From Black to White...To Match My Hair?

[Boxer]

Y'all can stop looking for me a new bike. I got tired of all the indecision and went ahead and pulled the proverbial trigger.

Rode down to BMW of Atlanta about 12:30 today and offered up the Dominatrix in trade. They did the tap dance and a tech took her out for a spin. The final analysis; It has pulsating front brakes and rattly throttle bodies! "That's all you found wrong with it!?" I exclaimed...and asked at the same time.

They are giving me $3000 for it with my 79,450 miles on it. I asked if it was okay for me to do some more riding on it and they said, "Sure! We'll do a last look-over when you come back to pick up the new one. But pending any big changes the offer is good."

I plopped down my deposit and ordered a 2010 model F650GS Twin in one of the new colors...White Silver, without ABS, but with the onboard computer, heated grips, center stand and white turn signals. My wife said it will match my hair.:-)

The build date is the 29th week second? day, whenever that is. Let's see, I figure that at around the last of July. They said it would arrive here about the 2nd week of August. My first thought was, "When the hell is Hungry Mother?"

Let the "farkling" begin.

[jb44]

jb

[CycleRob]

Phil, Good for you!!
I feel better that you'll have a bike you can depend on while enjoying the much better fuel economy we'll all (!really!) need too soon. You're going to love that OBC and the state-of-the-art EFI.

I'm still running regular in my bike getting 58, 63, 63 and currently 65 MPG. Using Regular, there is a noticeable loss of power if you whack the throttle wide open at 3,000 RPM, otherwise, not much different. They say there isn't an actual detonation sensor on it, but that doesn't mean the simple knock sensing device cannot be combined with the oil pressure or the coolant temp sensors. It does NOT ping ever!! Even with a fan cycling hot motor.

.

[jb44]

and...........

"The national stimulus bill provides a provision for motorcycle buyers to deduct sales taxes on their personal income tax returns for 2009."

[touchton]

I'm with you! I purchased a 2009 F800ST today. I'll pick mine up tomorrow. Mine looks just like CycleRob's except mine has ABS. Strange we did it on the same day. Not quite as strange as Michael Jackson and Farrah Faucet passing away on the same day, but strange non the less.

So, Rob, when is the Tech Session for F800ST's?

[sweatmark]

Congrats to all of you F800 types. Pressure's on to get Mrs. Sweatmark down to the dealer for her test ride on F800S, with her Roadster as trade-in. Want to be part of the F800 migration!

[sabertooth]

Phil,

Congrats on pulling the trigger on a new bike!

Joey

[bobw]

Congrats!

[Buckster]

Boxer,
Did you test ride the F800GS as well? I have an interest in both and was wondering what the actual difference in the engine power was. I kind of like the new F650 better since I would probably hardly every go off-road and I like those cast aluminum wheels. I rode the old F650 single before which I know you owned. Is the new more powerful?
Congrats on the new ride!!

[Zinger]

Phil, Good for you!!
I'm still running regular in my bike getting 58, 63, 63 and currently 65 MPG. Using Regular, there is a noticeable loss of power if you whack the throttle wide open at 3,000 RPM, otherwise, not much different. They say there isn't an actual detonation sensor on it, but that doesn't mean the simple knock sensing device cannot be combined with the oil pressure or the coolant temp sensors. It does NOT ping ever!! Even with a fan cycling hot motor.

I just gotta ask...

Here in PA the cost differential for premium vs regular is between $0.20 and $0.40. You just spent about $13,000 on a brand new motorcycle that is recommended to use premium fuel, and over $0.40 (I'll go on the high side) you're not going to put the premium in? That's what, a max of $1.60 or so per complete fill-up, or you can look at it as 6/10 of a penny per mile driven (using your MPG numbers above). Also worth mentioning is that premium fuel usually has additional additives that help keep your engine clean.

That just doesn't make sense to me.

[combustor777]

Phil, Good for you!!
I'm still running regular in my bike getting 58, 63, 63 and currently 65 MPG. Using Regular, there is a noticeable loss of power if you whack the throttle wide open at 3,000 RPM, otherwise, not much different. They say there isn't an actual detonation sensor on it, but that doesn't mean the simple knock sensing device cannot be combined with the oil pressure or the coolant temp sensors. It does NOT ping ever!! Even with a fan cycling hot motor.

I just gotta ask...

