F 650 GS strange handling

[Roge]

Has anyone else noted that the front end of the 650GS is light and lacks feel, whilst the bike does grip its a matter of trust rather than feel. The front is also very lght at slow manuvering speeds. Is this normal and can something be done to improve this. This is on a 2000 mile new bike and compared to the 1150 feels very remote and flighty at low speeds and reluctant to steer at speed.



Roger

 

[Jon]

Roger,
This may sound funny, but how far forward are you sitting on the bike? Your nuts need to be right next to the fuel tank.
Sit like that and you can throw it all over the place.
Done all the silly things like tyre pressures?
It will feel lighter than an 1150, cos it is, but the grip is definitely there. Ask Bakerman. Jim & me both had him on the inside a few times on the Morocco trip (wey-hey!)
When I first got mine, I felt that the front wandered a bit in corners and put it down to the dual purpose tyres.
However, the more I rode it, the more used to it's characteristics I got and grew to trust the front.
Now I throw it all over the place - except down the road! (I hope)
Hope this helps
Cheers
Jon

 

[Jon]

Your nuts need to be right next to the fuel tank.

The false one that is.................not the real one under the seat

 

[Jim-Adv]

????????????

Are you talking about false balls or false fuel tanks!

 

[Jim-Adv]

Seriously though

Jon's right it really does make a hell of a difference if you get you weight well forward when cornering. It takes a while to get confident on a 650 but once yoy get the knack they are very flickable bikes.

Jim

 

[Andy Leeds UK]

What tyres?

Tyres and pressures seem to effect the 650 more than heavier bikes:

TCK-80's feel awful on wet roads but you get used to them
Pirelli MT-60's feel awful and you don't get used to them.
Pirelli MT-90's are fine on and off road once you get used to the noise.
Twinduro's are neither here nor there
Avon road tyres make it feel like a sports bike grip wise after the TCK's.

I've not had a tyre let go (unexpectedly anyway), but I've spent ages trying to get the @£$ing things to feel right with pressures etc. If the front feels squigy, raise the pressure 5 psi ride 20 miles and see if its better or worse. You can safely run them about 10psi above and 15 psi below what BMW say if they feel better, but be careful and watch the temperature.

Andy

 

[shready]

F650 GS Handling

My R1100GS is at the dealers for minor crash repairs at the moment and they have loaned me an F650 GS.

Coming from the R1100GS to the F650 GS is very odd. I agree, the steering feels incredibly light and little unsafe, a bit like the forks sitting in a bucket of treacle and cobbles!! (an odd analogy I agree but there you go). I had an F650 when they first came out and remember the handling needing a bit of time to get used to, once over that I had good fun with the bike.

The new F650 GS feels a little bit different though, it seems to turn into corners earlier and appears to drift out more. I'm finding that I need to counter-steer much more to tighten up my cornering.

All in all though, not a bad machine, much improved over he original. The engine feels much sweeter, the braking is far better and the suspension feels well set up.

Looks are good too.

 

[shready]

Strange Handling - Update

Well, my R1100GS is awaiting a part from Germany to complete my accident repair so I have had the loan F650 GS for 4 days now.

My initial complaint about the front end (my previous post) has been pretty much solved. I noticed that the rear suspension setting was set on full, so on HIGH. I set this to just past normal and voila, better front end handling.

Much happier with the bike and now feel better flicking it around, however, having just travelled with it raining it does get a bit jittery on corners and raised white lines.

Jon.

 

[Roge]

I've now ridden her bike a fair bit in all weather so much of what has been said in response to my original post is correct:

Keep wait forward, get the right set up on the back suspension, tyre pressures and above all trust it the grip is there.

However for a bike that is seen by many as a good beginners bike I think that it does not inspire the confidence that it should it has certainly made Jan very nervous of it being new to riding and not having the confiedence in herself to trust it.

I like it though its no 1150

Roger