650 motor advice

My quick thoughts are the xCountry is about 40kg lighter than the 650GS and the engine is 52PS where the GS was 48PS. This makes it a bike with lively performance. It does however have a small tank, only 9L, and this needs some management if you want to travel long distances.

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30kg lighter, smaller tank @ 9 litre, upside down forks, softer ride. My daughter finds it much more manageable than her previous GS 650. Ok knocking about but on a long trip 2,000 miles+ it had the only seat that has ever beaten me and I'm used to sitting on a razor blade push bike saddle! Otherwise a great little bike especially down twisty lanes.
 
46 on the road and 29 on SORN (including mine), according to this.... https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/vehicle/bmw_g_650_x_country

There's one for sale on Shetland and he's happy to get it down to Aberdeen. https://www.facebook.com/groups/178...9736925254&reply_comment_id=10164880199385254

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/2731607830436958/

A friend of mine who lives on Mainland knows the bike and says it is a good one. I have two already and can't justify a third! They are destined to become one of those sought after classics, especially as the numbers keep falling. Last time I looked there were 72 still on the register, out of the original 117 registered.

I manage 500 mile days to get to work on mine happily. 250 there, do the job, 250 back - I tend to stay off the motorway and enjoy the ride. You see more countryside and it just means I arrived relaxed and happy, rather than fraught from heavy traffic and concentration. I just leave 30 minutes earlier! I have put a 16 tooth gearbox sprocket on, it pulls quite happily at 44mph in top, I tend to be frugal rather than a hooner, so 160 miles range, loaded, is about average. That uses about 8.5 litres, I don't like to get down to the dregs. A small fuel can could be carried for emergency, but truth is, in this country, you should be within range of fuel unless really out in the wilds of Scotland, in which fuel management becomes part of the planning and you fill up when the opportunity presents itself. It doesn't detract from the enjoyment. X-Tanks are expensive, there is a plastic alternative in the Rotopax - rig it exactly the same, with the hose going to the main tank breather. Or just stop for 2 minutes and decant the fuel through the filler cap. It isn't that onerous, have a coffee and Kipling cake at the same time and soak in the view.

One alteration I would recommend is to get rid of the catalyser. It will burn your waterproofs! The standard exhaust weighs a tonne, gets extremely (uncomfortably extremely) hot very quickly, especially if sat waiting for a junction. Some people go down the Akropovic route with the oversized header pipe and everything... I just stuck a stainless Scorpion end can and link pipe on. Saved about 4kgs, pulls stronger at the bottom end (I know by the speed she will pull in top on the flat, it is now a good 3mph lower, not scientific, but real world riding difference) probably lost a bit of top end, but as I have never been over 75mph on her, that doesn't bother me. I don't want to go any faster, you can't look at the views or wildlife if you go fast, you have to look at the road and other traffic - boring!
 
Yep :thumb up for a scorpion end can, reasonably priced, not to loud, and adds a bit of performance. Happy days.
 
If its the same Scorpion that fits the X Challenge, then I think I have one in my garage loft (loft sounds posh but its really just a dumping ground of miscellaneous motorbike stuff that I’ve failed miserably to do anything with - other but hoard.)
 
If its the same Scorpion that fits the X Challenge, then I think I have one in my garage loft (loft sounds posh but its really just a dumping ground of miscellaneous motorbike stuff that I’ve failed miserably to do anything with - other but hoard.)

That will find a willing home I am sure. Challenge, Moto and Country are all the same bar 'cosmetics' (yes, I count wheels and suspenders as cosmetics!)
 


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