like the gearbox. Thanks
I also heard about their gearboxes being bit rough, but honestly, I didn't really notice it while riding. I pretty much always clutch-less shift up and down and I had no issues while riding that f800st, nor the later f800 ( naked ) that a rode a few weeks later, it felt "confident" enough for a good ride. Maybe it feels different if you shift normally with clutch? Compared to the Japanese bikes.. it wasn't as tight feeling as the cbr650r for example, but it wasn't vague feeling either. I rode a R1150GS and THAT was clunky and very agricultural feeling. Another thing to consider is what oil is used, as I've had bikes shift quite differently when different oils were used
@@davidsfix Thank you. I had already ruled out South Africa for obvious reasons, didn’t recognise any Aussie sights either, so I guessed you had to be in New Zealand somewhere. Has life returned to normal there now? Will life improve with the WEF puppet in charge? Excellent bike. It’s on my list to own at some point. Several things in its favour. Great design, engine, belt drive, layout, power, economy, price…! Thank you for sharing.
Great bike. Just got one myself. I highly recommend the Givi touring windshield if you can get one. Once added, the touring at highway speeds became impeccable.
I love mine. Do get the OBD link in case you throw a code and change the air filter to a K&N because they clog and will not start. There's a guy in my motorcycle group who has one with 500,000 miles.
I have owned my F800 ST ( 2010 model ) for 5 years . Superb bike , good build quality- part German , Austrian and Italian , Most of the bike was built in Germany then moved on to Italy for the last components to be fitted, you can see this when you take off the seat and on the left side are the words 'Made in Italy'-The bike uses the Rotax twin cylinder four stroke engine whereby the pistons rise and fall in tandem with alternating firing strokes . In between the crank is a counter balancer which smooths out any vibration . Unlike the later F800 GT variant which came out in 2011 all the engines for the F800 ST were built by Rotax in Austria. The later GT800 motors were built in China . The ST 800's belts are made by Continental and are the same as the BMW car cam belts and are normally half the price compared to the bike belts ( yep they are exactly the same )...!- To satisfy yourself that the engine is a real Rotax take out the dip stick and 'Rotax' will be written on it . Other tips , oh yes when cold the you may hear some rattle from the engine , this isn't anything to be worried about . Cam chain / Clutch basket rattle ( they all do it) -and earlier models did have a recall ) - On long runs I have got around 65-70 mpg at least and on some occasions when the wind was light up to 80 mpg. Use good quality high octain fuel better for the engine . This new crap is too diluted and you have to consider the basic engine design has been around a very long time , so will only help in the long term . Servicing around 6000 miles for an interim service and full yearly service at say 10.000. The bike you are testing has an aftermarket exhaust and although you might like the 'pop' that could indicate it hasn't been re-mapped for the replacement exhaust , you might want to consider this . They run very well with the original system but the issue is the standard 'can' is very heavy and quiet ...Plus if you're thinking of fitting the BMW panniers they won't fit with anything else other than the original system. These bikes are very underated in every way . They are quick and will hold a steady 90-100 mph all day and they love it . They have a true 140 mph top speed and will do it with ease. Tyres are always a personal choice and I have found that Michelin Road 6's work incredibly well , they give the bike even more feel and allow much more extreme riding ( if you want to !)...Hope some of this helps - NB I have a few vids of my F800 ST on my channel ...Stay safe , enjoy the ride and buy the bike , if you haven't already ...!- And finally the indicators are self cancelling and typically BMW, left is on the left and right is on the right haha.
Mine 2007.. 80,000kms...Great bike....super handling and comfort...easy to ride fast...indicator switches not a problem...main thing self cancellation...unreal safety feature on a bike....Plenty power...use max torque 5...6 thousand rpm....economy just unreal..70 mpg no matter how hard driven....
With an Akra exhaust, and a Power Commander with an appropriate map, it becomes really really amusing. Amazingly torquey, I can ride up through the Alpine roads in 6th gear no probs. Very good sitting position, driven for 8 a whole day, not a single pain.
If you want to access the power take it up to 8.5k rpm instead of short shifting, its a genuinly quick bike for so little power, i put a booster plug on which totally sorted out the lurchy nature at low revs and calms the engine braking somewhat which helps with cornering.
Really great bikes. I have a 2010 f880s, the naked version of this range. They can have issues with their throttle position switches making them cut out when downshifting or at low revs. I replaced the switch as well as the ideal actuator and it's made such a difference, really sings now. I use mine to commute about 60kms a few days a week and it's a very comfortable ride. The indicator cancellation switch takes getting used to - I had a few forward lunges as I used to nudge the throttle by mistake trying to cancel a turn signal. Longest ride I've done in a sitting was about 300 km, as I have only had it about 4 months Would be happy to ride longer too, as it's very comfy. All in all a great ride.
had a 2012 for 4 years new owner, put 20000 miles on it NEVER any problems, took it up to 120mph one day, Still strong...had to sell due to no work :o( ....Just ordered a F750 GS !!
I still have to try a 750gs/800gs! Heard they're great :)
You comment that the seat is low. That is because the bike has the optional extra low seat. The standard seat has a raised triangle “bolster” behind the drovers butt.
