650 Dakar - should I buy??

[Brian Dublin]

Advise please

I'm in the market for a decent small (my main bike is a a 1200 GSA), dual sport bike to have fun around country lanes, tracks and muddy stuff, but also is road legal.
Have seen what looks like a well priced 2002 650 Dakar for sale here in Ireland
So please give me some advise on the following
- do you rate the 650 Dakar?
- is it as good off road as it claims?
- anything particular about the 2002 model?
- it has 60k KM (circa 40k miles) - should that alarm me for that model?
- price. asking €1800 (£circa 1400)

Any advise gratefully received and thanks in advance

 

[luke scott]

It really is a personal thing. You need to lower your buttocks into the seat and wait for it to warm up. Hold your bellend against the tank (this stops stinging). Now your arse is warm and your bellend has stopped throbing how does the bike feel ? Of course ignore my comment above if you have short legs and buy the bike if your feet can touch the ground




Do you need a lift to see the bike ?

 

[(RIP) MScotts]

Brian
£circa 1400 is quite a keen price for an '02 GSD imo, even with 40k miles.
However the 'bargain' very much depends on many variables - Service history/ well maintained; general condition of plaggy panels etc; what service parts could do with replacing - tyres/chain/sprockets; what farkles it has fitted; tax and mot, etc etc.
Beyond the usual bits to inspect on a bike, F650GS/ GSD stuff to look out for is:
- Paint finish, especially in and around the engine (1st place to often go/bubble is the water pump casing)
- Water pump itself can go south around or before the mileage you mention
- Headstock brarings
- Fork seals
- Pitting to chrome work, i.e Fork sliding tubes
- Rotting exhaust cans (look up & under the back end)
- Singlespark engine irregular idling/ surging - I've never suffered either, down to how well maintained the bike is I guess?

If your unaquainted with this sort of bike, it does have quite an agracultural feel to it (esp. the gearbox), but they do ooze tons of personality.

Lighting - The headlight is piss-poor, I replaced the headlight on my '02 650GS with a >2004 one (simple modification) - marginal improvement, could do with Aux lights for night time outings

Tyres - If you're going greenlaning/ other off-road antics then I'm sure Conti TKC80s will see you right

I've read that some folks have modified the front end with Yamaha or KTM USD forks and yokes to give it better off-road bias

GSD Specs >>> http://www.bmbikes.co.uk/specpages/F650GSdakar.htm

If you go for it, register over on www.f650.co.uk as it's a font of knowledge for the Rotax engined Beemers

I'm sure countless folk have had the GSD well off the beaten track, John & Mike's 3-year/ 25 country RTW adventure springs to mind ( http://www.ukgser.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=154 ), so I'm sure it's nimble enough to meet your off-road needs... Beyond that, type 'BMW Dakar' or 'F650GS off-road' into Youtube and you'll see many examples of how they do/don't handle in the mud

BMW used the GSD (and F650GS) for the Off-Road Skills courses up the Brecons in Welsh-Wales for donkey's years and still do (albeit, the Setaro these days - same-difference really) - can't be a bad testament to them

-Andy

 

[Brian Dublin]

Andy - Thanks for taking the time for such a comprehensive reply. I will print it off and brink with me when I go and see the bike. You have certainly given me the confidence that the 650GSD is a good choice for me; an inspection and ride will tell me if this particular one is a good'n.
Appreciate it
B

 

[(RIP) MScotts]

No woirries

......... an inspection and ride will tell me if this particular one is a good'n.

I forgot to mention; under approx 3k RPM the engine can feel a bit laboured/lacking in torque. Therefore use the gearbox to get the best out of it
Clearly the above asumes you've not riden a 650GSD/GS (or other rotax engined variants in the line-up)... Good luck with the insp and road-test Brian!

-A