BMW F800R test

Menus

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…

BMW F800R sideways

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..

Headlight

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..

Top view

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..

LED tail light

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.

Analogue and digital meter with all the information including ride-by-wire mode

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.

Two-cylinder, four-stroke, water-cooled, two camshafts, dry-sump lubrication

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.

BMW F800R in town

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.

BMW F800R on the road

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..

BMW F800R on departmental

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.

Floating bidisk, diameter 320 mm, fixed 4-piston caliper

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.

Seat with optional cover (held by rubber bands)

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.

15 liter tank

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

Related articles

  • Suzuki DL 650 VStrom motorcycle test – 2012 vintage

    Aids for the road 10 years of good and loyal service … the DL 650 VStrom indeed celebrates a nice anniversary in 2012, without having succeeded in…

  • Honda CB 1000 R test

    Honda renews its big roadster. Retro, sporty, or both ? 4 cylinders in line, 998 cm3, 145 hp at 10,500 rpm, 104 Nm at 8,250 rpm, 212 kilos with full…

  • Honda CB 125 R test

    The little neo sport cafe playing in the big leagues 60 years since the first CB in 1959! Each new CB is therefore a small revolution, especially when it…

  • Test Vespa GTS 125 Super ie

    La Dolce Vita Grand Touring version Rather Super or Supersport ? When we speak of Vespa, we no longer speak of a scooter but of a lifestyle and that is…

  • Harley-Davidson Forty-Eight and A2 test

    1202 cm3, approx. 60 horsepower at 5500 rpm, 96 Nm at 3500 rpm, 252 kilos with full tank, from 12,410 € A minimalist and very stylish machine, generous…

  • Ducati Diavel test

    Fine-tuning in order You don’t change a recipe that works. The second generation of the Ducati Diavel therefore evolves only on points of detail while…

  • Honda CB 125 F test

    Queen of cities The CB is a dream, whatever its displacement, undoubtedly the fact of a long history since the Benly model of 1959. And if we think then…

  • Honda CMX 500 Rebel S motorcycle test

    Little rebellious bobber In-line twin, 471 cm3, 45 hp at 8,500 rpm, 44.6 Nm at 6,000 rpm, 190 kilos, € 6,299 Rather bi or 4? It’s that the couple is…

  • Vespa S 125 scooter test

    The heir to the legendary 50 Special With 17 million units sold in 65 years, the Vespa has become a myth beyond the trendy scooter icon and ultimately…

  • Triumph Bonneville Bobber Black test

    2 cylinders in line, 1200 cc, 77 hp at 6100 rpm, 106 Nm at 4000 rpm, 237.5 kilos dry, from ¤ 14 350 More muscle, more techno, more dark for the Bobber Is…

2 thoughts on “BMW F800R test

  1. I have a 16L tank and I can make 280 terminals so it depends on the driving and the bike. to smile

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *