Where to look for info...

[FJRMGM]

friend of mine bought an F800 ST two months ago and SHE really likes it so far.

 

[Fred W]

This is an old joke. But has a lot of truth to it.
How are BMW and Porcupines different. The Porcupines have the pricks on the outside.

I would look at any bike other than BMW, they are relying on an old reputation.

Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki, and others have surpassed them in quality and Value.

The old joke is related to BMW cars (not MCs), and is wrong as a generalization anyway. I've met a lot of really nice BMW drivers over the years. There are no more pricks on the inside of BMWs than any other marquee.

What exactly is your assessment of BMW motorcycles based on? How many have you owned? What problems did you have?

 

[SockMonkey]

This is an old joke. But has a lot of truth to it.
How are BMW and Porcupines different. The Porcupines have the pricks on the outside.

I would look at any bike other than BMW, they are relying on an old reputation.

Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki, and others have surpassed them in quality and Value.

The old joke is related to BMW cars (not MCs), and is wrong as a generalization anyway. I've met a lot of really nice BMW drivers over the years. There are no more pricks on the inside of BMWs than any other marquee.

What exactly is your assessment of BMW motorcycles based on? How many have you owned? What problems did you have?

Adding to Frew W's comments, as my wife and I are very interested in the BMW F800ST for her (one of the few - if only - ST bikes that has a factory lowering kit), I've paid particular attention to F800Riders.org and have found the riders there to be no more "prickish" than anyone on this board. There is just as much a sense of community there as here, with the bikes having just as many (or as few, as the case may be) problems as we have with our FJRs.

There are extreme examples of behavior and snobbery regardless of what bike you ride or car you drive; think HD, BMW, Ducati, Moto Guzzi, and yes, even FJR riders. As a group, we shouldn't poke sticks at stereotypes until we're dead certain that sticks aren't being poked at us.

 

[Fred W]

As a group, we shouldn't poke sticks at stereotypes until we're dead certain that sticks aren't being poked at us.

'Zactly right. ...just ask our friends over at ST.N.

They'll tell ya. It's the FJR's that are the ones with the pricks on 'em.

 

[krashdragon]

Thanks...you wont' read this till you get back... I hope you guys have a wonderful trip...One of my fantasies is to visit the Land of the Long White Cloud! <G>

I'll email you later...

Many thanks

mary

Hello Mary, While on the long Air New Zealand flight from Los Angeles to Auckland, I remembered I had just recently seen a Road Test in Motorcycle Consumer News on the BMW F800ST. So, when I returned to Chandler I looked in my huge stack of MCN and in the Volume 38 Number 9 September 2007 issue was a four page Test Report from Gary Prickett.

A picture of the bike was on the cover under the banner headline "BMW's Exceptional F800ST - The Perfect Middleweight."

On the last Cycle Stats page they said this about the powertrain: "A superb real-world engine, with plenty of torque, a fine sound and a very linear power delivery that makes using it a pleasure. The clever engine balancing scheme works very effectively and does so without the usual clatter of counterbalancers." Under Test Notes: Picks - Excellent power delivery, smooth-shifting transmission; Light, nimble and stable steering; A brand new accessorized touring BMW under $15,000.

If you would like me to copy and mail this article to you just e-mail me at [email protected] or call me at 480-917-3863.

thanks!

but no need.... I've been over at the

https://f800riders.org/forum/index.php

forum.

Seems the guys there are really into the bike, it's good points and faults. At this point my only concern is thier complaining about all the little stuff that's breaking or leaking that shouldn't. But that's true of all bike fanatics!

Some of them were complaining about the engine and tranny noises.... guess they've never ridden a Harley!

and whether it was too big of a bike for a beginner... those were mostly the Europeans, there's a bit more open road here in the US.

Seems most of them really love the 800, even tho it's a new (2006 first ones) and sorting out problems.

Also BMW's attitude of "It's a cheap bike, all we want is your $$$"! Lots of complaints about that!

No hurry right now. Still have to fix some wiring on the Harley and then see what I can get for it. Just may keep it and then get something else later. I really like the F00ST, but just started at a new job, so it might be a while until I can get one.

Will give you a yell later... Pbly much later! <G>

Thanks

Mary

 

[krashdragon]

This is an old joke. But has a lot of truth to it.
How are BMW and Porcupines different. The Porcupines have the pricks on the outside.

I would look at any bike other than BMW, they are relying on an old reputation.

Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki, and others have surpassed them in quality and Value.

The old joke is related to BMW cars (not MCs), and is wrong as a generalization anyway. I've met a lot of really nice BMW drivers over the years. There are no more pricks on the inside of BMWs than any other marquee.

What exactly is your assessment of BMW motorcycles based on? How many have you owned? What problems did you have?

Adding to Frew W's comments, as my wife and I are very interested in the BMW F800ST for her (one of the few - if only - ST bikes that has a factory lowering kit), I've paid particular attention to F800Riders.org and have found the riders there to be no more "prickish" than anyone on this board. There is just as much a sense of community there as here, with the bikes having just as many (or as few, as the case may be) problems as we have with our FJRs.

