@@michaelmamthanks for the prompt reply. Will look them up. Am a week into owning a pre reg 2023 with 66 miles on to me. Chipping away between the clouds!!
Excellent review! Many thanks for the sensible talk. I have also found that the rear view mirrors of the 650 XT are practical and the view is excellent. I must watch out for the corrosion part - nobody else has pointed this out - thanks again for the heads-up.
@@davmanlop333 The style and delivery . My videos have a beginning , a middle and an end . I also mostly use words you can find in a dictionary .. such old fashioned concepts 😂
This is Aunt Mahindra. She weighs 470 pounds, but she badly wants to become a Gold Star! She keeps taking weight loss pills, and she keeps hoping she'll become a DBD 34. Until that happens she will at least wear the tank badges of the real thing.
@@jeremykeller211 A lot of followers of the original Gold Star are aggrieved by the use of the name on the new model . I do understand it but have accepted that Mahindra own the brand and can do as they please . Some like the new bike , others don’t , which I respect 👍
Thanks for the nice review. Could you please compare the reach to the handlebar from the seat between this and the V-Strom 650. Is the bike roomier or is the handlebar closer to the rider? Thanks in advance.
Sadly the RE was returned to Kings Two Wheel Centre as soon as we finished filming . If you pop into a Suzuki dealer , I would be surprised if they didn’t have both models in the showroom for you to measure and try ? Sorry I can’t be more helpful .
Thanks for this lovely review! I am currently on a Vstrom 650 and here is the big question. If I go with the GX will it make me faster and comfier? Ride safe!
😂Only you can make yourself faster ! Joking aside , the GX is twice as powerful as my VStrom 650 and offers significantly more power and performance . In terms of comfort I find my XT very comfortable and I found the GX equally so . Comfort and fit are very personal . Might need to try one to make sure it is good for you ..
another 40hp and 100cc would have been better, its hard keeping up on freeways on bikes that are being pushed at 100kms/hr when you have a Kenworth Truck up your rear, 2 exhaust pipes would be nice.
So sorry, I had in my mind that it had been paid for. I was still tuned in from a previous review I had just watched. Still, wonder why they have been reduced so much?
@@Sticky-gp2yhNo problem ! I don’t think BSA have reduced their pricing but a few dealers , who have bought the stock and had it for a while , are clearly offering very low prices to “just get it gone” . It is definitely a buyers market at the moment . I saw a Kawasaki with £4000 off the other day , which must be less money than they paid for it ! Such markets are great if you are buying but not so good if you are selling ..
A friend on mine, like you, has about 15 registered motorcycles. All makes and models, including a Goldwing. He rides them all in rotation, he is retired and rides everyday. He is obsessed with motorcycles. I asked him one day while we were discussing the various merits of all the bikes. If you could only have one bike, which one would you choose. He contemplated that question and after deliberation he said. I would be gutted if I could have only one bike, however if I could have only one bike I would choose my VStrom 650. I asked him why, and he replied; The VStrom is not great at anything, but it does everything well, so that’s the one I would keep.
@@murraycharters6102 That is a really interesting comment . Thank you . The only 1 question is great for focussing your mind . What do you really want out of bike . I really like my VStrom and it tends to be my go to bike in the winter . Not because I don’t care about it getting exposed to salt , I clean it to within inches of its life , but because I like an adventure style riding position in the wet and feel that 70hp is enough in poor conditions . In truth , by the end of the winter I am pushing it harder than it really wants to go and lucky to get 45 to the gallon 😂. For me , my “only” bike answer would probably be the Suzuki GSX S 1000GT or my R1300 GS . Both are great two up for our touring but quite brisk solo , if you are in the mood 👍
I’m not a fan of the bike however, your video is so well presented… I absolutely loved the narration during the ride around the country side. I enjoyed your video. Great work. 😎👍
@@impreza99rs Thank you . The bike , as you can tell by the comments isn’t everyone’s “cup of tea” and indeed is one of the reasons I cover bikes like this . Show it for it really is and let people make their own minds up . Glad you enjoyed the video and appreciate you taking the time to comment . Thank you .
@@raymondwright2660 The dealer sometimes leaves the protective cover on the demonstrators so the ultimate owner has a perfect screen . The tab is where you peel it off 👍
Great review as usual Michael 👏 I often wonder when l see bikes at this price level, are CF Moto/China and other budget companies based in India, simply trying to elbow their way to the top of an extremely lucrative world motorcycle market. I prefer to buy quality bikes second hand and I'm currently riding a beautiful 2011 Triumph bonneville 865 which cost me £2500, an absolute beauty 😍 l did buy it from a friend who did me a really good deal. Triumph make beautiful bikes.
@@mikerider58 Thanks Mike . I like Triumphs as well. They are designed in the UK but actually assembled in Thailand , using products made throughout the world , including China . The cost of manufacturing in the west is just too high to make anything but high value items . You can’t open a fridge door or put on a kettle without using something “made in China “ ?
That 650 parallel twin engine is a copy of the Kawasaki engine I have in my 2017 Versys 650. The Versys engine produces 69BHP and returns over 60MPG. Why is the CF moto engine so much worse?
Nice review. I had the MT650 and covered over 7000 miles touring the UK. Not a single fault. For £4k who cares what you lose after the 4-year warranty is up.
