The BMW F650 GS has a parallel-twin engine tuned to produce a modest 52KW, but it's all usable.
BMW hits all targets with its off-road/commuter.
The name's a misnomer (see panel), but the latest version of the F650 deserves its GS badge. The GS, or enduro, label is responsible for about half of BMW Motorrad's Australian sales.
And with the 2008 model's $13,650 price, it provides more incentive than ever to throw a leg over a BMW.
The parallel-twin has been tuned to produce a modest 52kW and 75Nm. The trick is they're all usable, so you don't have to work the gearbox as hard as you would if the engine had a peak.
On the road that — and the well-matched gearing — provides a great bottom-end surge and constant acceleration. It's a competent commuter, and BMW says it can reach 185km/h if required.
The narrow body is a delight in tight traffic. Open it up and the bike tracks precisely where you point it, through anything from a 20km/h hairpin to open sweepers.
A truncated off-road session still showed the bike's potential in the bush. Even with the inevitable compromise tyre compound and tread pattern, the F650 was stable and reacted instantly to changes of power or brake input on well-packed gravel roads.
Any gear from second to fourth would do at speeds from 30-70km/h, as the twin torqued up and propelled the lightweight bike down the trail.
This is an entry to two-wheeled BMW ownership. The price reflects the importance BMW is placing on this model to bring in the next generation of riders.
BMW claims fuel consumption of 5.2 litres for 100km at a constant 120km/h, dropping to 3.7 litres at 90km/h. With a 16-litre tank mounted under the seat, that gives you a touring range of more than 300km/h.
A BIG SECRET
Let's get this straight. The F650 GS is an 800cc-powered motorcycle badged as a 650.
BMW's “logic” behind this illogical model designation is that the engine has been tuned to produce similar performance to the superseded single-cylinder F650.
“Our research found a lot of riders in this segment were put off by bigger capacity bike,” BMW Motorrad general manager Cameron Cuthill says.
“This bike is an improvement on the old model, but still fairly close in terms of the riding experience.”
INSIDE VIEW
BMW F650 GS
Price: $13,650
ENGINE: 798cc liquid-cooled parallel-twin
Power: 52kW at 7100 revs
Torque: 75Nm at 4500 revs
Transmission: Six-speed constant mesh, chain drive
Fuel tank: 16 litres
Seat height: 820mm (790mm seat a no-cost option)
Weight: 171kg (dry)
