XTreme Posted September 15, 2020 Share Posted September 15, 2020 .......of the 2015-on BMW G650GS. Cos I gotta say I do like the look of this........and it's 35kg lighter than the Strom! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yen_powell Posted September 15, 2020 Share Posted September 15, 2020 I have ridden something similar, was a BMW GS single. Really nicely put together, but I felt I was never in the right gear, it always felt like it was revving too high or too low, acceleration or slowing down was fine. It was exactly the same when I had something with a similar engine in Rhodes. Not sure what make it was, picture below for the clever bike spotters. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XTreme Posted September 15, 2020 Author Share Posted September 15, 2020 Apparently it's the 650 Rotax motor and BMW bought the rights to it when Rotax discontinued it. The only difference is they're now assembled in China........but it's all BMW components. with just a Chinese workforce putting it together. I think Honda and Yamaha do a similar thing with some models and there don't seem to be any quality issues reported. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yen_powell Posted September 15, 2020 Share Posted September 15, 2020 This was the BMW single, not sure what year it was? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XTreme Posted September 15, 2020 Author Share Posted September 15, 2020 3 minutes ago, yen_powell said: I have ridden something similar, was a BMW GS single. Really nicely put together, but I felt I was never in the right gear, it always felt like it was revving too high or too low, acceleration or slowing down was fine. It was exactly the same when I had something with a similar engine in Rhodes. Not sure what make it was, picture below for the clever bike spotters. Is it an Aprilia? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XTreme Posted September 15, 2020 Author Share Posted September 15, 2020 Just now, yen_powell said: This was the BMW single, not sure what year it was? That looks like a G650GS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yen_powell Posted September 15, 2020 Share Posted September 15, 2020 2 hours ago, XTreme said: Is it an Aprilia? It could have been. Never much choice of hire bikes on holiday, it was that, a scooter or a 'lean back and think of leather wallets on chain' type bikes usually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XTreme Posted September 15, 2020 Author Share Posted September 15, 2020 Just now, yen_powell said: It could have been. Never much choice of hire bikes on holiday, it was that, a scooter or a 'lean back and think of leather wallets on chain' type bikes usually. The Pegaso Strada......they originally had the Rotax motors then switched to the Yam XT660 motor when that was released around 2005. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XTreme Posted September 16, 2020 Author Share Posted September 16, 2020 Don't think I could live with a Beemer! I couldn't trust it.....and I don't fancy getting stuck in some abandoned village in the middle of nowhere with no phone signal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skippy Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 Funnily enough...........no. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pedro Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 I would trust that as much as a xt660r, which would also be a cool bike for you as you know, having had at least one. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XTreme Posted September 16, 2020 Author Share Posted September 16, 2020 52 minutes ago, Pedro said: I would trust that as much as a xt660r, which would also be a cool bike for you as you know, having had at least one. Discontinued about 5 years ago......there are 660Z Tenere's about now and again but usually high mileage. They seem to be discontinuing big Thumpers now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pedro Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 2 minutes ago, XTreme said: Discontinued about 5 years ago......there are 660Z Tenere's about now and again but usually high mileage. They seem to be discontinuing big Thumpers now! They probably can’t cope too well with emission regulations of today, I think. To be honest, I would go for a twin everyday unless it was a dirt specific bike. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XTreme Posted September 16, 2020 Author Share Posted September 16, 2020 2 hours ago, Pedro said: They probably can’t cope too well with emission regulations of today, I think. To be honest, I would go for a twin everyday unless it was a dirt specific bike. I like Thumpers though......and I've got to get the weight down. That GS is 30kg lighter......66lbs (nearly 5 stone) to us......so that's a significant drop. Plus the fuel tank is under the seat so I would imagine the centre of gravity is very different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boboneleg Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 I had a GS650 Dakar some years ago, took it to the Spanish Pyrenees and it averaged 71mpg, that included doing trails. It was the one with the twin-plug head, better performance and mpg. The downside to it was the front end, very soft suspension. A lot guys coverted then to Yamaha forks or KTM. