F800ST Absolutely Awesome!

I have been riding this motorcycle for a few weeks now. It is one of the nicest rides I have owned. This is my first excursion into BMW after leaving behind Honda CBRs and Triumph Speed Triples. It is an easygoing rider with plenty of power to have fun, perfect for the mid sized rider (your feet ...touch the ground), get your speed fix, excellent handling, a more upright siting position than sport bikes, heated grips, Anti-Lock brakes (they do make a difference) and a very comfortable ride with stellar handling and balance. This bike will give you the vibes of a Sport bike with the comfort of a Tourer. Low maintenance belt drive is a bonus. Excellent for those of us who are outgrowing the Japanese Sport Bikes and want more quality and a more satisfying riding experience (especially if you are going to hit 5 hour weekend rides through the mountains or deserts of the southwest).

This BIke is not built for the Lap Record and should not be compared to other "sport bikes" that may look similar but are built for speed, not comfort and speed, So if you are looking for the fastest bike, this is not it. Its 85 hp output is plenty of power for most any discriminating rider, unless you are a racer or want to be on the track. This bike will easily cruise at high speeds and tops off in the 124 mph range. Its all electronic with display, mpg, distance til empty, trip meter, temperature, gear, etc. I would highly recommend this motorcycle to anyone , new rider or seasoned. I am now a BMW fan for life. Read Full Review

Just Amazing

Wow! What a bike- smooth as silk with power to spare! I decided to go with this bike because I wanted a tourer that wasn't a big fat Gold Wing or Road King- this bike, at 450 lbs. is more stable than I have could have imagined and it turns on a dime. Combined with ABS, 60 MPG, and all the newest ...BMW technology and I've never felt safer or more intelligent as a motorcyclist. Read Full Review

quality first and last

6k miles on the ST and I'm loving every minute of seat time I get. Power delivery is smooth and linear, handling is crisp and nimble.

I opted for the 2" lowered suspension along with the low seat. Since the purchase I've changed the control levers to Pazzo shorties, and the footpegs to LSL...'s.
I've had a wide variety of bikes since 1977...this is the last bike I'll ever purchase. It has it all...comfort / power / nimble handling / quality you'd expect for BMW
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Exceptional Bike

I am a senior rider, and this is my 4th bike, not including the free demo riding of new Harleys. The woman who gave a low review of this bike because she wrecked it obviously doesn't know how to ride, because she blamed her spill on the bike and not on pilot error. As a matter of fact this bike was... built especially for someone like her because it has a LOWER center of gravity and an ALUMINUM frame, making the bike even lighter than the one she now owns. So why did she complain about needing help to lift it off of her, when it is lighter than her current bike? You can tell she was frustrated with her mistake in wrecking the bike and being assessed for the damage. This is a great bike and is very responsive. Caution to that lady rider: Because the front Brembo brakes are so responsive, you can't over-brake the front on a slow speed turn when you can't access the rear brakes. This mistake is made and causes most low speed turn spills. I know because I dumped three different bikes on low speed turns, including this bike--and it was MY FAULT each time. Back to the bike: Excellent fuel economy (65+ mpg highway), 85 hp, 135 mph top speed. A Harley 1200 Sportster has brute power, but compare the numbers and you will see this lighter bike well exceeds the Harley if you want quickness. As a tourer, my senior body doesn't fit the sport tourer riding position as much as I would like, but the excitement that this bike gives makes me forget about any riding discomfort. BMW is still producing this great 800 seemingly bulletproof engine. I added an engine guard to mine (photo), and it was worth the addition, since I had a slow speed spill which protected the lower (not upper) fairing. I have seen owners ride these things for many thousands of miles, only replacing the belt at about 36,000-50,000 miles. Prior to this bike, I had a fantastic Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Custom that I traded for this bike, and it was hard to let go of the great Vulcan, but I'm still not sorry about this F800ST. Though I am a senior rider and don't ride too fast, this machine somehow gives me riding excitement every time I mount. It's a keeper! Read Full Review

overpriced and top heavy

Was shopping for a bike last year and couldn't decide, so I rented this bike from Kohl BMW in AAchen for a 100km holiday in Germany. I was not prepared for how heavy and especially how top heavy this bike is. On the first day I was making a slow u-turn and the front tucked and the bike fell over on ...my leg, injuring my ankle and putting a small scratch on the upper and lower fairing. Needed help to pick the bike up off me I was stuck under it in the middle of the road. We completed the trip and upon my return, I was presented with a bill for over $1000, and they didn't let me keep the scratched parts. Very disappointed with both the dealer and the price for the repair. This is not a good bike for a female rider. I have since purchased a Yamaha FZ6R and love it. It's much better balanced and agile and it costs half the price of the BMW. Read Full Review