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Looking to buy an F800… Need advice

2K views 27 replies 15 participants last post by  lateral_G 
#1 ·
So I’m not new to BMW bikes but am new to the F800 series. I have found a few that I’m considering… I’m a Texas resident and really don’t want to travel outside the state if I can help it to find a decent bike for a reasonable price.

The first one is a 2008 F800ST with 4,700 miles, one owner. A few additions like top case, touring windshield, PIAA aux lights, sliders all the way around… BUT it was purchased with the factory with lowered suspension and low seat. I think that’s something I’d probably want to reverse. The owner is 5’8 and said he flat foots it and I’m 5’11 so would probably be scrunched. It also has the factory tires on it so those definitely need replacing. And the final drive bearing recall is still open so I’d need to get that done because the seller is not wanting to take care of it. I think that might be a negotiating factor…? He’s currently asking $4500 but I think he’d take less cuz he also doesn’t ride it much anymore. This bike is located 3.5hrs from me. It has two slight rub marks on the right cowling from leaning over when being trailered. He sent me detailed pictures and they are minuscule. Never dropped though.

The second bike I found is a 2013 F800GT with 9,800 miles. 2 owners. Also comes with a top case, touring windshield, aftermarket comfort seat, Magura hydraulic clutch. He said it’s in great condition. The pictures in the listing aren’t great so I’m waiting in more detailed pics. He’s asking $6,350 “firm” and is 4.5hrs from me. This is the standard height suspension and has a center stand, as well as new Michelin tires.
*EDIT* - I’m talking to the seller if the GT and he said he would take $6,000 now.

I’ve been looking for a decent BMW F800 for about 3 months now and they aren’t common in my area. I’d like to know what everyone’s thoughts are in these two options?
 
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#2 ·
Personally I would go with the GT. I am also 5' 11" and own a 2015 GT and even then I made a few adjustments to make it fit me. Actually my bike is for sale at the moment but I am in Canada so probably not an option for you unless you wanted to do a fly and ride.
If you are just into a sport bike then the ST is a good option but if you are looking more for a sport/touring model then I would go with the GT as it has a little more upright riding position and more wind protection for the long haul. Can't really go wrong with either but as I said the newer GT would be my choice.

Cheers
 
#3 ·
The factory lowered f800 is very expensive to return to standard.
It needs replacment standard lengh fork legs, a replacement rear shockabsorber (again its shorter) and last of all the side stand will need lenghening. If you cant live with the factory lowered one I would pass it by. :)
 
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#4 ·
I'd go with the GT also. The ST looks good initially, but...new tires and returning the suspension and seat to the standard specs will be expensive. Plus, the GT is simply the upgraded ST. BMW listened to the ST owners and made the changes they wanted.

The mileage doesn't bother me on the GT. If you're going to ride it, you'll put miles on it, and in Texas, that's easy to do. I have 79K on mine and it runs like new.

You're at an advantage with buying now. Except for some southern states, most of the rest of the country is cold and not the kind of weather people want to ride in. So its a buyer's market. I wouldn't be surprised if he'd take $5500 in a couple weeks.

When I sold my Honda NT700V, the Kelley Blue Book said it would go for about $6700, if I remember right. Well, no one even asked about it hardly. I finally after many months took an offer of $5300. So this seller may experience the same thing.

Chris
 
#6 ·
The factory lowering involves suspension only. The rest of the bike is exactly as standard, so seating position et al are unchanged.

It should be noted that that the lowered suspension bits make it a bit more sporty. The springs are a bit stiffer to compensate for reduced travel—which is approximately 0.5 inch. It also should be noted that the standard center stand is more difficult to use on the lowered bike owing to reduced leverage pulling the bike up onto the stand.

I owned a lowered F800S and currently own a standard F800ST. The difference is not all that much, though for someone my height (5' 3") the lowered version is slightly nicer. The lowered version handled a bit more tightly, but I use the ST for distance riding and the softer suspension is nice for that. I sold my lowered F800S to someone who is approximately 6' tall and he still loves it.

I tried a few F800GTs before getting a second F800S(T). Both bikes are very similar, but I prefer the original iteration. The F800GT seemed a bit larger and not quite as precise in the handling department.
 
#7 ·
I also prefer the ST over the GT, but in this case I recommend you go with the GT. Less expensive by the time you put new rubber and raise the suspension on the ST. The price ($6k) is certainly a fair price. Good luck.
 
