Happy F650GS owner

[Elle]

Since I purchased my (2008) F650GS last August I've never been quite sure whether I like it. I regularly ride another bike & they are totally different. Last weekend, I took the GS on a camping trip.

Across the Dales in strong winds and on bumpy roads, the bike felt firmly planted (carrying 2 aluminium panniers helped keep the weight low). Hail and sleet at Hawes didn't dampen my enjoyment.

On Saturday, a ride into the Lake District was great & due to an L plate being with us, speeds were low. The computer reported it was averaging 89mpg!

On Sunday, the weather wasn't at all pleasant. Very strong winds, more hail and rain made traversing down to Sedburgh & Devils Bridge interesting but the bike never faltered & 60mph with a few overtakes thrown in was easily achievable.

By the time I reached Harrogate, I became very skeptical about the petrol gauge. I had last filled with petrol at Alston before we rode into the Lakes - surely I needed petrol soon? - but it said I still had 60 miles left.
So I stopped to fill with petrol = £12
That meant the bike covered 190 miles before filling up with lots more to go!

So, welcome to my new friend - the F650GS twin

It's not all roses - I still HATE the side-stand
On level ground it's too upright & on a left camber it leans so far over I can't lift it straight again - makes it quite embarrassing when trying to leave in style

 

[earwig]

....... F650GS .......

Across the Dales in strong winds and on bumpy roads, the bike felt firmly planted........

.......That meant the bike covered 190 miles before filling up with lots more to go!

So, welcome to my new friend - the F650GS twin

It's not all roses - I still HATE the side-stand
On level ground it's too upright & on a left camber it leans so far over I can't lift it straight again - makes it quite embarrassing when trying to leave in style

+1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43HljwpJ_ro

Leave in style give us a looksi

http://www.harrogateadvancedbikes.co.uk/

 

[Elle]

Already did IAM & Rospa too
Doesn't help me with the side stand issue :-(

 

[Dean]

Elle

Glad you had a good weekend gelling with your trusty friend, despite the good old british weather, good on you for getting out there

Fuelling is great I got 29 after my light come on to the engine cut out, my side stand is ok, Is your suspension standard?


Mine is all roses, I see you also have the fast azure blue

 

[SERVDAVE]

Its one hell of a bike! My 650 just past 40,000 miles. Had it since october 2009 and she hasn't missed a beat!

Shall hopefully getting a 1200SGS soon but I will be very sad to see her go, its been a great first adventure bike and doing everything I have asked of it and more!

enjoy, they are a cracking bike!

 

[dpm]

Stunning. That's what I think of the 650. I've never had (nor aspired to have, sorry) a BMW but damn, it's a fine bike. Shape, size, performance, economy. Yup, everything. That it's SO much younger and fresher than the NTV it replaces is by the by...

 

[Elle]

Fuelling is great I got 29 after my light come on to the engine cut out, my side stand is ok, Is your suspension standard?

Good to know that about the fuel.
Suspension is standard but I have it set on almost the lowest turn.
Have met a few others who say the same about the side-stand. Unless you've got extra leg room to lean it further to the right, it hits the floor.

 

[Tim Cullis]

I've been moaning about the side stand design since the F650GS first came out in 2008. On a left camber, swing your right leg over, then before centralising yourself on the bike stand with all of your weight on the left leg and just push the bike sideways, then when it's upright hop on.

I've seen 95-100 mpg when bumbling along on side roads in Morocco, and motorway cruising at 75mph you can go 190-200 miles before filling up. When touring Poland with a friend on his 1150GSA, he was sticking in €30 for every €18 I was putting in the tank, every fill was an evening meal of savings for me.

A posting from June 2008...

Fuel consumption on the first tank full averaged 67 mpg for a mix of town/city, country roads and motorways. For the last 50 miles the fuel computer had been constantly predicting a total range of 265 miles and at said mileage the range went to zero. So I kept going, doing 60 mph against a 20 mph headwind. The fuel finally ran out at 271 miles.

