Went for a ride today . . .

[CycleRob]

Dr Strangelove asked: "If you did not reset the avg mpg to see what you're getting in vanilla riding in 6th, what would you mpg be? IE counting the stop and go of traffic and the normal shifting and gear changes that go with it".

68 MPG was with the stops, traffic lites and slow-go near and in between the 2 destinations. That city riding harms the average MPG's -but- the longer times at 50 MPH loafing in 6th gear on level roads to and from the congested area is where the phenomenal MPG realtime readings in the mid/upper 70's to low 80's raise the overall average. Even when I gas it up it usually takes ~3.4 gallons from a dozen miles on the low fuel lite. The great fuel economy is really unbelievable when you consider how fast the very same bike can accelerate to overnite-in-jail-speeds. Those 2 abilities do NOT go together. A bike that's fuel stingy always is among the slow. The fast bikes are gas hogs. The midsized F800ST has the designed in ability to grab the big performance numbers from both groups, but, of course, not at the same time!
To further answer your question, I do not know how bad it would be if I wailed on it for an entire tankfull, but crazy riding with a fast group at a recent Bash netted 62 MPG. Some riders at the other F800 site get low/mid 50's, but it's not stated how many cold engine starts, idling periods, sustained high speeds or frequent full throttle takeoffs they are doing.
To me that says the worst it will get coincides with the best an OilHead/HexHead Boxer will get. I have also proven it is on regular grade (Chevron/Texaco) gas too. The few times I put Plus/Mid grade fuel in it was at the Bashes, when I knew there might be sustained high speeds and sustained full throttle usage. Having the computer dial back the ignition timing or maybe boost the fuel injected in for regular gas usage would not generate the maximum performance that may be needed.

It's almost rare when I will spend a lot of $$ on a machine and later calmly be able to say it was worth it, but it is. Especially when I considered and rejected all the other bikes (R1200R) that fit my riding style.

[sweatmark]

Allow me the indignity of quoting self (from the Rockster "MPG - Total let down" thread):

If you want decent MPG, consider one of the F800 bikes. CycleRob has reported his results several times, up to 70 MPG. FWIW, I rode my wife's F800S during the Oregon BMW club rally a few weeks ago and got 51 MPG for 551 miles @ average 56 MPH; that's with crap gas 10% ethanol.

My Buell XB gets 50+ MPG for road riding, 40-45 MPG for WFO trackdays. So the Rockster is not exactly a high-tech efficient machine... even my buddy's /5 airhead gets better mileage, albeit with lower horsepower.

Re: the above F800S mileage figures, my route to & from John Day, OR (site of the annual rally) this year included elevation changes of 5000 ft, 8 or 9 mountain passes, several stretches of quicker riding. The F800 drivetrain is quite impressive when its attributes of performance, economy, and maintenance-simplicity are considered. Not to mention belt drive. And non-intrusive ABS. And conventional sport bike 120 & 180 tire sizes. And clear, useful instrumentation.

The new Husky Nuda 900 with Rotax-built, F800-type motor is really intriguing...

(My wife wants me to ditch the Rockster for an F800ST, but I'm oh so conflicted.)

[CycleRob]

Getting back to this thread's topic: Went for a ride today . . .

It was a 1-day-late-electric-bill-delivery, not a recreational ride. The sunny 77degF (25C) was soon realized as the perfect M/C riding temperature. As I started the ride the OBC (OnBoardComputer) Avg MPG read 67 MPG (28.48km/L). Between the bad weather, chores and other distractions I haven't ridden my bike in about 5 days, so the whole experience was sort of a pleasant rediscovery. So much more fun than driving the `04 Civic or the `98 Frontier on the curves and hills. Took in the fresher natural smells 2 days after a big rainstorm. At a long cycle traffic light that just turned red as I approached it, I even shut off the headlite (on a whim) to lower the stationary heat gain in the headlite's plastic reflector. You do it by continuously holding the front brake, press cancel button over 6 seconds, let go then press-n-hold the right signal button until the orange warning triangle and "Lamp" shows in the LCD. The headlite is now off until the bike moves a micro-inch. That's why you gotta hold the front brake. Standing up off the seat OR sitting back down on it moves the rear wheel enough to turn the headlite back on - - it's that sensitive.

