Time for a new bike!

[CycleRob]

I've been thinking about it since I test rode it last Fall. That, plus my bike just turned over 63,000 miles (and 397 weeks ownership) today.
As I mentioned in the Chicago BMW post . . . I said there was a flyer in the parts box suggesting you call about your next new bike purchase. I did that yesterday and was pleasantly surprised they would also take my trade-in! Sweet! OH Yeah! The bike is the 2009 silver F-800-ST. The turnkey drive away price was $1,327 cheaper than my sit-down-write-it-out price from ATL GA BMW, and THAT was last FALL!!! Sounds like a done deal to me!
When I'm ready to trade this year, I'll truck both bikes the 780 miles each way (at least a 14 hour drive averaging 55MPH). Steve (OU812), I'll be seeing you and YLW then!

The salesman said my optioned, non-ABS Bike will have to be ordered. The options/defaults I wanted:
--Heated grips
--CenterStand
--OnBoard computer
--Bag mounts
--Amber turnsignal lenses (the default). Clear lenses look cheap, and sorta weird with the amber bulb visible when off.

I've decided the ungainly, oddly shaped, over stylized, almost hideous BMW bags for the F-800ST will NOT be on my must have list. The most distressing part was what is so obvious when you first see the bag equipped bike . . . the bag normal and badgexpanded width dimensions:
"Vehicle width varies from 35.4 - 41.3 inches."
Right now, the system city cases on my bike are 30.5" wide -and- they look absolutely handsome by comparison.

The F-800-ST bags:
\
I'll go with Givi or tough it out using the rear rack and/or a backpack.

Here is my next BMW Click that pic to select full size and sharper resolution. I've seen the color in person and it is gorgeous!

FYI: You may see my GoldBoxer running around the Chicago area this Summer or Fall- - - - it's NOT me!

[boxermania]

Ohhhh......wise one I see that we are getting anxious You will enjoy the lighter weight with hardly any power loss....probably is even faster than the R.

What does the onboard computer do?

I see that you are ordering the bag mounts and yet not the bags.....planning to go to Givi....do the Givi bags mount on to the BMW bag mounts? if not, why get the mounts.......just a silly question from your silly friend.

I'm happy for you....enjoy

[sjbmw]

The end of an era. The start of a new one.

Congrats.

Make sure you show us the pics when you take it all apart and put it back together again!

Are those handle bars going to take some adjusting to?

[rdsmith3]

Congrats on the new bike! The color looks great.

[RwageR]

CycleRob,

I have not looked at this board in years. I saw your name and remembered you from way back in 01' and 02'. I distinctly remembered what you said back then about the R1150R: "This one is a keeper". Well, I've got 85,000 on my 02 and the only reason I don't have 100,000 is because I got side tracked with an 02 Bandit and then an 07 DL650. But I still have "Ardys" because I know I will kick myself if I ever sold or traded her off. She's been like a Golden Retriever to me. That Oil Head Boxer engine has a soul. It is so easy to work on and it has been so good to me. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for the rear end. I replaced the pivot bearings at 55,000 miles. I'll never buy another new BMW. But I'll fix Ardys again when the time comes because it's worth more to keep it than it is to sell it on the open market, let alone trading it in. Like you said, this one is a keeper.

RwageR

[Doug]

Congrats!

[CycleRob]

It was a keeper until it started having expensive debilitating failures, like my "all costs minimized" $269 FD bearing replacements, that no BMW should ever have. The "all costs minimized" $127 premium quality clutch slave also was a premature failure that should never be a part of the World Class German Engineering. After almost 8 years ownership, there is now another BMW that has no failure prone FD bearings/pivots or really expensive and timely to fix dry clutch input shaft splines. It does not have the phenomenal TeleLever front suspension or powerful 700Watt car alternator I loved so much -but- it has a DOHC water cooled (cannot overheat) counterbalanced 798cc twin with belt final drive and single sided swingarm. It's engine is basically a Rotax made copy of proven Japanese designs . . . . head, clutch, transmission and all. It's 400Watt alternator is more powerful than most 1000cc 380W SportBike ones. It is capable of 68 MPG+, routinely getting 52MPG from it's plastic underseat fueltank. It also has the same power, a narrower traffic profile with 65Lbs less weight. It's also famous for extreme cornering prowess, which I can really appreciate.
Any transmission/clutch/engine problem it may develop, after warranty expiration, will be quickly, easily repaired by me likity-split, without twin heat guns, coworkers, special tools, mallets or a week of days downtime.
What I'll get is retention of the heated grip, single sided rear wheel and centerstand advantages in a very modern, high performance, extremely fuel efficient, lightweight M/C with stunning good looks. All I might add is a set of barback risers and a tail trunk.