There are extreme examples of behavior and snobbery regardless of what bike you ride or car you drive; think HD, BMW, Ducati, Moto Guzzi, and yes, even FJR riders. As a group, we shouldn't poke sticks at stereotypes until we're dead certain that sticks aren't being poked at us.

The 800ST seems to be a really cool bike. It's the "WE have to work on it cause you're too stupid" attitude of the BMW dealers that bothers me. but then I have lots of friends that work on Harleys, and guys like the ones here on this FJR forum that work on theirs.... ok, I haven't seen too many folks want to tear the engines apart for more HP here <BG> I need to do some more digging and see just how many BMW riders work on their own machines.

If I get one it'll be the factory lowered version with the extra low seat. I don't feel as if I'm fighting this bike, at least while sitting on it..

Sucks to have a short inseam and be old and puny! <LOL> Nice to sit on something where I can flatfoot it and not worry about minor stuff like putting feet down where the road is not level. I hate falling over. <G> Not the HP the FJR has, but oh well....

I really think your wife would like the F800ST. It's not intimidating. AND it's short!

OH ...group snobbery? Try a bunch of RUB pretend H-D riders! <G>

mary

 

[beemerdons]

Mary, This may sound a little crude, so I will apologize for the content beforehand. But one of the common campfire jokes at a BMW Rally, about another BMW rider is: "He is so damn cheap, he would fart on a rock to save the grease!"

I don't know what it is about we BMW owners, but when it comes to spending a nickel on their Beemers for maintenance and repairs, after they have already spent 20 thousand plus for the machine, they will cry like the world has come to an end each and every time! I have seen it for forty years now: "The Cheapest Part on a BMW Motorrad is the Owner!"

BMW does have you with trapped by completing the 6,000 mile service warranties at their authorized BMW dealerships, complete with diagnostic printouts for their/your records, for the first 36 months or 36,000 miles. But, once the BMW is out of warranty, you are free to do your own maintenance or have a good independent shop work on the machine.

 

[Fred W]

Mary, This may sound a little crude, so I will apologize for the content beforehand. But one of the common campfire jokes at a BMW Rally, about another BMW rider is: "He is so damn cheap, he would fart on a rock to save the grease!"
I don't know what it is about we BMW owners, but when it comes to spending a nickel on their Beemers for maintenance and repairs, after they have already spent 20 thousand plus for the machine, they will cry like the world has come to an end each and every time! I have seen it for forty years now: "The Cheapest Part on a BMW Motorrad is the Owner!"

BMW does have you with trapped by completing the 6,000 mile service warranties at their authorized BMW dealerships, complete with diagnostic printouts for their/your records, for the first 36 months or 36,000 miles. But, once the BMW is out of warranty, you are free to do your own maintenance or have a good independent shop work on the machine.

I don't think they can "require" you to have the service done at a BMW dealership. In other words, if you had the work done elsewhere, or submitted evidence that you did the work yourself, they could not refuse your warranty claims. Something about anti-trust...

 

[SockMonkey]

The 800ST seems to be a really cool bike. It's the "WE have to work on it cause you're too stupid" attitude of the BMW dealers that bothers me. but then I have lots of friends that work on Harleys, and guys like the ones here on this FJR forum that work on theirs.... ok, I haven't seen too many folks want to tear the engines apart for more HP here <BG> I need to do some more digging and see just how many BMW riders work on their own machines.
If I get one it'll be the factory lowered version with the extra low seat. I don't feel as if I'm fighting this bike, at least while sitting on it..

Sucks to have a short inseam and be old and puny! <LOL> Nice to sit on something where I can flatfoot it and not worry about minor stuff like putting feet down where the road is not level. I hate falling over. <G> Not the HP the FJR has, but oh well....

I really think your wife would like the F800ST. It's not intimidating. AND it's short!

OH ...group snobbery? Try a bunch of RUB pretend H-D riders! <G>

mary

For as much as she really wants the F800ST, we're going to spend a little money and "farklify" (good word, huh?) her '06 Ninja 500R into a quasi sport-tourer for her to at least get the feel for making moderate-distance trips of between 200 - 300 miles as pilot instead of pillion. (Which if you ask people who've ridden their Ninja 500s across the country, it's more than capable of such trips.) Ease her into it, if you will. To that end, I've already installed GenMar risers, a Zero Gravity touring windshield, and have just ordered a custom Corbin seat. (My wife, like you, is somewhat inseam challenged and petite @ 112 lbs. Standard seat height on a Ninja 500 is 30.5". The Corbin seat will drop the seat height to a more manageable 29.5" plus move her forward in the saddle about 1".) Better tires and a set of either Cortech or FirstGear soft luggage will be next.

BTW, that Ninja 500 is a fantastic, yet way under-appreciated bike. At ~60 HP and 34 ft/lbs torque, Kawasaki did a good job of squeezing just about everything they could out of a 498cc engine. I enjoy riding it myself if for no other reason than it's far more forgiving than my FJR and I can take it up and practice cornering in the tight, 15 - 25 mph twisties without (too much) fear of getting into serious trouble when I do something stupid. It's great to have a bike that size to practice technique on; put to use all those things I read in the stacks of books I seem to collect...!