BikeTest: BMW F800S/ST The location for the launch of the F800S/ST BMW was Franschhoek, just north of Capetown in South Africa, a valley tightly hemmed in by mountains and named after the French Huguenots who fled to the Cape after religious persecution in 1688.
Franschhoek is also known as the gourmet capital of the Cape and the small town features a number of acclaimed restaurants with everything from delicious Cape country fare to sublime French cuisine. For motoring fans, however, it's renowned for a 20km stretch of mountainous road that ranks as one of the greatest drives in the world. Jaguar recently used this route for the launch of its XK coupé and now BMW descended upon the town with its F800ST.
This latest bike from the Bavarians has a new Parallel-Twin engine with four-valve technology 798 cc displacement. The engine is developed by Austrian specialist Bombardier-Rotax Gmbh.
The differences between the F800S and the F800ST are very slight but distinct. The F800S has a lower windscreen, speed wheel design, grab handles for pillion, the upper fairing is cut shorter and it has a much sportier riding position. In contrast, the F800ST has a higher wind-screen, a touring seating position, luggage rack and the fairing has side panels.
On seeing the F800 for the first time I was pleasantly surprised. BMW have definitely come of age in the design department, from the aggressive lines to the well-designed single swing arm which has given these two bikes plenty of character.
On arrival I was given the choice of either model, so I choose the ST. On firing the engine up the first thing I noticed was how similar it sounded to the famous Boxer engine. The test route was up through the Franschhoek pass. It comprises several steep ascents up into the mountains, with every type of bend imaginable, from decreasing radius to double apex and everything in between. The road surface is probably the smoothest I have ever experienced; every corner is super elevated, which is ideal for cornering in both directions.
On the climb up to the pass the bike was superb and the engine has plenty of power and torque.
The engine is very responsive and has 85bhp at 8,000rpm. BMW claim the F800 will accelerate to 100km/h in just 3.5 seconds. They also say it has a top speed of 200km/h, however I know different, because I had it up to 220km/h on a closed public road.
It's not all about top speed but the delivery of power which is important. The engineers at BMW have got it right and the power is delivered smoothly and progressively. In today's consumer market with ever increasing fuel prices, fuel economy is a major consideration when purchasing a new machine. The manufacturers say the F800 range will do over 55mpg and it has to be said that this is pretty good for an 800cc machine.
The six-speed gear box is well up to the job. It is very smooth and changes effortlessly even under extreme conditions. In addition to this, on the tight twisty roads up to the pass the F800 handled everything I threw at it, from insane lean angles to harsh acceleration.
Road safety is a topic you hear about on a daily basis these days and at BMW they take it very seriously. The F800 has two 320mm discs and four-piston callipers on the front wheel, the new F-models boast a brake system you would expect more on a big bike than in the mid-range segment.
As an option, the F800 models are available straight from the factory with Bosch two-channel ABS. Another feature that I really liked was the wheel size: the F800 has a 120/70/17 up front and a 180/55/17 at the back.
This is great because it gives you a much wider range of tyres to choose from. Over the years I have had the opportunity to ride many different machines and I have to say that I felt right at home on the new BMW. I can confidently state that if you plan on purchasing the new BMW F800S or ST it will serve you well, whether it's for touring, commuting, Sunday spins or even the odd track day.