Model positioning for the new BMW F 800 S/ST.
BMW Motorrad's new F 800 sports middleweight machines are
designed to offer serious fun to just about anyone - commuters,
tourers and sporting riders.
Having launched leading contenders in the superbike, enduro,
touring and sports touring categories, BMW Motorrad has turned its
attention to the sports middleweight class. The F 800 features a
powerful, torque-rich 800 cc parallel-twin engine (the first in
BMW's history), a new suspension system and maintenance-free belt
drive.
Previously BMW had a gap in its range between the
single-cylinder F650 bikes and the 1200 cc Boxers and four-cylinder
motorcycles. This gap has now been filled with the new F 800 S and
ST models. The 798 cc twin-cylinder machine is available in two
versions - the sporty half-faired F 800 S and the sports touring
orientated F 800 ST - both of which are designed to provide a
thrilling ride for novice riders and experienced bikers.
At the heart of these machines is an all-new 798 cc
twin-cylinder engine that produces an impressive 62.5kW and a
punchy 86 Nm of torque, a perfect combination because the rider is
able to ‘surf' the torque curve rather than constantly
changing up and down the gearbox - just one of many factors that
will endear the F 800 series to all types of rider.
The chassis is as impressive as the engine. Attached to the rear
of the aluminium frame is a single-sided swing-arm, while the front
end uses conventional telescopic forks in place of the Telelever
suspension usually fitted to BMWs. This means a lighter, more
straightforward chassis design. The aim of producing a light
responsive chassis has worked well, as the F 800 S only weighs 182
kg dry (187 kg for the ST.)
To make the F 800 S ownership as easy as the rest of the BMW
range, while keeping weight to a minimum, the engineers have fitted
a belt-drive system. This is more practical as it doesn't need the
constant lubrication and adjustment of the chain drives found on
most bikes. It's also lighter than the shaft-drive systems found on
the bigger BMW models.
The F 800 S and ST are confident entries to the middleweight
category and raise the stakes in this important class by offering
everything that the competitors do with the addition of BMW
quality, reliability and ingenuity. Competitively priced to appeal
to non-BMW riders, the F 800 S and ST motorcycles will be in BMW
dealerships from November 2006.