| | | | | gauge would suddenly drop and show a quarter of a |
| BMW has a loyal fan base which has helped it lead | | | | tank remaining. Weird. |
| the market among European motorcycle | | | | What really sets this bike apart however is in the |
| manufacturers. But challengers to the throne like KTM | | | | turns. Although I was by no means dragging knees |
| are aggressively seeking to gain some of that | | | | on the demo, I have NEVER RIDDEN A BIKE THAT |
| market share. In the world of sports they say that | | | | WAS AS RESPONSIVE AND EASY TO TURN. |
| competition brings out the best (and worst) in | | | | Pressure on the bars send this bike side to side |
| people, and that’s the same spirit that the boys | | | | VERY quickly and it tracks very well once put there. |
| in Bavaria have used to bring some of that market | | | | The suspension soaks up midcorner bumps with |
| back home. Looking at its current lineup, BMW brass | | | | ease, and exhibits no problems on the brakes. (Dive |
| realized that among its 650cc singles, 1,200cc boxer | | | | etc...) It is much more well sorted than other BMW |
| twins and in-line fours it had, well, nothing in between. | | | | suspensions I have ridden (telelever). Brakes are not |
| It needed a bike to fill that gap and attract more | | | | sportbike powerful but are more than sufficient and |
| first-time buyers to the BMW experience. The new | | | | give excellent feedback. ABS....works....and is odd on a |
| F800ST (and its sportier brother, the F800S) is the | | | | motorcycle. You choose whether you need/want it. |
| answer. Call them the affordable Beemers. | | | | Although I didn't ride with a pax, my wife came and |
| The F800ST being a BMW a range of options is | | | | sat on it and said that the comfort was similar to the |
| available, including ABS brakes and matching | | | | Sprint ST and substantially better than the SV. |
| saddlebags. There's a clever ratchet system to | | | | From the Saddle |
| adjust their size and they're practical enough, if not | | | | BMWs get better the harder and longer you ride |
| the capacious carriers of the older machines. | | | | them, and the F800ST was no exception. A pleasure |
| Two key ingredients for successful sport touring are | | | | cruise through the country may be pleasant on just |
| fuel economy and the functionality of the saddlebags. | | | | about any motorcycle, but when I rode the F800 |
| Despite its 800cc, the Beemer is surprisingly efficient | | | | between Montreal and Toronto it was a long, hard |
| with fuel. We averaged just a tick above 46 mpg in | | | | and fast day. |
| a variety of riding conditions, ranging from the quick | | | | Characteristic Bimmer quirks are absent, like the |
| canyon blast to the weekend getaway. That | | | | sideways twitch when blipping the throttle and |
| efficiency could come in handy, too, as the tank only | | | | scuffed cylinder heads from aggressive cornering. |
| holds 4.1 gallons. Something we noticed was that our | | | | And who can’t appreciate a gearbox that |
| ST’s fuel gauge would always show a full tank, | | | | doesn’t clunk when cogs engage. |
| even after traveling more than 100 miles, which | | | | Reference: |
| should put the bike at about half a tank. It | | | | Answer. |
| wasn’t until the 150-mile mark or so that the | | | | |