F650GS Dakar Owners Views, offroad and touring please

[rocks]

Hi,
Just to help explain a bit of background. A friend of mine recently had to sell his bikes and most of his biking gear to clear his personal debts. Now he is more financially secure and wants to get back to touring and has been looking at the F650GS. His budget is £2500 and he wants a bike to tour scotland and the lakes. BUT he also wants a bike to do the odd off road stint. Nothing too serious, as he had an XR600 i think before which he had to sell on and didn not get heavily used.

In my mind I think the 650gs would fit certainly for his touring around lakes and scotland and should be relatively ok on the off road with right tyres and avoiding major mud bogs. Am i right or do those that own them have other opinions.

One concern I do have, is he ruled out the 1150 or 1100 as being too heavy and I know the 650 is not that light.

Would really appreciate some frank and honest views on it. Is there anything that would need doing, or is wise to do, for off roading it. He fancies doing some of the ADV rallies, not Timpo mud specials..lol.

cheers John..

 

[Spout]

If he can put up with the fact that it's comfy, will cruise at 75/80 mph, return 60 mpg, is strong enough to carry luggage, will go anywhere off road, simple to service and looks great then it might just be the bike for him.

 

[tully]

here here

i can second all of that - not had my '04 Dakar long and it really is fantastic, great value for money - its really quick when you want it to be and will go off road with having to change a thing.

if he buys a Dakar he will not be dissapointed - i promise!!!

 

[snoopy]

I've put it through the 600 mile day run on the last trip and can state as fact a 21" front causes excessive vibration to the handlebars. At 70mph you can't see in the mirrors properly and the vibs num hands and make you feel cold. A right pita.

Running a 17" is great, it really corners for such a fatty. I run this for normal use.

I wouldn't say it can go anywhere offroad. It's two heavy and the suspension as stock is bollox. My suspension has been "sorted" by previous owner and is still bollocks. Need those WP forks...

Great thing about the F650 is its unfocused nature. It's not really good at anything but not crap at anything either. Overall I rate mine, though I despise it's character - it's a soulless bike but one that works better than most.

 

[Septic]

i thought my F650gs dakar was pooh i couldn't get rid of it quick enough.
60 mph was an achivement all the stuff you ride though end up on the screen and head light. the only good thing i can say about it is that the mpg was fab. I had it for 3 months and changed it for a 2000 R1150gs.

 

[(RIP) The Wilbur]

If you want to use mainly on road, with occasional forays onto the mucky stuff, a standard GS would be my choice.

19 in front is a good compromise & the centre stand is a useful addition.

 

[gus007]

I'just came back from a trip from Paris on my 04 Dakar. I had no problem crusing for hours at 80-85 mph. I'm running TKC's. There is some vibration but nothing bad. My GPS showed a top speed of 96mph.

The bike is a good over all bike. Offroad its a pig but still fun. It gets great mileage and easy to maintain.

 

[teetree]

it will never be as good off road as an enduro bike. and will also never be as good on road as a pure tourer. but you can't really take a tourer offroad and an enduro will be no fun at all on tarmac. so if you don't have someone waiting for you at the beginning of the dirt with a trailie to swap for your road bike, you need a bike which will handle the dirt and not be cripplingly uncomfortable to ride on road. thats the F650.

 

[rc mad]

jeez snoopy, is yours really that bad Ok, the stock suspension is not up to much off road but it's good on road, Getting the best out of the front forks requires a bit of work tho, progressive springs stop the diving when braking and a change of fork oil weight helps too, i'm running 10wt up from the stock 7.5 and its great. I have a wilbers on the rear of mine (the all singing multi adjustable one) and its a great improvement over the stock, which isn't that bad to start with. Snoopy, you realize the rear needs setting up for your weight and general use don't you. Something wilbers will be able to do for you

When i ordered my wilbers shock they asked my weight, how loaded the bike is typically and the max weight i'd carry on the bike. Came from the factory setup perfectly

I really like my dakar, did a 360 mile run up to scotland (in one day) last year and could have quite easily done the same again (mate on a 748 didn't quite feel so good )

These lot are right, it's not focussed to do one thing but it'll do everything well. It will keep up with sportsbikes, (cept for the straight bits) carry huge loads and then go off road, I really like the 21" front, Ok it's meant to turn in slower and all that but i get on with it quite well, and at the moment it looks like I'm going to be replacing front and rear tires as a pair Leans over quite well on it as well

 

[snoopy]

i thought my F650gs dakar was pooh i couldn't get rid of it quick enough.
60 mph was an achivement all the stuff you ride though end up on the screen and head light. the only good thing i can say about it is that the mpg was fab. I had it for 3 months and changed it for a 2000 R1150gs.

