BMW 800 S and ST

[Adventurer]

Today I was fortunate enough to be part of the official launch of the BMW 800S and the ST. I have to submit a 'Ride Report' to the magazine that made it possible for me to be there first before I post anything here, but suffice it to say that it is a very nice scoot. I preferred the ST, probably because I am more used to the 'sit-up' riding position. It was quite interesting at first, after doing an offroad course the whole weekend, then getting on a racetrack the next day, everything was the 'wrong way round'!

 

[Kev]

Do you think these 800's will transform nicely into a GS 800 model?

 

[masehare]

Do you think these 800's will transform nicely into a GS 800 model?

:notworthy:

YEAH! That would be a super (sic) bike. Power would be right, weight would be right.

The guys at Hamman Motorrad gave me the great privilege to sit on an ST yesterday. They said you could demo the bike only if you were going to buy one. But the bike must fist get 1000k's on the clock before it can become a demo. I felt extremely honoured.


:happy1:

 

[JourneyMan]

They said you could demo the bike only if you were going to buy one.

IMO, that rather defeats the object of a demo bike. :roll:

 

[Grootseun]

How am i gonna buy a bike.. if you dont know how it rides???

they are probable waiting for some dude that has been desperately wanting an f800 since they promised them to be on sale in August September last year..to come in and buy it off the floor.

 

[Ama ride ride]

They said you could demo the bike only if you were going to buy one.

IMO, that rather defeats the object of a demo bike. :roll:

Thats why I refered potential buyers to other BMW dealers in Cape Town.... :?

 

[Adventurer]

To answer Kev's question, yes, it would make a fantastic GS motor IMO. Lots of bottom end torque, easy to ride.

 

[popipants]

What or who did you do to get invited to all these cool things?

 

[Leo]

:useless:

 

[Adventurer]

What or who did you do to get invited to all these cool things?

It's not WHAT you know, but WHO you know. :lol: :lol:
Sorry, no pics allowed yet Leo.

 

[Grondpad]

Saw the 800S on Saturday at the BMW Nelsons Creek gathering in Wellington. :roll:

Nice bike !

 

[Stephan]

I asked a while ago, sounds like the GS version is planned for release in Germany early next year and about 6 months thereafter here. How true that is, anyone's guess. Red has already said she wants to upgrade to the 800 as soon as it's available in GS format. Oh well, :roll: can't complain, I started the nonsense. :lol: :lol:

 

[Kev]

I asked a while ago, sounds like the GS version is planned for release in Germany early next year and about 6 months thereafter here. How true that is, anyone's guess. Red has already said she wants to upgrade to the 800 as soon as it's available in GS format. Oh well, :roll: can't complain, I started the nonsense. :lol: :lol:

Go on... admit it. You are VERY proud of her! :lol: You can admit such this here you know... we won't tease you. Promise!

 

[Doringboom]

Here's a pic of the ST.

I also thought of getting myself one after selling my Suzuki GSX750F in August last year. I had my name placed on the waiting list at a BMW dealer, but I couldn't accept to be without a bike for so long (had to wait until November 2006 they told me). In the meantime I fell for the Tiger 8) Was it a mistake :?: (I think NO :!: )

 

[BlouVark]

Belt drive? Me, don't like the look

 

[Grootseun]

I like the belt drive for the maintenance...

I like the nekkid bike more.. the S...but then again.. i have a thing for nekkidness..

 

[KiLRoy]

Why do the Rotax motors look so plastic? P-Twin motor always made sense in a ds bike - very compact.

Welsh, what are the fundamental characteristic differences between a v and a P twin? Is the one more torquey than the other or does the one rev higher than the other etc. Early p-twin motors had vibration problems, didn't it??

H

 

[SuperJuice]

Taken from www.motoring.co.za

The 798cc engine is almost square, with 82 x 75.6mm bore and stroke and revs easily to 8500rpm, providing a claimed 62.5kW at 8000, with 86Nm of torque available at 5800rpm.

The parallel twin layout offers a broad spread of torque ? a very desirable trait for BMW's engineers ? in a compact package, but suffers from a built-in primary rocking couple (that's the source of the shaking front wheel on old Britbikes, Cyril) and irritating secondary vibration.

Rather than use a complex and power-sapping balance shaft BMW, in collaboration with Austrian engine specialists Rotax, placed a third con rod between the cylinders, using it to power a shoe-shaped counterweight slung below the crankshaft that moves in exact opposition to the pistons

When they move down, it moves up, and vice versa, damping out all the primary vibes and most of the secondary buzzing. The F800 motor runs turbine-smooth up to about 5000rpm.

Above that a fair amount of vibration reaches the rider through the seat and footpegs ? but not through the 'bars, which sport hefty damping weights.

It's fed by a Bosch BMS-K engine management system and two 46mm VDO throttle bodies ? effectively half of a K1200 set-up ? via dual camshafts and four valves per cylinder, pushing a muscular 12:1 compression ratio.

The result is an engine that's been described as a "buzzbox", but that's a little unfair; it pulls smoothly if rather gently from about 2800, wakes up at 4500 and cranks up to the red line at 8500 in one quick blast, accompanied by an angry flat drone that sounds a lot like a Boxer twin.

Each version will get up to 200km/h in short order and the F800 S, with its tucked in seating position, will reach 225km/h at about 8200rpm without stressing.

 

[GIDEON]

cool

 

[Stephan]

So Red will not have a reason not to keep up once she gets one of these in GS format.