#8 ·
So, I after speaking to the seller of the GT on the phone yesterday afternoon I decided to make the farther drive with my trailer in tow to look at it, with cash in hand. My dad who has always ridden BMWs, for nearly 50 years now, came with.

We arrived at the sellers gated private drive and about 5 minutes prior to our agreed upon time of 11am (left my house at 6:15am). He opened the gate and I pulled up his long drive to a NICE house sitting on what he said was 10 acres and the bike was parked out front. He said he was selling because he has 6 motorcycles but doesn’t have the space for this one in his shop.

Our initial impressions were that the bike looked very clean and well taken care of. He stated the previous owner was an electrical engineer and added 3 USA ports, a plug for a battery tender, and an amp meter, etc. He stated the bike is perfect in every way and that it’s very fun to ride.

I cranked it while sitting on it and it fired right up. Idled smooth as it should… I let it run for a minute before asking if I could take it on a short test ride, just down the 1.5 mile long black top private road he lived on (only him and one or two other houses from what I could see). His immediate response was, “Sure, you can ride it after you pay for it.” My dad and I didn’t say anything at first because we couldn’t tell if he was being sarcastic or not.

So my dad continues to make small talk like he always does, asking the seller what he does for a living, if he’s got a family, and so on, while I continued to inspect the bike more precisely by checking for leaks, cracks, etc… as well as shifting it from neutral to 1st (while running) just while sitting stationary. I tried putting it back to neutral and it completely slipped neutral right to 2nd. So I tried shifting down from 2nd to neutral and it shifted to 1st. I tried this at least a dozen times before I asked the seller what the trick was to get it back to neutral. He said it’s easy and just takes a soft tap. It wouldn’t go to neutral until I rolled the bike… I’m not sure if that’s normal with these F800GTs?

After a few more minutes went buy this time my dad asked him nicely if HE could test ride the bike on the sellers road just to shift throw the gears? This time the seller said something along the lines of, ‘You can ride it all you want after you pay me. I’ve had too many people drop and wreck bikes I’ve had for sale so no test rides.’

At that point we realized his first remark wasn’t sarcasm, so I said let me discuss things with my dad privately for a second. We walked a few paces away and I told my dad he NEVER mentioned anything about no test rides. That’s why I brought my helmet… thinking it was a non-issue. My dads response was that that’s a game changer and he would pass on the bike because he thinks the only reason he might do that is because there’s something he’s trying to hide.

We went back over to the seller and said we weren’t comfortable paying $6k cash for something we don’t know if it even shifts. At this point the seller became a completely different person and just started rambling. Saying things like, ‘I don’t have to sell it, I don’t need the money, the bike is flawless, I’ve dropped the price $800 in two weeks (his listing had only been up for 5 days though and I dunno where he got $800 from a $350 price drop that he told me only). He also said, “If you don’t want it you don’t want it!” And my dad responded with, “We do want it, we just want to know it works first!” At this point I was annoyed but staying calm, whereas I told my dad quietly to keep he’s voice down (he’s very animated and loud without realizing).

I asked the seller (theoretically) if I paid him, and rode the bike finding an issue would he give me my money back? He said, “YEAH, if you didn’t wreck it and bring it back damaged!” I don’t know what this guys issue was. I’ve been riding for almost 20 years, my dad almost 50… but we were obviously too inexperienced to take this bike a mile down the road and back.

So I stated, ‘If I dropped it, which I wouldn’t, I’d buy it regardless. And no disrespect but I don’t know you so am just not comfortable handing over cash to a stranger at his home.’ His response was, “WELL I DON’T KNOW YOU and I’ve been waiting for you all morning!” Even though I arrived smack in the middle of the time he said he was free to show the bike, between 10-12am, I don’t see why that mattered at this point.

My dad and I both knew we were just continuing to waste our time with this guy. By the time I got out of his gate I looked at my phone to see he already blocked me on Facebook where he had the bike listed… The listing was also taken down. Probably so I couldn’t give him a seller rating? I dunno.

So, after all that back and forth… Does ANY of this sound normal or logical from the sellers standpoint? I would have thought if test rides were off the table he would have at least mentioned that in the listing or told me before I drove all the way out there??? I’ve never experienced anything like that before… Anyone else?
 
