BMW’s new 800cc middleweight sports tourer has arrived in South African showrooms in two versions, the F800 S selling for R81 850 and the F800 ST for R87 050. The two bikes are identical except that the naked S version is slightly more sport-orientated and has lower handlebars and a smaller windscreen. The more touring-based ST has a larger fairing.
BMW 'Motorcycles' - Page 3
Consumers certainly hadn’t expected a naked bike wearing the blue-and-white propeller badge to be such an unashamed high-performance knockout. Despite BMW’s attempted image transformation over the past few years and the fact that the K1200R’s 163-horsepower (claimed) peak output makes it the world’s most powerful roadster, the German marque still hasn’t totally lost its reputation for practicality, common sense and caution.
BMW Motorcycles of Las Vegas and BMW racer Nate Kern will be competing in the WERA WEST races at California Speedway this upcoming weekend. Nate Kern, the winner of four CCS National Championships, is also the CCS Mid Atlantic and Southeast Overall #1 plate holder for the second consecutive season, racing a BMW R 1200 S and K 1200 R.
Nate was also a rider on the San Jose BMW team that won the inaugural Sun Trust MotoST Eight Hours of Daytona last year, helping BMW grab their first win at Daytona since Steve McLaughlin’s first AMA Superbike victory back in 1976. This off season race will be Kern’s first time racing on the west coast.