BMW F800S anyone have any experience | GTAMotorcycle.com

BMW F800S anyone have any experience

alangolding25

alangolding25

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Hello,

I am looking to purchase a BMW F800S. 2007. With 17000kms.

I have read a lot of mixed reviews. A lot of good ones. The bad ones are mainly about the rear wheel axle bearings and shaft. Seemingly there was a problem with a number of these bikes, where the belt would slip 2-3mm. In some small cases the real wheel would lock up. You eventually need to replace the bearings and shaft.

I am wondering does anyone have any actual experience in owning one of these bikes, if so any feedback would be great. I know you read a lot of stuff online and a "small" problem , could seem like a huge problem online so I would love to hear from anyone who has had one of these bikes.

I am very keen on it. I just have no experience with BMW's. I have always had Japanese bikes.
 
Great bike! 2007s had a few issues as it was first year release. BMW fixed everything up from 2008 model and on. BMW has issued a recall on the rear wheel bearing, and will cover it for years to come. Even if its out of warranty.


Shameless plug.......Just got mine back from getting its regular service at the BMW dealer recently, and have it available if you want to check it out! click here
 
Thanks Sunny for the information. Are they really still covering it now. I read they did do recalls however I also read the recall stopped in 2010 (they recalled for 3 years).
Nice bike by the way. A little over my budget. The bike im looking at is 2G less.



SunnY S said:
Great bike! 2007s had a few issues as it was first year release. BMW fixed everything up from 2008 model and on. BMW has issued a recall on the rear wheel bearing, and will cover it for years to come. Even if its out of warranty.


Shameless plug.......Just got mine back from getting its regular service at the BMW dealer recently, and have it available if you want to check it out! click here
Click to expand...
 
I appreciate that! But I have budget that I am sticking too and this thread I am just looking for information thanks though
 
I had an 07. Most of the issues were with the battery, immobilizer and stalling but they have been all ironed out by now with recalls and such. Rear bearing is hit and miss.

Good torque, handling and comfort. ABS brakes were a lifesaver. Bike got attention everywhere I went. Fuel economy is phenomenal for an 800. Downside is dealer service and parts can be expensive, and self-service is a pita, especially if troubleshooting.
 
Thanks DJM for the good feedback. Some good things to take into consideration there.
On a side note, where would you be able to find out any recalls that are still current on this bike?
 
You can request a recall list from BMW, or the nearest dealership.
 
DJM said:
You can request a recall list from BMW, or the nearest dealership.
Click to expand...

ok thanks again DJM.
So far still mixed views on it. No one has said not to get one, lol, so thats good!
 
There's not that many of them around, so you will not get a great sample of views exactly.

I always liked the sexy single sided swing arm. The belt makes it somewhat quieter and zero maintenance, although probably more expensive to replace and you will certainly have limited gearing selection in case you would like to change it.

If you buy one with aftermarket muffler, I personally have not heard anyone to compliment the sound of the unleashed parallel twin ... it's somewhat disappointing, in case you care about that.
 
I put a Hindle Titanium on mine and it was an unappealing sound. Managed to tune the sound a bit with inserts I made on a lathe. Saved about 20lbs in weight though, the OEM bazooka is heavy.
 
The weight saving is the point, you are of course right. I only made the comment because I have heard two of them on of our rides and it was quite frankly about the worst sounding bikes ever. Obviously it's not the mufflers, but rather the arrangement of the engine and firing order (I don't think exhaust sound is high on BMW's list of priorities, fuel consumption rather is ....).

Point in case is, that my OEM Aprilia twin underseat bazooka was 25lbs, but sounded as good as 5lbs replacement .... in another words Aprilia would probably never release a bike which has potential to sound awful ...

