TOURING on a 650.

Colin · Mar 1, 2013

Would a 650 single be man enough for touring 2 up + luggage. around europe. I am 14 stone + wife 9 stone.
I know where there is a 1999, 650 for sale. with luggage. what top speed do they have and what speed could you cruise at on a motorway,
and what mpg would you expect.
:confused:

JayC · Mar 1, 2013

Colin said:
Would a 650 single be man enough for touring 2 up + luggage. around europe. I am 14 stone + wife 9 stone.
I know where there is a 1999, 650 for sale. with luggage. what top speed do they have and what speed could you cruise at on a motorway,
and what mpg would you expect.

Given the figures you have then no! DO NOT be cruel to your motorcycle! :nono

We did a 2 up tour of the Alps/Dolomites on an F650 single, and despite our combine weight + luggage being less than yours without luggage the bike had to work. Motorway progress was far from relaxed. To cut a story short the bike suffered problems (unrelated to load) and I collected it after repairs carried out in Italy and rode home solo.
My speed was held between 80-100mph nearly all the way from Stuttgart to Dorset and she didn't miss a beat.

Realistically it will hold 80mph all day long but as said, not ideal two up. The bike and the ride would be more pleasurable at 60/70mph but this leave little left in overtaking power available.

Fuel economy was itro 45-50mpg. At home on the everyday run 60 was nearer the mark.

If you're not in a hurry it will do the job, though it reads like you are!

tosh23 · Mar 1, 2013

A simple answer ....no...

jtw000 · Jul 3, 2013

Some of you guys have no clue! In the real world 650 is ideal for RTW touring. I weigh 15 stone, my ex weighed a bit less than 8 and we spent a month touring in Europe on a G650x Country, then overland back from London to Asia via the middle East. No problems, excellent mileage. Anyone who tell you that you need a bigger bike doesn't really know what they're talking about. The guys really on the road doing it are generally on 650 singles. I can cruise 2 up at 70mph comfortably, get round to 100 if I'm running late. With my 5 litre booster tank I managed to see 200 miles before reserve on a steady run.

On the Pyrenees

Poland

Iran

Pakistan

Nepal

Point made? I met a guy in Thailand who flew his Honda C90 out to Malaysia and rode it back to England without issue. It took him 6 months, London To Kathmandu took me 31. She never played up and still runs perfectly and is in daily use. Don't let people tell you what you can't do, you only hear about what they can't do.

Farmer Palmer · Jul 3, 2013

Well, you can only p*ss with the c*ck you've got and i mean that with no disrespect to the BMW F/G650GS/Funduro bikes!

F/G650GS is a fine bike for what it is but don't expect it to tour like a 1200 and if you're looking at a 99 model then it'll be the non fuel injected F650Funduro/Strada model which is a different bike to the newer F650GS fuel injected bike.

There isn't really a simple answer but I know more folk who've toured rtw with a heavy load on F650GS/Funduro's than on 1200GS's but for a continental tour with the missus and luggage the F650 will do it but you wont have as much comfort as a bigger more powerful bike but if you touring at a more sedate pace around 60mph and not riding huge daily distances then the F650GS is more than up to the job and will still give excellent fuel economy although the Funduro is less good on fuel!

You can buy a nice well used Funduro for around £1200 and the newer F650GS from around £1700 and up.

Check out www.F650.co.uk for model biased information(quite a few of us on here are on there too) :thumb2

FP.

(RIP) MScotts · Jul 3, 2013

I tend to agree with FP on this...
Albeit for solo touring I regard my F650GS as more than adequate.
My VFR is what I'd use for any 2-up touring oppertunity.

As above, check out f650.co.uk :beerjug:

-A

jtw000 · Jul 4, 2013

I met a guy from New Zealand in Bangkok with a Funduro. With the problems of CDPs it's a pain in the arse so people tend to look for a cheaper bike. He bought his for $200 and spent next to nothing on it. His panniers were two spare tyres bungied on with wrapped luggage stuffed into the holes. He figured than when it blew up, he's thrown it into the ocean and buy a cheap thing and keep going, country to country. He'd been right round the world and was almost home and it had never had an oil change, service or problem. If I did it again, that's the way to do it...

Captain Black · Jul 18, 2013

I've just done 2500 miles on my F650 Dakar around Euroland, frankly i think it's more comfy, easier to man handle, and better in traffic that it's big brother.
My lad went on his, we split the camping gear across the two bikes, but that said i think it would handle two up so long as you keep your kit etc within reason.
Cruise at 65 ish as long as the bike is healthy you'll piss it mate.
I met a guy( in Marakech) who travelled two up from South Africa zig zagging up the continent with his girl and a load of gear. He went through a few wheel bearings the odd broken spoke but other than that it was fine on his 18 month trip.
I also met folk on the 1200 GS and one guy on an 1150 who had bigger issues.

