Arma the BMW X Country is a fun bike in the right place, mile munching on big roads is not the right place. When touring with your Tiger the X Country will go way further off tarmac up tiny tracks and tricky terrain reaching remote mountain tops with ease.
I am 5ft 3ins. I have a 2007 X Country which was greatly lowered by a previous owner. I have done about 17,000 miles mostly touring in continental Europe on mine.
Wind resistance is awful on motorways in headwinds (I don't go there on this bike). Very twisty tiny roads are a delight with the added ability to get well off the beaten track. I have done a few hundred miles off tarmac and never dropped it despite some interesting places. The power to weight ratio is impressive. When I get back on it after a fly ride trip aboard a heavier bike it feels like a 250 dirt bike. Very different from the other single cylinder BMW's. When I get back on it after a sportier ride it feels terribly sluggish.
Seat is less comfortable than most BMW's.
Luggage carrying is not great. I use a top box plus tail pack with added anchor points for the bungees, plus lightweight bits (map or tablet) elastic strapped & tied to "not the fuel tank"
Fuel tank capacity about 130 miles. I carry a plastic siphon tube taped to the underside of the seat. The fuel tank is low so a siphon might work. Fuel warning light packed up on mine and the costly replacement of sensor unit was soon done after I ran out of fuel.
Before I bought mine I rode an original X Country for an hour or so on tiny roads on a Greek Island. It was great fun but pretty tall for me, I would not have been capable of stopping on steeply sloping ground.
My X Country has probably been my least reliable bike, with poor, slow service from my local BMW dealership. I think they put their least able mechanics on the simple bikes and after several disappointments will not be using them again. Problems include upper chain guide falling off (known model issue subject to a later recall) and low battery (but still functioning) causing failure of engine management system. Having said this the build quality is good, but when something goes wrong it is a pain to work on with access to everything awkward. The 53 horsepower 650cc engine is Austrian Rotax, not German or Chinese. Antilock brake can be switched off.
My advice is buy one, go off and have some wonderful adventures together then sell it before it becomes too troublesome.
Perhaps you would like mine!
|