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I booked a G650 XChallenge (pronounced cross-challenge) for this weeks World of BMW Brecon Beacons Challenge. It ended up being run in the 4,000-acre training area due to RUPP problems.
First impression. Forget the beautiful clean white/blue colour scheme in the brochure. The ten or so XChallenges were only a couple of months old but every panel on every bike was a mess of scratches and gouges, particularly those around what on a normal bike would be the tank area. By comparison the panels on the 1200GS bikes looked pristine as the sacrificial cylinder heads had taken all the knocks.
Second impression. It's high. I was expecting this, but some who had booked XChallenges were not. The best way for partially heighted people to mount is to take the bike off the side stand, pull it slightly towards you, then swing a leg over. The suspension then compresses with body weight to a less frightening height. The end result is that the height of the XChallenge with rider mounted is about the same as the XR400 and the 1200GSA (the F650GS is quite a bit shorter). It is possible to adjust the XChallenge height. You can let air out of the rear air shock--there's a small hand pump with integral pressure gauge under the seat which is used to pump it back up again. If necessary the front forks can be pulled through the header to lower that end a bit.
On the road the XChallenge is a hooligan, especially when you work the engine. I never really got on with the F650GS when I rode it before, and a very short test ride later in the day confirmed what I remembered of it. The XChallenge has a very nice power delivery, and encourages power slides. I can imagine the XMoto version will be even more fun on the road. The XChallenge is built as a road legal bike, so unlike the XR400 it has indicators (not that they were fitted on the school bikes) and horn. Although the speedo is LED there's no rev counter and no gear indicator. The XChallenge has electric start, something the XR400 doesn't, and one of the contributors to the 25 or so kilos of additional weight over the XR. The gearing is much higher than the XR400 and it's possible to exceed motorway speeds in fourth gear. By comparison the XR400 is comfortable at 50mph and feels stretched at over 60mph.
When it comes to offroad, weight is key, and of the four bikes I've been discussing, the 1200GSA is the least suitable bike for offroading. On the sort of terrain we were covering in Wales there was no advantage in the higher suspension of the GSA over the standard GS, and the standard 1200GS would be a far better bet (but still incredibly lardy). The XChallenge is lighter and much better than the F650, but still nowhere as nimble as the XR400. And to put it into perspective, many trail riders would consider the XR400 heavy compared to something like an XT225 Serow or a 125. Nevertheless the XChallenge is confidence inspiring; some of the areas we rode were rather extreme, but we took the view that if the instructors riding 1200 Adventures could get up or down or through, so could we with comparative lightweight 650s. The front forks are raked more than the 1200GS and this, coupled with conventional forks and lighter weight means the XChallenge tends to ride over obstructions that the 1200GS just plows through, or into!
Several of us had problems with the gearbox on the XChallenge. Often when standing up I would find I had accidentally bumped the lever from first gear into neutral--twice this happened descending steep gullies! Or from second into third, just as I was about to start a hill climb! To be fair I think this was down to the gear levers on the school bikes being adjusted for road use rather than offroad. As a result of the problems I found myself sitting down whenever being in the right gear was important. Also the bars need to be higher for extended standing.
In some ways you could consider the XChallenge as the poor man's HP2, especially as neither are really suitable as lightweight GS bikes. Both bikes have undersized fuel tanks for extended piste riding in remote areas, the XChallenge's tank is even smaller than the XR400. And neither bike is intended as standard to carry luggage. Touratech is working on an additional 16-litre tank for the XChallenge but this will probably cost £900-1200 in the UK. The company also has some basic luggage racks for the bike and if you work out how to shield the exhaust you might be able to use throwover saddlebags. However, if you are in the market for a lightweight GS it makes sense to wait for the F800GS which is rumoured to be available later this year.
And whilst I really enjoyed the XChallenge, if you are in the market for a serious trail bike, I would look at something lighter. Pity the 450cc bike that BMW has been working on isn't available yet.
Tim
First impression. Forget the beautiful clean white/blue colour scheme in the brochure. The ten or so XChallenges were only a couple of months old but every panel on every bike was a mess of scratches and gouges, particularly those around what on a normal bike would be the tank area. By comparison the panels on the 1200GS bikes looked pristine as the sacrificial cylinder heads had taken all the knocks.
Second impression. It's high. I was expecting this, but some who had booked XChallenges were not. The best way for partially heighted people to mount is to take the bike off the side stand, pull it slightly towards you, then swing a leg over. The suspension then compresses with body weight to a less frightening height. The end result is that the height of the XChallenge with rider mounted is about the same as the XR400 and the 1200GSA (the F650GS is quite a bit shorter). It is possible to adjust the XChallenge height. You can let air out of the rear air shock--there's a small hand pump with integral pressure gauge under the seat which is used to pump it back up again. If necessary the front forks can be pulled through the header to lower that end a bit.
On the road the XChallenge is a hooligan, especially when you work the engine. I never really got on with the F650GS when I rode it before, and a very short test ride later in the day confirmed what I remembered of it. The XChallenge has a very nice power delivery, and encourages power slides. I can imagine the XMoto version will be even more fun on the road. The XChallenge is built as a road legal bike, so unlike the XR400 it has indicators (not that they were fitted on the school bikes) and horn. Although the speedo is LED there's no rev counter and no gear indicator. The XChallenge has electric start, something the XR400 doesn't, and one of the contributors to the 25 or so kilos of additional weight over the XR. The gearing is much higher than the XR400 and it's possible to exceed motorway speeds in fourth gear. By comparison the XR400 is comfortable at 50mph and feels stretched at over 60mph.
When it comes to offroad, weight is key, and of the four bikes I've been discussing, the 1200GSA is the least suitable bike for offroading. On the sort of terrain we were covering in Wales there was no advantage in the higher suspension of the GSA over the standard GS, and the standard 1200GS would be a far better bet (but still incredibly lardy). The XChallenge is lighter and much better than the F650, but still nowhere as nimble as the XR400. And to put it into perspective, many trail riders would consider the XR400 heavy compared to something like an XT225 Serow or a 125. Nevertheless the XChallenge is confidence inspiring; some of the areas we rode were rather extreme, but we took the view that if the instructors riding 1200 Adventures could get up or down or through, so could we with comparative lightweight 650s. The front forks are raked more than the 1200GS and this, coupled with conventional forks and lighter weight means the XChallenge tends to ride over obstructions that the 1200GS just plows through, or into!
Several of us had problems with the gearbox on the XChallenge. Often when standing up I would find I had accidentally bumped the lever from first gear into neutral--twice this happened descending steep gullies! Or from second into third, just as I was about to start a hill climb! To be fair I think this was down to the gear levers on the school bikes being adjusted for road use rather than offroad. As a result of the problems I found myself sitting down whenever being in the right gear was important. Also the bars need to be higher for extended standing.
In some ways you could consider the XChallenge as the poor man's HP2, especially as neither are really suitable as lightweight GS bikes. Both bikes have undersized fuel tanks for extended piste riding in remote areas, the XChallenge's tank is even smaller than the XR400. And neither bike is intended as standard to carry luggage. Touratech is working on an additional 16-litre tank for the XChallenge but this will probably cost £900-1200 in the UK. The company also has some basic luggage racks for the bike and if you work out how to shield the exhaust you might be able to use throwover saddlebags. However, if you are in the market for a lightweight GS it makes sense to wait for the F800GS which is rumoured to be available later this year.
And whilst I really enjoyed the XChallenge, if you are in the market for a serious trail bike, I would look at something lighter. Pity the 450cc bike that BMW has been working on isn't available yet.
Tim
Not sure if this a specific problem with the bike... but if it is, it's important...
