'09 F650GS twin

Is Paul Happy or what

That looks great on you Paul. I am waiting for my silver, lowered, no abs to be delivered in the next few weeks.
Oh, on another subject while I am posting. I noticed in your article in the recent ON that you talked about applying sun screen to your face. You mentioned childrens type. I had a harrowing experience a few years ago. I had put sunscreen on my face and had been riding on the interstate for about two hours in the heat. I noticed that my eyes started watering, and then my vision got blurry. I pulled off at the next exit and pulled immediately into a texaco station. By then I was completely blind. I killed the bike with the kill switch, got the side stand down, took off my helmut and sat there . I could barely make out that someone was walking past me. I asked for help. They helped me off the bike and got me some water to wash out my eyes. in about 5 minutes I could see again. The only thing that I have been able to determined that could cause it was the heat in the helmut combined with the sun screen. I was luck. I do not put sun screen above my eyes now and have never had the problem again. I enjoyed your article and wonder if the Childrens sun screen make the difference.

Bruce

got an F650

I just took delivery of an F650 twin for my wife last Thursday Aug 28. I rode it home for her because she was intimidated by a taller bike (she's only ridden cruisers). I enjoyed the ride so much, I'm probably going to sell my 07R1200RT. The f650 has plenty of power, even if detuned, and shifts much smoother than the RTs and the ST I've owned, not to mention how light and flickable the bike is.

After riding it this weekend, my wife says it is the perfect bike for her, as I expected it to be. Too bad they're going to be difficult to buy for a while because the dealers I've spoken to in Colorado have commitments for all the F650s they'll be receiving for the foreseeable future.

If you really want one and want to travel Gina's in Iowa City Iowa has one for sale and I noticed that Cleveland Ohio had a couple on their website for sale. My wife has one on order and she is getting a blue one suppose to be here in the next few weeks.

pairowheels said:

After riding it this weekend, my wife says it is the perfect bike for her, as I expected it to be. Too bad they're going to be difficult to buy for a while because the dealers I've spoken to in Colorado have commitments for all the F650s they'll be receiving for the foreseeable future.

Click to expand...

From personal experience let me recommend that you CALL AROUND to other dealers you would be willing to do business with ....

The "allocation scheme" for these bikes is pretty screwy. I can't explain it as I don't know how the dealer network actually "works" other than "bigger is better" ... but some dealers have multiple units sitting on the floor, or in transit to them that are UNCLAIMED, while other dealers have a waiting list.

Frankly, from what I can see it does not seem fair to the smaller dealers, but then ... how often do thinks work better for the "little guy"?

I'll shut up now...

Method of distribution


Method of distribution

I was at Bloodworth's BMW in Nashville last Thursday. They had 2 F650GS's on the floor and one F800GS outside in the parking lot, all with "sold" signs on them. The salesman told me they had sold 6 of them (3 of each) already.

I'm still hoping for a Roadster version. Hopefully in mystic red. I think I would prefer the trellis frame of the GS, mainly just because I was really impressed with the expandable bags they had on one of the 650's. I would prefer belt drive, but he chain would not be a deal breaker for me.

As for the seat, I came to the realization that I would probably replace any OEM seat (and windshield) anyway, so I don't care if they bolt on a 2x4 as long as it's black.

I sat on a low seat F650GS at the dealership last week. I think the seat is the worst thing about this bike. It was very narrow at the front which was nice for reaching the ground (both feet! amazing!) but way too narrow at the back. What surprised me though was the skin on the seat wasn't all the way taut, and the stuff underneath - ! - rock hard! Not at all comfy.

It was full bagged with the new expandable bags (adventure type). They're very nice, but with that seat you won't be going more than 100 miles so what's the point of baggage?

I'm probably going to get the Wee-Strom, if I get another bike.

Rode mine about 300 miles Sunday. The machine does 70mph turn 4K on tach. Redline is another 4K away.

Transmission is smooth - very smooth
Light weight and very "flickable"
Expandable cases hold a lot although tend to get in way when mounting bike. Maybe have to learn a new style of kick starting.

