Barley-Mow
Registered user
After about 20 years of big BMWs, I've parted with my old R850R and two weeks ago took on a 2 year old G650GS with 8K on the clock. Wish I'd done it when they first came out. It's absolutely great, especially if like me you're getting on in years and are of the short persuasion. I still have the 1996 R1100RT that took me to Russia last year - it and I have too much history to be parted (95K miles worth), but I think it'll be saved now for the long motorway runs. It's a wonderful, comfortable bike but it is heavy.
The new G650 is giving me 80 mpg at every fill up , or 250 miles to a tank, which I find incredible. No doubt it'll go down on longer loaded runs but a nearly 200 mile run yesterday in the cold, accompanying an 1150GS, still saw me taking on less than 11 litres at the end of the day.
I've been looking at posts about luggage and have decided to wait and see. It seems to me the whole basis of the 650 is light weight. I've got a big Ortlieb holdall which I can strap on the back lengthwise and I reckon that, plus a tank bag (if I can find one that doesn't keep sliding off - I have 3 and none of them stay put) should take all the luggage I need. Plus at the end of a days ride you have only one bag to haul off rather than several. Comforting as the security of hard panniers is, I think I'm going to try to do without and keep it simple.
When I first had the RT it took my Wife and I plus all our luggage in just the 2 panniers and tank bag for a fortnight to Spain, with the topbox being reserved for handbags and helmets. By the time I went on my own in September this year it was all I could do to fit just my own clutter in the same space.
I'm also resisting the temptations of bigger screens. The standard article is incredibly effective and my experience on other bikes is that bigger usually means worse. The 850R was at its most enjoyable with no screen or luggage, but unlike the 650, wasn't really rideable any distance like that except at very modest speeds.
So I think keep it simple is the answer. We shall see. I'll be off somewhere foreign at the first opportunity, if work and other nonsense doesn't keep getting in the way.
The new G650 is giving me 80 mpg at every fill up , or 250 miles to a tank, which I find incredible. No doubt it'll go down on longer loaded runs but a nearly 200 mile run yesterday in the cold, accompanying an 1150GS, still saw me taking on less than 11 litres at the end of the day.
I've been looking at posts about luggage and have decided to wait and see. It seems to me the whole basis of the 650 is light weight. I've got a big Ortlieb holdall which I can strap on the back lengthwise and I reckon that, plus a tank bag (if I can find one that doesn't keep sliding off - I have 3 and none of them stay put) should take all the luggage I need. Plus at the end of a days ride you have only one bag to haul off rather than several. Comforting as the security of hard panniers is, I think I'm going to try to do without and keep it simple.
When I first had the RT it took my Wife and I plus all our luggage in just the 2 panniers and tank bag for a fortnight to Spain, with the topbox being reserved for handbags and helmets. By the time I went on my own in September this year it was all I could do to fit just my own clutter in the same space.
I'm also resisting the temptations of bigger screens. The standard article is incredibly effective and my experience on other bikes is that bigger usually means worse. The 850R was at its most enjoyable with no screen or luggage, but unlike the 650, wasn't really rideable any distance like that except at very modest speeds.
So I think keep it simple is the answer. We shall see. I'll be off somewhere foreign at the first opportunity, if work and other nonsense doesn't keep getting in the way.
