Opinions please?

[Ulsterkiwi]

Hi
After trashing my F650ST I am working on getting another bike. Pretty sure I am on to the right one with another ST.

However just wanted to consider my options fully and saw this bike which has 10000 more kms on the clock but is 3 years younger.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=639412194

has anyone any experience with these?

I appreciate this is a street orientated bike but most of my riding is Kapiti Wellington commute and the occassional ride out. I do not envisage adventure riding in my future!

Cheers

[nzspokes]

Well it has storage room for ya handbag......

[Ulsterkiwi]

Well it has storage room for ya handbag......

you obviously haven't seen my handbag

hmmm perhaps I should have said "useful opinions please" :innocent:

[Skiwi]

Just remember, opinions are like arseholes:moon:, everyone has one.

And on KB, most are worth exactly what you pay for them :lol:

[nerrrd]

Proud (?) owner of one of these myself, here's a few observations from my experience (mine's coming up to 40,000kms, 34,000 done by me.)

Don't diss the helmet/handbag holder, I have a givi 30L drybag which fits in there a treat secured with a couple of rok straps - really convenient for commuting, and I have a padlock which fits through holes in the luggage rails and the D ring so i can leave the helmet on the bike when I take the bag with me.

Handling-wise it's never put a foot wrong for me, very stable and predictable. Engine though is fuel-injected and can be a bit rough at times, some have an inexplicable stalling issue which comes and goes (mine does), many opinions on causes/solutions to this on the web. Gremlin calls it a tractor - agricultural is a good way to describe it, good economy though.

Only cautionary note I would say is that parts/maintenance can be expensive. Single sided swing arm can be complicated to work on; belt is great from a maintenance point of view, but expensive to replace if you have to, mine has a hole in it so will need replacing at some stage but so far I've gotten away with leaving it.

[Road kill]

I see quite a few of them out my way,usually in pairs and often more.

I've always figured they were hire bikes because the people riding them are really good at holding up traffic and seldom seem to know where the hell their going.

Stopped for one girl riding one that had been left behind by her so called mates an she just about shit when I took my helmet off.

Anyway once I convinced her I wasn't the local axe murderer she told me she was hoping to do the loop back to AK,,,,,from Awhitu.

Some times I wish I was a map salesman.:laugh:

[Ransom]

Yep i have one too - great bikes for nz roads

you need to look here ...

http://f650cs.wikidot.com/

and the black belt gang forums of f650.com or f650.uk
they have a few of the std f650 issues all can be fixed or never appear on some bikes
yes get the warranty recalls checked - rear hub - belt pulleys front and rear and a coupla other ones
47k is time for a belt sooner or later and they are 500 odd nzd just the belt pulleys may need done too
I paid more for mine with 65k ish on the clock but full service history and it runs sweet no efi issues

that one looks ok but has the huge ugly handbag holder option
The efi 650 bikes have a competely different starting procedure than the carb models = key on wait for self test dash lights and then No throttle push starter button and hold for at least 2 seconds after the engine fires
The efi selftests and sets idle during this time so not following can make them run terrible
Oh and they like new batterys - even if it looks new just buy it a new one - a sealed one

they are lower than the ST how tall are you?

Anything else you wanna know just ask i researched for quite a while before i bought one

[Gremlin]

How tall are you?

I've ridden a couple of them a few times as loaners when my bike was in the shop. At 6'3, I found them cramped and not too comfortable. That said, if you've had something similar, then it will likely suit you?

[Ransom]

yes they are low so the shorter you are the better if will feel
Im 6 foot 1 and its ok for long distance but i have modded the seat and pegs for a little more room

Hey gremlin - was that a black loaner 650CS from experience bmw in auck?

[Gremlin]

Hey gremlin - was that a black loaner 650CS from experience bmw in auck?
Yup, black and a blue. The blue was sold to someone and since been crashed unfortunately.

On the bright side, I had a 2013 F800GT with 660km on the clock as a loaner a week or two ago :2thumbsup

[Ransom]

nice the black one is now mine
i took the slippery rubbers off the footpegs for a tiny bit more legroom and removed foam from the lump on the seat did 500km over the last weekend fairly comfortably

already looking at an F800 belt drive model sometime way way in the future when i get to full licence

[nerrrd]

Also modded the seat on mine for extra height, bigger windscreen as well made long distances more comfortable for me.

[Gremlin]

already looking at an F800 belt drive model sometime way way in the future when i get to full licence
ahah, cheers, now they will have to be more inventive for loaners. A guy had "borrowed" the demo plate off the GT to get a K1300S from a BMW warehouse, but unfortunately my offer just to take that since the plate was already attached... was declined :oi-grr:

The F650CS is a good LAMS choice, friendly for a learner to start and you won't be too bored like under the 250 rules, by the time you hit full licence.

Don't worry about expensive parts... the newer BMWs cost even more :eek5:

[Mental Trousers]

Just remember, opinions are like arseholes:moon:, everyone has one.


everyone has one
most should keep theirs to themselves

[Ransom]

The F650CS is a good LAMS choice, friendly for a learner to start and you won't be too bored like under the 250 rules, by the time you hit full licence.

compared to what i started my learning on years ago its a rocket ship
if i lived in a city the clunky gearbox would get tedious pretty quickly in traffic
but for open road commute or twisties or longer rides its very fun and very good on fuel
I avoided going legal and returning to motorcycles til the lams laws hit - most sensible thing thats happened in this country for years

[nerrrd]

Here's mine; wasn't a LAMS bike when I bought it.

There are quite a few around, on the blue september ride I arrived at the same time as another CS which parked up next to me - that one had a full givi luggage and pannier set on it.


nice the black one is now mine.

Hey I've ridden your bike too!



most should keep theirs to themselves


Only most??? :crazy:

[Ulsterkiwi]

cheers guys all (or mostly all:rolleyes:) useful input :niceone::niceone:

Height of the bike is a concern. I am a bit over 6'4" and not skinny. Motomart are my local BMW dealers and the service guy there said it was a lower bike than the other F650 models. On the ST I am just about right and I just sat on a '05 GS as well which was pretty good but I wouldnt want to be much more squeezed. Have tried or sat on quite a few bikes now and the dual purpose model def suits my size but being a scarver I guess they went down a different road with this model.

I guess you dont know until you try but this is in Jaffaland and I am all the way down in Wgtn probably not worth the trip to find out :(

thank you again, great source of info!

[Ransom]

happy to help at 6 foot 4 you would be like a clown on a circus bike = not good
Also the rear shock is not adjustable not even spring preload and my 85kg is too much for it
they really went all out for low on the cs
sounds like GS with high dakar seat and bar risers and street tyres would be just right for you