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what's your height and weight? If you just stuck to light trails and mostly dirt and gravel roads would you take this over the same year KLR? (no ATV crazy stuff)
I'm a former street rider just bought a 2006 650FS. I'm 5'7'' and it fits me perfect. I've been riding it around town for months now as I haven't owned a bike in 25 years. The old skills came back pretty fast. I've been reluctant to take it off-roading. Your quick video gave me the confidence to take it out and I had a blast. Thanks
Definitely makes me feel better for deciding to keep mine long term instead of upgrading, using it as my main source of transportation, it's cheap, reliable, easy to ride and at the end of the day it'll get you through most scenarios.
I have an 05 also, same color as the one in this video. I bought it new in August of 2004 but don’t ride much anymore. 57,000 miles and runs like it did new.
A have driven my BMW two years now on gravel roads and some times on trail. It's a great little bike that just takes you where you want. I'm more fond of it every year, it grows on you. 😊👍
I gave up riding about 5 years ago when my son was born. Been thinking about getting back in and I keep coming back the versatility, capability and simplicity of the F650 singles. Just a great Swiss Army bike.
I've had a grey 03 for about 5 years. I ride it to work every day and I absolutely love it and has almost 60k miles on it. Thinking about upgrading to a newer year GS soon but I'll probably keep this one too.
May I ask. What have you done maintenance wise? Someone was mentions valve service and clutch plates, etc. A guy up the road is selling one with 33k miles. It's not high but, not low at all. Is this advisable?
@@crypticreality8484Sorry for a long comment... BUT I got mine summer of 2018 for $2100 with roughly 40k miles on it. I winterize it every year and put it in a heated garage on a trickle charger over the winter. The first 2 years I had zero maintenence other then an oil change every year which cost me about $60 at a shop. Year 3, I needed a new battery and an oil change. Batteries for these things are dirt cheap, like 40 or 50 bucks. So maybe $100 maintenance year 3. Every year since then I've had battery issues and I've bought a new one 3 years in a row. This year I had multiple issues, first the battery. Then my kill switch wasn't working, which is apparently a common issue. Took it to a shop, they rigged the key to bypass the kill switch so it was always on, then put in a new button to start the bike. Then finally, my clutch went out exactly a week after I got my bike back from getting my kill switch fixed. I had a family member fix it for me, he said there was some metal floating around in the clutch and it was as good as new... Except it started leaking oil very very slowly out of the drain plug after that. Ended my season early in September this year and my bike is still dripping oil. Should be an easy fix first thing next season. Total maintenance for this year, about $600. I've been able to (partially) diagnose all of my issues from this website faq.f650.com/main.html I can't reccomend this website enough if you have an F650 from 94'-09'ish All in all, if you're mechanically inclined, which I am not. This is an amazing bike. I've been told they are incredibly reliable and they run forever, which besides my few mainly electrical issues, seems to be true. I absolutely love mine, it doesn't have a bunch of useless technology like newer bikes. It's not fast, but for a single it's pretty quick. I can take it anywhere, highway, city, trails, it does well on everything. I'd definitely recommend it if the price is right.
Great Video!!! Thanks for showing what this bike can really do off road!! I bought a 2001 model last year with 36 K on it. The Rotax motor doesn't burn a bit of oil, puts out great off road power and handles damed good for stock suspension. Imagine how much better it could be with upgraded suspension!! I'll be 65 this year and have 53 years of riding and racing experience and I think this is a perfect entry level adventure bike as well as being well suited for the experienced rider!! Keep up the great work!!
@@AdventureTomek You're welcome!! A Dakar would be even better off road. Better quality suspension, more travel plus a 21 inch front wheel rather than the "dumb" (my feeling) 19 inch front wheel of the "standard" model. I think you'd love it!!
Dakar version has 21 inch front and longer 41mm forks and more travel on the rear. The 41mm forks are too thin , they will do the job, but in my opinion actually work better in the short version. The best upgrade is a 1998-2005 wr/yz/yzf fork and yoke swap, the top bearing is the same, the bottom needs a small shim, fit a compatable wheel, disc and caliper, you transform the front end. Fit an aftermarket dakar rear shock and you have quite a serious machine.
Great bike. 400 km range easy. Cruises 120 km/hr at only 5000 rpm. Good on the back roads with proper tires. Maintenance is a bit fussy compared to a Japanese bike. For shorter riders it’s one of the best choices for sure. The twin spark plug engine is preferred.
I had one 6 years ago and regretted selling it ever since. I have bought another last weekend and absolutely love it. (Again) Im only 5'4" so its a little tall for me but light enough to handle. 12:00
I have a blue 2002 scarver I've had it for about 16 months and I love it, a friend lowered it for me and it's much better now, I'm 5' 4 and a half and 70yrs old, I also own a Virago.
