BMW's new G650GS...

[Taz]

Kinda looks like the old F650GS to me ..........

http://www.motorcycle.com/manufactur...iew-87721.html

[Eddieb]

Kinda looks like the old F650GS to me ..........

http://www.motorcycle.com/manufactur...iew-87721.html

The way I read it it is the old F650, but with 3 more hp and made in China.

[Taz]

Exakery (motor made in China) and you get heated grips and ABS at no extra cost......

[Paladin]

But lower seat height for the inseam-challenged riders like me!

[Taz]

But lower seat height for the inseam-challenged riders like me!

Maybe be lower but twice as wide as the DR so not really all that helpful.

[Paladin]

Maybe be lower but twice as wide as the DR so not really all that helpful.

Same old story tho isn't it - all depends what you want to do with the bike and how good/experienced a rider you are! The usual horses for courses or horses for riders scenario!

If i had better skills for offroadin and/or wanted somethin that would do more long distance in a more comfortable way, I'd be interested in one(if I can ever damn well afford one LOL!)! Well except for the "Made In China" label - yuk! I don't buy the "it'll be same quality as one made in Germany" propaganda for one second!

[Taz]

Same old story tho isn't it - all depends what you want to do with the bike and how good/experienced a rider you are! The usual horses for courses or horses for riders scenario!

If i had better skills for offroadin and/or wanted somethin that would do more long distance in a more comfortable way, I'd be interested in one(if I can ever damn well afford one LOL!)! Well except for the "Made In China" label - yuk! I don't buy the "it'll be same quality as one made in Germany" propaganda for one second!

The original F650 motor was made in Italy.....

[Paladin]

The original F650 motor was made in Italy.....

Grrrrrrr!

You know what I meant! NOT china!

[xwhatsit]

The original F650 motor was made in Italy.....

Hmm... I think I'll take the Chinese motor over the Italian motor

[Taz]

Hmm... I think I'll take the Chinese motor over the Italian motor

That's what I was thinking. The Xchallenge and G450 seem to be doing ok with the Chinese engines.

[Pampera]

The original F650 motor was made in Italy.....

Actually the F650 motor was a Rotax and always made in Austria. The rest of the pre fuel injected F650 was manufactured in Italy by Aprilia as one half of the shared "platform" Pegaso/GS joint venture. The fuel injected models (2000 on) were made in Germany by BMW. G motors come from Taiwan which has to be a better bet than PRC, but this is not saying much.

I am with Dave. I have been happy with two Dakar's over 8 years but I would not pay a premium BMW price when such a core part has such poor provenance.

GS Model has apparently come back because the current G range has not been a sales success, particularly in US market.
Regards,
Michael

[Paladin]

Actually the F650 motor was a Rotax and always made in Austria. The rest of the pre fuel injected F650 was manufactured in Italy by Aprilia as one half of the shared "platform" Pegaso/GS joint venture. The fuel injected models (2000 on) were made in Germany by BMW. G motors come from Taiwan which has to be a better bet than PRC, but this is not saying much.

I am with Dave. I have been happy with two Dakar's over 8 years but I would not pay a premium BMW price when such a core part has such poor provenance.

GS Model has apparently come back because the current G range has not been a sales success, particularly in US market.
Regards,
Michael

And don't even get me started on globalization & offshoring and big corporations &.... &....&....... grrrrr!

[Taz]

Bloody hell before we know it they'll be making transalps in spain!!

[cooneyr]

....
GS Model has apparently come back because the current G range has not been a sales success, particularly in US market.....

Don't you mean F range?

G650GS and F650GS sounds like confusion for the masses to me. They should never have made the new F650GS twin. The lack of TDM900 market would have been a good indicator for that I would have though. Then again wee-stroms sell ok in the US.

Cheers R

[Pampera]

Don't you mean F range?

G650GS and F650GS sounds like confusion for the masses to me. They should never have made the new F650GS twin. The lack of TDM900 market would have been a good indicator for that I would have though. Then again wee-stroms sell ok in the US.

Cheers R

No, it is the G range 650 singles that have been a flop, the ones that "replaced" the Rotax single F650GS and F650GS Dakar two years ago. 650 whatevers, G650 XCountry, XMoto and XChallenge. They have not sold well in NZ either so you may never have seen one, although I have seen three XCountry's on an organised ride.

The re-released (Chinese powered) F650GS single IS actually a G650GS! The twin has taken over the "F" designation and singles use "G" now. Still not going to buy one!
Michael