Here in PA the cost differential for premium vs regular is between $0.20 and $0.40. You just spent about $13,000 on a brand new motorcycle that is recommended to use premium fuel, and over $0.40 (I'll go on the high side) you're not going to put the premium in? That's what, a max of $1.60 or so per complete fill-up, or you can look at it as 6/10 of a penny per mile driven (using your MPG numbers above). Also worth mentioning is that premium fuel usually has additional additives that help keep your engine clean.

That just doesn't make sense to me.

All fuel has the same "clean injun" additives as mandated by the benevolent imperial federal government. Marketing types would like you to think that the higher profit margin "premium" is somehow better though. High octane fuel is likely to have the highest ethanol content as well, since it increases octane rating. The only way to get unmolested clean fuel is to run avgas though it does have a bit of TEL, or expensive marina gas. Knowing that, no reason to spend more than you have to on fuel.

Seems to be a sound move to the new F bikes because as others have mentioned, approaching 80k miles the Beak has several expensive to replace components that are well beyond their expected service life. Such a failure would cost a great deal of the remaining value of the vehicle to fix, or may even exceed it. Better to cash in the residual value now than to gamble in order to get another 20k out of it. Personally maintenence and fuel costs are not high on my list when shopping for a bike, since tires, insurance, gear, and cost of the bike itself mean that you aren't making an "investment." But if a bike does the same things as well as another with a bonus of lower cost of operation, it makes a strong argument!

[Zinger]

All fuel has the same "clean injun" additives as mandated by the benevolent imperial federal government. Marketing types would like you to think that the higher profit margin "premium" is somehow better though. High octane fuel is likely to have the highest ethanol content as well, since it increases octane rating. The only way to get unmolested clean fuel is to run avgas though it does have a bit of TEL, or expensive marina gas. Knowing that, no reason to spend more than you have to on fuel.

It sounds like you're somewhat "in the know" on this fuel stuff. Are you basically saying all fuels are equal, regardless of brand, and that the only difference is the octane rating? I've heard this before, but nobody ever seems to be able to say for sure.

I still would run premium regardless. The savings are so small (~$300 over the course of 50k miles at today's gas prices, that's $30/yr of service at 5k miles/year). To me skimping on the recommended fuel is pinching pennies, and if that's warranted or dictated by one's financial condition then they should have bought a Japanese cycle for half the price. Just my opinion, of course.

[iowabeakster]

Congrats Boxer and Touchton!


Have you decicded on a fuel octane rating for your new rides?

If not, we could all start doing some vicarious gasoline shopping for you guys also.

[CycleRob]

zinger,

The type of riding I do does not require premium. The few times that I really blast it, the 2 HP loss they specify in the manual (if using regular) doesn't matter that much.
People think that premium fuel is premium quality. It's not. They all have fuel system cleaners in them. Premium fuel has additives that make the combustion flame front burn slower. That's all it is.

I see you are a wood burner too. I've been driving Al Gore crazy doing so since 1978. Website on your signature line . . . a chatboard for wood burners? My house is 98% heated toasty by (oak) wood all winter and parts of the Spring and Fall. The other time, when we're away, it's a scroll compressor heat pump with hot wire subfreezing assist. This is oak wood I do not buy either . . . . so I guess I'm economical there too. Actually my $38---$54 winter electric bills on an all electric house for the last 5 years has paid for a lot of my new BMW. The GA state title came in today's mail!

I would have bought a Japanese cycle for half the price IF it was a standard bike, shaft or belt driven 90deg V-Twin.

.

[Zinger]

zinger,

The type of riding I do does not require premium. The few times that I really blast it, the 2 HP loss they specify in the manual (if using regular) doesn't matter that much.
People think that premium fuel is premium quality. It's not. They all have fuel system cleaners in them. Premium fuel has additives that make the combustion flame front burn slower. That's all it is.

I guess if it runs ok, then the proof is in the pudding, so to speak. I guess gas is becoming alot like oil (kind of a dumb statement, but you know what I mean) in that things like the 3000 mile oil change are basically a myth given today's engines and oils. Does BMW specifically state that regular is a-ok to run in the bike? If so then I wouldn't bother to run premium either, given that the bike has plenty of power even without it.

Oh, and I'm sorry if I made it sound like you should have bought something else, I never meant it that way. I just want your new beauty to last a long time! I'm jealous!