£4000! how on earth can they produce, distribute, provide a four warranty and make a profit on what appears to be a very good value for money motorcycle. Bonkers!
Michael. Those more affluent bikers purchasing 25K bikes can easily write off a 4K depreciation. This bike is aimed at those budget bikers and they'll be left with very little in value at the end of four years.
Another comprehensive review on a bike that's just OK but what do you expect for 4 grand, a Ducati sadly no. One comment i always make on most modern bikes and this is no exception is why oh why can't they put a decent front mudguard on, who likes trying to get all the crud off the radiator and engine. Not me or you i suspect Michael.
@@ianhalliwell8604 I agree . I suspect some would fit an extender to the bottom of the front mudguard to address it . I also agree on the price comment . It certainly felt like an OK bike and I suspect some will be tempted by the price point to have a brand new bike . I can understand that 👍
As I am sure you know , the western world is brimming with Chinese products or components installed in other countries products . The iPhone I am typing on is “Made in China” . They secure these contracts /sales on price 🤷🏼♂️ Not everyone is comfortable dealing with them , which I respect, but I sense few seem prepared to pay more for goods from the more mature and developed markets ?
It's the 800NK that has grabbed my attention, especially the base model. An acquaintance in Chiang Rai, Thailand rode from China to England on an early CFMoto and didn't have one issue. I'd have one. Nick
Great commentary . I like you have the daily choice of some very high level bikes from BMW,KTM and Honda . But the go to first on the road , last off , ship/trailer to interesting places is my V Strom 650 . Accessorized to handle all but the worst conditions . It excels in reliability ( give it clean air , clean fuel , clean oil and regular maintenance ) and does everything else reasonably well for a Swiss Army knife on wheels . I have owned mine for 8 years ( 2013 adv ) . It goes up and over the highest mountain passes at 100-120 km with just a little bit left , nimble in traffic , handles gravel roads ( not trails ) with ease . I have settled on Michelin Anakee Adventure tires as the rubber that seems to work the best within its limits and purpose . I am probably going to stiffen the suspension as I have always found it a bit soft for my likes and weight 6’4” 215 lbs plus gear and kit . ( been saying this for 7 years now ) . I suspect the year they discontinue it I will probably buy another , just because . Cheers from the wilds of British Columbia where the conditions and roads are truly variable and the distances lonely and long . RS .
I have ridden one , I had a day at Donnington but sadly Stuart , who does the filming wasn’t available . Riding one again in August so will see if Stuart is available for that one 🤞
I always wanted a Z1R. I reckon this is about the closest thing to one. How do you compare this to an older ZRX1200R? I always wanted one of those as well, and have found some "decent' deals on a few. I've had a Harley V-Rod since 2009 and like it a lot. Will probably never sell it. But I always liked the big Z Kawasaki's.
Glad you enjoyed it! Your comment inspired me to watch it myself 😂 Haven’t watched it for a couple of years . Sound and editing have improved over time but I think I have stuck to the spirit of the channel . 👍
ein wirklich tolles Motorrad und den sound.....ich kann mich eriinern wie die gts rauskamen....in den 70ern ...man drückte sich die nasen platt an der schaufensterscheibe .....bei uns vertrieb der fiat Händler Suzuki....da stand ein fiat 500 und drei gts.....da wurds nass in der hose......
I put a marble with a piece of baling wire on either side in the air line that steals air from your air box when you let off the throttle. That is the emissions thing that makes the throttle so “snatchy”. It’s very easy to do and the bike rides like a dream now.
A great review. I've bought a GT this morning. Rode a GS1300 at the weekend and it was too big and heavy for me these days. Had a GS1200 for 5 years and loved it but it's not for me any more. Looking forward to getting the Suzookee 🙂
I'm not a fast rider,and then you blur the speedo! Personally, I wouldn't have touched the bike once I realised the suspension had been messed with. Can't be sure that the handling is true.
@@David-th2ug I would always prefer to test a factory specification bike if I can . I rarely have an opportunity to ride Yamaha’s long enough to make a video ,so I took it . The factory lowering link had been fitted and the changes made appeared to be in line with what dealers do when they install it . It was ok but nothing more . Oxfordshire A roads are now 50 mph and sometimes less . The same roads in Gloucestershire are mostly 60 . I am not a fast rider but occasionally reach these heady heights and maybe a little over .
Test rode one twice last week, why twice!, because I couldn’t believe how much fun it was the first time, it has a real hooligan feel to it when giving it some, and pootles along in a very docile manner when not, the handling is light and stable, just a terrific machine, I will have one in my garage within the next two weeks (is my opinion worth listening to?, I currently have 9 bikes including a 1200 Thruxton , I have owned over 70 bikes , it’s the most fun I’ve ever had on a bike, period).
@@alandmorley As you know fins are purely decoration on liquid cooled bikes so I can only assume that they preferred the look of the engine without the fins🤷🏼♂️
I managed to scoop up one of these bikes for under $1000 USD. It has some miles (98k), and some problems, but the more I learn about it, the more I can't wait to get it running. The ABS module seems to make noise and gurgle, and the battery is mostly dead. I really can't wait to experience the anti-dive braking feeling. That'll be completely new to me.