I had one for around 6 months. Found the bike to be comfortable, fast, good on fuel, handled really well for what it was, but for me I found it lacking in one thing 'character'. The only time I had a smile on my face was when I was throwing it around twisty roads and chasing and beating cars. I traded it in for a Benelli Leoncino 500 which whilst worse at everything the BMW was good at, has character. My other bike is a Royal Enfield Classic 500 and that really is my keeper. The beemer is an excellent bike, but it just wasn't for me.
I reckon your comment is spot on. I borrowed my brothers for a 300 mile day trip as my bike was in for a service. The bike did everything I asked of it, but I felt somewhat underwhelmed when I got back. I would possibly consider one as an addition to my garage but not as an only bike. Indeed for me the Honda NC750X-DCT is a better option, even though I fully acknowledge it is way less powerful.
I've had my ST for about 4 years now and I am loving it - the "naked" bike is the F800S (known as the Sport) where the ST is the Sport Tourer, they are same bike, same motor, etc, except obviously for the fairings - those heated grips do get very hot, but as I'm from South Africa I hardly ever use then, even during winter. The drive belt can be expensive, especially if you get it from BMW. The controls do take some getting used to and the bike is fairly easy to work on as I do as my bike is way out of warranty. The bike is not blistering quick but I have managed to get about 210 km/h (130 mph) and that's with my wife as a pinion and the topbox on. I commute with it all the time and manage to get an average fuel consumption of about 4.5 - 4.9 l/100km (52.2 - 48 mpg) but I have done a long ride (about 900km (560 miles)) and managed to get the consumption down to 3.9 l/100km (60.3 mpg). So overall it is a great little bike that works for me 🤘🤘
Thanks to your video, I finally found out what the thingamajig to the right and below of the seat is: suspension adjustment. There's a tool for it tucked away under the seat, but now I know where it goes :)
Glad it was helpful! How are you liking your f800? I'm really considering getting one, it feels like a "responsible" choice of bike over a litre bike lol
@@davidsfix I love it. A good beginners motorcycle - which is what I am. Plus I don't have to stress about oiling the chain, this being a belt-driven bike.
Is this exhaust pop standard? I have never heard it with my F800S. Any modifications?
It looks like you have the lower BMW oem seat? The normal seat for the ST has like a bulge on the passengers place. I’ve bought a 2012 for 2 months ago (only 24800 km and extremely well maintained) and I have never been happier. I’ve ben driving bikes since 2002. Suzuki GS500E, Kawasaki ZZR 600, Suzuki VZ800 Marauder but have never been so satisfied as after buying the ST. (I Denmark bikes are very expensive we pay the normal prive plus 180% i TAX.
What on Earth is iTax??? And how did they get away with 180%??? That’s just ludicrous.
What exhaust is on the bike
Hey, I've seen you are pretty skilled at changing gears including downshifts with revmatching, how do you find the gearbox compared to other motorcycles, especially japanese? I like the F800S and one of the main reasons for me to avoid it is the gearbox about some say its clunky, rough, "agricultural" etc. In the video it looks you don't have any problems changing gears smooth and precise and if I'm not mistaken you also changed gears up without clutch. I own an F4i right now and the gearbox is quite good, not perfect, clunky from first to second sometimes but I hate motorcycles which change gears in a rough way so wound not trade my F4i for a F800S if I don't like the gearbox. Thanks
I also heard about their gearboxes being bit rough, but honestly, I didn't really notice it while riding. I pretty much always clutch-less shift up and down and I had no issues while riding that f800st, nor the later f800 ( naked ) that a rode a few weeks later, it felt "confident" enough for a good ride. Maybe it feels different if you shift normally with clutch? Compared to the Japanese bikes.. it wasn't as tight feeling as the cbr650r for example, but it wasn't vague feeling either. I rode a R1150GS and THAT was clunky and very agricultural feeling. Another thing to consider is what oil is used, as I've had bikes shift quite differently when different oils were used
You were at Coleman's! I've test ridden so many bikes from there 😅
They're really cool at helping you choose a bike :) Auckland city Honda is really good too
@@davidsfix oh the lads at Coleman's are awesome, I go way back with them. Mike's the man and Alistair is one of the friendliest people you'll meet
@@davidsfix Thank you. I had already ruled out South Africa for obvious reasons, didn’t recognise any Aussie sights either, so I guessed you had to be in New Zealand somewhere. Has life returned to normal there now? Will life improve with the WEF puppet in charge?
Excellent bike. It’s on my list to own at some point. Several things in its favour. Great design, engine, belt drive, layout, power, economy, price…!
Thank you for sharing.
Great bike. Just got one myself. I highly recommend the Givi touring windshield if you can get one. Once added, the touring at highway speeds became impeccable.
Mexico Speed?
Once you get used to the indicators it's a great bike
I really enjoyed riding it, It has a "responsible" amount of power, not too much, not too little.
I love the indicator setup, you can make very quick left right turns and signal very easily even with the thickest of gloves!
What city were you riding around in?
Auckland - New Zealand :)
Sounds British
👍🪃
No curves? So boring streets
I love mine. Do get the OBD link in case you throw a code and change the air filter to a K&N because they clog and will not start. There's a guy in my motorcycle group who has one with 500,000 miles.
Belt driven,no thank you
The next gen F800 is chain driven, rode one and it's just as good 👍
What's wrong with a belt?