Long Tours with F800ST

[kreinke]

Right now, I tend to avoid interstates because they are boring but also because I am still skittish about having trucks blow by me at 400 mph (more or less). I have to get my skittishness behind me.

Finally, I am grateful for the encouragement, because the simple fact is that this is my bike and it must serve all purposes. I was worried that perhaps there was something that made the F800 inherently unworthy as a long distance tourer (even some of the other posts on this forum seem to make that claim).

I started riding 5 years ago this week!

I remember my "firsts".

My first drop.

My first time at 55 mph.

and the scariest...my first time on a numbered highway at 56 mph and having my mirrors on my F650CS filled with a big chrome Freightliner. I can still hear the whine of the turbo today.

Trucks can be scary. Granted, I should not have been on a highway until I had more experiance. My uncle, a very experienced BMW rider and dealer owner said non chalantly "Just roll on the throttle and leave 'em behind." How I do that now!

[AZ-J]

When I turned 11, I came from camp that summer to find Dad's new BMW R50/2 in the garage. I started riding it in parking lots at 13 (supervised), and at 17 I became street legal. I have been riding ever since.

That bike was 500cc (493 IIRC) and 23 HP. From Southern Long Island, NY, I took it to Boston, Albany and home first, and then, DC, and Miami, FL twice when I was between 19-21. Who says a small bike can't be used as a national touring machine? Bless that now ghost of a bike, my F800S is just as capable, if not far more! If only Dad had not passed away a few years before I bought it.

I anticipate Gillette will be my longest tour on the F800S to date; I am still balancing out painful, nasty left shoulder issues two surgeries helped, but did not cure. I almost gave up riding with my old top-heavy, pain inducing bike, I could not ride more than 2 hours.

But on the F800 I have done 800 in two days with very mild not-lasting episodes, and 600 in one day w/o any. The key I found is to prevent such aggravation of it that it takes days to burn off. Unfortunately, six-years post-op the threshold for that still alludes me. I think that's because it is a moving target.

I will be trying to bring my endurance up between then and now, and my new Alaska Leather sheepskin seat cover will help. It had its first test ride yesterday, but is now off the bike for city driving this week. In May, I go to one of our local MOA chapter rallies, and since it is in Heber, I will use the sheepskin for that 500 mile turn-around as a true trial.

But I hope to see you Ol Al, and many others in Gillette, come July.

[6659]

Just thought I would add this. I rode my scooter on a 2000 mile trip. I left the K75 at home this time. I actually loved it. Sometimes I find that smaller is better. The photo was taken along the Blue Ridge Pkwy. By the way, my gas milege was about 75 mpg up there.

[Donster]

What RPM is the 800ST turning at 70 mph? Does it sound "busy"?

[AZ-J]

What RPM is the 800ST turning at 70 mph? Does it sound "busy"?

The S and the ST rev about the same. My S's RPM at 70 mph is quiet and low middle (3.5-4K). It gets a little buzzy and louder at high 80's, a bit more at 90, and does not sound busy until 95+ (5K RPM and up in 6th)

[pffog]

So come on....TELL us what you got...?????

I rode one in Europe and rode it VERY hard, my wife was on a F650GS riding conservative, and when we filled the 800 would use just a little more than the 650!!! Ridden identically I believe the 800 will get better mileage than the 650, in the 50 -60 mpg range.

[Ctrod]

Just thought I would add this. I rode my scooter on a 2000 mile trip. I left the K75 at home this time. I actually loved it. Sometimes I find that smaller is better. The photo was taken along the Blue Ridge Pkwy. By the way, my gas milege was about 75 mpg up there.

I rode the Blue Ridge last year and couldn't believe all the scooters. Some 2 up with huge looking soft bags hanging off them. And they were moving right along.

[ANTMAN]

So come on....TELL us what you got...?????

55.3mpg, 54.25, 75.1mpg (solo, all interstate, 65mph, 70 degrees and sunny. If I had failed to reset my tripI I would have to show at least 110mpg. 187.6miles divided by 2.498gal.),49,60.65, 62,53.
I still think that 75mpg was a fluk.

[AZ-J]

The good news is I will be in Gillette. The bad news is I am leaving the F800S at home and flying in, instead. Neither my bad shoulder nor if I think the F800S is capable/incapable HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS ( and I don't think the F800S is incapable, anyway).

I am flying in because no one here will commit to going with me, and I deemed a July trip through the AZ, UT, CO desert area, traveling alone unsafe; but I refused to miss the Rally in Gillette. It will be my first and I am a volunteering for photography and ON reporting, so please try to meet me.

In the meantime, for a consolation, I am also signed up and going to the BMW Motorrad Mexico Rally in October, with 2 days in Guadalajara and 2 in Puerto Vallarta, and 8-12 of us are going on that one.

I can't for the life of me decide which will be more fun, BUT, not a bad consolation prize, huh? See you there!

[shicksba]

Tweety1, you mentioned that you've "deemed" it unsafe to ride alone through the deserts of AZ, UT and CO. I notice that you are from AZ and surely know more about this than I do.

Will you say more about what those unsafe elements are--beyond being hot? As a solo, female rider, I'm always interested in hearing what others can add to my knowledge about a trip/route.

Thanks

Sharon

[mcmxcivrs]

The concerns about riding solo in unforgiving places is certainly valid.

See this thread for the answer.

[PAULBACH]

The bigger the bike the more stuff you can carry that you probably don't need. Did the Salty Fog Rally with the side panniers on the R1200GS empty. They did come in handy for hauling bottles and a few provisions.

The ST would carry a rider anywhere without any worry of a final drive problem.

[AZ-J]

Tweety1, you mentioned that you've "deemed" it unsafe to ride alone through the deserts of AZ, UT and CO. I notice that you are from AZ and surely know more about this than I do.

Will you say more about what those unsafe elements are--beyond being hot? As a solo, female rider, I'm always interested in hearing what others can add to my knowledge about a trip/route.

Thanks

Sharon

Sharon, I apologize for any confusion here.

First, it is unsafe for me to ride alone that long to Gillette. I have been nursing a weakened left shoulder that is subject to flare ups, since two shoulder surgeries in late '01 to middle '02. By late 2006, I almost had to consider giving up riding after 30+ years based on handlebar/gas tank/engine weight issues, but found I could ride the F800S because there is no upper weight, I can steer it more with my lower body, and leave the shoulder with little to do. BUT, the shoulder seems to have a mind of its own and since acquiring the F, after one 8.5 hour day, it ached a bit. Add on a second day to that; I could be in trouble. BUT, that's me, because after a day of rest from that 8.5 hour day, I rode home 6.75 hours. It is that two days in a row that is daunting to me, and on this long trip, I could not take extra days like this.

Second, middle July in the deserts of AZ, UT and CO are heat-exhausting hot. An hour in 101 (I did it yesterday at 9:45 AM) is OK, but all day in well over 100 (yesterday was 115 here); it is much safer to have a companion to watch you as you watch them. When it cools off a bit in September (at least in UT and CO) there is nothing unsafe about this.

[b707142]

Even if I could afford to have 2 bikes I would have had to sell my 05RT since owning the 800ST. The ding from all the rocks hitting the side of the RT would have reduced it's value.

[campbellforest]

67 mpg,,,what are you smoking???