give me a sales pitch for 650gs

[Dennis van Dijk]

Hi,

I am still leaning towards buying an late 1100GS or early 1150GS but I can't get the F650GS Dakar out of my head. Advantage would be buying a newer bike and low mileage. I am just afraid I will miss having some power under the seat. I am without a bike at the moment but my wife has a Sv650s and that is still pokey compared to the F650.

I want a bike that does it all, travel, tour, scrapes around the back roads and isn't afraid of unpaved paths. I already ruled out offerings from other bike makers. Heard a couple of bad stories from the Tiger. So tell me what is so great about the F650.

I loved Sue and Micks website, which got me thinking about this little bike.

cheers
Dennis

 

[Steve]

So tell me what is so great about the F650.

Compared to an 11xxGS?

Unless you intend to do a lot of off-road, nothing.

 

[Taff]

I had a 650 Dakar which was great, and if I hadn't fallen in love with the 1150 Adventure, I would probably still have it.

The advantage/s? For a lot of off-road rides I think the Dakar is excellent (certainly a bloody sight lighter than the Adventure) and I had no problems with mine, apart from some flaking paint on the forks, which the dealer put right under warranty - no questions asked. I took mine abroad twice and it certainly proved popular with the others in the group and coped well.

The only disadvantages to me were that I felt I wanted a bit more "oomph" while touring. Although it felt fine at say 65mph, it just didn't feel so comfortable doing 85mph or motorway speeds. Don't forget that the Dakar is chain driven, so there's a bit more maintenance (but easy enough) and the seat height won't suit everybody. I'm 6' and got used to it - a mate of mine who is 5'6'' just couldn't handle the height, although you can get a slightly lower seat.

 

[Jon]

I had a 650 Dakar which was great, and if I hadn't fallen in love with the 1150 Adventure, I would probably still have it.

Ditto

The only disadvantages to me were that I felt I wanted a bit more "oomph" while touring. Although it felt fine at say 65mph, it just didn't feel so comfortable doing 85mph or motorway speeds. Don't forget that the Dakar is chain driven, so there's a bit more maintenance (but easy enough) and the seat height

and comfort on long distances

won't suit everybody. I'm 6' and got used to it - a mate of mine who is 5'6'' just couldn't handle the height, although you can get a slightly lower seat.

High Speed touring/long distance monkey butt is the only area I found it wanting................

If I had the space/money I'd have my old red/white/blue one sitting in the garage now.

If you're touring 2 up I'd def say 1150............

How 'bout you find a dealer with some 2nd hand 650's and 1150's and do a back to back test? You could maybe do that over there or over here.......

ps. WTF are you doing coming to West London (whereabouts?) from Houston

 

[Dennis van Dijk]

My wife's career is taking us to weird and wonderful places. So now we are going to the UK, will be in the Uxbridge area. And after Houston, anywhere is better. Texas is a weird place, in short we don't like it. Loved Oman where we lived before we moved to the US. Now it is time to do a stint in the UK. Who knows where we go next. But hopefully we will move in May sometime, do the whole moving thing, find house, car etc.

I have to find a job, take care of the kids and find a bike. So better start making up my mind which one I like. Test ride will tell it all I guess.

 

[MikeP]

I want a bike that does it all, travel, tour, scrapes around the back roads and isn't afraid of unpaved paths. I already ruled out offerings from other bike makers. Heard a couple of bad stories from the Tiger. So tell me what is so great about the F650.

cheers
Dennis

I've got a 650GS and an 1150 Adv. If I didn't have the latter I'd be quite happy with the 650 alone.

It's difficult to make meaningful comparisons because they are so different in some ways.

The way they are similar is that they are both GS's, they will both do all that you are after.

Both are easy to live with on a day-to-day basis. I think it comes down to whether you are intimidated by the sheer bulk of the 1100/1150 (not that a fully loaded 650 is a lightweight).

If you are not smitten with 'Boxer love' go for the 650. It's a cracking bike and will easily live with the bigger versions in the real world, it just has to be worked harder (but don't worry about that, the single seems pretty bullet-proof).

 

[GSposer]

I bought a 650 for the main reason that I will be commuting into london for a year and then go touring in which case it would make a more appealing part exchange at a BMW dealer.
It is fantastic at getting through London traffic high up and slim and you can get it on a motorcycle bay space previously occupied by a scooter.
I have been so impressed with it I am not going to bother trading up I am just going to change the front shocks and get a better screen (the biggest let down of the 650 IMHO), upgrade a few other parts and be on my merry way. If you are one up and don't want to cruise at more the 80mph I don't think you can fault it.

