Gs and other bikes

[fazerkev]

Hi am I allowed to post about other bikes too? I'm after a trailie and I thought a Dakar or a KTM 640ADV but haven;t ridden off road or tested them (demo rides, if any will be tarmacaddam )

I have been on another forum but as it's US based I was advised to come here and post my ramblings and thoughts..
Hopefully you guys can help me out. Here goes....(sorry about the length but I'm not sure and ahave only owned 1 "big bike" (the fazer)


Now I appreciate this is probably asked LOADS and I have looked and read both on here and elsewhere.

After returning form my 1st trip to Europe in Jne, I wanted more oomph for overtaking, and suspension better able to cope with 2 weeks+ camping kit.
I bumped into an ADV guy whilst in Le Mans and was taken by his 640 adventure.

Well after thinking about it initially, then writing it off as I didn't want to actually go offroad, then thinking I could get a bigger, unfaired bike with decent luggage set-up (FZ1 with fazer cases or whatever)
But I saw the ADV in a shop the other day... and coincidentally the 650 DAKAR too at a cafe stop.

In terms of what I want my next bike to do:
-Be fun and handle as well or better then my well set-up (dyno's ohlins suspension wide renthal bar + sports tyres) Fazer on twisty b -roads,
-be comfortable to tour in Europe (on road) including 500 mile motorway days at 85/90
-and just recently (and this is why I'm returning to the Adv and Dakar bikes) I have been thinking I'd like to try some "mild" off roading. Never done it before but I reckon it'd be cool to have that option if I see a nice fire-road.

And but before anyone says get a V-strom and a cheap dirt bike I have space for 1 bike and I bet I'd kick myself if I got a bike that I couldn't take into the coutryside in the Alps!


I know nothing about soft-roading.. how much access is there in the UK? will it be worth it, or should I just get a road bike and do a BMW Wales day and a foreign offroad group tour with bikes provided?

Without spending loads on a BMW-Wales day, is it realistic for me to be able to cope? are any of the other ones worth while? I heard eg Honda, Yamaha just let you loose on an offroad track..scarey

On to the bikes: I read the KTM 650 is very viby, less realible, harder to service with short intervals and the engine is due to be replaced.
But with more power, more able (will I scrape the surface of either's potential?)


BMW Dakar: lower seat height ( I have spoken to my KTM dealer abotu the adv before and he put me off successfully by talking about 945 seat and it being higher than the 990), easier to ride? no vibes?
but less tyre choice? or is that just the non-Dakar version, is it much worse?

I would really appreciate a a few views an pointers on the above if you've bothered to read all this junk

maybe I'm just THINKING I need a bike like this but a tdm/v-strom would be fine.. I may hate off roading? but I love the idea! (I'm a keen MTB rider so I like the outdoors and getting away from it)

cheers

Oh yeah I've though about the small singles as yes they will be slower than my fazer but I rarely travel over 85 or rev high (only when I HAVE to overtake fast but I'm guessing a 600 single will pull hard at any revs?). And if I want to start offroading, a 650 will be lots easier than say the 990 ADV even if that would be much more capable of dealing with long motorway stretches.


Today went into a BMW dealer and as soon as he heard I ride a fazer, he was of the opinion that the Dakar will be too slow, and not a long distance comfy tourer. Also it's just as heavy (179kilos) as my fazer and only 30 less the 1200GS. He said if I'm sticking to hard-pack and dirt tracks (which I will to start with and when green-laning on hoilday I will be loaded up so not trying anythign too hard as it's my ticket back home!), then a 120 is better as it'll be far better on the tarmac, esp rainy motorway miles.. but the cost!

Appreciate any views, ta
kev

ps, I have no knowlegde but what abotu other bikes; Africa twin (better than the singles for road but able offraod, heavy!) , Translaps,
and the rest: XT660R, Dominator, Cagiva elephant, and the barley talked about, MZ baghira, KLR650. I guess I may struggle on test rides as most of these are discontinued.

 

[dadster]

hey up mate. three months ago i swapped a fazer1000 for a gs1200 just come back from europe done 2600 miles in 7 days and loved every mile. wish i'd done it years ago

 

[NeverRodeBefore]

If it's touring and potential off road, then the R1200GS is the way to go, you can get some reasonable low mileage bikes second hand for around £7500, set up with panniers and tank bag

Like mine for example, however you'd have to become a sponsor to take advantage of the adverts on this site.

