"my gran could ride the bmw 800st " says Steve - so I suppose that as I am old enough to be his grandad I might have another test ride - especially as they say the engine clatter has been eliminated; it would be VERY difficult to part with the 1200GS though!
Err, IMHO: Don't wast your money Brien.
I had the ST for three days (I have to admit I'm not a sports bike lover 'riding position don't suit me')
On collection I was cusious about this strange little bike. My ride home is about an hour and a half when accompanying SHMBO 'dule carridge way, Motorway, twisty 'A' road, big 'A' road, fast 'A' road, twisty 'A' road and home' Once riding the 800 st I immediatley grew horns
. This bike is fast! picks up speed quickly smooth through the gears hit's 135 on the speedo supprisingly quickly. I play like this for half the trip home. we stop for a bite to eat and then off again. This time I make a concerted effort to go steady. Well it sort of worked you see I do tend to play about a bit with new toys.
By the time we arrived home I was starting to notice things about the bike that I did not when I first through my leg over it.
When you shut the throttle the thing sounds like it's falling apart internaly
On day two I head off to work. A comute of about six miles 'Fast 'A' road, Dule carridgeway, Town filtering'.
As with day one the 800st is good on the 'A' roads etc. Then I hit town and filter through the traffic. The bike needed to be in first or second gear at twenty mph or less and it just rattled all the time
constant chainging of gears.
I was thinking of using the 800 as a training bike that day following 500's around town, Took the 1300 pan instead 'I wasn't going to wast my time faffin about with the constant peddle paddeling' (And I'm not a lover of the 13 pan either).
Day three: The twisties
Wow this thing is fun on the 'B' roads. The non ABS brakes are awsom
But god you have to work the blessed thing.
On returning to collect my 1200 I again had to travel the long dule carridgeway. I did this at a steady 80/90 with a slight head wind. What exactly is that screen for? It's too low to benefit and too close to hide behind (I'm a tad under 5'10" if your wondering).
What I noticed with the 800st is the amount of times I had the throttle on the stop, the lack of wind protection for a so-say touring/commuting bike, the insecent gear chainging and just how difficult it is to use.
Oh it's got a rasonably comfortable seat 'in line with the other BM's I've used anyway'.
I collected my 1200gs and headed home. I quickly realised I was travelling faster and with absolutly no effects from the wind and with almost no effort
So I'm not going to be buying one. As I said above it's not the type of bike I like anyway. But interesting to have a decent chance to put it through it's paces. I will however be testing the gs version when it appears 'and asking if the gear ratios have been chainged'
I'm well aware that some of you think the 800 is a great little bike, and I'm perfectly prepaired to agree. It's brilliant fun on small twisty roads (there's a guy rides a Fireblade whole testify to that).
It kind of left me wondering?? What is this bike for? Where exactly does it fit in to the scale of things in comparrison to it's competition???
I've been useing a 600 Hornet for the last fourtnight, I hate the thing. It's too small, too buzzy and no wind protection.
But in town the Hornet will travel smoothly at 20mph in top gear with no rattles or juddering. On the 'A' roads it's seriously fast (140 mph) 'if you can hold on to the thing'. At 80mph in top you can dropp three gears and give the big boys a hell of a supprise. It's good for commuting, touring, playing, teaching. The mpg is nonsence though.
Hate it as I do, you have to admit it's got function and is totally usable right across the range.
With bikes like the Hornet around, the burning question with the BMW 800st is:
Why?????????????
Val.
