The most popular dual purpose
single in the 250+ cubic centimeters category, the G 650 GS has become the
standard upon which single-cylinder dual purpose motorcycles are judged.
Aggressively engineered for unrelenting performance in harsh environments,
the G 650 GS was designed to take riders off-road and on to new frontiers.
The 2009 model features a 2 SPARK ignition system, a three-position clutch
lever, newly designed windscreen, accessory power socket, and improved
on-board electronics.
A Multi-Purpose
Single
I must admit that the BMW G 650
GS was not my first choice of bikes to ride. Usually there is more than one
test bike in the garage, and the single-cylinder 650 GS was consistently
getting overlooked in favor of faster and sexier machines, such as the
Triumph Street Triple R and Buell Lightning XB12Scg. Like the best friend
who is sometimes taken for granted when a fast-paced personality shows up,
steals the limelight, and is more fun to hang out with-such was the 650's
initial fate.
One day, however, I needed to
make a stop on the way to work for a short bouquet of flowers for my
sister's birthday. Those were not going to fare well in my Ogio backpack
and, as I debated this dilemma, my eyes fell upon the 650 with its optional
side cases installed. I could carry the flowers in a small vase and leave
them fresh on her doorstep. I got on and rolled the bike out of the garage.
Since then, I have found myself
choosing the G 650 GS more often when doing commuting chores on the local
congested freeways. It is a non-intimidating ride, both in size and power.
While the G 650 GS is a decent commuter bike, I am perpetually running late
and mixing with heavy freeway traffic, so I prefer a more aggressive mount.
The affable thumper runs out of steam quickly at highway-plus speeds. Not
much is in reserve at 70 mph, so a downshift is required, along with a
handful of throttle, to have any sort of passing capability. Also, at engine
speeds over 4200 rpm, the mirrors' images turn into a blur. The bike was
certainly more enjoyable on holiday-light traffic days.
On surface streets and backroads,
the G 650 GS is much happier, and so am I. At 423 pounds (claimed wet), the
bike isn't light for a single-cylinder 650, but the bike handles well at low
speeds due in part to the under-seat four-gallon fuel tank keeping the cg
low. With an inseam-friendly seat height of 30.7 inches (an optional Low
Suspension kit brings it down to 29.5), it is easy to feel confident and in
control. However, the handlebars sit a little bit too high and feel awkward.
At 5' 6" the neutral-position of the pegs was fine, but they were closer to
the seat than I would like. Taller riders will definitely need a much
thicker seat which will, in turn, lower the relative height of the bars.
Early one Saturday morning, I
took the sturdy little GS on a longer excursion-I was off to watch an
off-road competitive event. I had already been making good use of the stock
heated handgrips while commuting on brisk mornings and late evenings, but
found them even more welcome on this extended, chilly ride. Though my hands
stayed warm, after a couple hours of uninterrupted riding at 70+ mph, the
single-cylinder 5-speed engine's buzziness-which I had not noticed on my
20-minute weekday commutes-left my fingers tingling. The seat itself was
quite comfortable, though, and the sit-in ergonomics allowed decent wind
protection from the fairly short windscreen.
A happy surprise was how well
the Gelände (off-road) part of the GS worked. My route required a few miles
of challenging dirt on a fairly steep, and sometimes sandy, road through a
hilly area. I had been dreading one climb, in particular, which had a tight
turn at the bottom, giving me no opportunity to take some speed into the
ascent. Happily, the BMW surprised me, as the tires held their ground and
the plentiful torque allowed me to keep both traction and speed up.
Later, the GS handled securely
on Dirt Mulholland, a rutted, potholed road scattered with occasional sand,
as well as a rollercoaster single-track, hard-packed trail. The 650 GS is
not a real dirt bike by any stretch of the imagination, but the bike is
willing to get its feet dirty without complaint in reasonable circumstances.
The GS is an enjoyable ride in
the canyons; the bike is nimble on its 19-inch front/17-inch rear tires and
steering is quick. The single-disc front brake capably slows the bike down,
thanks to the 650's modest weight and performance, and the standard
equipment ABS gives added confidence.
Certainly, the BMW G 650 GS is
comfortable, reliable and easy to get along with, features I had, of course,
noticed on first introduction. But as we got to know each other better, I
was appreciating these solid character traits. And I'm not the only one.
BMW has sold over 105,000 of the
popular 650 singles since 2000. Introduced as the F 650 GS, it enjoyed eight
years of success. However, in 2008, BMW replaced the 652cc single-cylinder
powerplant with a 798cc parallel twin engine (but still calling it a
650-strange but true), and kept the F 650 GS name. To add to the confusion,
BMW brought back the 650 single in 2009, renaming it the G 650 GS-the bike
in this test, if you haven't been able to follow the convoluted story.
The odd story behind the names
aside, the BMW G 650 GS's consistent success comes from its everyman appeal.
Like any motorcycle, you have to ride it on its terms. Not a freeway flyer,
the G 650 is an excellent city bike, especially with the expandable side
cases installed. On backroads, the GS is easy to ride and there is no reason
to let a lack of pavement get in the way of that day's adventure. Besides,
any bike that can make it possible for me to put a nice smile on my sister's
face is a winner in my book.
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