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XTreme Posted September 17, 2020 Author Share Posted September 17, 2020 I know the dealer (Rafa) very well......bought from him before. He's a very proactive workaholic and always wants to do business........that's a fucking rarity here. He should be on display in a museum actually. Anyway......he gave me an incredible price on the Strom (€3.5K which was what I paid for it 15 months ago from another dealer) as he knows the standard of my bikes. And knowing Rafa he's probably got another punter lined up for it so he'll sell it the same day at €4500. It helps that he's a Suzuki main dealer as well. Due to the post-Covid boom there's virtually no trail/adventure bikes available for under €5K now. So I'd only have to pay €1.7K to get the Beeemer......which is pretty tempting. But ultimately I couldn't do it. As ugly and bulky as the Strom is........I can trust it with my life. I couldn't with a Beemer. A quick look at 650GS forums and FB groups confirmed that. I can't go from a bike that'll last a lifetime to a bike that'll last a lunchtime! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XTreme Posted September 17, 2020 Author Share Posted September 17, 2020 Well.....it's cat amongst pigeons time. Another dealer came back with a good price for the Strom.......not as good as Rafa's......but not too far off it. And it ain't against a fucking Beemer! I've said that I'll go and see him Saturday morning in Granada. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XTreme Posted September 17, 2020 Author Share Posted September 17, 2020 Would you believe that the Dealer is closed on Saturdays? 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XTreme Posted September 17, 2020 Author Share Posted September 17, 2020 49 minutes ago, Lone Amigo said: Maybe he's Jewish? I'd put my money on fucking lazy Dago myself! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skippy Posted September 17, 2020 Share Posted September 17, 2020 On 16/09/2020 at 17:14, XTreme said: Discontinued about 5 years ago......there are 660Z Tenere's about now and again but usually high mileage. They seem to be discontinuing big Thumpers now! Shame as I loved my old Tenere, shown here at the top of Mount Jafferau. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XTreme Posted September 17, 2020 Author Share Posted September 17, 2020 22 minutes ago, Skippy said: Shame as I loved my old Tenere, shown here at the top of Mount Jafferau. If a decent low mileage Tenere turned up then I'd be very interested in one Ray. But you know what it's like here......usually high miles and cheaping out on maintenance. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pedro Posted September 17, 2020 Share Posted September 17, 2020 10 hours ago, XTreme said: And it ain't against a fucking Beemer! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skippy Posted September 18, 2020 Share Posted September 18, 2020 13 hours ago, XTreme said: If a decent low mileage Tenere turned up then I'd be very interested in one Ray. But you know what it's like here......usually high miles and cheaping out on maintenance. Yes mate, I saw one locally a couple of years ago on UK plates, a 58 reg so the same as my old one but with 50,000miles on I think and they still wanted £3,800. I ain’t paying that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XTreme Posted September 18, 2020 Author Share Posted September 18, 2020 25 minutes ago, Skippy said: Yes mate, I saw one locally a couple of years ago on UK plates, a 58 reg so the same as my old one but with 50,000miles on I think and they still wanted £3,800. I ain’t paying that. Literally anything which can remotely be construed as Adventure or Trail is now stupid money......and yet the overwhelming majority of them never leave the tarmac! Also.....it really is stretching the boundaries when things like a Tracer or NC750X are marketed as adventure bikes when they have 17" front wheels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XTreme Posted September 18, 2020 Author Share Posted September 18, 2020 In principle.......I wouldn't rule out getting another Beemer! But I'm not so sure about the G650GS because of the motors being built in China by Loncin. If it was the original Rotax then I'd be fine with it.....but the Chinese connection worries me a bit. Thinking about it......one of the Twins may be a better option......like the F650/700/750/850GS. They're all lighter than the Strom and with a lower COG. But the main factor for me is that as far as I'm aware there's no Chinese connection with these motors. Unless anybody knows any different? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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