First Impression

01 BMW F 650 GS discussion forum:


First Impression

First Impression 
JCBII said 2003-08-16 08:47 
 
I recently purchased my F650GS used from a local BMW dealer. It had approx. 2000miles on it when I took it off the dealer´s lot. Since then I have put 400miles on it, which have been primarily for commuting to/from work on surface streets. I have, however, had the chance to take it out on the freeway a few times. I thought about waiting a while before posting here, but figured I could always post a follow-up comment after a few more miles have been put on this bike (especially after I get the chance to take it on a few tours).

Likes: Looks - Obviously, I wouldn´t have purchased this bike if it didn´t look so nice. The overall appearance is stunning, in my opinion. Curves are in all the right places. Power - For a dual purpose (Called "Enduro" in my days) bike, the power is surprising. I´ve never ridden this type of bike at speeds around 80mph without any worries. It really seems to come alive at around 4000rpm, which I consider to be the sweet spot for this motorcycle. 80mph will require 5000rpm, though, but doesn´t seem to bother the engine one bit. I guess the dealer was right when he told me that this bike can be ridden cross country. Fairing and Instrumentation - Fairing really works at keeping most of the wind off of me. Some buffeting on my helmet, which I already had expected. Instrumentation is easy to read, even with direct sunlight on it. Gas cap - Love this! Cool looking, and very functional location just under passenger portion of the seat. Filling up was never so fun!

Dislikes: Primarily, the seat. Damn thing slopes towards the tank (The fake one, of course) and has me sliding into it all the time. I have adjusted to it for some reason and seem to be able to resist the forward slide a little more than when I first bought the BMW. I´m considering replacing it with a Corbin seat, but I would really like to know if they have adequately addressed this problem before I shell out $300 for one. Low-end power - Not much torque under 3000rpm. This really makes lane-splitting a problem for me. Cars get the jump on me until I can get the rpm up enough to catch up to, and pass them. As a result, I have avoided lane splitting while commuting, and just hang back in my lane. Winds at high speed - Although I would actually have to rate this bike favorably when considering that it is a dual-purpose bike, it can be significantly affected by winds when traveling at speeds greater than 60mph. I guess that should be expected considering that it only weighs around 400lbs. While in traffic on the highway, I was pushed about by wind turbulence from other cars. Disconcerting at first, but I am getting used to it. Also, crosswinds can push you from one side of the lane to another if you are not quick enough to react. Let´s face it; it´s just not a heavy street cruiser (or even a medium weight one, for that matter). No fuel gauge - There is an idiot light that comes on when you have a little over a gallon of gas left. But for the price you pay for one of these machines, you would have expected an actual fuel gauge.

Actual problems: Sometimes, I am unable to pop the tranny into neutral when sitting at a light. When this occurs, I just keep the clutch lever pulled in until I get the green light. By the time I get to the next red light, I am able to put it in neutral. For some reason, this just isn´t that big of deal to me.

What could BMW do to improve the F650GS? Well, for me, the bike would be about perfect if it had a fuel gauge, a better designed seat, and more low-end power. Otherwise, this bike is a winner in my book.

JCBII 
 
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