Menus
- License A2 version
- Discovery
- In the saddle
- Contact
- In the city
- On the highway
- On departmental
- Braking
- Comfort / duo
- Consumption
- Convenient
- Conclusion
- The BMW F800R video test
License A2 version
In the roadster family, I ask for the small displacement, I named the F800R! If the first version of the F800R adopted an asymmetric headlight, the 2014 vintage abandons it in favor of a more traditional optic, but by standing out from the specific BMW identity, in the tradition of larger-displacement roadsters.. More consensual aesthetically, the F800R offers a good proposition for young drivers and others, with in particular for the 2017 vintage a ride-by-wire allowing to choose between normal driving, sport or rain. A real plus for a motorcycle that adapts to everyday life? Test of version A2, not so castrated as that…
Discovery
The BMW F800R is almost Japanese … mainly because of its headlight, because the rest is in line with previous vintages. And if it is still a twin, it is not such a characteristic flat twin with its two cylinder heads placed on either side of the motorcycle..
We find in particular the same twin-cylinder of 798 cm3 which now develops 90 good horses (+3 horses gained in 2014, Euro4 in 2017) with a weight contained all full of 202 kilos and an unchanged torque. And to reach a wider audience, it has mostly lost saddle height and the new handlebars are a little wider..
The more informed will note the new rider footrest as well as an inverted fork. Rear light and exhaust have evolved as well as the finer and more discreet turn signals. The wider rear rack and taller screen complete the major apparent changes. Everything is rewarding is in line with what we can expect from an 800 cm3, with a look not so far from some 1000. In short, it may well be the small displacement of the big ones, we get what we pay for..
In the saddle
790 mm instead of 800 mm, the driver of 1.70m will appreciate having the ends of the feet on the ground, which was not necessarily the case before. Better, the well balanced machine with a very low placed weight, gives the impression of a light machine. The wide handlebars provide excellent leverage while the torso leans slightly forward for support, but naturally. The legs are coiled in the notch of the tank even if the saddle could have been thinner to perfect the perfect contact at the level of the crotch. But we actually find our marks right away to take it in hand.
In front of you, the dashboard has changed significantly in 2017, with two superimposed analog screens supplemented by a digital display on the right and additional anomaly indicators, particularly concerning tire pressure. It is complete and very readable with all the necessary information, up to the integrated stopwatch to measure the time between two fires: speed, tachometer, clock, gear engaged, partial double trip, temperature, fuel gauge, tire pressures front and rear, driving mode, it’s all there. The change of driving mode is carried out on the right stalk.
The quality of BMW finish is there, up to the logo inlaid in the handlebar trigger guard.
Contact
THE F800R almost makes a hoarse sound. First frank, the twin is more pleasant than its predecessor, both flexible while offering a little roughness when going up in the towers.
In the city
On, off. The engine reacts instantly to the throttle grip and actually pushes, even in normal mode with a rather playful behavior. Flexible, it accepts to wind on the sixth and last report under 1,500 rpm and 40 km / h! Even if in town, second and third report will be his daily life. The front braking offers real bite while the rear will rarely be enough to stop the bi in town. 860mm wide, the handlebars are a bit wide in town and require a little care to go between lines of cars when others will pass much more easily. As for the turning radius, it is rather poor for the category and requires a little effort to turn in a pocket square.
On the highway
The F800R sets off naturally on the motorway offering excellent stability including at maximum speed … to reveal the limit of the A2 version with a 150 km / h counter. If the clamping does not feel on the first reports and low speeds having been done well to preserve the torque, we feel the electronic asphyxiation at high speed, which on the last report does not exceed 6,000 rpm.
On departmental
The attack suits him well, whatever the condition of the road. Suddenly, small roads become his playground with a particularly healthy behavior of the chassis which erases almost all the defects of the road. It’s sport but the frame is perfectly rigid, providing even greater confidence, especially when the pace picks up. Because under the maximum speed, we do not feel the restraint on the small roads and there is plenty of fun without being frustrated, including for the seasoned biker who would have lost his license and would have to go back to the A2 license. The front axle turns out to be very safe, even if it takes off noticeably on brutal accelerations..
Braking
The front brake offers an excellent feeling and above all a real bite, almost too much even, especially during maneuvers at low speed where even two fingers lock instantly. If the bite is appreciable for the trapper braking that the F800R achieves with wonder, we will almost have a finger on it in town on the contrary, not to make chip jumps, so progressiveness is lacking at low speed. The rear brake is an honest retarder, hardly disturbed by the particularly unintrusive ABS.
Comfort / duo
The saddle is a bit square for the rider’s crotch and prevents the tank from being gripped as much as one would like to become one with the machine. The discomfort exists for the first hours spent on board to disappear little by little day after day and we almost forget it after a week of everyday life. It thus offers good comfort.
The saddle is low for the duo but comfortable and the handles are well placed to grip.
Consumption
The F800R has a bird’s appetite, as the first of the six sticks only descends after 175 km, but the tank is then half empty (or full depending on how you look). Then the reserve ignites at 225 kilometers, while 12 liters have been consumed. Thus, with a 15-liter tank, it offers a range of around 300 kilometers in mixed use with an average consumption of 5 liters per hundred; check made both with the on-board computer and at the fuel pump. And for the players, it is possible to lower it to 3 liters per hundred on the last report on a small road at 70 km / h.
Convenient
The saddle unlocks at the rear and offers no room, not even for a small disc unit. The luggage rack, on the other hand, offers space and especially very practical lugs for attaching a large bag..
The side stand just has this little lug that allows it to be unfolded or on the contrary folded up easily. And the center stand is a real plus for routine maintenance.
Conclusion
The BMW F800R performs flawlessly, with real homogeneity, which allows it to be comfortable everywhere and in all conditions with a versatility further multiplied by the ride-by-wire, making it possible to adapt the engine behavior to the mood or condition of the pilot. Above all, it retains in its A2 version all the driving pleasure or even piloting that the machine offers..
Strong points
- homogeneity
- consumption
Weak points
- turning radius
- rear brake
The technical sheet of the F800R
Test conditions
- Itinerary: small varied roads + interurban highways with a bit of town
- Motorcycle mileage: 300 km
The BMW F800R video test
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I have a 16L tank and I can make 280 terminals so it depends on the driving and the bike.
We can better see the grain of the plastic on the 2017 version