2010 BMW F800ST User Ratings

Zip-tang does not cover the snot in this bike. The bike handles like a dream and packs a lot of punch for the technical specs. I have the ultra-low seat which could be more comfortable over long hauls (4+ hours), but the fact that I can touch the ground is far more important! The airflow on the bike is phenomenal. When tucked in, you feel nothing, not even when passing large trucks. It handles very well in the rain. 3 year road side assistance, abs and heated grips get a plus. I could not be happier with the bike. I highly recommend it. It is THE one for me.

My F800ST is an excellent daily commuter great for a weekend ride. It doesn't get too cold to ride in Winter and the heated grips allow me to ride 12 months a year and I average 51 mpg.
There is a lot of torque in the low end so it can be a bit lurchy in first and second. I rarely use 4th or 6th around town. Accelerating at freeway speeds is a simple a grabbing more throttle, which makes passing cars a breeze.
The clutch/tranny works well with a couple of exceptions: 1) I have experienced a false neutral between 5th and 6th (it's only scary when you're trying to merge onto the freeway). 2) I also have an extra tap to shift from second to first as neutral is not bypassed. I'm imagine that can be adjusted.
Ergonomically, the bike is very friendly. I am 5'7" with a 31" inseam so I use both the low seat and low suspension. I have absolutely no problem putting feet down. As you would expect the brake/clutch levers are adjustable for small hands. Getting used to the BMW turn signals wasn't difficult.
I agree with the reviewer who pointed out the small fuel tank for a so-called touring bike. Expect to be stopping for gas after 190-200 miles.
If I could change anything else, it would be the addition of an adjustable front suspension. More than once I have bottomed-out the front simply exiting a parking lot onto the street.

The F800ST is a great bike. I had read a lot of reviews on this bike before trying one out, and those reviews had given me the impression that it was an underpowered bike for girls and newbies. It's no Hayabusa, but for those of us who have grown out of our "boy racer" phase, it has plenty of power. 0-60 in 3.6 seconds is nothing to scoff at. And with a top speed of over 125 mph, it's more than capable. The red line in 1st gear on this bike will put you right around the speed limit in most parts of the United States, and unless you are looking to go to jail, most riders won't ever need to use the top 2 gears.
This bike runs 70 MPH in 6th gear at an engine speed that would stall most bikes. But it won't stall. In fact, I have never seen a bike with a more user-friendly engine. Forget to downshift before making that turn? No problem. Forget to take it out of 6th gear at the lights? Seriously, it will pull from a dead stop in 6th gear with no problems. Shifting is almost optional on this bike. If you put it in third, you really never need to shift it up or down. It allows you to concentrate more on the scenery and the overall experience of riding. It's a comfortable ride that is remarkably smooth for a parallel twin. And when it's time to stop, the Brembo brakes are unmatched. This thing stops like NOW!!! Beemer vets might want to prepare themselves for a bit of diving on hard braking though. This one has conventional forks....which is highly unconventional for BMW. Also unconventional is the modern belt-drive. With it, power delivery is instant. The throttle feels directly linked to the wheel. It's maintenance-free, and the BMW belt is bigger and stronger than what you see on other belt-driven bikes. It might well last the life of the bike if you never changed it.
The only faults I could find with the bike are as follows:
The sound is weak. 1. It's silenced by a massive can that makes this bike sound more like a lawnmower tractor than a bike.
2. The headlights are a bit weak. The cone of the headlights does not extend far off of the road on either side, making it nearly-impossible to see things like deer on the side of the road at night. I added some fork-mounted driving lights to remedy the problem. 3. and finally, the tank is too small for a touring bike. You get great mileage in the 50-60 MPG range when driving on the highway in overdrive, but city driving and spirited sport riding will suck that down to the low 40's. And with only 4.1 gallons, the best you can get is 200 miles on a tank. More realistically, you will see the fuel light come on at about 120 miles, and it will be time to fuel up at 140-150 miles. Some people will have no problems with this, but when I am doing some serious touring, I prefer my bikes to have a longer range.

Have been a Suzuki guy all my life but the wife wasn't sitting on any crotch rocket. Got the chance to take this bike from BMW Grand Rapids for a whole week and immediately fell in love. I am definitely older and wiser now so my taste for eyeball peeling horsepower is lower, but I tell this is a great all-arounder. Leave guys at the light, go to work, tour a little, and much easier on the wallet between fill ups. Would I like a little more umph in the middle (who doesn't) but this has got plenty of giddy up for anyone and comfortable all day.