Keep my 2013 G650GS, or swap it for 2005 R1200GS?

A bit about me. 44m, new to motorcycles. Hooked after buying bikes in Mongolia and crossing solo with my girlfriend, we each had our own bikes, 200cc chinese Shinerays Mustangs that were actually perfect, camping for 3 months, then doing the same for 5 months in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos (different styles of riding let me ya!)

Came back home and bought a pristine 2013 g650gs this fall with 13000km, now at 17000. I have the touratech luggages.
I can get my hands on a 2005 r1200gs with all the accessories (touratech luggages and the whole off road works, 33000km, in pristine condition, for roughly the same price I could sell my g650gs for.

I weigh 260lbs, and will likely ride double, and take the bike as short and long commuters (200-1500km... Yes you read right, my work commute takes me at the limits of the paved and unpaved roads of Quebec) for short and long distance work.... I am not a speed or Power hungry guy. I like fuel economy, but do take my gf for rides and frequent camping trips, sometimes overnight sometimes over weeks.

I also plan on shipping my bike overseas to do longer (months and more) trips....


So, in your opinion ....keep the 650 or swap it?

Thanks

JF

Depends on where you plan to do your world travelling. Some places are much more suitable for the smaller bike and where a big 1200 would be totally unmanageable.

My 2 cents.

Everywhere...

Seriously. Eventually mind you I am planning on getting 2 bikes.... 2 up for long distance travel...eeeeh...not really my thing. I was thinking another option would be to keep the thumper and eventually get a f800 for myself and have my better half use the g650gs.... I mean I love the r1200gs.... But it's a beast.

My other worry.... I know 33000km is nothing on a r1200gs. But swapping a 2013 for a 2004 kinda scares me....

Congrats on the exciting touring you've already done!

Regarding next bike, it really depends on how comfortable you are piloting a big 1200 GS in off road conditions. It appears you have a pretty good level of experience in dirt riding, but riding a 200 or a 650 is quite a bit different, especially when you're gaining about 200 pounds with a 1200 vs. the 650. You mention the F800, but bear in mind there's only about a 65 lb difference between it and the 1200 GS (although it feels lighter because the weight is carried lower), so you're giving up a lot of power for a small increase in weight. A 1200 GS is pretty hard to beat for eating up the miles, especially at your weight.

Bottom line...good off-road riders can take a 1200 GS just about anywhere, but you'll need to decide for yourself if your skills are developed enough to use the bike as you desire.

Only you can really answer this question.

But FWIW, I've always found and cherished smaller lighter bikes for off road/rough road and local commuting. So I recommend keeping the G650GS.

Getting a larger bike for two up touring is a good idea. The F800s are great bikes. the 1200GS just eats up the road but is heavier. ..

If you can afford it keep the G650GS....I think over time you will appreciate having it.

I have to admit loving the agility of the 650. Moreover the fuel economy..... Wow. And it's a simple bike. I like that a lot...

I can't really justify 2 bikes at the moment. I have until March to decide anyway. So far I haven't felt uncomfortable on the 650, nor underpowered.

So it might just be a keeper... Getting a second bike eventually might also be worth looking at the newer f650gs....

Options options options!

I have a 2004 1150R and it came with about 80-85hp (in 2004!). I would think the 2005GS had the same engine back then, so figure about the same hp as mine. How many hp does your 2013 g650 GS have (at least on paper)? About the same as the 2005 GS? I know you said you were not seeking "power", but you might be getting about the same horsepower for a heavier bike with older technology.

Also, in 2003 the engines had a surging issue which was partially fixed (mine still suffers a little bit from it) in 2004. Don't know if it was totally fixed by 2005. I would also ask if the 2005 model has plastic or metal fuel injector connectors. If plastic, you will want to replace with metal. The plastic ones are very delicate causing them to break very easily.

Just my $0.02 worth and of course ymmv. Good luck with your decision. Either way you will end up having a lot of fun.

Stuff

If in the middle of nowhere and your bike decides to take a nap will you be able to pickup larger bike?
I assume most of your riding on paved roads after you get used to the R1200 it will be hard to go back to a smaller bike.

To answer the hp question, we're in 2 different worlds..

The 2013 g650gs has :

50 hp at 6500 rpm and a maximum torque of 44 ft-lb at 5000 rpm. 386lbs.

The 2005 r1200gs...
98bhp @ 7000rpm
Torque 85ftlb @ 5500rp 495lbs.


Im a big strong guy mind you... But still...

Let me raise another issue, independent of 650 vs 1200 cc: if you do a lot of traveling in remote areas, a long way from BMW parts and service, you may not want a 2005 model. It's the first full year of the 1200 (I think a few early ones may have been sold as late 2004), which is in many ways a whole new bike--dual spark ignition, counter-balancer, revised shaft drive. BMW made a number of running changes around the middle of 2006, so some parts on the '05s (and my early '06) are not compatible with later Hexhead models. In addition, there are quirks like the final drive that lacks a drain plug and must be partially removed for fluid changes (BMW originally thought they could lube the drive "for life"; they quickly walked this back to every 20,000km) and the "whizzy" servo brakes, about which whole epics have been written. Some people love them, some hate them (I'm more or less indifferent myself), but you should know that if the (very expensive, if still available) servo module fails (admittedly a rare event), you will lose not just the anti-lock but also about 80% of braking function.

I'm not saying you should avoid the '05; many people put hundreds of thousands of miles on them, but you should be aware of their peculiarities.

Thank you for all the replies.

I think that I will keep the 650. I enjoy the simplicity of it, and the frugality of the engine.

I can push it to 150 if needs be, and that's plenty fast for me. When I do a real cross country trip again, it will be with each our own, so I'll be getting a secondary bike, and this one will be ideal for my better half so.... No switch for me.

Well it didn't like it....and that's km/h BTW... Not miles!

Or do you mean I should want to go faster?

Does the 2005 have servo brakes, that would be a deal breaker for me. When the servo unit fails it’s like $1500 to replace
If you want a touring bike consider a K1200-1300 GT and a KLR650 to beat around on

I tour on a 310GS. I have spent several summers touring on F650s including a trip to and from Alaska. The notion that a person needs a 1300 or 1600 cc motorcycle to tour is a bit silly to me. I actually remember when people toured all over the US on a Honda 305 dream, and a BMW 500 was a "big" bike. Oh how we have changed.

I have had two cars with smaller engines than a modern Goldwing.

PGlaves said:

I tour on a 310GS. I have spent several summers touring on F650s including a trip to and from Alaska. The notion that a person needs a 1300 or 1600 cc motorcycle to tour is a bit silly to me. I actually remember when people toured all over the US on a Honda 305 dream, and a BMW 500 was a "big" bike. Oh how we have changed.

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Click to expand...

a big +1 on that

did my trip from Vt all across Canada, around Alaska and down the west coast be for returning home on my F650 twin.

True. Mongolia off road camping from west to east in3 months was done on a Chinese shineray 200cc bought new for 680$ and sold for 500. You can't get more backcountry than Mongolian mountains desert and steppes, and these bikes took everything we threw at them.... Crossed people on 1200gsa, and they weren't going faster. If anything they were more careful...

Thread drift light on
When you were crossing Mongolia, was it difficult to find fuel? And food stores?
Sorry Just curious.