• Welcome, Guest! We hope you enjoy the excellent technical knowledge, event information and discussions that the BMW MOA forum provides. Some forum content will be hidden from you if you remain logged out. If you want to view all content, please click the 'Log in' button above and enter your BMW MOA username and password.

    If you are not an MOA member, why not take the time to join the club, so you can enjoy posting on the forum, the BMW Owners News magazine, and all of the discounts and benefits the BMW MOA offers?

F 650 Twin for girlfriend.

Adventurer22

Adventurer
OK, here goes. This is the SHORT version of what's been going on and would like to run it by this BMWMOA forum as the LAST source of input.

Just finished teaching my girlfriend (61 year old women,,but they love the word girlfriend at times) the basics of riding via MSF Basic Rider course. She's got about 1500 miles on a Rebel 250 and will be taking the DMV test Tuesday. She is more than proficient in the four skill areas tested in MSF test (state DMV test are a tad easier though the four skills are usually tested also), so the license test is not the question but offered as a backdrop.

It's all but a done deal that she will be getting a F 650 GS twin, either a 2011 demo with 2700 miles or a 2012. Just working the numbers from the dealer and how best to counter and sweeten the deal for us (out of the box lose something on the '11 warrantly). Both are the low suspension version, as these models are the only one's that allow for both feet to be planted flat...plus she loves the bike. In all probability she will never be "off road" per se, but I can see hard packed/fire roads etc. as a real possibility. I ride a '04 GS.

Would love comments on this bike, particularly from any female riders.

That's it.
 
Fire roads count as off-road experience! :groovy

I had a 650 single and love it. I kick myself regularly for selling it. It sounds like your gal has a great foundation and she will be happy with the bike selection. I look forward to seeing her on the road someday!
 
My wife has both a F650GS single and the twin. She's been all over Alaska on the single including Deadhorse and every other notable dirt road in the state. We bought the twin to be her highway bike and she loves it. She can and has cruised all day at 75-80 MPH on a slab and it is a great bike for twisty roads as well. She's put about 14,000 miles on it so far this summer. She did not buy it with the intention of taking it off pavement, but she did ride the Top of World Highway (Alaska to the Yukon) earlier this summer and it did well. A great bike with an even greater motor.
 
Could be I was a tad unclear on my original post. 90% of her riding will most definitely be on the blacktop, let's just forget about any "off road" riding of any type for now. Having said that I guess I'm soliciting comments on positive experiences with this bike for her, in that this will be her first bike (actually her second in that she is coming off a Rebel 250 which she learned on and now needs to move up) the goal is to become active rider's and do a fair amount of touring together on the bikes and participating as much as we can with the BMW community/events. Hope this helps for those who wish to respond.
 
My comments above were mostly about the twin on pavement, but just to be certain.... it is a very capable and enjoyable road bike.... all kinds of roads.
 
Love my F650

I am a 65 year old female on my second F650GS twin. I had an 09 and now a 2012. Love them both. I had over 55,000 on the first and 6,000 already on the new one. Perfect bike for me at 5'3". Love how it handles on the interstates, twisties, and commuting around town. I have taken long trips (4,500 miles) no problems at all. I think she will be very happy with it.
 
I thought he was asking if we thought he could get a 650 in exchange for his girlfriend. :)



QUOTE=ClassicVW;809148]I thought this was going to be a chat about trade-in values! :dunno[/QUOTE]
 
61K on my twin now. Love the bike. It's lowered with low seat. Have had many problems but mine was one of the first off the line in '09. She will like it I'm sure. Check out the forum posts for warranty and other issues. Marina
 
it's a great bike just not the most comfortable for all pavement riding. Make sure you find her a better seat than stock if you go this route....we own 2 and have taken them everywhere....it's a good bike for your "GF" but remember get a new seat.
 
2 girls:)

Both my Daughters started on F650s:). Came out very well and one now looking at new F700, the other GS1200 or F800GS. One Paramedic, my youngest, shopping F700GSs.... The elder Daughter, a Navy F/A18 Driver and I figure she can probably ride anything she chooses!:usa Best wishes with your choice:),Randy
 
GF sounds like my story. I rode a 250 for 2,000 miles, upgraded to a 2010 F650GS and put 20,000 miles on it in 2 years. I added crash bars, hand protectors, taller windscreen, pivot pegz, and recently a heated Sargent seat (awesome for night commute). Oh....and highway pegs on the crash bars. I love, love, this bike and ride it everywhere. Commute on highways, long canyon rides, and tour for hundreds of miles a day. It is perfect for a beginner rider: well balanced, a beginner can flat foot it on uneven pavement, can ride over and through anything, can handle wind guests, rain (I rode this bike home from work in a torrential downpour with 35 mph wind gusts). I cannot recommend it enough. I might be selling in mine at the end of February after I take it to Baja (just ordered an R1200R for a change of pace). I might keep it though! It's such an amazing machine.
 
Back
Top