BMW has long been known for building tourers, and with models like the RT and RS lineups, and even the GS series, it’s easy to buy a machine that you can take off the showroom floor and ride around the world. But before those touring-specific models came along, plenty of riders just built their own tourers out of BMW’s standard models. Considering the deals that you can find on those machines, it’s still a good idea today. A bike like the BMW F800 R seen here is enough bike to take you to far distant horizons, and it’s a tourer you can build affordably.
Outsourcing engineering
f系列并行双胞胎是第一个这样的密苏里州torcycles that BMW ever sold when they came to market in 2008, after generations of flat twins. Note that I said “sold,” not “built.” These machines were an international effort. The engines themselves came from Rotax and built in Austria. The frames were made by Aprilia, in their factory in Noale, Italy. Acerbis built the gas tanks in Italy as well. The headlights came from the Phillips plant in the Netherlands. All these and other parts were collected in Berlin and assembled into the F-series bikes.
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- Hard luggage makes life on the road a lot easier, with less faffing about as you pack and unpack. Photo: @Peels
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- Googly-eyed headlights, just like the GS, but the R was made for the street. Photo: @Peels
None of this is particularly unusual. Most motorcycles are assembled from components sourced from third-party suppliers, and in 2013, the F800 engine was still being built in Austria. Rotax’s liquid-cooled 798cc parallel twin was still considered quite sturdy, if a bit vibration-happy, and it made a claimed 86 hp at 8,000 rpm and 63 lb-ft of torque at 6,000 rpm, all while returning better than 50 mpg. It was practical and it was fun—a perfect entry point into the BMW brand. And yet, the machine was kind of an accident to start with.
According to BMW legend, the F800 R came into being when stuntman Chris Pfeiffer took an F800 S and stripped off the bodywork in order to build a better stunt bike. No doubt he preferred the chain-drive F-series bikes as a quick sprocket change could alter final drive gearing, allowing him to run dinner plate-sized rear sprockets for his stunt shows.
Whether or not BMW’s bigwigs had originally planned to build an R model in the new F series, it was around to stay once it showed up in 2009. Fourteen years later, we have its descendant, the F900 R, as a foundation of the company’s current lineup.
While the bike was a bit bare-bones in stock trim, you could turn it into a very useful tourer with some accessories. BMW had a factory touring package, but you could also roll your own with bits from the aftermarket, which is what we see here. Photo: @Peels
Handy all-rounder
That’s probably because the R-model could do anything you wanted, as long as you were staying on-pavement. As Kevin Dukewrote for Motorcycle.comback in 2011:
As a naked sporty bike, the F800R is a decathlete of sorts, able to barge its way through commuter traffic on Monday then tear up the canyons on weekends. A comfortably upright stance yields accommodating ergonomics, with the one-piece handlebar just a slight forward reach – perfect.
And later, in the review:
We’ve repeatedly extolled the virtues of sporty naked bikes, believing they offer the best compromise of versatility, performance and value. Our time aboard the F800R only reinforced those views. Here’s a do-almost-all motorcycle from a premium manufacturer that retails for less than $10,000. Adding desirable options will bump up that price (as tested, ours cost nearly $12K), but we’re glad so many are available to customize it to its rider
Duke did say the bike had its limitations—lots of windblast at highway speeds, and low-frequency engine vibrations. It lacked the exotic feel of the Italian competition. But most of these things, you could live with. For other problems, there was the accessory catalog. BMW sold an official touring package for this bike, and the aftermarket also responded with a wide lineup of their own gadgetry.
Just the bike you need for starting your riding career on, with trips to school and longer rides to rallies! Photo: @Peels
This bike here
That’s what we see here, for sale in ADVrider’s Flea Market forum. This nicely accessorized machine is for sale by the son of inmate @Peels. The advert reads:
This is my sons 2nd bike. He used it almost exclusively to commute to college. But also visited his first BMW rally last year!!! Still Loves it but is selling it already to get himself a T7!! He’s truly Gotten bit by the bug guys.
It’s got full sport panniers, heated grips, v-stream sport windshield. And a very nice custom Wilber’s rear shock. The thing rides better than my RS.
Brand new tires..just put a set of Bridgestone battlax’s on there last week!!!
Miles were at 31k but will go up. This things ready to go, let’s help my boy feed his addiction
$5200. It’s in SE Iowa. No trades sorry. No room right now lol
The advantage of buying a pre-farkled bike is that you can just jump on and ride! Photo: @Peels
And a few posts down:
The older gentleman that owned it before him loved it and it shows. I have been a skeptic on suspension mods for the most part, but that Wilbers is the cats pajamas.
Looks like it has been set up properly if you want to hit the road for days, weeks or even months of touring. Add a duffel bag with some more kit, and you have enough bike to circle the world (and you wouldn’t even need that if you really know how to pack).
Asking price is $5,200, in southeast Iowa. For more details, check out the adhere. Considering BMW’s currentdo-not-sell order, maybe you can buy it to tide you over while you wait for a new Beemer to be released for sale?