Riding sure is fun, even if it's for a ride-with-the-traffic errand and today's time slot has a hard limit of only 1 hour. Easily goes turbine smooth as slow as the 40MPH (64.4km/Hr) speed limit in 6th gear, while displaying phenomenal instantaneous MPG readings over 80 MPG (34.01 km/L) on level roads while doing so.

I paid the late bill at the teller and asked if there was a late fee. She scanned the bill barcode, took a 15 second look at the computer screen and said "No late fee, you're OK". My ride just got better. Oddly, the ride home reminded me of the times last winter when I rode the same short highway section with it's long uphill climb while it was nose running, eye tearing cold. I remember clutching the bodywork with my legs, trying to absorb the engine heated airstream while tucking in low, behind the stock windscreen. Today the heat wasn't really enough to be noticeable, prolly because I was so enjoying the precision of the throttle controlled magic. The major brand gasoline is reduced by 50 cents to $3.23/Gallon now and it feels like a solo day trip thru the Georgia mountains to Deals Gap and the Dragon is in order. $25 for food-n-fuel does it. Before the tree leaves turn brown, fall off and it gets too cold to enjoy it.

Oh yeah, just before I turned off the key when I got home I accessed the Avg MPG reading. After the 13.3 mile round trip it STILL read 67 MPG!

.

[CycleRob]

It's now the evening of the last day of 2011. I left at 5:02pm in 57degF (13.9 C) on an all blue sky winter day. My destination is about 32 miles (51.5 km) away and I know I'll be riding back in the cold and dark. Feeling brave, the insulated skiing overpants went rolled up into the Givi tail trunk. Out on the road with the heated vest totally warming me up, there was no cold discomfort from having only my black dungarees protecting me from the chilly road air currents. The bodywork's full protection (knees to the "tank") and lightly heated airstream from the radiator/engine/headers made it seem 10 degrees (5.5 C) warmer. This is good, so I was able to focus on the ride and the marvelous precision of the BMW's engine management system. What a nice tune, changing in pitch and volume as we go up-n-down the hilly terrain, all in 6th gear and with the tiniest of throttle adjustments. WHY DID IT TAKE UNTIL THE YEAR ~2007 TO GET THIS RIGHT??? You know . . . perfecting EFI so the exhaust emissions, power AND driveability are at their best. The colder weather actually seems to enhance the throttling precision, responsiveness and that flawless equality of the 4-stroke engine exhaust notes.

I've got just over 16,600 miles (26,715 km) on it now and if anything, the engine has gotten smoother, not looser or sloppier. Practically vibration free at any road speed. Shifts as smooth and uneventful as a Honda. Still running nothing but Chevron/Texaco Regular grade gasoline since it was new.

My return ride was cooler, dropping to 48 degF (8.9 C) when I got home just after 7pm. Of course I put on the ski overpants prior to the return trip start-up so it was a very comfy ride back in very light traffic. I ran it on the low fuel light down to 16 miles (25.7 km) remaining on the OBC with zero running anomalies when I finally parked it in the garage. It was my last ride of 2011 and I said to my wife when I opened the door . . . . "What a nice ride that was." 66.6 miles (107.2 km) roundtrip.

Our stay-at-home New Year's Eve candle lit celebration for 2 was a thick, pan fried slab of prime rib for me and a lobster tail for her before 8pm. A PG romantic movie on Pixl channel to relax with. Just before midnite, a dozen shrimp dunked in red horseradish sauce along with a half bottle of Champagne . . . . . in our bathrobes. Wow. What a day. Glad I've got that F800 and a really wonderful woman going forward.

Happy New Year my friends.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Ha!
That sounds great.
And Stella! hears you tempting me to trade her, but as a lady of a certain age, she has her own charm.

When that day does come, it will likely be an 800ST, I think.

