2006 Bmw R1200rt Touring on 2040-motos

BMW Other tech info

Type:Touring Phone:9493027436

Moto blog

EICMA 2012: BMW F800GT Announced as Replacement for F800ST

As we reported in August, BMW is replacing its F800ST sport tourer with a new, more touring-oriented version called the F800GT. Revealed at the 2012 EICMA Show in Milan, Italy, the 2013 BMW F800ST is equipped with a 798cc parallel Twin engine claiming 88 hp at 8000rpm, an increase from the BMW F800ST’s claim of 84 hp at 8000rpm (the 2012 F700GS and F800GS also claims 84hp from a similar engine.) Other changes include better wind protection, lighter wheels, new higher-mounted handlebars, repositioned footrests, and load capacity increased to 456 pounds from 432 pounds. Like all current BMW motorcycles, the F800GT comes standard with ABS.

Kevin Ash, one year on

I’ve lost dozens of friends in bike racing over the years, and while each death was a shock and incredibly sad, I’ve always had some kind of internal coping mechanism that allowed me to carry on relatively unaffected.  Maybe it’s because I was always extremely passionate and committed when taking part in my dangerous sport so was also prepared to pay the ultimate price should things go wrong.  Rightly or wrongly I’ve taken comfort from the fact that these unfortunate racers have checked out while doing something they love.   I’ve also lost a few journalist friends in bike accidents over the years but for some reason these have hit me harder.  The worst and possibly as it is the most recent is Kevin Ash who was killed last January while on a BMW launch in South Africa.  Starting in 2001, over a period of ten years, I was in Kevin’s company on countless new bike launches in pretty much every corner of the world.  At times he was cocky and occasionally irritating but always entertaining with a wicked sense of humour.  He was many things but no one can deny he was a brilliant journalist and his technical knowledge was second to none.  I always appreciated his complete enthusiasm to all things biking as he would ride through any weather on a daily basis to jobs or airports and seemed to always be tinkering with winter projects (mainly Ducatis) at home.  I also admired how much work he got through as he had columns in more than one weekly publication plus all his launch and web work. He was a competent safe rider who was certainly quick enough to evaluate any new bike thrown his way.  Kevin also drove a Porsche but then none of us are perfect!   I looked to Kevin as a wise Owl so not long after I started working with TWO/ Visordown, I asked him on an R1 launch in Australia he thought the motorcycle industry was currently in a good place.  His reply was, ‘we’ve just been flown here business class, been taken by speed boat to our five star hotel under Sydney Harbour Bridge, Yamaha have wined and dined us and furnished us with expensive gifts each day, what do you think Niall?  How times have changed.  On the subject on air travel he once told me, ‘when travelling business or first class it’s not about the pampering, comfy beds or fine dining, the important part is looking smug as you walk straight past all the people lining up at the cattle class check in! On more than one occasion I had food or drink spurt out when Kevin would deliver unexpected one line funnies at the dinner table.

Fake motorcycle police. Why?

People who like to pretend they're police baffle me and annoy me in equal measure. I took this picture the other day at Cobham, about to join the A3 heading to Guildford. I guessed that the guy on the left had just bought his rather fetching BMW off the guy on the right.