X Challenge 650 owners, how a have you found it?

Timpo

Timpo

North Wales TRF
UKGSer Subscriber
Joined
Apr 18, 2006
Messages
7,141
Reaction score
1
Location
Cheshire, England.
Hi Folks, and to X Challenge owners I ask, how have you found your bike so far?
Have you used it in the dirt much?
Any problems?
Any information will be gratefully recieved.

Thanks.
Timpo.
 
A few random thoughts (bearing in mind I’ve only had it 19 days and done 600 miles, based around two long off-road days)

1. I love it. I love the looks of it and the fact there’s not many about.
2. I have to do at least 50 miles on tarmac to get to our favoured Welsh tracks and it’s ideal for this as it’s a genuine dual purpose bike. I didn’t want a full-on off-roader
3. Usual long-service intervals and good warranty are reassuring. It’s a slightly tweaked Rotax F650 engine, so well proven.
4. It’s tall, getting on board needs practise. I’m 5ft 11.
5. 60 - 65mpg so far.
6. Will hit 100mph, gets to 80 with no problems and has enough zip to get you away from most cars
7. Very easy to steer both on an off dirt, despite 21 inch wheel. I find it relatively easy to balance and can dab a foot down when it’s get hairy (despite the height)
8. Needs trial and error to get the right trade-off between ride height and performance when inflating the rear suspension. I also dropped the front 10mm through the forks to help this.
9. At it’s best on undulating whoopees, it just floats and feels great
10. Easy enough for me to pick up when I drop it, and I have, 3 times on the first day out (the day after I bought it, no guards fitted -> result, broken lever and mirror but other wise no damage). These first day falls (by a novice w.r.t. a bike of this type and size) came about from it stalling a bit too easily. Other riders commented on this too. A smaller front sprocket should help this, though it’s not been tried off-road yet.
11. With a smaller tail-piece fitted it looks pretty sexy.
12. It needs a rack or bars of some sort at the back or else there’s nothing to grab hold of when pushing, lifting etc.
13. Problems - the forks are squeaking when they hit a bump and it's slow to register neutral sometimes (it gets there but a 3 second delay till the green light comes on leads to confusion). Both to be addressed at the first service.
14. The bike would be insanely tall if you tried to get the spirit level horizontal as BMW suggest. I’m a fairly tame rider so I’m not fussed about it
15. Gary Holloway and Robbie C have both ridden it and were very positive.

I’m very pleased with it so far. It’ll hopefully let me live a bit longer compared to a 100bhp road bike.
 
Picked mine up on the 1st Sept.
So far Ive fitted a chain guide, rear disk protector and a small rack. Removed the rear mudguard extension, removed the indicators and fitted a bendy number plate. Ive lowered the front forks by several mms. Just bought an expandable fender bag from ebay- which I catch with my boot when putting my leg over! Im 5'11" and its still high (much like a Maico I used to own). Did a full days riding last week through Strata Florida, Clarwen to Rhayader no issues to date though as mentioned on the site my neutral light takes a few seconds to illuminate. Still got the standard Saharas on, Ill fit TKCs after the first service @ Bath rd. Hand protectors - seem to be some debates about fitting to the tapered bars, all the ones Ive looked at seem very expensive. On the list.... tyres, remove side stand sw.
I suggest you look on Adv rider and the chain gang for further info and prep tips. Lots of our friends across the pond seem to use them for compitition - if I wanted to compete Id either wait for the forthcoming 450 or go for something orange! So far Ive no regrets, a great trail bike, though a bit on the heavy side.
 
Wow!

It just makes you want to get out there and ride....:clap
 
If Timpo gets one of these, we won't see him for dust. :(
Gonna have to get me a secret weapon for the next event :green gri
Mark
 
In theory there is a 20mm lower seat from BMW but you actually have to buy it as an extra seat rather than get it as an option when new. At least that's what my dealer old me but then he could have just been taking the piss.

There's a US company, Renazco, that will do a lower and wider seat. Info is in the XCh thread on AdvRider.
I'm 13 and a half stone with 31 inch inside leg and running the rear shock at 5.8 bar with a standard seat is fine as long as you concentrate.
 
rear shock wear!

Picked it up on Adv rider. A number of US bikes have experienced the rear shock rubbing against the protective mud flap. This will lead to wear on the shock itself. Pulled my mudflap off and also found I had signs of wear! (after only 600mls). Reported it to my dealer, awaiting reply. The simple short term fix is to spaceout the mudflap to give greater clearance. If youve got an XC check it out!
 
Gaz said:
..............I'm 13 and a half stone with 31 inch inside leg and running the rear shock at 5.8 bar with a standard seat is fine as long as you concentrate.
Click to expand...
I always thought I suffered from lack of ability but I'll put it down to poor concentration in future, sounds much better.
Thanks for your reply Gaz.
 
Too much for what I want....

OK, I'm getting a positive vibe about the bike (apart from the wind filled rear suspension), but I think it will be too much for the technical trails that I find myself on. If the 450 is coming soon, my DRZ will keep me in the mud until then.
If I was just looking to do metalled roads then I'd go for it. And, it is a great looking machine, especially the new thread showing a Touratech machine.:thumb2

We'll see what the bike show at NEC has to offer................


Timpo.
 
Rode one at the BMW offroad school and was reasonably impressed. Rode one at the Bahnstormer test day and was very impressed. Rode a KTM 250 EXC F and have been gobsmacked. Bought the latter.

Jeremy
 
Great link Grizz

Wow.......fantastic report from Gsgal. Thanks for posting that Grizz.

She takes great piccies and it brought back floods of great of memories as I rode almost all of the route she took. From kalispeel east into WA and then Astoria via Columbia Gorge / Cape Horn and Mount St Helens , Astoria and down the full length of the Oregon Coast.

Wish I was there now :(

I have sat on the Xchallenge and its TALL. Would love to have one to commute on and do the ocassional gravel trail but they are expensive. Cant help thinking a 1 yr old XT660 would represent better value.
 
Rushy said:
Wow.......fantastic report from Gsgal. Thanks for posting that Grizz.

She takes great piccies and it brought back floods of great of memories as I rode almost all of the route she took. From kalispeel east into WA and then Astoria via Columbia Gorge / Cape Horn and Mount St Helens , Astoria and down the full length of the Oregon Coast.

Wish I was there now :(
Click to expand...

GS Gal is also the better half of MikeO, who used to frequent these parts
 
JohnnyBoxer said:
GS Gal is also the better half of MikeO, who used to frequent these parts
Click to expand...

:thumb2 Yeah I remember him recuperating in Kalispell after his deer strike and another thread where they did a trip together to somewhere like Mexican Hat.

I also noticed she's picked up one of Mikes famous traits.........photographing lunch and dinner:D
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Timpo
X-Challenge 650 final drive gearing for green laning.
Replies
8
Views
2,957
Loz


Back
Top Bottom