Happy New Year

[CycleRob]

It was like an 82 mile round trip to 2 retail stores on Friday (yesterday). I left at 3pm and took the non Interstate side roads that are cooler (it was 81F [27.2C]) and a little slower. A nice easy ride getting there, enjoyable even though it was going the normal speeds with the traffic. It's just over a month and I'm still marveling about the amazing handling with the new Z-8 tires. The return trip, on the other hand, was miserable - - - because of the rush hour traffic. I called Ann and said "I should be home in 1 hour, depending on the traffic". Little did I know then (5:40pm) that I would end up almost a half hour late. It was a slow moving start/stop 1st gear creep in all 3 of the selected detours the Zumo 450 GPS gave me. The amount of "gridlock everywhere" is usually a result of a highway closing accident on I-85 or I-985, the "quick way" home. I did see it was solid cars/trucks barely crawling when I passed over it on the way back. Anyway, during my slow-go I hear the cooling fan come on (you can't miss hearing it when stopped, even with a tight full face helmet) . . . stay on for 4+ minutes, mostly idling between the start/stop creeping along segments. The charge light LEDs show it discharging the battery if the fan and brake light are on together. Adding 300 RPM with the throttle or letting go of the brake makes it charge again. The fan, on the CAN-bus system, is electronically controlled (by power transistor, no relay) by the main computer and will immediately stop if you stall the engine. Out of boredom, I even (successfully) tried a no throttle, level ground take-off, letting the idle control motor feed the bypass air "throttle" as the computer tries to raise the lowered idle speed. That also revealed the pleasing tactile spread of the clutch's (now very hot) engagement point. Very smooth (no pulsing upon engagement) and like the R1150R it gives the sensation of fully releasing when the lever is pulled in. When I finally got to moving fast in the now much cooler air I took off from the next red-2-green traffic light and wound it out to the (VERY bright) shift light with about 2/3 throttle. It really zings up the RPM scale with faster-than-any-car's acceleration, without the power tapering off, even without going to full throttle. The normally 55 minute return trip lasted 1hr:48min and I was late for supper at 7:08pm. The first 6 miles (9.6 km) were a real hassle, not because of the bike, but because of the traffic. The remaining 35 miles (56.3 km) were just plain fun. I even did a 6th gear roll-on downhill pass from 55 MPH (88.5 km/Hr) to get rid of an annoying, speed changing, distracted driver. Being cautious, I pretty much stayed close to the speed limits and other than that one time made normal accelerations with the traffic.

What this all means is the F800ST is light enough to not require your full attention balancing talents at every stop, tolerant of traffic that would overheat an OilHead, make smooth, repeated, hot engine take-offs without pulsing, lurching or burnt clutch smells, and using Texaco/Chevron Regular gas show 64 MPG average (27.2 km/L)(I just checked it) after being reset at the start. Also, you do not have to go fast or blast off to illegal speeds to enjoy a pleasant M/C experience. Sweet.

[Ol' Jeffers]

Rob! You've done a dam' fine job of almost selling me the option of going with an F800xx
rather than an R1200R which is where I am inclined to eventually put my money.
Why Oh Why did BMW not make the 800 Roadster a belt drive bike? I love
the idea of an 800 Roadster but it's got a chain!! After the easy cleaning and lack
of mess that a shaft drive offers, the belt drive system seems like a very attractive alternative.
My BMW guy also says that the twin is sometimes prone to piston 'slap' but that's really no
big deal and to be fair he tends to view everything from an engineer's point of view.
I'll be taking a trip tomorrow to look at a low mileage ST (535 miles) at the local BMW shop,
plus I'll be able to sit on a R1200R. Apologies for the offtopicness Mods!!

[CycleRob]

Ol' Jeffers, The belt drive is now my favorite FD system. A $390 drive belt about every 50+ thousand miles is OK with me. The lightest weight, zero drive lash, lowest maintenance, quietest FD there is. It may be the most efficient too, especially in cold weather and at high speeds. I will NEVER go back to chain drive!

The way things are going, it's a keeper for at least another 5+ years. The other bike I considered was the R1200R, but the sticker price had me breathing into a hand held paper bag. BMW still is my first choice for a new model bike, with a shaft FD Honda #2.

The piston (wear) slap, failed rear axle bearings, failed key antennas and engine stalling ECU firmware problems were all fixed (finally!!) prior to the 2009 models. The `09 model ST has longer mirror stalks, std equipment rear bag stays and the gorgeous Champagne Silver color. I was really impressed with the quality, handling and engineering of my old R1150R, except for it's dated, heavy, HP challenged, pushrod OHV air/oil cooled engine! It was my first fuel injected bike, the 5th shaft driven bike and it gave me many fond, precious, lifelong memories - - - and a few scary ones too. This F800ST has it beat in so many useful, important, rewarding ways (except for the weaker 400W alternator and lack of a TeleLever ) that it rates a post that continually can be entertaining and informative, like this one:
"Went for a ride today . . ."

