Possible unwanted Xmas present G650GS

[sk8mutie]

Hi all....I have a problem!!

After completing her CBT, and on her say so, I purchased a factory lowered G650GS in December just past. Through no fault of our own apart from cash flow, she has only just booked her DAS.

After a refresher day, they allowed her to rent the 125 she was on for today. Most probably all my fault as I wanted to ride with my girlfriend today, but she wanted to ride on her own (proud boyfriend and all that), she took the bike out and pulled away from a T junction, up the kerb and over some grass!

What has gone from 'I can't wait to ride my own bike' has become 'I do not want to do my test and feel out of control and venerable!'

I had to ride the bike back to where she rented it and it's been an emotional day to say the least!!

She feels like she has disappointed me, and I won't lie when I say that I do feel a tad disappointed....more so for her as I fear she is going to miss out on something very special in her life!!

So my questions are many....

Firstly....what can I do?? The GS is only costing me £99 a month and is on my 1200GS insurance. However, it is too low...so to keep it would require some mods...so does anyone know exactly what the lowered GS consists of?? I'm hoping it's just a rear shock!! Plus, it's so economical that when there are fuel tamper strikes, the 650 will just battle on!!

Secondly, do I bite the bullet and try and sell it? It was registered Dec 11 and has 365 miles on the clock. If it was the Sertao, I would need no convincing to keep it, but unless I can raise the height, it's of little use to me.

Any help would be much appreciated. Including advice on getting over my disappointment and trying not to let the girlfriend see it!!

Chris

 

[Timolgra]

'I do not want to do my test and feel out of control and venerable!'

.....

 

[David Nimrod]

...she took the bike out and pulled away from a T junction, up the kerb and over some grass!

An off roader in the making!

 

[polecat]

Excellent, the Mods are straight in with sympathy and support

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Excellent, the Mods are straight in with sympathy and support

Send her up to Tim, his speciality is sympathy and support - whilst helping them to pass their DAS

 

[Timolgra]

Excellent, the Mods are straight in with sympathy and support

Wrong forum for agony Aunts

But most ladies can only ride if they really want to for themselves and not because they think they should for any other reason.

Too big, too early can be a complaint some girls do have

 

[David Nimrod]

Excellent, the Mods are straight in with sympathy and support

It's what I do best

 

[Farmer Palmer]

Difficult one when the lass's confidence get knocked a bit.....!

Maybe don't do anything for a while untill things settle a wee bit........You could always put her in touch with some of the 'girls' on www.F650.co.uk and they might give her a bit more confidence to go out and ride and feel less vulnerable on the road.

My missus had never ridden so much as a mountain bike before she rode a motorbike....It was a long journey and eventually she bought her own YBR125 then a F650GS/FL and now has a G650GS/FL with Koubalinks and a lowered seat as she's only 5ft. She even crossed the 'Arctic Circle' on her first tour in Norway in 2008.

If you can afford to keep the G650GS put it in the back of the shed or ride it yourself with the preload screwed all the way up. That way you can get some use out of the bike in the meantime.

Hope some of this helps.

FP.

 

[sk8mutie]

Tim and Dave.... Thank you...I needed that. I have been as miserable as sin all day.

I think we're gonna cancel the DAS for starters and as you say Farmer, I'm going to keep it. It's only 99 a month and to sell it would incur the shortfall to pay the finance off.

You never know...if it sits there long enough, she might just fancy getting back on it!!

Still wondering if it's easy to reverse the factory lowering issue...if anyone has any ideas....cos it's in the garage and I think it's here to stay!!

I'll put the misses I touch with the girls on the F650 site...cheers for that suggestion.

 

[Farmer Palmer]

I've only ever lowered them some more but you could lift the rear by replacing the shock and the front by fitting longer stanchions and you'd need a new sidestand aswell. I think the rear 'links' are the same length as the standard 'G' bike but if they're longer you could fit 'shorter' standard ones which would raise the bike.

Or you could do what most guys do and that is simply get yourself a Dakar seat and use that when you ride the bike.

The G650GS/FL is around an inch to an inch and a half taller than the original F650GS/FL which it replaced......Don't ask me how I know but lets just say after two sets of Koubalinks.....etc,etc

The G650GS/FL rides very well for a 'lowered' bike and when I picked ours up for Mrs 'P' I thought my dealer had forgotten to order a lowered one as it was so much taller than Mrs P's old bike.

FP.

 

[Dave78]

Chris

I would have pm'd you, but can't

My wife has been there and done that, including going up and over the curb - just after passing her CBT. And knocked off her bike and sliding down the road.

And we've been though all the emotions from I can't do it, to I'd like to do it, to it's fun but I can't do it.. etc etc..

Result is that she is now the owner of an F650GS, and loves it.. (Ok not out on it at the moment, due to op on her knee), but can't wait till summer..

If she wanted to talk to another girlie biker, who's been there and done that, then my wife is more than happy to natter to her..

Dave

 

[sk8mutie]

FP...cheers for that big man...The Dakar seat is probably the way ahead....I would really like to think that the bike is used by its intended owner...one day!!

Dave, many thanks for that....I think getting through today is half the battle...if its meant to be, it's meant to be...but I will let her know that she has someone out there to talk to!!

Many thanks for your help guys....for all the probs I've had with the bikes over the years, never thought I'd be on here asking fellow GSers for help with this one...pah!!!!

 

[Lady O]

Hi all....I have a problem!!