#9 ·
Why not have him make some passes by you? That would tell you whether it shifts and how smooth it operates. He should have mentioned it as most people want a test drive, but people crashing on them is something I have heard more than once.
 
#10 ·
Almost all private bike sales stipulate “no test rides unless cash in hand”. It’s very simple, give the seller the cash to hold while you test ride the bike. If you don’t like it (and haven’t crashed), return the bike and get your money back. You were standing in his driveway, so it’s not like he was going to run off with the money. It sounds like you both could have handled the situation better.
 
#11 ·
In the uk you need proof of insurance as well as cash in hand before allowing a test ride.
Its vital to ask about test rides before going to see a bike.
Sorry, but thats the way of the world now.
Here a bike seller could find themselves on the recieving end of 6 points and a large fine as well as having the bike siezed.
 
#13 ·
I can understand requiring proof of insurance, a valid license with motorcycle endorsement, proper riding gear, and payment on site… Hell, I would of been fine with counting the money out and letting him see it first, but not handing it over. This guy was in the middle of the hill country living by himself and kept acting like he was in a hurry to leave almost 5 minutes into us being there. He mentioned that he had people waiting on him to meet them in town, even though he said he was free until noon, and it was just after 11??? If his demeanor hadn’t of changed so quickly when I mentioned how he never stated (verbally over the phone or in his listing) no test rides until paying, I may have felt more at ease about the whole thing. But he just made things uncomfortable in a hurry.

Also, suggesting that he ride by me a few times on the bike himself doesn’t give me any indication that it shifts smooth and seamlessly… That wasn’t an option. He put us in a situation where we had to trust him completely or walk away. Based on everything that unfolded, my dad and I both thought it would be best to walk away. And even if the bike was flawless like he stated, I was to the point I didn’t want to do any kind of business with him. I did want to but the bike IF it was a fully functioning BMW, but I had no way to tell. And if someone at a dealership treated you like you were so far beneath them and they didn’t have time for you, even though you just drove 4.5hrs to possibly purchase from them, ya prooooobably wouldn’t want to buy from them either, right?

Oh well. I’m going to quit looking for awhile and wait until it gets further into the colder months.
 
#14 ·
I sold two bikes fairly recently including my F800ST and allowed test rides (without holding their cash) after ascertaining the buyer was serious about buying, seemed credible and experienced. Having said that, it's a RISK! Even experienced riders can have a mishap and my judgement could be off. It's not unusual for Sellers to stipulate no test rides without cash in hand and/or some sort of damage deposit.

From your telling, something seemed off with the Seller, demeanor and especially since he delisted right afterwards. If it doesn't feel right, walk away (as you did). Lesson Learned - ask beforehand and get some understanding.

Bummer that you had to drive that far and invest that much time though.
 
#15 ·
Did you ask the seller before you started your journey if you could have a test ride before exchanging?

I'm guessing your answer will be no so take your experience as a lesson in life on the street wise protocol of buying and selling privately.

Ask yourself honestly, how would you feel if you were the seller, agreed to a test ride, and then saw both your pride and joy and the cash disappear into the sunset?





Sent from my moto g(8) power lite using Tapatalk
 
#17 ·
Did you ask the seller before you started your journey if you could have a test ride before exchanging?

I'm guessing your answer will be no so take your experience as a lesson in life on the street wise protocol of buying and selling privately.

Ask yourself honestly, how would you feel if you were the seller, agreed to a test ride, and then saw both your pride and joy and the cash disappear into the sunset?

Sent from my moto g(8) power lite using Tapatalk
No, in my experience I've never known someone to deny a test ride when I'm there with cash. I've never denied anyone to test ride any of my bikes that I've sold in the past either, I just make sure they're competent and I don't think it's too hard to judge someone in regards to their competency level after speaking with them for a few minutes. I guess times have changed (it's been 3-4 years since I sold my last BMW), so I'll make sure test rides are "allowed" before going to look. In my opinion and past 19 years of buying/selling bikes, a test ride BEFORE handing over the cash is a given.

And I'd say your last paragraph holds no merit in regards to this particular situation. Let me entertain it for a moment though… I am the seller. I say, 'UGH fine, I give in. Go ahead and take it for a short ride. But if you break it you buy it' (the real me agrees). Potential buyer (aka: the real me) rides away into the sunset, as you put it, at approximately 11:15am. Leaving behind his father, along with all of the cash which is secured inside a 2018 Honda that's worth about $28,000 on the private seller market. Who's the real victor in that scenario? 😂
 
#23 ·
..