[Dr. Strangelove]

(except for the weaker 400W alternator and lack of a TeleLever )

That's it in a nutshell for me and why I'd look at a used r12r. But even with that "caveat" the f800st is the only other occupant on a short list of 2.

[Boxer]

except for the weaker 400W alternator and lack of a TeleLever

Those also seem to be the two major concerns of mine since owning my F650GS (800). All else makes these bikes with this engine a joy to ride locally. But for long runs like I really like to do, I'm considering the R12R again...or maybe even an RT. The last 2 years have just been difficult to get thrilled about multi week tour type rides out west.

[CycleRob]

Boxer, The kind of riding you do also adds more lube/readjust chain maintenance and cleaning the chainlube off the rear rim and tire. I see your wallet and old bones better fitted to an R12R than an R12RT mostly because of the larger size and cumbersome weight. I would make the R12R choice for the same 2 reasons (for my old bones), plus the higher cost. Ideally you should buy them BOTH . . . . or wait for the 2013/2014 DOHC water cooled Roadster.

You already know how to outfit a Boxer Roadster . . . you've already done that, and to a degree of personal satisfaction that made you very reluctant to trade her in. The R12R maintenance is easier too, without the PITA of removing the RT's side/front body work. I helped OU812 with his R1200RT in my garage for GPS power wiring (same hassle for valve cover access) and it was not fun!!

[MIXR]

Great to see you are still enjoying the bike and doing the regular rides. I've been getting out on mine as well, and I am slowly building the miles to encompass some decent distances. I enjoy reading your comments about the ST, and have few complaints about the S. I had figured that the seat and bar position on the S might be a problem, but I can chew a tank of gas without even thinking about any discomfort, so it must be working ok. In some ways, the bike reminds me of my 1975 Ducati 750SS (Imola Special).

The small S screen is an issue, but that's what makes the bike what it is, so maybe it can stay for now. There are a lot of things to like about the F800S/ST, and few things to dislike, and I find that I have a smile on my face every time I pull into the driveway at the end of every ride. That says it all. Not often enough, and hard to do with the GSA Outfit to contend with, but I am so pleased I didn't do the 'sensible' thing and purchase another R1150XX.

Heading into summer here, so better riding coming up. Maybe I'll add to this section with some ride reports of my own. Cheers, Mick.

[CycleRob]

I went to the annual Atlanta BMW open house. They have test rides and a free food cookout just outside the open for inspection service department. It's my annual event to see the new BMW/Ducati bikes. Three of the new DOHC WaterHead Boxers were there and available for test rides. There was a long waiting list I had no time for and it's not time yet for me to be tempted again. The last time I test rode a BMW at these annual open house events (in the fall of 2008) I ordered a new one of the bike I rode.
What really surprised me was the light engine flywheel rapid accel/decel when the rider started the new R12GS model then "hit" the throttle. It's just like my F800. On a quick partial throttle jab the engine goes from idle to 4,000 to idle in 1 second. It sounds like high performance! The engine was mechanically quiet too. Water cooling does that. That bike, the R12GS was chosen Motorcycle of the Year (MOTY) by MotorCyclist Magazine. The front cover says of the 2013 winner; "High Tech, Huge Fun, Totally Unexpected".

After eating 3 dogs and a Coke (my lunch today) I ordered another ignition key at the parts counter to replace the one I lost. Having only 1 key for about a year waiting for the lost one to be found is risky. The key has a programed smart chip in it inductively powered by the ring antenna that surrounds the ignition switch. It cost $54.79 + $5 shipping to my mailbox when it's ready (soon). The dealer doesn't make it, it comes from out-of-state. Oh well. If I find the other 2 keys I've lost since June 2009 I'll have plenty of spares. Unlikely.

On the way home I made another shopping stop and soon after that the yellow triangle lit up on the LCD display along with the word LAMP. Great. It's getting dark so this has to be dealt with NOW. The Hi/Low beams work, the signals both work and I see the tail light is on. Squeezing the front brake tells me the it was the brake light filament that has died. Took off the seat to access the spare bulb and the Phillips screwdriver snapped into its' seat pan socket. Removed the tail light lens and the bulb. The fatter brake filament looks perfect but I put the new one in anyway. Turned the key on, hit the brake and it works. A few miles after I left that spot I got stuck in about a 3 mile long gridlocked traffic jam on SR19/400. What a buzz-kill - - - and it's going to make me late for supper. Creeping along, the instantaneous MPG reading showed a steady 54 MPG at a sustained 1,800 RPM cruise in 2nd gear. That's still better than the Boxers get in 6th gear.