I custom ordered it on St Patrick's day from ChicagoBMW at a ~13% discount from my 2 GA dealers. I should have it "within 12 weeks".

.

[jfslater98]

I should have it "within 12 weeks".

A bittersweet moment. Does that mean we will be able to wish a "fare thee well" to Goldenrod at this year's bash?

[CycleRob]

You mean GoldBoxer. I've decided to not attend a while back and said so in the May Bash's post. The reason is medical. Hopefully I'll be riding the F800ST by then.

[jfslater98]

Sorry we won't have a chance to say goodbye to Goldboxer, or meet up with you at the Bash. But I'm very happy for you. Keep us updated on the new ride!

[TonyT607]

Hey Uncle Robbie ! Congrats on the ST - she's gonna be a beaut.

The Golden One has fulfilled its purpose. Kudos on getting a great deal.

12 weeks !! Sheesh !

[CycleRob]

Hey Toni ! Long time no see.

"The Golden One has fulfilled its purpose".

Almost 8 years and 63,383 miles so far. It's still viable and runs turbine smooth, making it ideal for a trade in -before- it takes another big bite out of my wallet. I'd rather start over with a new bike. The F800ST has more of the things I seek in a M/C than my old OilHead BoxerTwin does. Even after I discretely farkled it up.

The new F800 has a very modern hi-tech (not retro) clean sheet design/styling, on-board computer (MPG, trip data, voltage, air temp, etc), a water cooled DOHC counterbalanced twin, 180mm rear tire, plastic fuel tank with every possible effort for a light weight design taken with style. It's racetrack prowess is becoming famous. It's beyond handsome & a lot cheaper than a still dated, R1200R and it's problematic FD.
That, and HonSuzYamKaw doesn't make any bike I'd like to own. Chain drive comes under the heading of NEVER AGAIN!!! For shaft or belt drive you have to go cruiser or heavy/big TourBike. For heated grips and single sided swingarm w/o chain drive, the field narrows . . . . . . back to BMW, where the F800ST is found to have it all at a great price

BTW, After sitting down again with ChicBMW's number shown to both my local BMW dealer's salesman, done on a ride-2-nowhere whim, one came down to "only" ~$800 difference. That's after figuring in the trade in tax advantage -and- my $200 gas/food bill for the 1,560 mile 35hr drive round trip. I reconsidered risking another DVT leg episode and the real but small possibility of a life ending drowsy driver road accident and canceled the Chicago order. I put the $1,500 down required for a special ordered F800ST at Atlanta BMW in Marietta. They had the winning bid. Special order is getting it without ABS and with the brilliant OnBoardComputer in the Champagne color. The factory build date is reported on my sheet to be 4-18-09. Their organized, impressive, grand master tech heavy service dept proudly boasts they are 3rd in the USA behind SJ and Bob's. Too bad I won't need them.

[TonyT607]

Nice move putting the squeeze on Atlanta BMW, I've been to that shop a bunch of times. The part of IBM I work for (IBM Internet Security Systems) is HQ'd in Atlanta (by Sandy Springs) so I go down there quite a bit. I stop in the dealer occasionally to see what's up. I ran into Nate Kern there about a year ago; he gave me one the those N8! t-shirts. Nice guy.

Best of luck and don't forget to post pics !

[OU812]

So Rob, I guess you are not coming up to Chicago?

[jfslater98]

The factory build date is reported on my sheet to be 4-18-09.

At first I thought, hey cool, Rob's new bike and I share a birthday. But then I remembered the old joke about "Friday builds". What is a Saturday build going to be like?

Let's hope that build sheet date is arbitrary, or just the sign off from a supremely happy test rider, who just got off the best motorbike BMW ever built.