Touratech do the accepted fix for this, fitted to mine and I have no such problem. I think this guy is selling one;

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=149156

 

[snoopy]

jeez snoopy, is yours really that bad Ok, the stock suspension is not up to much off road but it's good on road, Getting the best out of the front forks requires a bit of work tho, progressive springs stop the diving when braking and a change of fork oil weight helps too, i'm running 10wt up from the stock 7.5 and its great. I have a wilbers on the rear of mine (the all singing multi adjustable one) and its a great improvement over the stock, which isn't that bad to start with. Snoopy, you realize the rear needs setting up for your weight and general use don't you. Something wilbers will be able to do for you

When i ordered my wilbers shock they asked my weight, how loaded the bike is typically and the max weight i'd carry on the bike. Came from the factory setup perfectly

I really like my dakar, did a 360 mile run up to scotland (in one day) last year and could have quite easily done the same again (mate on a 748 didn't quite feel so good )

These lot are right, it's not focussed to do one thing but it'll do everything well. It will keep up with sportsbikes, (cept for the straight bits) carry huge loads and then go off road, I really like the 21" front, Ok it's meant to turn in slower and all that but i get on with it quite well, and at the moment it looks like I'm going to be replacing front and rear tires as a pair Leans over quite well on it as well

It's acceptable onroad, but dire off road even the 1150 is better imho. I could hit things at 3x the speed on the DRZ compared to the Dakar and feel like I was staying on the bike.

 

[rocks]

Interesting..

(oops got this in the wrong forum to start,, thanks for moving it Mr Moderator)

Right then, well I love my 1150 and my DRZ, but my friend needs one bike (due to cash limits) that will do nearly 90% on road and 10% at most off road. He is not weak, but he is not that tall either and so I am figuring the 650 will suit him. He has ridden my 1150 and proclaimed it a giants bike, best handled by those who like to lift weights.. which i agree when its off road. I love it on road, but i bought the drz for a reason..

So from what your telling me a plain stock 650GS could do with a fork spring upgrade and heavier oils. Whats the cost lines on this?

I have to say I have considered one myself for my own bike, given the rising costs of fuel and my 1150 being a tad thirsty. I will have to get out and ride one myself or nick my mates if he decides to get one.

Been trawling the papers today to see if there is one about at a good price locally and so far, not a sausage.

 

[BEEMERBOY]

Yamaha

I know this a BMW orientated site but there are other good bikes out there .
I recently rode 10,000 mls on a Yamaha XT600E through South America.I bought the bike specifically for the trip as I relied on just myself to keep it running .You won't be chasing sports bikes upto Scotland but it handles really well and believe you me it is very good off road .
The bike is for sale and is complete with Touratech panniers ,its a 2003 model and with now 14,000 mls .
If you are interested then let me know and we can talk figures .

 

[snoopy]

But the XT600 is not good on fuel.

I got better mpg on my DRZ 'S' than the Dakar for pottering around the doors. Both are much better than the 1150 which was only reasonable on fuel when on a motorway cruise.

The Dakar on a 19" front slaughters the DRZ and 1150 for cornering. I even think it's better than my old SV650

 

[rc mad]

Thing is snoopy the drz was primarily designed to go off road, the 650 wasn't.


rocks, the oil won't be expensive, any fork oil will do the job, fork springs are £80 from touratech, they are made by wirth so you may be able to get them cheaper elsewhere. It's not a must do mod but it makes the front end much better.

First thing to try would be the oil on it's own, may well be enough

 

[brassmonkey001]

I read somewhere today that Wirth progressive springs are £60 delivered from Hagon.

The 650 would be ideal for your friend. Long, high speed motorway blasts are not it's best domain but it will cruise all day at 70-80mph.
It will give a fair account of itself off road. There are obviously better bikes for offroading, just as there are for touring etc. As a pretty good all-round bike it's the business.

 

[(RIP) The Wilbur]

I read somewhere today that Wirth progressive springs are £60 delivered from Hagon.

The 650 would be ideal for your friend. Long, high speed motorway blasts are not it's best domain but it will cruise all day at 70-80mph.
It will give a fair account of itself off road. There are obviously better bikes for offroading, just as there are for touring etc. As a pretty good all-round bike it's the business.

That'll be because I posted it

£62 actually from www.hagon-shocks.co.uk

 

[rc mad]

just an fyi for fuel use, just filled up today with just under 15 liters (14.7 to be exact) at 181 miles, mpg came out at 56 which isn't bad

Found out why my reserve comes on so early, the reserve switch is set too low in the tank

 

[BEEMERBOY]

XT 600 Bad on fuel

I disagree ,I was getting high 60's and a faultless 10,000 mls says it all .
I met other guys riding Bmw's and I was so glad I had my Yamaha .
I now have an F800GS but I definately would'nt take it to South America because when it goes wrong ( not having BMW support ) your stuffed .
By the way , I think my Bumblebee is Brilliant .

 

[santrix]

I hope to god the standard GS is the right bike as im doing 12 countries in 6 weeks including morocco in about a month and halfs time.

I agree on the springs, i got hyperpro front and rear progressive, now i dont bottom out 'so much' when hefty laning.....