BMW F800 R - the Rotax Roadster Thread

[rowbear2]

i have 2007 r1200r just turned over 40 k . my point is in all
this time and miles i think the abs has kicked in may two times .
so it seems to me its just there in the background if you need it .
even if you think you don't .
bob

[Cortez]

Originally Posted by rowbear2

i have 2007 r1200r just turned over 40 k . my point is in all
this time and miles i think the abs has kicked in may two times .
so it seems to me its just there in the background if you need it .
even if you think you don't .
bob

You probably got great roads or don't ride around town like me since my ABS
engages almost daily on slick (glass-like surface) city roads.

I know where the grip limit is, I just don't care about that 1% more that I
might apply since I know the ABS will take care of it, so a click or two
from the rear every now and then is almost normal.

I get a lot more relaxed about my city riding on those crappy roads on
my kawasaki then on my scooter without the ABS.

[Grainbelt]

Test rode an F800R during a BMW rally last weekend. The demo was in a group and had a rather sedate leader, so I didn't get to have much fun, but I was really impressed by the chassis an the suspension. Handled very well, turn-in was instant and other than the high pegs it was fairly comfortable.

I'm not sure if it is the fairly high gearing or the character of the motor, but the drivetrain didn't match the character of the bike for me. I thought it was just early in the day and I hadn't had enough coffee or something, but I took my FZ6 out right after on the same road and the difference is night and day - the yamaha is the mechanical equivalent of yellig 'wheeeee!' in your helmet. If anything the F800R made me want to upgrade the suspension and brakes on my bike, rather than buying it.

[Cortez]

Originally Posted by Grainbelt

Test rode an F800R during a BMW rally last weekend. The demo was in a group and had a rather sedate leader, so I didn't get to have much fun, but I was really impressed by the chassis an the suspension. Handled very well, turn-in was instant and other than the high pegs it was fairly comfortable.

I'm not sure if it is the fairly high gearing or the character of the motor, but the drivetrain didn't match the character of the bike for me. I thought it was just early in the day and I hadn't had enough coffee or something, but I took my FZ6 out right after on the same road and the difference is night and day - the yamaha is the mechanical equivalent of yellig 'wheeeee!' in your helmet. If anything the F800R made me want to upgrade the suspension and brakes on my bike, rather than buying it.

The FZ6 is a great bike.. yeah..

Just wanted to mention that the F800R already has the shortest gearing
compared to the S and ST, which are rather tall, yes.

[Grainbelt]

Originally Posted by Cortez

Just wanted to mention that the F800R already has the shortest gearing compared to the S and ST, which are rather tall, yes.

Just didn't seem to want to rev as freely as I expected, perhaps it was that it only had 500 miles on it.

Nice thing about the chain on the F800R, it would be pretty simple to gear it down for some more snap in lower gears. Sixth is so high you wouldn't lose anything on top.

[Cortez]

Originally Posted by Grainbelt

Just didn't seem to want to rev as freely as I expected, perhaps it was that it only had 500 miles on it.

Nice thing about the chain on the F800R, it would be pretty simple to gear it down for some more snap in lower gears. Sixth is so high you wouldn't lose anything on top.

Well we're all different people.. with different wishes..
When I heard the F800R had lower gearing I was dissapointed, as the F800ST's
tall gearing would be one of the reason for buying it..

One other thing.. NOTHING (almost) revs as freely as your FZ6, especially
not a (rather big) twin!

The fastest revving twin I tried was the Aprilia Shiver/Dorsoduro, but I don't
think even that is comparable to a small 4 cyl bike.

But I don't see a problem with that if the bike isn't slow.

[Theory]

Anyone knows where to get a front sprocket with 19 teeth on it.
For the F800R of course.
Direct link if possible ;)

[Josephvman]

Is your suspension setup correctly? If not, that could be contributing in a big way to the bike cycling the ABS when braking over rough pavement. I know the sensation you're having, and it was pretty common on the early BMW ABS systems; you grab a bunch of brake, hear it start clicking, and continue on your way to the thing you're trying to avoid running into. I wouldn't call the new systems transparent necessarily, but they're definitely much better. I've done some unbelievably hard braking on my HP2 Sport (if you've never ridden a bike with Brembo Monobloc calipers you need to) and I've not been able to engage the ABS, or at least never been aware of it.

Originally Posted by L.B.S.

Believe me, I was worried I was going to bend or snap both the lever and pedal, when I discovered I was not stopping. For sure I was 100% OMFG brake mode, and yup, the ABS absolutely worked! It completely prevented me from going anywhere near locking up either tire.

The advice I was given at the F800Riders forum for future, was to start off with the rear brake just prior to using the front, as using the front first/alone as I have always done, takes away enough weight from the rear wheel to make it engage ABS the very instant you step on the pedal.

Then, there seems to be some funky decisions made by the computer if it sees the rear wheel as "locked" and you are now grabbing a big handful of front brake, it feels exactly like it just "lets go". You don't get the sensation of heavy braking, with a system chattering away "doing something", it totally just feels like gives up braking at all!



The closest feeling duplication I can equate this to, was the bad old days of brakes that faded so badly that you couldn't stop, if you got too frisky during backroad burning.

So, I have had to alter my riding style to conform to the bike's weird set up, (along with the stupid turn signal bizarrness, but that's another story) relearn how to brake, and it is defineitely not "transparent", to me.

I should make perfectly clear, that this is only when braking over irregular surfaces. In all honestly, braking under smooth conditions or in the rain and so on, I can't really say I have anything to complain about. I will concede that maybe it doesn't 100% suck all the time, but since I ride a lot on rough bumpy pavement, it is in my face all the time which I sure don't care for.

[fixinbones]

I have found every recent BMW ABS system to work flawlessly and have never had the problems that are being described here. The exception was my 1994 R1100R which was one of BMWs early ABS systems which did exhibit similar flaws that you describe.

[Theory]

My F800R with sport panniers

[dropkick]

nice look with the sport panniers installed

[Beemerhead]

Originally Posted by ChiTown

Here's the BMW F800 R accessory catalog for those of you wondering what they are offering.

Has anyone come across any decent inserts for the sport panniers? I recall seeing something (size-adjustable and shape-maintaining) made by a UK company but can't seem to find it now.

[dropkick]

Originally Posted by ChiTown

5,200 smiles and counting... Now that we have some Pirelli Scorpion Sync tires, she's really handling good.

What an awesome picture!

[Candiya]

Fellow f800r riders - what kind of stands do you use? I don't have the center stand so I'd appreciate your advice. Thanks!

[Joe Bar]

Originally Posted by Candiya

Fellow f800r riders - what kind of stands do you use? I don't have the center stand so I'd appreciate your advice. Thanks!

I have the SW-Motech centre stand fitted, works well.