Well, the answer is a bit of yes and a bit of no.
I did not sit on that bike, mainly because I am very familiar with the "old" 650GS and this one does not look very different for the seating position - apart from that, you don't get much idea from simply sitting on these things for a short time and I would want as long a test ride as I can get out of a dealer. Having said that, it looks very much like the 800GS overall, including the riding position; I liked the 800GS on this score - hands fell naturally enough on to the bars and the leg room was good; it also felt OK when standing on the pegs and the seat is very narrow at the front so touching both feet on the ground is easy enough. So, I don't think the 650GS will be any different for these aspects.

You probably know that it is listed at £5500 and it seems pretty good value to me at this price - you get a shorter travel suspension for this price, compared with the 800GS, possibly cheaper in construction (I can't remember all the specifications that I have read!), and it is on cast wheels - more of a road bike then.
In side view, apart from the above, the two bikes look the same (because they are).
There are various seat options, as for all other Beemers, so you could vary that to suit your inside leg measurement. At the show are the red and iceberg silver metallic colours, and IMO they look better than the F800GS colours.

As a thought, I have been slightly surprised that more people are not talking about this model here - dominated by the 800 of course, but the 650 seems to be a good bike for the money with 71 HP available from the revised camshafts. It should be good on fuel economy as well.

Cheers,

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Dave

Just found out yesterday, the F800GS won't reach Dubai until March 2008 ("with no choice of colours or specs for customers"). What about the rest of you?
Stephan

It seems that the bikes will be available around Mar 08, judging by the general information that is going around; certainly in the UK there will be a "hosting" weekend for releasing the bikes to the public, with demo rides etc etc, at every dealer in the UK and all on the same weekend - just the BMW way of doing things.

At present, the marketing "thing" is unstoppable:-
BMW Motorrad UK

I hope that does not refer to the F650GS, which has a single front disc brake!

I think the choice of colour "approach" will be take it or someone else will buy it: they will be in short supply at first, to meet worldwide demand, and there are just 2 colours for the 800 anyway. Later on, you will be able to order whichever of those 2 choices you prefer and, later still, they may even spray some other colours around: say in 2009.

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Dave

It is nice to see that they have picked up some design from the R80/100

@Stephano

Called the BMW dealer in Bremen (which is a major one) for a testride and they, too, get the 800 GS only in March.

Regards

Lars

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http://www.ontheroad.de
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiVqgukzm40

Thats beause the F800GS * IS * the Dakar version of the new F650GS.

The two new bikes (F650 and F800) are direct replacements for the 2 old bikes (F650, and Dakar).

BMW wont make a 3rd (Adventure) version of the same bike. They didnt last time, and to do so would make the 1200GS Adventure obsolete.

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Maybe, but they don't use that marketing ploy - they are both "unstoppable" and the new 650 is called the "enduro" bike at present.
BMW should not discard the Dakar name easily, IMO.
BMW are committed to produce 2 new models per year, unless the 5-6 that are coming in 2008 are the "big bang" that will put paid to that statement of just a few years ago.

Anyway, A Yam Super Tenere (say) with a bigger engine (TDM 900cc lump?) could change the situation.

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Dave

Hi Lars, are you thinking of getting one to replace your old beast?

I've just received a UK dealer newsletter which also gives 8th March as the launch date priced £6,695.
Stephan

LOL!

Note the bike in the background remained upright.

DR forever...

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Cheers,
Peter.

Europe to NZ 2006-10

BMW in Dalkeith nr Edinburgh just told me they won't be getting any GS800's in till April '08.

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Mike


www.singapore-scotland.blogspot.com
www.argentina-alaska.blogspot.com
My little Vid: India/Pakistan

BMW R1150GS
Suzuki DR650 SE: Ride it like ya stole it. Oh, somebody just did...

thanks for the reply sorry for the late delay, net down these days. time to wait and see so for a few monts who comes out with a nice new adventure orientated bike. my hands are fligking my cash to buy the winner

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I spent 90% of my money on women and drink. The rest I wasted

Well apparently the plan was to name the two new bike the F800GS and the F800GS Dakar, but it was unpopular with BMW dealers ... they wanted to keep the F650GS name going as it sells as good entry-level dual-purpose bike. Dealers want to keep that identity with the new bikes and so the original F800GS was renamed the F650GS. Which left the F800GS Dakar namechanged to the F800GS.

In any case, they also had a problem calling an 800cc bike a "Dakar" since the Dakar race is now limited to bikes under 700cc, so the compromise above made double sense.

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