When I finally got going again after 4 lanes of bumper-2-bumper went down to 2 lanes, the cause of the slowdown, there was an opportunity to draft a big fully enclosed trailer . . . . traveling fast! Just what I need to make good time and save a little rear tire wear. On a level road riding in the near still air almost safely 6 bike lengths behind the trailer I read on the GPS indicated 71 MPH and the bike's display showed 71 MPG. When I finally did get home after 112.5 miles the average MPG reading that was reset to zero at the start today said 62. I must be getting spoiled but that is disappointing and 5 MPG lower than a trip without any traffic jam. Oh yeah, I did gear down into 2nd at 70 MPH for a short additional 1,000 RPM blast to redline before upshifting and wailing on 3rd gear over an uninhabited woodsy stretch. Plenty of power for me! Even while the low fuel light has been on for the last 20+ miles.

I remember group riding in NY State and one of the riders mentioned he hasn't seen my brake light working. I replied that I downshift a lot and hardly ever use the brakes. He said he had not seen it working at all. Sure enough, it wasn't and we found the filament was broken away. The spare bulb under the seat fixed it. My `02 R1150R didn't tell me it wasn't working, and if I was alone in stop-n-go traffic like I was on this ride, it could have been the cause of a rear-ender accident where I was the target. Now for a few words of wisdom from a motorcyclist for 48+ years. Always carry on the bike a spare headlight, signal and tail light bulb and the tools to change them. After the ride is through, never carry the ignition key in your shirt pocket. Heated grips and a heated vest or jacket liner are absolutely wonderful rider comfort and safety necessities. Choose wisely when you shop for your next bike.

[Boxer]

Hey Rob. I was there too, at the open house, but I had to sneak away about 12 to head south. I was able to see a group of bikes depart on a demo ride and eat a brat for lunch, then chat with some buddies. I've been reading some info on unexplained tank slappers under certain conditions, on the new 12GS. A biker journalist was killed on one in South Africa recently with no apparent reason for a crash. They're thinking he may have experienced the catastrophic front end wobble. I like the water cooled idea, but there may still be some kinks to work out of the overall design.

My ride was a bit longer, like 5 hours. Been cruising around my old home town the last few days, bumming meals and sleeping accommodations off my 4 brothers and 1 sister here. Too cold to head home today though. Maybe tomorrow.

[OU812]

Oh I like that looker!
So Rob, getting out for a ride today?
It's 3 degreesFu here.....

[CycleRob]

I did go for a 17 mile errand ride in 46DegF 2 days ago and a 53DegF ride 4 days ago. Those were days when your Chicago area daytime HIGH temperatures were 10 degrees BELOW my nighttime LOW temps here in Georgia. I fled my working years CT and PA Northeast US residences for the mild winters and much lower cost of living well here in the South.
I just checked weather.com and your Zipcode currently has snow showers with 22F and an overnight low of 18F compared to our current 42F with cloudy sky and predicted overnight low of 21F. Worse yet is your Jan 2nd forecast for a high of 20F and an overnight low of 1 DegF !! Our hi/lo for that day will be 46/21F. I would not hesitate to take a 35 mile "destination" ride in 46 degrees, with my ski pants and electric vest on, of course. I thought about posting here more often when I go for my 2x/week rides, but it may generate an equal amount of hostile envy to go with the warm fuzzies the other half would enjoy. Are there any DownUnder Aussie or South American riders out there that can remind us what summer is like and post on this topic?

[OU812]

16 hours plowing snow and 0 deg temps coming.
yea.....

[Airman]

In my old home town of Minneapolis, the low tonight is supposed to be -21 F. I used to work the ramp at MSP on nights like this. I'm glad to be in the Pacific Northwest.
My heated gear is off to Gerbing for rework, so I may forgo riding to work tomorrow, but it's not out of the question like it is in so many locations.

[OU812]

Here is about the same as your old location.