F800ST

[Fergie]

Three years ago the wife learned to ride on a Honda Rebal 250. Last April she got a Kawasaki Ninja 500, she is very short legged. Today we took the day off and rode down to MAX BMW in New Hampshire to look at a F800ST low frame. She sat on it and it fit perfectly. On went a dealer plate and off she went. She fell in love. First thing she said when she got back was "now this is a MOTORCYCLE". Well, she rode her home with a smile from ear to ear. MAX BMW was also great to deal with. Color Blue.

[Firefight911]

I know the feeling!! My wife's hands may be cold and dead before they're pried from hers. Well, unless she really likes the R12RT she's gonna test ride.

 

Get these for the peace of mind in the unfortunate event of a parking lot drop, etc. They'll save you a fortune in plastic!!

 

 

 

Congratulations!!!!!!!! Show us some pics!!!!!!!!!!!

[Fergie]

Thanks Phil. Where do you get those. Looks like a great plastic saver.

[Firefight911]

Woops!! In the excitement, I forgot to share that tidbit, didn't I?

 

I got them through A&S BMW. I got the ones for the fairing panels as well as for the rear drive sprocket as the corner of the sprocket can reach the ground stock.

 

Here ya go -

 

Rear Sprocket Saver

 

Side Panel Savers

 

 

There are fork sliders available but did not feel they were worthwhile for us. YMMV

 

Additionally, we got Jamie the ZTechnik windscreen and it transformed her riding, per her. Jamie is 5'5" for perspective. She indicates a smoother airflow and less turbulence/buffeting/wind noise. We went with the tall version.

 

Here's the link for that - Windscreen

 

 

[Bullett]

Convey my congratulations! See y'all at the next Un, if not sooner, I guess.

[GOL]

Congratulations,

 

Now, she needs to wait you at high way gate.

 

BR

[decorbin]

My wife got exactly the same bike. After a few Harleys, a Kawasaki, F650CS, and a F650GS, she really loves this bike. The one resevation thought....the first significant ride we took was to Cashiers, NC where the EWS failure occurred. Four hours and a hugh tow bill for BMW, we were back home. The local dealer of course replaced it quickly under warranty, but it did shake her confidence in the bike.

[Kitsap]

Phil, are you sure those are for parking lot drops. The last I remember Jamie was riding so fast parts were flying off

[Firefight911]

Phil, are you sure those are for parking lot drops. The last I remember Jamie was riding so fast parts were flying off

 

Now that right there is funny!! Those fork reflectors just can't handle warp speed. (all spoken in perfect Scottish Scotty speak, of course!)

[Fergie]

Thanks Phil. Now I need to get her off it long enough to get them installed.

[BFish]

Well, unless she really likes the R12RT she's gonna test ride.

 

Holy cow...danny selling his already????

 

 

sorry for the hijack

[Semper_Fi]

....MAX BMW was also great to deal with. Color Blue.

 

Congratulations on the new bike.

 

Max has an excellent dealership with great people.

 

Enjoy your rides

[Fergie]

Well she finally let me ride the F800ST tonight, what a bike. Smoother than my RT and really fast and light. It flicks though the turns with no effort at all. If I wasn't so tall I would think about one but I know on a long trip my legs would be too cramped and the leaning forward would kill my shoulders. Dam, wish I could afford two motorcycles. The funny thing is I liked the low seat over the standard seat, with the standard seat I felt to on top of the bike and not part of the bike.

[notacop]

Ah, the insidious 800ST,. Wait until more folks find out how nice it is. All I need and less weight. I fear the drop in the parking lot no more.

[Ben_Ricci]

Congrats on the F8ST! My wife loves her's too. It's a great bike. Here it is taking a breather on the Blue Ridge Parkway:

[Yukon]

Yep, the 800ST is really nice. The local dealer uses 2 of em as loaners. It almost makes it worth the money to take my bike in for service!

[Fergie]

Congrats on the F8ST! My wife loves her's too. It's a great bike. Here it is taking a breather on the Blue Ridge Parkway:

 

Sweet pic. When did you go down the BRP. We are planning to go down the SLD & BRP the second week of September.

[Fergie]

How may of you F800 riders have an inseam of around 33 inches. How is it on long trips, do your knees get sore? Just asking cause the more I look at the wifes ST the more I daydream. Oh boy, just can't convince myself that I won't miss the RT.

[Firefight911]

Psssst! This fixed teh back end issues on Jamie's bike. Bonus was that they used her bike for the prototype so she got one for free.

 

She just did 600 miles in one day last week with no issues. BTW, she is a 30" inseam.