Just make sure the bikes healthy and in good order :thumb2

Sgt Pepper · Sep 19, 2013

An F650 is more than enough. I rode from Alaska, through Canada and the States, then through Central & South America up through Africa one-up fully loaded over 18 months and then onto India and Nepal fully loaded with girlfriend over 6 months. Sure, it's not as easy a motor as an 1150/1200 but then it is a lot lighter and easier to move around and a lot lot better on fuel and running costs. They are a very surprising tool. I've also owned an 1100 GS & 1150GSA SE which were great but the F650 is very capable of doing the job and has a far more comfortable pillion seat that the SE according to my passengers.

patzx12 · Sep 19, 2013

Interesting Thread, keep it going and mote pictures please

JohnnyBoxer · Sep 19, 2013

Got me thinking too

gebrauchtwagen83 · Sep 19, 2013

ive toured on a g650gs sertao, f800gs and an r1200GSA (not all at the same time) . there is no doubt that the GSA is top tog in terms of comfort and road riding, it should be, it was nearly 3 times the price of my sertao. strangely and shockingly enough i found my sertao superior to my f800gs in everything except outright speed. lighter. better off road, better mpg.

if you do a good sized tour you find that you settle into the pace anyway and speed often becomes irrelevant. if you are abroad the strange road signs, unfamiliarity with the road system and surroundings and fear of the police compound this. after 2000 miles i just simply cant be arsed to go fast.

for what your after, i didnt find the f800 to be much better than the sertao 2 up. a bit faster yes but the sertao just takes a few seconds longer to get to cruising speed than the f800. at motorway soeeds the 650 will be working harder than the f800gs but you wouldnt think it judging by the noise and vibrations.

i took a reality check when i was waiting for the ferry in calais, i was on an r1200gsa and the fellla in front of me was on an old klr650 with knobblies AND his mrs on the back. they were from Germany, going to scotland, down through ireland, spain and back to Germany. they were having the time of their lives and i asked him how they got on with the KLR 2 up. he said, apart from being all i can afford, we are travelling in other peoples countries and we'll not be breaking the law and showing disrespect so the KLR is fine.

i currently have a sertao

Farmer Palmer · Sep 19, 2013

Touring on a 'Toe'.........!

This is how i'll be touring on mine. Just a topbox and a rolltop bag and a few other bits and i'm good to go!

I converted an 800GSA topbox to fit the 'Toe' and it's basically the same bike as an F650GS/Dakar.

75 mpg isn't bad either compared to 47 mpg with the 1200GSA.

Farmer Palmer · Sep 19, 2013

Sometimes less is more.................!

Justin · Sep 19, 2013

I have toured solo on a f650 and f650gs and found them perfectly adequate, I have also done a fair few miles on a xl1000 varadero 2 up and found it much easier, the engine was smooth and it felt effortless, but we all ride to our budget and unless dangerous would say just go for it! Cheers Justin

JohnnyBoxer · Sep 19, 2013

dancanovas said:
i took a reality check when i was waiting for the ferry in calais, i was on an r1200gsa and the fellla in front of me was on an old klr650 with knobblies AND his mrs on the back. they were from Germany, going to scotland, down through ireland, spain and back to Germany. they were having the time of their lives and i asked him how they got on with the KLR 2 up.

He said, apart from being all i can afford, we are travelling in other peoples countries and we'll not be breaking the law and showing disrespect so the KLR is fine.

That's a good maxim

JohnnyBoxer · Sep 19, 2013

I'll probably be using this more in 2014, a delight to ride

Light and powerful, for its size and cc

Elle · Sep 19, 2013

I'm finding it hard to comprehend that some folk think that a 650 can't take 2 people on a trip around Europe, or anywhere for that matter! Bloomin' eck - when did you start riding, last week? Is it these glossy bike mags that instil this idea? I don't read many of them & I'm not influenced by many bikers as what I ride is mostly determined by seat height first.
So...
If the bike has been cared for;
If the seat has a comfortable seat for 2;
If there's enough luggage space for you both;
If you don't want to ride everywhere at 140+mph;
Then have a lovely time on holiday with it. JMHO

Sgt Pepper · Sep 19, 2013

Elle said:
I'm finding it hard to comprehend that some folk think that a 650 can't take 2 people on a trip around Europe, or anywhere for that matter! Bloomin' eck - when did you start riding, last week? Is it these glossy bike mags that instil this idea? I don't read many of them & I'm not influenced by many bikers as what I ride is mostly determined by seat height first.
So...
If the bike has been cared for;
If the seat has a comfortable seat for 2;
If there's enough luggage space for you both;
If you don't want to ride everywhere at 140+mph;
Then have a lovely time on holiday with it. JMHO

+1

Fanum · Sep 19, 2013

Sgt Pepper said:
+1

+2

If someone is asking 'how fast will it go mistah?" when talking about a long tour, they probably haven't toured before or are certainly going for totally different reasons than most do.

If you can (and you CAN) go around the world on a C90, you can most definitely do it on a 650 two up.....all it takes is a bit of planning and a bit of mental adjustment :thumb2

TOURING on a 650.

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