Some people care about it, others don't ... not sure where OP stands.
 
mxs said:
The weight saving is the point, you are of course right. I only made the comment because I have heard two of them on of our rides and it was quite frankly about the worst sounding bikes ever. Obviously it's not the mufflers, but rather the arrangement of the engine and firing order (I don't think exhaust sound is high on BMW's list of priorities, fuel consumption rather is ....).

Point in case is, that my OEM Aprilia twin underseat bazooka was 25lbs, but sounded as good as 5lbs replacement .... in another words Aprilia would probably never release a bike which has potential to sound awful ...

Some people care about it, others don't ... not sure where OP stands.
Click to expand...

thanks again for the feedback, I am slowly and slowly moving away from buying it.

- motorcycles are in general not for people who want to be economical, buy a toyota prius
- people dont buy motorcycles because they are quiet , buy a toyota prius

I have seen videos on the F800S and I have noticed they sound terrible. Maybe that was stock exhausts.
In any case I have had Sv650S, GSXR750, and one of my favourite part of riding both of them was the sound, not how much I saved on gas.

This was good, I am getting the feeling the BMW is not for me. Appreciate your responses. Right now I would need to be sold the F800S now want one. which tells me everything
 
If you're a certain type of person (I know I am) the BMW engineering/dealership experience needs to be avoided. There's a reason thousands of BMW airhead owners stopped buying new in 1994. I think I'm going Japanese, I think so.
 
alangolding25 said:
thanks again for the feedback, I am slowly and slowly moving away from buying it.

- motorcycles are in general not for people who want to be economical, buy a toyota prius
- people dont buy motorcycles because they are quiet , buy a toyota prius

I have seen videos on the F800S and I have noticed they sound terrible. Maybe that was stock exhausts.
In any case I have had Sv650S, GSXR750, and one of my favourite part of riding both of them was the sound, not how much I saved on gas.

This was good, I am getting the feeling the BMW is not for me. Appreciate your responses. Right now I would need to be sold the F800S now want one. which tells me everything
Click to expand...


It may not be right for you, but at the very least, take one for a spin, before writing it off. You posted looking for info, so you had some interest in it. It's a fun bike to ride, very flickable, and has amazing torque and off the line response. Having said that, check out its closest competitor, VFR800. Another capable and nice machine.




inreb said:
If you're a certain type of person (I know I am) the BMW engineering/dealership experience needs to be avoided. There's a reason thousands of BMW airhead owners stopped buying new in 1994. I think I'm going Japanese, I think so.
Click to expand...

Yet they enjoy record sales year after year.

2013 was the best sales year in the company's history.

March 2014, all time March sales high in the company's history.


These guys are on fire.
 
I'm gonna have to agree with Sunny S on this one. I've ridden pretty much only Japanese bikes since I started a decade ago and recently made the switch to BMW. While I have had pretty terrible experienced with 2 out of 3 dealerships I've finally found one I like. As for the engineering... it seems like there was a lot more forethought into the little things (fit & finish)which at this point for me makes BMWs much more appealing. My F800R is the first BMW bike I've bought and after 3 seasons of riding I haven't ridden a better bike (for me) and I will most likely be buying another BMW when I'm done with this one.

So OP don't count them out until you've ridden one. I'm glad I didn't when I was bike shopping a few years ago.
 
SunnY S said:
It may not be right for you, but at the very least, take one for a spin, before writing it off. You posted looking for info, so you had some interest in it. It's a fun bike to ride, very flickable, and has amazing torque and off the line response. Having said that, check out its closest competitor, VFR800. Another capable and nice machine.
Click to expand...

Just to be perfectly clear, I do agree the OP should take one out for a spin if he thinks the bike has something to offer, before he writes it off. I rode myself ST and R, never S, but really all have the same engine so some things will stay the same. I liked the bike, not so much the price (both used and new). You have bikes which have character and are exciting for variety of reasons, this is not one of them in my opinion, which of course is subjective. I found it to be simply too much money for frugal parallel twin 800cc bike ...

On the other hand there's many things a test ride will simply never reveal ...


