BMW F 800 ST reviews

After riding 2 Suzuki 750s and a Honda Interceptor 800 with bag set, this nimble lil bike is a real blast. I am still able to keep up with the fast guys in the canyons (not on the straights) and can settle into 60-65 mph to see up to 68MPG, 2 up! AND I can now go off road.... What freedom... Loving this lil champ. Wish I could use Synthetic oil, and also wish there was a better windscreen available for this bike... Happy Trails.. Show less

This is my third bike, having started with a Suzuki Katana, moving on to a BWM F650CS, and then to this one. I think I have found the bike that fits! A few minutes into the test drive and I knew I had found the bike for me. I like the crouched riding position, the level of power is just right for me, and even on long rides (so far have done one 260 mile day), I did not get any unusual soreness from the riding position or seat. The bike is light enough so that I can push it around the parking lot when necessary, but not so light that it gets blown around the highway. The bike rides like a dream, gliding along @ 85mph in 4th gear like it is nothing. My first impression of this bike, when I saw it at the dealer, was "That just looks like WAY too much bike for me". The test drive proved otherwise - this bike was far easier to maneuver than that Katana-tank ever was. I really like the bells and whistles, and think that the gear indicator is just the coolest thing. Show less

I bought this bike instead of a KLR or DR because it had racks and hard bags and it is also a BMW. No problems so far. It rides great on the superslab and also in the dirt. I have taken it on many hard 4x4 roads and dropped it numerous times. The pannier racks absorb most of the falls with only a broken mirror and blinkers to speak of. I am in good shape so it is no problem to pick the bike up. Sure it could use more suspension travel, but for commuting to work and 4x4 on the weekends, it has been the perfect bike for me. Go ahead and ride it offroad, it can handle it!!! Show less

I'm enjoying my BMW very much as an entry bike back into road riding. My last experience on a road bike was with a 1972 Motto Guzzi Eldorado, not a very enjoyable bike. Most of my riding after that was on a dirt with a true dirt bike and thus one of my reasons for buying the BMW 650. However I now have discovered that I really enjoy road riding again and have only taken to the dirt roads twice so far. The one issue I can see riding dirt roads here in Colorado would be that the BMW doesn't have a low enough gear to comfortably ride on many of the rocky trails. If I had one wish it would be for a factory granny gear (6 speed) so I won't have to change sprockets and lose the highway speed of this bike. Other then that a very nice bike. Show less

When I saw it I had to have it. When I sat down I didn't want to get off. I never felt this comfort on a bike for a long time but the 1200 ST sure made an impression on me. This is an absolute looker, on top of that, it performs and handles at your needs. Suspension is what I like the most about this machine. I wish the handle bar was little higher up as I have short arms makes me numb for long ride. I wish windshield was little higher up when I'm touring. Show less

I bought the first one delivered to the dealer. Almost a year and 12,000 miles later, I am totally satisfied. It does exactly what it should as a sports tourer. It is fun and fast in the twisties, and a very decent tourer. It uses very little oil, gets great gas mileage (50+ mpg), and has no mechanical problems whatsoever. It's even beautiful (to me). I recently bought a new 600cc sports bike and a 650 dual sport to complement the R1200ST, which will remain my primary ride. Nothing can replace it. Did I mention that the motor is smooth as silk? Show less

In less than 3 months, I've put 5,225 miles on this bike, and tested it a little in the dirt. As my first "big" bike (my other is a DRZ-200), I love it. It handles and runs well, has good brakes and great mileage (65-70 MPG, depending on how fast I'm running). This bike has ruined me for all other makes. 532 miles was my longest ride - very comfy! Oh, and great service from my dealer. Thanks guys! Show less

In all respects, the bike is great. I've taken it on long trips riding 300-450 a day, loaded with the set of bags or sometimes unloaded but two up, and sometimes in dirt roads. Every mile it has been a pleasure riding it. I wouldn't venture with it on very rough dirt roads (I've got a smaller dual sport for that), though I'm sure if I replaced the Tourance/T66 with knobbies it would do fine in most cases. I did have some problems, all fixed under warranty, and the dealer was very helpful here: instrument panel replaced as the odometer mileage would most often reset 1-2 miles less after each trip. Mirrors (the old ones, no longer made, sometimes flipped over at high speeds/acceleration), also a piece of trim on tank fell off, and I need to put it back (I got a new set under warranty). Mechanically, it's superb otherwise, and I like the engine purr. I got over 60 mi /gal quite often. Show less

I just purchased the bike Saturday and have logged only 250 miles. Overall I am very pleased. The bike is very responsive and turns and recovers very easily. Nimble is the word that comes to mind. The engine vibrates at idol which I am not used to. Please note that this is my first BMW so it may just be the way it runs. Once I get on the trottle it smoothes out well. I do not find the bike uncomfortable but after about 3 hours of riding my jeans were irritating my rear end :) I do prefer the lower seat position to the higher. The wind screen is not the best. Neither position offers much in the way of wind deflection unless your laying on the tank. The wind in not beating you in the face but it is not flying over you as it should in the high position. Overall very pleased Show less

I have owned this bike for 1 month now and already put up 2500 kms on it. It is a very comfortable bike, it has awesome brakes, wind protection is good with no turbulences around the helmet, the suspension is great, siting position also. But the only downside is that it had after first 1000 kms an electronics problem which needed a full reprogramming of the bike's computer. The main symptoms were: the bike stalled when opening the throttle sudden to full and the idling was irregular. The reprogramming did not solve the problem and they changed the induction coils. Apparently this solved the problem. Apart from this little problem I think the bike is great. PS: also it needs approx 250 ml of oil every 1000 kms Show less