Three items in negative column

• seat is like a brick
• windshield was developed to create aftermarket sales
• brake fluid reservoir seems like an afterthought

But chain drive will be sturdy and eliminate and FD problems
Tubeless tires. Tubes on F800 seem a technological step backward. That alone makes the F650 much preferable.


Will take awhile to figure out all the information provided by info button.

PAULBACH said:

Three items in negative column
seat is like a brick
windshield was developed to create aftermarket sales
brake fluid reservoir seems like an afterthought

Click to expand...

Paul:

I've had mine 1 week...

"They" say the seat does break in over the first 500 - 1000 miles.. stay tuned


Indeed windshield is short ... many options are discussed on F800riders.org


I am REALLY scratching my head on the front brake (aka bobble-head-urine-sample) reservoir.... This has also been discussed on the F800 forum...

Looking at the design of the R1200GS it would appear that this reservoir could be mounted on the F650/800GS. the design of the R1200GS uses the same master cylinder but a "directly" mounted reservoir. I'm going to ask the tech. about this when I go in for my 600 mile service. I don't know if this would be OK to do or not...

Another option is the TouraTech cover which masks the thing a bit and also keeps it from bobbling around so much...

Jim

You are right


Front brake reservoir does look a lot like a urine sample.

First accessory I will add will be fuse panel so there will only be one extra set of wires off battery.

PAULBACH said:

Front brake reservoir does look a lot like a urine sample.

Click to expand...

I did this, $55 worth of parts and it's perfect. Last two minuscule screws are a little trying of skill, though. Read here:

http://f800riders.org/HoW/showentry.php?e=22&catid=2

If anyone wants to unload their standard seat, PM me.

Fred

Tweety1 said:

I did this, $55 worth of parts and it's perfect. Last two minuscule screws are a little trying of skill, though. Read here:

http://f800riders.org/HoW/showentry.php?e=22&catid=2

Click to expand...

Very nice, somehow I missed this article on the F800 site....

One thing bothers me...
The R1200G reservoir was designed prior to the F650/F800GS.
To me it seems like that is a fine design, and no one complains about how it looks or functions on the 1200... but yet....

Apparently ??? some BMW Engineer says:

"Nien, that !@#$#%@% will not work on the 650/800 we must have a new design because .... <speaker trails of indistinctly.....>"


What the heck WERE they thinking, and more importantly ... do we care?????

Jim

JimBob59 - thank you!
OK good procedure - looks like a plan.

Has anyone installed a Scott Oiler on one of the BMW chain bikes? Are the worth the effort/cost?

jimbob59 said:

Very nice, somehow I missed this article on the F800 site....

One thing bothers me...
The R1200G reservoir was designed prior to the F650/F800GS.
To me it seems like that is a fine design, and no one complains about how it looks or functions on the 1200... but yet....

Apparently ??? some BMW Engineer says:

"Nien, that !@#$#%@% will not work on the 650/800 we must have a new design because .... <speaker trails of indistinctly.....>"


What the heck WERE they thinking, and more importantly ... do we care?????

Jim

Click to expand...

When I called Bob's BMW for the parts, the reservoir part # had been superseded by a newer K-bike one. That's what I got.

Tweety1 said:

When I called Bob's BMW for the parts, the reservoir part # had been superseded by a newer K-bike one. That's what I got.

Click to expand...

Hmmmm does it LOOK any different?

Thanks,
Jim

jimbob59 said:

Hmmmm does it LOOK any different?

Thanks,
Jim

Click to expand...

Just slightly in the reservoir contouring, and the cap configuration.

I finally get to ride my new F650gs! Mine wouldn't idle at all when I brought it home from the dealership 320 miles away. I had to return it this weekend and have them find the problem (Vacuum tube). Now it runs like a champ! It was very frustrating being that this is my 1st BMW but I still love this bike, even with less than 100 miles.

Jack Daniels...have you ever lived in Wisconsin?

A friend of mine had a brother who went by "Jack Daniels" and was wondering.

Did you go to the dealer in SD?

Enjoy the bike...

Nope... Lived in Montana all my life. Its amazing how many Jack Daniels' there really are.

I bought mine at Big Sky BMW in Missoula, MT