SunnY S said:
Yet they enjoy record sales year after year.

2013 was the best sales year in the company's history.

March 2014, all time March sales high in the company's history.


These guys are on fire.
Click to expand...

Now, you kind of start sounding like BMW employee ... you were doing fine until now ... :)

Yes we all are aware of their sales figures ... and I guess a lot of us shake our heads how do they keep doing it, month after month, year after year .... I know one thing it's not because F800 is a groundbreaking leader in bikes. Majority of it is their GS adventure line of bikes 1200cc-700cc ... not so much their road oriented siblings (there's is simply a lot more options from other brands so they face a tougher competition). And of course their supersport S1000RR ... I am sure R will do very well as well. But that's not the bikes OP was interested in.

BMW is doing something right catering to their specific audience, no question about it. Would that affect my decision at the time of purchase? Not a chance since it is a very slippery slope to take in my opinion. You have to separate the tastes of a crowd from what you personally want and are able to afford. Otherwise we would all ride BMW bikes would we not?
 
mxs said:
Now, you kind of start sounding like BMW employee ... you were doing fine until now ... :)

Yes we all are aware of their sales figures ... and I guess a lot of us shake our heads how do they keep doing it, month after month, year after year .... I know one thing it's not because F800 is a groundbreaking leader in bikes. Majority of it is their GS adventure line of bikes 1200cc-700cc ... not so much their road oriented siblings (there's is simply a lot more options from other brands so they face a tougher competition). And of course their supersport S1000RR ... I am sure R will do very well as well. But that's not the bikes OP was interested in.

BMW is doing something right catering to their specific audience, no question about it. Would that affect my decision at the time of purchase? Not a chance since it is a very slippery slope to take in my opinion. You have to separate the tastes of a crowd from what you personally want and are able to afford. Otherwise we would all ride BMW bikes would we not?
Click to expand...

Where was it implied that F800 sales were lighting up the charts? :lol:

Merely responding to Inreb's suggestion that people were abandoning the brand. Sales figures don't lie.

I wouldn't hesitate to buy another BMW bike. Just tired of the same old me-too jap bikes out there that everybody has. Its refreshing to ride something a little different. But thats just me.
 
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inreb said:
If you're a certain type of person. There's a reason thousands of BMW airhead owners stopped buying new in 1994
Click to expand...

SunnY S said:
Merely responding to Inreb's suggestion that people were abandoning the brand. Sales figures don't lie.

I wouldn't hesitate to buy another BMW bike. Just tired of the same old me-too jap bikes out there that everybody has.
Click to expand...

Whoa calm down Sunny. I said a certain type of person. The OP may or may not be that type. The BMW ownership experience isn't for everybody. He needs to know he's not buying just a bike. Curious that you had your last service done by the dealer. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
 
I bought a 2008 BMW F800ST new and love it. The ST is the same as the S except for fairing lowers and higher bars. I switched my bars to the lower S type for a more sporting position. Changed the can to an aftermarket and it sounds quite nice...you just have to buy the right pipe. Can't remember which one Sunny has but it sounds nice as well. Mine is a Blue Flame from the UK.
The rear wheel bearing is a recent recall ( late last Fall ) and I am taking mine in to be checked...but have had no problems.

My last bike was a 2000 VFR800, I much prefer the Bimmer...I miss the V4 but not the weight. My F800 is much lighter and feels it...since it carries it's weight much lower. I priced a new VFR 800 when I bought mine and with the factory bags the Honda was more expensive...also got a 3 year roadside warranty with the Bimmer...never needed it. Plus the factory luggage on the Honda in 2008 looked too much like Honey Boo Boo's mom from behind :rolleyes:

The site below has tons of info...just remember online posts are mostly from the few people that have had problems...the guys that are happy are too busy riding. The surveys prove my point.....many many owners worldwide have had no problems and would buy another.

BMW F800 Riders Forum - Search Results
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