Who's the real victor in that scenario? 😂
A little research and preparation on your part would have saved you some time and money, just ask the question.

Ride safety.

Sent from my moto g(8) power lite using Tapatalk
That's so true.

And a little more reading on your part MIGHT (emphasis necessary) have afforded you the opportunity to make sense. Now ride off into the sunset tiny dancer.
 
#26 ·
...

Now ride off into the sunset tiny dancer.
[emoji1787] New one on me, won't be able to listen to one of Reg & Bernie finest with out laughing in future.

Having said that, if it's your norm to resort to such childishly disparaging and unpleasant language when things don't go your way, it's probably another reason the vendor was reluctant to let you have a test ride.

Ride safety.

Sent from my moto g(8) power lite using Tapatalk
 
#16 ·
Not to pile on with the cash in hand thing (which is normal), insurance is for the bike, not the rider, at least all of my policies are like this. What that means is if the person test riding the bike drops it, their insurance will not cover it, the owners insurance will have to and that means the owner takes a hit on their policy.
The best thing to do when you're serious as a buyer is to meet at a shop that offers pre-sale inspections and get a professional opinion. As a seller i would be fine with letting a shop ride the bike and report to the buyer because i know they are on the hook for damage since it's a paid service. I've even offered to deduct the inspection cost from the sale (usually $100) if they buy the bike since I'm making the buyer pay for the service up front.
 
#18 ·
I have let 7 people take my bikes out for a spin and 2 of them caused damage….

Anyone asking for the cash in hand before you ride it sounds like a possible stick up. I like the idea of the dealer being involved, but what happens if you have to do that over and over? Some kind of insurance policy rider with the test rider’s insurance is another possibility. Or meet at the bank and get a cashiers check and hand it to them for the test ride “deposit.” But the bike could have a problem and how do you get your money back then? And now days a lot of people in certain States carry concealed guns so a refund could be a non-option! LOL But the bottom line is if anything seems off about the seller or the process, run don’t walk away!

Recently I found a great deal
on a vehicle and the guy seemed really honest and down to earth, even made a video of his vehicle for prospective buyers, but when he said he didn’t have the pink slip and I said can I go to your loan company and pay it and receive a “paid off” letter, he said, “We could but I mailed in the payoff amount the other day and so you will just have to wait for me to get the pink slip.” I said call me when you get it and then I will buy it. No call ever came back = Nice Scam!
 
#20 ·
Is actually a feature with some that allows a clutch-less upshift through neutral. KTM dirtbikes are notorious about being hard to find neutral while rolling.

Agree the right thing to do was leave. Tell him you have the cash in hand, you are not giving it up without a test ride or written money back warranty bill of sale stating the vehicle is sound.
 
#27 ·
I have not. The only dealership in my city is Yamaha/Kawasaki/Suzuki. I never see BMW bikes come through there though. I am a few hours from the Dallas/Fort Worth area which has some BMW motorcycle dealerships that I might checkout sometime soon. I'm still thinking I may just wait another few months though for the weather to cool down. Right now it's perfect riding weather in East Texas. I'd rather buy when it gets cold and not many people want to ride and see if I can find a decent deal.
 
#28 ·
I'm almost 6' tall, have a lowered F800ST, and my only problem with it is the front suspension travel - when i hit deep potholes, I can feel all of the impact coming through to the handlebar. But I haven't done any suspension maintenance since buying it almost 2 years ago, and have no clue when it was last done either. So maybe the fork oil has basically turned into a gel now.

Regarding the seller's irrationality, I think that's completely their prerogative. But that's the downside of buying directly - we're not necessarily dealing with professional salespeople.

I try to be as particular as possible, and leave nothing unasked/assumed, even if it's something very simple/reasonable like not warming the bike up before my arrival, because often, the sellers are pretty far from my place (or I at least seem to only find their bikes attractive). But it's easy to say that from the sidelines. I don't know how the used-bike market is elsewhere in the US, but I think there are also some good alternatives in the sport-touring class if you broaden your brand considerations - for instance Yamaha's FZ6R. I'm only suggesting that coz more options means better chances of a quick purchase. I also agree with your purchase-during-winter idea; that's when I bought mine as well.
 
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