After completing her CBT, and on her say so, I purchased a factory lowered G650GS in December just past. Through no fault of our own apart from cash flow, she has only just booked her DAS.

After a refresher day, they allowed her to rent the 125 she was on for today. Most probably all my fault as I wanted to ride with my girlfriend today, but she wanted to ride on her own (proud boyfriend and all that), she took the bike out and pulled away from a T junction, up the kerb and over some grass!

What has gone from 'I can't wait to ride my own bike' has become 'I do not want to do my test and feel out of control and venerable!'

I had to ride the bike back to where she rented it and it's been an emotional day to say the least!!

She feels like she has disappointed me, and I won't lie when I say that I do feel a tad disappointed....more so for her as I fear she is going to miss out on something very special in her life!!

So my questions are many....

Firstly....what can I do?? The GS is only costing me £99 a month and is on my 1200GS insurance. However, it is too low...so to keep it would require some mods...so does anyone know exactly what the lowered GS consists of?? I'm hoping it's just a rear shock!! Plus, it's so economical that when there are fuel tamper strikes, the 650 will just battle on!!

Secondly, do I bite the bullet and try and sell it? It was registered Dec 11 and has 365 miles on the clock. If it was the Sertao, I would need no convincing to keep it, but unless I can raise the height, it's of little use to me.

Any help would be much appreciated. Including advice on getting over my disappointment and trying not to let the girlfriend see it!!

Chris

Also been there and done that. Eagerly awaiting the end of the year when I can graduate from my 250 to something a little more exiting. It's been a battle but more with my head than anything.Also had more than one episode of feeling like I let my partner down, all part of learning curve ! Have had fantastic suport form my 'pit crew' and spend every chance I get riding. Hope your lady sticks with it, it's fantastic fun and well worth a few red face moments, which I still have, more often than not .Give her a little time and support. Hope it works out for you both

 

[Losttheplot]

What has gone from 'I can't wait to ride my own bike' has become 'I do not want to do my test and feel out of control and venerable!'

Sounds like selling it right now might be false economy chris. what i the arrangement on the swing arm? is it a direct link with the rear shock (such as the XChallenge/ KTM pds system), or does it have a a linkage system?

How about letting the dust settle, and then maybe suggesting a day or 2 at a trials school?

All the benefits for practising precise bike control on manageable bikes with no cars to contend with- and you don't have far to put a foot down if it doesn't feel right.

And it could be something you could do together , and have a right giggle with

hth

nathan

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Sounds like selling it right now might be false economy chris. what i the arrangement on the swing arm? is it a direct link with the rear shock (such as the XChallenge/ KTM pds system), or does it have a a linkage system?

How about letting the dust settle, and then maybe suggesting a day or 2 at a trials school?

All the benefits for practising precise bike control on manageable bikes with no cars to contend with- and you don't have far to put a foot down if it doesn't feel right.

And it could be something you could do together , and have a right giggle with

hth

nathan

Agree with Nathan, start her off on a 125cc, not a blooming 650cc........far too intimidating in terms of power,size and weight

 

[mikeyboy]

when my wife passed her test a couple of years ago we bought a gs650 twin,unfortunately after a couple of slow speed spills we had all of the same problems you are having,so we bit the bullet and sold the bike and replaced it with a 225 serow,its taken quite a while but now clare is starting to enjoy riding again,its very easy to try to run before learning to walk,take a step back and most importantly dont put the lady under any pressure,i hope she manages to beat the gremlins in her head and starts to ride again

 

[(RIP) petcul]

Wrong forum for agony Aunts

But most ladies can only ride if they really want to for themselves and not because they think they should for any other reason.

Too big, too early can be a complaint some girls do have

What he says but it's not necessarily a gender thing.

I remember when I decided I was going to buy a bike and get a licence or maybe the other way around it took me two attempts to get my CBT. I was terrified and that was in a school playground. I can't say the teachers were the best but I knew I wasn't ready for the test and instead of following my own judgement I caved in. And yes, failed

The second test was a breeze because I felt right about it

I then upped to a Moto Guzzi Nevada (Do not ask why) and it felt like a tank - it behaved like one as well. So it was back to learning control. On to an R850R and again learning control.

The best thing I ever did was to join the IAM and take their observed riders course. I should have done it earlier. I'd recommend it to anyone.

So, Tim's right and after that there will be the ups and downs.

Good luck

 

[sk8mutie]

Well, cutting a long story short, I opted for the false economy...and I/we believe it was the best option.

I owed £5000 on finance and to save the hassle of having people looking at it and both of us feeling awful about letting it go/spending so much on it and losing out, Bahnstormer very kindly took it back the next day and have sold it already...funny old thing!!

So apart from the deposit and the 5 monthly payments of £99, I have had to fork out no more money. The sheer fact that it was in the garage put pressure on Lisa to feel she needed to do her test. That pressure has been removed and she she says she still sees us doing a bike trip in the future where she will be riding her own bike...but that will all be done in good time.

The 125 is definitely the way to go, and when she wants a bike, she will be the one buying it...although I feel it may be a bloody Harley!!!!!

Regardless, it she hadn't have had the baby GS, i wouldn't have bought one of the ORS 1200's that Bahnstormer had...and I am truly happy for that chance as it's a bike that has been down/abused/repaired etc etc and suits me down to the ground...I absolutley love it...so getting the baby G was a stepping stone to putting a big smile on my face....and Lisa absolutley loves being on the back of that still.....