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650gs pokey enough 2 up with luggage 650gs pokey enough 2 up with luggage
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  #1  
Old 27 Oct 2010
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650gs pokey enough 2 up with luggage
Hi all as the title says.
Looking at getting one for a very odd run out two up with the gaffer. Localish up to 150 miles out, nice hotel then run home after a potter about.
Mainly as hooning tool, run out to bike events. Hoping to do isle of man and possibly Tour of France Race.
Is this a suitable tool for the job?.
Top speed irrelavent, 80mpg tops is fine, mpg needs to be good. Reliability crucial.
I have had all sorts of bikes, possibly 30. Kawa turbo, Bmw 1100gs, Water cooled tenere (lovely bike). 250 AND 400 two strokes etc.
Your views please
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Old 27 Oct 2010
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Probably depends a lot on which 650GS we´re talking about. There is the older 650cc 1-cylinder (or actually several versions of it during the years), and since 2008 there´s the newer 800cc parallel twin. For a reason, that is totally beyond me, the factory named them both "F650GS"!

For 2-up & lots of luggage on board, I´d go for a twin any time.
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Old 27 Oct 2010
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Single 2005 model. the new ones are a bit uuurrggh and plastic
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Old 3 Nov 2010
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I've done the Patagonian part of the Ruta40 2-up with luggage (3mm aluminium – heavy). Only problem was the shock, but that's been a real cheapo / lemon anyway (Hagon

I've also met a Rumanian couple, doing 2-up on a 2004 F650, round S-America. Apparently no problems so far.

Personally, I wouldn't want to travel long-distance / rtw 2-up on any single, but I can't see a problem for weekend spins on tarmac.
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Old 23 Nov 2010
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Thumbs up 2010 F650gs
I just picked up my new bike in Manila and travelled 1600kms in 4 days on Philippine roads. Would say my average speed was 80 to 90 km/hr with lots of bursts up to 130. Have the BWM vario bags and top box loaded plus the wife and we had no problems. Lots of nasty roads with loose sand/gravel and pot holes, suspension handled it fine but did bottom out the rear a couple of times on the big holes if driving a bit "Spirited".. all around a fantastic bike for this country. No complaints about the seat, or power.. Just sold my 2008 R1200GSA and bought this bike and i like it a lot more.. maybe doesn't have the "WOW" factor that the GSA has but makes a lot more sense with the road conditions and also me being a short ass..
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Old 26 Nov 2010
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My wife and I tried it on the 800 gs about 1 year ago and there simply is not enough room. Measure from the tank to the front of the Top box and you will find that there is not much room. So we opted for the R1150 GS with a longer and wider seat. Hey - you are going to be on it a long time so get a bid one,
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Old 27 Nov 2010
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Thumbs up Depends on Size
Quote:
Originally Posted by nigel_tailyour View Post
My wife and I tried it on the 800 gs about 1 year ago and there simply is not enough room. Measure from the tank to the front of the Top box and you will find that there is not much room. So we opted for the R1150 GS with a longer and wider seat. Hey - you are going to be on it a long time so get a bid one,
and that's you and your riding partner I'm referring to not the bike.
Two up on my friend's F650 GS, we travelled for three weeks with no problem, but we're both female and not particularly big.
However I've also spent a couple of weeks with a guy two up on a KLR and I think that was a smaller seat, again, not a problem except for how hard the seat was, I ended up having to sit on a thermarest when I was riding pillion.
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Old 27 Nov 2010
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nigel_tailyour View Post
My wife and I tried it on the 800 gs about 1 year ago ........



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Old 28 Nov 2010
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F650gs
I am currently riding the F650 twin thru Africa and it has not missed a beat,
handled brilliantly in every occasion, I have also ridden this bike on longish trips in Oz 2up with my wife, on some hellish sand and gravel with corrugations as well, and was superb then as well.
Now my wife has a 650gs single (2005) 2up for us it is fine as we are not large people (well she is small really), but if you stick to tar you can go anywhere, but simple off road (sand/gravel) is fine also, but any worse and you bottom out a bit.
If you like the bike I would go for it.
(And it is not true BMW means BRING ME WORKSHOP)
BMW really stands for: BREAK MY WALLET !!!

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