I own this bike since 5 years, it’s my daily commuter. Same colour, same make, same year. Riding only in the city (Brussels, Belgium) all year long (except on snow...). Smooth and easy to ride, like a big bicycle. I’m 5,5 and I can nearly put both feet on the ground. Reliability is average, it’s not a Japanese bike... Tyres have been changed by Metzeler Tourance Next, they really do a great job, even in wet and cold conditions (what we know in Belgium).
@@omedome2787 The engine takes you over that speed without problem, and the bike seems to be stable. But I find the bike not so comfortable over 110km/h. The 5th gear seems to me a bit short, too much vibrations and not so much wind protection. And honestly, I don't have so much experience riding this bike on highways...
@@omedome2787 Kirby is right.The Power for high speed is not the problem.More than 120 km/h is a kind of Stress, Wind shakken. Last Gear is really short.Overall i love the bike.
got mine used '01 f650gs. 1st thing l noticed. KLR and Suzuki on floor w BMW are noticably bigger n bulkier. Found myself 2nd guessing the B. Small voice reminded me actually prayed on it and 'nuff said. LOW MILES! 10,000mlBMW. '01 ROTAX.f650gs "THUMPER" My dual-terrain motorcycle decision is based on "Bug-Out"/"Marshall-Law" environment. Your going to need to make your own way through gates, road closures, wash-outs ,barricades ...etc. more manageable the machine the better. This iconic motorcycle BLOWS the pavement into gravel over the category competitors. Bruh....tha' single cyl 650 ROTAX is Earth Blasting Thumper of a unit! Providing 60-70mpg!!! 4.75glln fuel cell. never part with it. Own the f650cs also! next back up ROTAX motors 🤘🤩✨🎶💥💨
I have had my f650gs 2004 for 7 years now. I found it a bit heavy in the beginning but have learned to ride it. Have done some long distance and it's very comfy and cruises effortlessly at 130. On dirt roads I stand up on the footpegs and get more balanced control. I live 20km from the nearest town and use the bike fairly frequently. Cool bike. Nice lines. It's got a classic style. The power though is subdued compared to its competitors. It's more road than off-road, but can handle dirt tracks if it has the right tyre grip. Dropped it once at about 10km per hour on a slippery clay road while taking a right turn and cracked a rib. The right back panel has some character, as does the right mirror. Safe travels all of you bikers. Raoul
Launched in 2000 after the F650GS won the Paris Dakar. Up to 2008, you could buy the Rally suspension kit that makes it very capable, weight-wise it could not keep up with the 640 but in 2007 BMW launched the G650X sadly a victim of the recession proper suspension and steel subframe and it was a 690 killer again BMW with a budget suspension
I love the idea of riding like you, my story is Kawasaki gpz500. Was fun all year round in Sweden, with 3 months with snow and ice (special studded tires). But.. Was not that fun on dirt roads, now i live 4 miles in the forest on a dirtroad. Klr vs gs 650, i like the BMW!
I used to have the Dakar version of this. Great bike. Easy to ride on the rough trails and well balanced. But not cheap to maintain. It's a good option if you can find a used one with low miles.
Pat I'm looking at getting the 650gs as it's light ish and can eat miles on road, can I ask why its expensive to maintain? Is it because its a bmw or is it low service Intervals or something?
@@porter5877 The water pump is driven by plastic gears that should be replaced every 20k. Broken plastic fairings are difficult to find and can be expensive for older models. No aftermarket options for plastics. The more involved maintenance and repairs, such as clutch plates, valve adjustment, etc. require special BMW tools, or visit a Bmw mechanic $$$$. All that aside, I had my 2005 F650 GSA DAKAR for 12 years (45k miles) and loved it all the way. A great bike. Like said, if you can find a good used one for a reasonable price, then give it a try. I'm glad I had one to experience the 'design for the rider'. It's just not designed for the mechanic.
Bought a 2004 a couple of mounth ago (officially to use when for practice my son for the A1 licence (EU stuff < 125cc). Havn't ride a bike since a sold my CBR900RR at the millenium. Love the sound and MPG, now it's time to learn to drive gravel as a +50 y...
I have the Sertao its the 2012 to 2016 version of the older Dakar . The Sertao has the longer front forks with the bigger 21 inch spoke rims . It also has a higher seat height and more ground clearance . I'm 65 this year and I just like to get out and ride around about the speeds you are riding . It has a very comfortable seat so you can ride all day with no butt pain . Most of the other seats on the dual sport bikes are thin and hard as a board . The older you get the more important comfort becomes . It also get 70 mpg which is crazy for a 650 cc .