After sticking my emergency litre in the tank (spilled a tiny bit) I rode two miles to the nearest petrol station where I refilled my emergency bottle, then the tank. It took 18.00 litres in total. I have to take into account the two miles I rode (.15 litre?) and the tiny bit I spilt (maybe .05 litre), so the actual fuel tank capacity with the bike on the side stand and getting every last drop into the tank is a massive 17.8 litres.

Tim

PS: the best mileage I recorded touring with luggage on a 1200GS was 284 miles and that was after doing the tank mod to increase the capacity to 23.1 litres. On the 1200GSA I managed a tank capacity of 37.3 litres and did 50+ miles on empty...

 

[Micky]

Good to meet up on the Monday Bank Holiday run Elle

Yeah ... that side stand is a bugger, I often struggle with mine (F800GS) but you get to kinda look at where you're going to stop before you get there

88,000 miles now and still bringing a smile to my face every time I get on it



Borders Bash this weekend

 

[Elle]

Thanks Micky and Tim for your comments re the side stand.
Being a short-arse, I've spent decades looking at where I park, cambers, pot holes etc. I'm comforted by knowing that other experienced riders have a similar issue with it.

Sometimes, when the ground looks level, I can't get off! - the side-stand hits the tarmac and I can't push it beyond the footpeg. I had a little extra bit welded onto the side-stand which helps but isn't a fix-all.
I ride on my own a lot so this has to be resolved

Interestingly, I asked 2 women with factory lowered twins & they don't have a similar issue so I guess that's because they have a shorter stand & their feet touch the floor a lot easier.
I may go down the route of dropping it an inch with a Hyperpro kit.

Enjoy the trip Micky, hope to find the time to attend one of your jolly jaunts in the future...

 

[freelancer2011]

+1 for being a happy F650 GS owner! I think I'm slowly getting there. If it's any consolation, I'm also a shorty, too

...I was s'posed to take a snap shot of a collection of things that kept me going half way through, last year, when working with dealers and getting warranty claims honoured was difficult incl.:-

*Our babies (the Twin models) made it as a recommendation in the 6th Edition of 'Adventure Motorcycling';

*Our babies finished joint 6th in the Fuel Efficiency challenge of 'Ride Magazine' (and if the F-700 hadn't been released we'd have been joint 5th!);

*You guys for being a grand community when I got into difficulties!! Cheers guys!

Once the new edition of 'Morocco Overland' gets released (looks like it'll have Chris Scott on the F650 S.E. on the front cover!), I'll take a snap of all of this and upload it :O)

It's my first bike ever and now, after getting most of the stuff sorted under warranty, I think....I think I'm happy and the doubts are subsiding :O)

Lab!

 

[SERVDAVE]

+1 for being a happy F650 GS owner! I think I'm slowly getting there. If it's any consolation, I'm also a shorty, too

...I was s'posed to take a snap shot of a collection of things that kept me going half way through, last year, when working with dealers and getting warranty claims honoured was difficult incl.:-

*Our babies (the Twin models) made it as a recommendation in the 6th Edition of 'Adventure Motorcycling';

*Our babies finished joint 6th in the Fuel Efficiency challenge of 'Ride Magazine' (and if the F-700 hadn't been released we'd have been joint 5th!);

*You guys for being a grand community when I got into difficulties!! Cheers guys!

Once the new edition of 'Morocco Overland' gets released (looks like it'll have Chris Scott on the F650 S.E. on the front cover!), I'll take a snap of all of this and upload it :O)

It's my first bike ever and now, after getting most of the stuff sorted under warranty, I think....I think I'm happy and the doubts are subsiding :O)

Lab!

sorry to hear that you have had a few problems with yours! Luckly for me I have had no problems with mine, just ticked up over 40,000 miles!

hopefully now you have yours sorted out you can learn to trust it, they are a fantastic bike!