Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

shifting six-speed gearbox has a well- chosen set of closed-up ratios that allow you to cruise along easily - with only just enough resklual tinglec left after the counter- balancer has done its work to remind you that it's a motorcrcle you're riding, not a golf can. Not that the BMW5 handle like one of those, because the alloy-beam frame's conservative Seometay Sives stable, pre- dictable steering, which is prevented from beinS too heav/ by the good leverage from the widespread 'bars on both models. Still, you do have to tug the 'bars a little to flick the twins from side to side through a sequence of twisting ums - though the response is alwafs precise, and the bike holds the line accurately. The ST's riding position is a fair bit more upright, almost excessively so, thank to the extended rise6, so that even with the taller winds(reen the.e's quite a lot of buf- feting aimed directly at the helmet ofa six- foot-tall rider. Really, the two twins feel j@probably different to ride, for two bikes tfu5q so closely similar at heart, and, for :i,f*""ffiiiutflEffi That's in spite of the fact that it is the one -I-F-*'.!ntl with the nominally reduced-bodywork protection, and lower 'bars, which means that you're leaning forward with more weight on your wriits than on the SI Both bikes share the same rational 820mm seat height, with a lower 790mm option, free at the point of sale, for those of shorter statrrre - women riders will surely find the F800 family female-friendly. As befits producS targeted at less- experienced riders, the BMWs feel very well balanced a( slower speeds, making them easy and adapable to slow-going on city streets, and deliverinS qSility and conli- dence in splitting lanes or cutting through traffic- lt is in these conditbns that Iou find the light clutch is a big h{p, as well. But perhaps thanks y'the low center of gravity, the bikes are gonversely super sta- ble around fast buffiy turns where you might have op.qgd " budget-conscious bike with redugd suspension compliance to wallow aryltivander around a bit. lt's to Bl'lw'sgfrt that its engineers have cho- sen lfteal setup for the nonadiustable lrf, with reladvely stiff springs and good damping control. The twin twins feel poised and capable in demanding road con- ditions, or under heavy braking with lots of weight transfer provided by the good stop- ping power delivered by the Brembo brake package. Yet this isn't at the expense of controlla- bilit), - brake too deep into a corneli and the F800 will allow you to recover from your mistake without undue fuss, allowing you to change your line or tighten up the turn in a way that many other bikes would refuse to let you do. These are forgiving motorcycles that anyone can learn to be a better rider aboard. The F800 twan twins are also very well equipped, with the CAN-bus single.wire technology not onty allowing an immobiliz- er to be fitted as standard. but also an optional trip computer incorporating a stopwatch. lt sits next to the very compre- hensive digital dash that comes standard, matching the twin analog instruments posi- tioned one above the other in the cockpit. This not only shows the gear selected very promioently - every bike should have this, especially if the gear ratios are as tightly packed as they are on the F800 - but also shows all the usual functions, including a dual trip. The asymmetric headlamp looks good and should provide fine illumination at , "tt{. 1 \ lt ) / -. 5 , .'e s ts The F800S in oclion on lhe scanic roods of South Afriro, \ls \ I I I - I I CYCLE NEWS . MAY17,2cf,6 43 We wirh BMW wooldn't hovc poinred the enginec in o cheopJooking rilver. The ond co

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