 

Linky

[azducgirl]

Thanks for all the great info. I am about to purchase a F800ST for myself. I have to beg my husband for it since he doesn't ride, and doesn't understand about "riding."

 

The F800ST is the first bike I've sat on at the dealer and felt like I could ride it home. I have gone through the big heavy bike thing, the after market lowered bike thing, and I am tired of dealing with those issues. The last big bike I had was a '98 Ducati ST2 that handled like a pig because it was lowered so much. I am 5'2", 120 lbs. so it's difficult to find something that fits. I now ride a F650GS, factory lowered of course, and will add the F800ST, not give up the GS.

 

I can't wait to get it. The one I want is on the showroom floor at the dealer right now. Wish me luck when I beg for it.

[Paul Mihalka]

How may of you F800 riders have an inseam of around 33 inches. How is it on long trips, do your knees get sore? Just asking cause the more I look at the wifes ST the more I daydream. Oh boy, just can't convince myself that I won't miss the RT.

A standard height F800ST with lowered footpegs would help and would still have at least the cornering clearance of the low ST.

[Fergie]

Thanks for all the great info. I am about to purchase a F800ST for myself. I have to beg my husband for it since he doesn't ride, and doesn't understand about "riding."

 

The F800ST is the first bike I've sat on at the dealer and felt like I could ride it home. I have gone through the big heavy bike thing, the after market lowered bike thing, and I am tired of dealing with those issues. The last big bike I had was a '98 Ducati ST2 that handled like a pig because it was lowered so much. I am 5'2", 120 lbs. so it's difficult to find something that fits. I now ride a F650GS, factory lowered of course, and will add the F800ST, not give up the GS.

 

I can't wait to get it. The one I want is on the showroom floor at the dealer right now. Wish me luck when I beg for it.

 

Tell hubby one vote from me for the F800ST. You will love the bike. Tell him that if he lets you get the ST he can ride with you on the GS. Good luck.

[Fergie]

How may of you F800 riders have an inseam of around 33 inches. How is it on long trips, do your knees get sore? Just asking cause the more I look at the wifes ST the more I daydream. Oh boy, just can't convince myself that I won't miss the RT.

A standard height F800ST with lowered footpegs would help and would still have at least the cornering clearance of the low ST.

 

Good idea. However I like the feal of the low seat on the 08 compaired to the std seat on the 07 I test rode. Is there any difference between the 07 and 08. Thanks

[motoguy128]

Thanks for all the great info. I am about to purchase a F800ST for myself. I have to beg my husband for it since he doesn't ride, and doesn't understand about "riding."

 

The F800ST is the first bike I've sat on at the dealer and felt like I could ride it home. I have gone through the big heavy bike thing, the after market lowered bike thing, and I am tired of dealing with those issues. The last big bike I had was a '98 Ducati ST2 that handled like a pig because it was lowered so much. I am 5'2", 120 lbs. so it's difficult to find something that fits. I now ride a F650GS, factory lowered of course, and will add the F800ST, not give up the GS.

 

I can't wait to get it. The one I want is on the showroom floor at the dealer right now. Wish me luck when I beg for it.

 

Hold on there.... has the universe been turned upside down? You... a woman... are having to beg a man... to buy A MOTORCYCLE? I suspect, given that you even have to beg for the money, that the traditional strategy of "No Bike = No Sex" will not work on your husband. Maybe you could just tell him you're going to start riding on the back of other motorcycles since you no longer want to ride the bike you have.

 

Best of luck in securing the funding for your new toy.

[Paul Mihalka]

How may of you F800 riders have an inseam of around 33 inches. How is it on long trips, do your knees get sore? Just asking cause the more I look at the wifes ST the more I daydream. Oh boy, just can't convince myself that I won't miss the RT.

A standard height F800ST with lowered footpegs would help and would still have at least the cornering clearance of the low ST.

 

Good idea. However I like the feal of the low seat on the 08 compaired to the std seat on the 07 I test rode. Is there any difference between the 07 and 08. Thanks

How about standard height ST with low seat and lowered footpegs?

[Fergie]

Paul, that is what I was also thinking. I guess I have to kick my wife off hers and take it for a long ride to see if that might work, see likes riding it so much the wheels have barly stopped. I really like the light weight but just don't know if I will miss my RT to much. Maybe I just should work 120 hours a week instead of 60 so I can have both.

[hink]

I find myself with the same dilema. After a 21 years without a bike I bought an 04 RT in may. I commute on it daily and the size of the thing cna get cumbersome (until your on the road). The st justlooks like a good do it all ride. Plus with the belt no final drive issues in the bakc of my mind. My only worry is what is it like in the rain as we all know what the RT is like for protection.