Unfortunately I didn’t own this one very long, had an opportunity to make some money and I took it. Looked around for the Dakar edition for awhile but could not find one in my area.
personally looking into one of these bikes myself, I'm 5'9" and the KLR 650 feels very large to me. It would have been nice to have gotten your personal height to compare to. Overall a great and informative video thanks for the hard work!!
I'm 6ft and the Dakar version is perfect for me. I think the regular F650GS will be too low. I can flat foot it, so I'm pretty sure you won't have problems with it either. I actually just bought it, no riding experience yet except for putting it in my garage. My tip, try to test ride both versions. It's pretty high on the center stand, but once you sit on it and the bike goes down a bit, it's the perfect height. (mine is the 2002 F650GS Dakar)
There's a BMW dealership in my area that also has this bike, 2005 w/ 7500 miles but the color is black. I found it rather odd to have a bike this age with so few miles, I know the GS models are very popular among the BMW crowd. I'm 5'10 but I like to put both feet down which puts the seat height around 31-32 inches. I've just never felt comfortable on these taller bikes but then I see a lot of riders in the 5'7 range riding them.
@AdventureTomek I have an opportunity tomorrow to trade my 2018 BMW G310R for either the 01 F650GS or a 06 CBR600F4I all with 15-19k miles. They're obviously totally different bikes. I live in Michigan close to trails and a lot of dirt roads. The G310R gave me a taste of what a crisp bike can do in the twisties but I'd love the ability to take a bike wherever I want to go.
thanks for the review. I noticed you seemed to have throttle response issues sometimes. You should not rev the gas and start it but not touch the throttle and start it - otherwise it can actually choke off in idle :-)
Do not touch the throttle handle and you must wait for both the fuel and temperature lights to turn off before starting the engine to allow time for the "computer to reset"...
Super nice video, thank you!! I own a bike just like that but 2003 and I am very please so far. Would be interesting to know the tires you had for the video and whether you have tried some models and what are you preferences. Super nice video. Thank you!
I sold this bike shortly after the video... can't recall the tires on there bike. Purchased a 2017 F800GS shortly after, video on that bike on the channel as well. I run Shinko tires on all my bikes, have good luck with those. Thanks for watching 😎
Thank you for your video! In 2022 next season I'd ilke to get a different bike and I am have two options to choose from right now. First one that I would really like is the Yamaha TDM 850 4TX and the othet one is BMW F650 GS. I really don't know which one to chose. My usage is 70-30% city-country roads so my optional bike would make me feel satisfied whether I choose. Still thinking thank you for your video, have a safe trip 🤜🤛
I am picking up a 1999 650 this weekend. 2,000.00 bucks/Red/11K miles... mint condtion... I am jacked to ride a enduro again. Wheelie want to Wheelie... PEACE!!!!!
99 Should be the carbureted "Funduro" version, also a classic. Fuel injection is very nice to have though, if you like the characteristics of the Funduro, start looking for a deal on a fuel injected F650GS Dakar (if you want to do off-road or regular F650GS (if only doing on-road riding)
NICE VIDEO !!!! GREAT !👍 Anyway these days I'll have to choose between a BMW F650GS and a Honda Transalp TA650 more or less with the same years and second-hand mileage ... The BMW is a beautiful bike with a respectable brand but by instinct I'm more inclined for Honda ... maybe I'll regret it later ... I honestly don't know what to do.
Stunning trails ! Where in Colorado are you ? I love that soft pack soil. How's the bike on the highway and how does it feel with that 19 inch front tire? Thx
Northern CO Eastern slope. It is a light bike, but feels fine at HWY speeds. A 21 front wheel would improve the bike off road. I believe the Dakar Edition may have 21 front, not sure though
@@allans7281 70-75 comfortably, if you are looking for a longer distance machine I would recommend steeping up to a f800gs if your interested BMW specifically.
Hi, New Subscriber. Is that a Factory lowered version, or are they all that low? This is the first Video I’ve watched that someone is talking about how low it is. I know they made a lowered version. Anyway, great Video, you have some great places to go Ride. What State are you in? 👍👍
BMW F650GS is a fantastic bike, cost of maintenance will be higher like any BMW. I own a few Kawasaki KLR650's, which are very low cost maintenance as well as very easy to work on yourself.
Get an f 650 gs you can get one with low miles in mint condition for less than 3000 dollars which is half the cost of the g650 gs which is pretty much the same .
do all these bikes have a loud intake knock sound?? My 2003 runs well but sounds like marbles are loose in the motor when I take off..bike has 13k on it?
The down draft throttle body is right under the panel in front of you. That’s what you hear. It’s cool. Only noticeable in first or second gear at low rpm acceleration.
We havnt even opened the video and yanks are mentioning the word "Beginner".. Patronising isnt cool. I have been further for a newspaper than you have ridden. I own the same bike.