 

[Jeremy]

I owned a non Dakar GS650 for two years before Matron bought it. It did exactly what it said on the tin: toured, commuted, green laned. It was faultless, economical and good value. It toured close to 2000 miles around Ireland fully loaded and never let me down. Having ridden one at the Breacon Beacons off road skills course, there's next to nothing it can't do. My only issue was that I wanted more power. You won't regret it.

Jeremy

 

[Jon]

My wife's career is taking us to weird and wonderful places. So now we are going to the UK, will be in the Uxbridge area.

Whadyaknow................I'm in Ickenham, only 3 miles away from Uxbridge

Gimme a shout if you need any info/help on stuff

 

[GS TRV]

Have you looked at a V Strom 650?

I got one recently for the purposes you mentioned and it's a real corker of an engine - stronger than the GS.

Plus, it's a LOT cheaper.

Just my 2p.

 

[Dennis van Dijk]

Looked at those, my wife has an sv650s and is a great little bike. I am just a little concerned about the Wee-strom beeing a little to road biased, that oil cooler looks scary where it sits. But I have no experience with them, and the looks are a different story. F650GS Dakar is a lot better looking.

 

[Dennis van Dijk]

Whadyaknow................I'm in Ickenham, only 3 miles away from Uxbridge

Gimme a shout if you need any info/help on stuff

Thanks for that Jon, do you know what areas we should be looking at that are nice to live in. We are looking outside the M25 roughly in a triangle by Uxbridge, Amersham and High Wycombe. We need some decent schools/area's.

 

[Jon]

Thanks for that Jon, do you know what areas we should be looking at that are nice to live in. We are looking outside the M25 roughly in a triangle by Uxbridge, Amersham and High Wycombe. We need some decent schools/area's.

Decent schools....................probably steer clear of Uxbridge then

Definitely more Amersham/High Wycombe way as it's more country'ish too.

Got a mate nr High Wycombe with 2 daughters, I'll ask him re schools.

Have a look at http://www.rightmove.co.uk/ once you know what areas you're interested in, or to gauge the size of your heart attack with property prices, 'bout 90% of Estate Agents use it to advertise their portfolios.

 

[Dennis van Dijk]

Jon,

already found that website, having a look around and the houses we can afford seem to be in HW. Guess our demands are a little high. 4 bedrooms and a garage to keep the toys in. (budget is resticted having never owned a house) Well a garage is a place for bikes and tools and not for cars anyway. But yes prices are a shock to the system, although we new that. My wife is british and has family around the area. After some adventures abroad we want to spend a couple of years in the UK. Especially for the kids and grandparents. I am Dutch so living around there is pretty OK. Ferry from Harwich to Hoek van Holland and 20 minutes after docking we are at my parents.

But yes the house prices and the need of cars will make the bike budget go down very quickly. Hoping to have enough for a 1100GS but it might go down to a F650GS. Which will be ok too, I am already enrolled for the course in Wales at the end of September on a F650.

Feel free to email me, once we arrived I'll buy you a beer.

cheers

 

[STUBBS]

Jon,

already found that website, having a look around and the houses we can afford seem to be in HW.

i live (family lived here for generations) in wycombe have done all my life apart from 12 years in the army. looks like a building site at hte moment major road works on the m40 roundabout (handy cross) and the town centre is being leveled and rebuilt at the moment. on the plus side kids still sit the 11+ so we have some of the best grammar schools in the area also some great green lanes.
any help with info on schools and areas just ask or pm me happy to help

 

[Dennis van Dijk]

Thanks Stubbs, good to hear the schools are good. Any areas we should aim for and which to avoid. I am having a look on the internet but we will just have to visit the place once we are over to decide where we want to live. Also the ever important point of the money....we will see.
cheers

 

[Timolgra]

I have both an ADV and a 650 Dakar. I love the Dakar for off roading and general knocking around, but for me it would be uncomfortable and a bit weedy for long distances, unless I spent a bit on it. (Just like I have had to do with the ADV to get it right)

 

[STUBBS]

Thanks Stubbs, good to hear the schools are good. Any areas we should aim for and which to avoid. I am having a look on the internet but we will just have to visit the place once we are over to decide where we want to live. Also the ever important point of the money....we will see.
cheers

out of town are the best try to avoid castlefield and micklefield if youre going to be working in uxbridge cressex and loudwater are near to the motorway M40 cressex, totteridge amersham hill area are walking distance to the train station. just a note of caution wycombe is situated in a valley so its hilly