The F800 is little lacking in power compared to other sport touring bikes. I personally like the VFR 800 much better and with it's V4 motor, it's no slouch. The FZ1 is an awesome bike, I just sold mine. (financial reasons only) It's basically an R1 motor in a more upright chassis. They do have a really nice used one at Ohio Motorcycle (Honda Northwest). I think it's a 2006 and they want way less than the BMW you are considering, I would definitely check it out and RockStarHonda (Austin) could probably let you ride it. Another thing to consider is maintenance. BMW's are much more expensive to maintain, and require it more often. Dont get me wrong, I love some of the BMW's, I'm just not real impressed with that particular model.