I'm one of the unfortunate 'house forces sale' but I fancy an XT660R, as it can be similarly equipped by Touratech, but it's naturally cheaper than the R1200GS. I've been reading up on the XT, and it would appear that the bike is happy at around 70mph, but only has a 15 ltr tank limiting it to around 150 miles. It loves twisty roads, but it's not really a motorway muncher.

 

[Jacqueslemac]

I ride a Dominator at the moment and for what it's worth:
* It's superb for commuting. I use it all the year round and it's light enough to weave through traffic with ease. The riding position is great for visibility.
* I took it to Normandy in the Spring and it's not a lot of fun on motorways and autoroutes.
* The seat is terrible after 100 miles, although you have to stop after 120 anyway to refuel and get the circulation going again.
* Lots of vibration which gets a bit boring an a long journey.
* The standard "screen" is too small to make a real difference, although it's loads better than a naked bike.
* Cruising between 70mph and 80 mph is fine, but it's struggling over that.

That said, I really enjoy riding it. Unfortunately I can't afford two bikes and although it's a great every day bike, it's not really up to the touring/camping trips I have in mind, so I'm looking to part exchange it for either an 1150GS or a Tiger. For the same price as a 2000 GS I can get a 2002 Tiger with full Triumph luggage and half as many miles, so I'm still dithering.

 

[ianboydsnr]

whatever you get, sell me your Ohlins shock for your Fazer 600 it will fi my 600 nicely

even a 1100gs will tour better than a Fazer 600, top speed is slower, but where it counts between 30 to 90 it will be faster, as it has a lot more torque, was out this weekend in the lake district and only the guy on the Aprilla 1000 could stay with me on my 1150, the group included Fjr's and quite a few Fazer 1000's no long straights though, but anyone can go fast on a straight, the 650's will be ok, but will not struggle to overtake on fast A roads

 

[fazerkev]

Cheers for the input,
Ian, surely that should read "the 650's will be OK, but WILL struggle to overtake on fast A roads"?

Yeah I know the bhp on a gs isn't what you need to look at, or on a Dakar for that matter, so I was taken aback when the dealer said the power is way down. In fact the Dakar pushes out more footpounds than the fazer, so I reckon up to just over legal speeds they'd be matched. I cruise at 60-80 a roads, 85-90 m ways and like speed not to be an issue in the twisties. I thought a 650 single would do that, fine a little comfot comprimised no the motorway, but hey it can go off road? Maybe I'm wrong.
Ian, a friend of mine used to have a GS and he was quick, esp the bends. AS you say anyone can cane it in a straight line..if you have the powah! Don't cae about that, its toe scraping and mile munching I'm after!

I'm booked on a test ride for the 1150 and 12 this weekend. the guy was trying to sell me the 12 as it's in his words, only a little heavier than the Dakar and much better for power and long miles. However at over 8 grand without any extras! I'm a post grad student! So I ask about 1150s and he has 2 20k milers (one with ABS, one with luggage) at 6900, still an aweful lot of cash for my 2nd bike and 1st dual sports. SO thanks for the pointer to your bike Neverodebefore, but I'm not asure about splashing that sort of cash.

The clever BEE EM guy instantly came up with some figures and on a 3 year plan, its 165/month for a 12 with luggage, not sure I want that as the whole bike is never yours, is it? But he was saying cos the way it's done, it's not much more than getting a approved used 1150??

I'm gonna ring him up and see about having a go on the Dakar too methinks.


Thanks for the input on the Dominator, I guess that any of the older singles will be more.. erm shal we say.. agricultural

Hmm tiger and the Benelli, but along with the Varadero, V-strom et al, I've wort of written them off being good for dirt tracks.. am I right?

 

[Colban]

Dont pay through the nose witht dealer prices.
You can get a good 1100GS for around £3K and the early 1150s from £3K upwards.
You can also service them yourself and save a fortune on dealer charges.
The 1150s have an overdrive 6th gear and will cruise 85-90 all day easily.
You can be looking at 700+ miles per day,with luggage.
You can also get a huge range of shiney bits for the GSs.
Somehow i don't think a 650 will be punchy enough for what you want.
You often get "known" bikes appear in the "for sale and wanted section",but you have to be a Site Sponsor to buy/sell.

 

[motobiker]

I agree...

Always try this site first if you want to buy a GS.

If cash is an issue (when isn't it?) go for a late 1100 or an 1150 - ride it for a few years then sell it for what you paid and then if you're hooked go for a 12.

Or join the ever increasing number of 11xx owners who buy to keep.

For example this gorgeous example was on only a few days ago....

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=117221&highlight=1100+sale

btw - the £12 to join this site is probably the best investment you can make....