I see you are a wood burner too. I've been driving Al Gore crazy doing so since 1978. Website on your signature line . . . a chatboard for wood burners? My house is 98% heated toasty by (oak) wood all winter and parts of the Spring and Fall. The other time, when we're away, it's a scroll compressor heat pump with hot wire subfreezing assist. This is oak wood I do not buy either . . . . so I guess I'm economical there too. Actually my $38---$54 winter electric bills on an all electric house for the last 5 years has paid for a lot of my new BMW. The GA state title came in today's mail!

(Well, I'm going to thread-jack here I guess...)

Yep. Unofficially been heating with wood since birth (Mom and Pop have always had wood burners), but officially for the past 7 or so years (since I built my house).

I'm an IT techie guy who doesn't get to do very much techie stuff any more (roles have changed in IT in recent years, and I've moved "up" as well). I started that board as a hobby for something to mess around with and keep my "tech itch" scratched. I only launched it in March, and had a really amazing initial response, but then as the burning season winded down it's gotten quiet. Signature advertising is all I really do since I don't want to be "intrusive" with it. It's just a hobby and not a commercial venture so I'm going at my own pace in growing it. Nearer to the start of the cold season I've got some ideas on how to drum up interest again, but until then I'm sitting tight. You have my personal invitation to join up and share your "love of the flame". Wood burning for heat is one of those funny things that people don't seem to get unless they've tried it...

[CycleRob]

"Wood burning for heat is one of those funny things that people don't seem to get unless they've tried it..."

Yeah, kind of like riding motorcycles with shaft/belt drive and heated grips. Also not for everybody.

other milestones: ChainSaws going from a 12" Sears in 1978 to a 14" Poulan many years later, ending with a 16" Husqvarna just a few years ago. It's the only 2-smoke engine I own. Even my string trimmer/blower/vac is powered by a tiny but sweet running Ryobi 4-stroke engine.

Getting back on to the M/C topic, my last visit to the dealer for an oil filter I spoke with the service manager about the "Service" reminder not showing in the display for the 600 mile check, even after exceeding 800 miles. He said: "Not all the bikes have it installed (software), some do, some don't" Here's how I felt, not having to return to the dealer to have the increasingly annoying "Service" reminder display reset:

Unlike the R1150R that wants to go illegally fast when it's in 6th gear, the F800ST in 6th gear will just as soon go 45 MPH behind SUV's as 70 in the wind. All without any driveline snatch or sluggishness. The sweet spot is big. So far nothing can match the flawless throttle response and uncommon fuel mileage (63--65 MPG) of my latest bike. If you wanna get crazy swinging the tach needle it'll reward you with the power you wanted while the loud intake roar tells you how it's being made. Kudos to the brilliant engineers at Rotax!

.

[Boxer]

Did you test ride the F800GS as well?

Yes I rode the F800 but not a F650GS Twin. I wanted to go ahead and get my order in. The dealer promised me I could ride one of theirs when it arrives in a couple of weeks, then if I DON'T like it I will still have time to cancel the special order before the build date.
I think the biggest differences in the old F650 and the new F650 are going to be the size "feel", and the extra power (71 HP vs 53HP). Sitting on the bike it is supposed to be ergonomically closer to the F800 than the older shorter F650 Thumper. I'll find out when I actually can ride it.

[wncbmw]

Congrats on the new ride Phil! Hope to see you on it at Hungry Mother! I will still be on my Roadster, running fine! (knock wood!)

I will be interested in hearing reviews on these bikes from all you guys that I know and have ridden with!

Touchton, did you trade the Roadster or keep it?

[MikeCam]

Would the 2002/2003 members of this board who moved from a Roadster share what replacement(s) they selected? Among original owners, there is a hint of F800 movement. I know of at least two others (not posted here) who feel the draw of the smaller, lighter, yet just as well performing, parallel twin.

[jb44]

Would the 2002/2003 members of this board who moved from a Roadster share what replacement(s) they selected? Among original owners, there is a hint of F800 movement. I know of at least two others (not posted here) who feel the draw of the smaller, lighter, yet just as well performing, parallel twin.

...trying to hijack Boxer's thread? ....

... had the 2003 R1150R for 5 years...
Current rides: 2006 Triumph Bonneville, 2008 SV650N, 2007 DR650SE, 2005 TW200...

...still considering a F650GS twin.

jb