Photo Gallery: BMW's 800cc Sport Tourer, the F 800 ST
Tuesday January 15, 2008
It's got expandable saddlebags, heated grips, and a riding demeanor that's long distance-friendly. With its 798cc DOHC twin powerplant, the BMW F 800 ST is the only other 800cc sport tourer than the Honda VFR Interceptor ABS on the market.
This Teutonic middleweight boasts some nifty engineering and cool design cues, as well as some not-so-polished details. Check out the visual story in the BMW F 800 ST Photo Gallery, and stay tuned for a full review.
Photo © Basem Wasef
Comments
Am I worng or is this only production bike with a single sided swing arm and belt drive?
I rode an F800ST while we were shopping for a second bike. We were trying several types to get a feel for what we wanted. I liked the BMW. It didn’t have neck snapping power but it was a very steady, strong pull in any gear was smooth compared to the buzzy inline 4 of my other bike. The low center of gravity from the gas tank under the seat made it VERY maneuverable. It’s not a short bike but it seemed easier to get on than say the Kawasaki Versys which is pretty tall too. There’s a lower seat option available. The bike looked equally good with the saddle bags on or off, as the mounting hardware was nicely integrated and did not look just stuck on like some other bikes. I REALLY liked the belt drive (no chain clean/lube to mess with), and the single-side swing arm looked sharp.
BTW, we ended up with a Honda ST1300. We were adding to our original stable of a Honda 599 and felt that the BMW would have been a good 599 REPLACEMENT, but the Honda was a better ADDITION as we were looking for a sporty hard-core distance bike for carrying a load. Maybe when I replace the 599 one day and they get a few minor bugs worked out of the BMW…