[keithb]

I test rode an ST for about 10 miles on the 405 freeway here in L.A. and I regularly ride an 05 RT. This bike will not protect you from the elements like the RT and the wind blast is considerable vs. the RT. With that said I enjoyed the ride of this bike. It reminded me of my K11RS but lighter of course. Just shifting up thru the gears I looked down I was going 90 mph. There was plenty of power and it was smooth (test ride 3/07).

[azducgirl]

Hold on there.... has the universe been turned upside down? You... a woman... are having to beg a man... to buy A MOTORCYCLE? I suspect, given that you even have to beg for the money, that the traditional strategy of "No Bike = No Sex" will not work on your husband. Maybe you could just tell him you're going to start riding on the back of other motorcycles since you no longer want to ride the bike you have.

 

Best of luck in securing the funding for your new toy.

 

Yeah, I tried that one already, riding two-up with other people. Oddly enough, I like riding two-up as well, but I really want that F800ST. I have brought up that he can ride the GS and ride with me, but I'd like to ride farther than he does. He would be happy with riding a couple of miles down the road to Starbucks or something, but I need a good 300+ mile day to satisfy myself. I even pretty much have the money together to get the bike, so we'll see.

 

We are a "backwards" family, I ride - a lot - and he does not. Go figure.

[Fergie]

Hold on there.... has the universe been turned upside down? You... a woman... are having to beg a man... to buy A MOTORCYCLE? I suspect, given that you even have to beg for the money, that the traditional strategy of "No Bike = No Sex" will not work on your husband. Maybe you could just tell him you're going to start riding on the back of other motorcycles since you no longer want to ride the bike you have.

 

Best of luck in securing the funding for your new toy.

 

Yeah, I tried that one already, riding two-up with other people. Oddly enough, I like riding two-up as well, but I really want that F800ST. I have brought up that he can ride the GS and ride with me, but I'd like to ride farther than he does. He would be happy with riding a couple of miles down the road to Starbucks or something, but I need a good 300+ mile day to satisfy myself. I even pretty much have the money together to get the bike, so we'll see.

 

We are a "backwards" family, I ride - a lot - and he does not. Go figure.

 

Go for it, you only live once and you never know how long. This is my third and last wife and we have a great understanding. If either one of us wants something and have saved the money for it no problem. If we want something that we need a small loan for and can afford it, no problem. We both work hard all week and we want to play hard when we're off. See didn't ride the ST to work today so I did take it for a couple hundred mile ride, and go wet, what a wonderful machine. Did discover though that it was a little too small for me. Convenced me to keep the R1200RT. Go get yours and post a pick of the ear to ear smile.

[azducgirl]

Go for it, you only live once and you never know how long. This is my third and last wife and we have a great understanding. If either one of us wants something and have saved the money for it no problem. If we want something that we need a small loan for and can afford it, no problem. We both work hard all week and we want to play hard when we're off. See didn't ride the ST to work today so I did take it for a couple hundred mile ride, and go wet, what a wonderful machine. Did discover though that it was a little too small for me. Convenced me to keep the R1200RT. Go get yours and post a pick of the ear to ear smile.

 

I agree with you 100%, you only live once. I hope I can post my smiling self on a new F800ST very soon! :-)

[TNT]

Someday, I just may also get the F800ST low frame. I test rode one on Thursday. I did test rides here in Gillette at the MOA rally all three days that the demo ride where here. I did as many low seat, low frames that I could ride. I have a 29 inch inseam and I'm 5'4" at 152 lbs. I rode the F800ST, R1200RT, R1200GS(yes, low frame) and the K1200GT. The bike that was the most fun, was the F800ST low frame. The R1200RT was everything that has been said about it, very nice over my 04 1150rt. My wife saw the 1200RT and said it was to big, but liked the looks of the K1200GT. The R1200GS did not one thing for me. I saw the F800GS here and I'm hoping to see a low frame out on it someday,That would be the bike!!!! The 1200GT was to heavy, yes it is alot of bike for me. Yes, all that horse power is nice. Still all in all the F800ST was the best bike for my size!!!! I spoke to a half dozen here that have the bike and all like it. I was told by one that the MPG was like 63mpg running 90 to 100 where thay where in the open on the way out from Calif. I saw some good set-ups hauling good loads. I like the looks of the ST also. For me riding out to the mine for work and road trips that this F800ST low frame maybe the one for me. Now with that said, I still have to lower my RT like 1 1/2 inches to see if that will help me out. If not, I will try to get rid of it. I love my RT, but. Just my 2 cents.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Bullett]

We got your back!