WR 250

Member
Mar 17, 2000
220
0
I got back from the big city and checked out a bunch of dual sport bikes. The KLR 650 was a little bit tall for me, the Suzuki 650 was better and I could lower it so it would fit me great. Then there is the BMW. Sweet looking bike, fits me almost perfectly and, well, it's a BMW. Does anybody have one or has ridden one?

I don't want to convert a dirt bike into a dual sport since I already have a KDX. I want to flexability to be able to cruise at 75 mph with the street bike guys but still be able to plonk down the occasional dirt road. The BMW is fuel injected and that makes me nervous. Any opinions would be welcomed.

I was just planning on looking at bikes so I could save and buy one next summer but BMW offers a .9% interest rate which is making the bike so tempting to buy this summer. It's kind of one of those, do I lose a summer and pay cash next year, plus be able to dicker to a better price. Or do I finance it and get to ride this summer. The other dual sports don't offer an option like this. Anyway, I'm sitting on the fence wondering what to do.
 
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dirt bike dave

Sponsoring Member
May 3, 2000
5,349
3
For the use you described in your previous post, the BMW will probably work out great. The 650 single is a huge seller in Europe so hopefully they have got the fuel injection dialed in. FWIW, I've seen big boxer twins moving along pretty fast on dirt roads, so the lighter 650 should be able to get you most places you would want to go.
 

Farmer John

T.C.F.<br>(tire changin' fool)
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Mar 8, 2000
1,993
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The BMW is a good motorcycle, despite its forks.
The motor is a Rotax & will probably never break.

The Suzuki is, well, a Suzuki. We have an 01 here at the salvage yard 11k on it. Rod went out the front of the cases & broke the frame.

IF you could put the DR's forks on the BMW & have BMW parts as inexpensive as the Suzuki's,............
 

Dave'sDRZ

Member
Mar 28, 2000
39
0
The F650 is notorious for breakdowns--look on the web and you'll find story after story. Electrical problems seem to be the worst. The one I rode was very heavy, poorly suspended, and buzzy (vibrations)-I expected more. The BMW GS bikes are constructed much better. The F650 will never be much more than a gravel road bike--never dump it because the parts are BMW priced.
 

WR 250

Member
Mar 17, 2000
220
0
What does the GS signify? The bike I am looking at is listed as a F 650 GS and is an '01 model. Are the bikes you are talking about older models? I know one dealer has a '99 and it is different from the '01. I believe the '99 has the tank located above the engine in the traditional spot while the '01 has the tank under the seat. Aside from that I don't know what the differences are. I was thinking maybe the older models were a lot different?

There is a lady in town that has a BMW 650 that I'm going to try and ride. I agree that the BMW is heavy but they are all heavy compared to my dirt bike so I don't see any way around it unless I converted a dirt bike to street legal. I was thinking that with the tank under the seat then the weight might be less noticeable.

I'm going to check the net to see what is out there on the BMW's. The fuel injection makes me nervious since when it breaks it does so instantaly and leaves you stranded with now easy way to fix it. My experience with fuel injected snowmachines has left me with a bitter taste since the Polaris machines I've ridden with have been less than reliable. Of course Polaris no longer offer fuel injection so that tells me something.
 

sparkymarky

Member
Feb 21, 2001
34
0
GS stands for Gelaendestrasse, or "dirt roads" in german. either the 2000 or the 2001 was the first year bmw actually built the bikes. before that, they were built by (i think) aprilia, which is why they're so much like the Pegaso.

i have heard nothing but good things about the fuel-injected 650's, except for the weight and price.

p.s. you can also lower a klr, but if you can afford a bmw and like how it rides, you'll be happy with it in the long run.
mw
 

SFO

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Feb 16, 2001
2,001
1
I wrote service for a while at a Bay area BMW dealership.
The only problems I saw in the 6mo's I did it were 1 blown up head, and a few roasted clutches.
They would bend frames really easy too.
The steering heads would twist in any collision. We could have been spoiled by other BMW lines and their durability.
It was a given that if they hit something the frame would be tweaked.
I would take a DR, personally, given your choices.
 
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BunduBasher

Boodoo-Bash-eRRR
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Feb 9, 2000
2,450
2
Check out http://www.f650.com - very god F650 site.

There is a girl who has ridden her F650 around the world - seems to be a great bike.

Alan
 

WR 250

Member
Mar 17, 2000
220
0
The biggest problem for me is my height. I'm 5'5" so the majority of the D-P bikes are too tall for me. I can ride a 36" seat height no problem on a light weight dirt bike, and I've ridden a +37" on my old WR 250 but it was a little bit too tall to be manageable so I sold it. The KLR was slightly too tall but someone on here mentioned that they have a lowering kit for the KLR's. I need to look further into it. The BMW has a 30" seat height and feels really good. However, I've decided to wait and save up my money before buying anything this year. The BMW financing deal wasn't what I thought in that you chose between .9% financing for up to 5 years or take $1000 off the price. The bike is already really pricey at the MSRP of $8600. The KLR sells for $5000. Anyhow, my wife just talked to a couple guys who rode into town from Kansas on KLR's and they loved the bikes. The one guy was as tall as me and had a lowering kit on his. I'll just continue to research and save until I can pay cash for a new bike next summer.

I'd like to check out that Husquavarna a guy told me about. Cycle World said it had a low seat height. They had a KTM at the BMW dealer I was at and I didn't even try to swing a leg over since it looked pretty tall. I don't remember if it was a 640 or a 400 something.
 

BunduBasher

Boodoo-Bash-eRRR
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Feb 9, 2000
2,450
2
Kouba produce lowering links for DRs/DRZ's and the KLX - I'm 5'8 and will be lowering my DRZ-S by about 2 inches, just got me the Kouba III link.

Maybe one day when I lose my mind I'll ride accross the USofEy on my DRZ-S

http://www.koubalink.com/

The KLR for 5G's is a great deal, and I have yet to hear anything said against the bike (besides its porkly weight)
 

DoubleTrouble

Member
May 26, 2000
138
0
Rockrider,

AL, (Bundu basher), has been trying to get me on a DR-Z for a while now. I took his bike for a spin and it's pretty impressive. Too tall for me and I'm quite sold on the F650GS, the Dakar in fact - The Kouba links are much needed.

They have had F/I mapping problems and a lot of owners have been very unhappy. However, the latest bikes seem to be cured.

If you going to do 100-200 mile days and a little dirt/gravel riding then the DRZ will be a tough ride. The Husqvarna TE610 might be better than the DRZ on the road but I can't see it being that much better. Your best bet is the BMW or the KLR.

Their weights are pretty much the same so don't expect much more than gravel/dirt/fire road work on these beasts. Some experienced riders can make the KLR and even the GS look good in the dirt but they are in the minority - Joe Average will find the going rough.

The KLR has proven itself and has changed little over the past ten years and the price of $5000 a bargain. However, if you're sold on the GS, go for it - A lot of world travelers can't be wrong !
 

SFO

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Feb 16, 2001
2,001
1
I rode my Husky 610 on the street for two years.
It was a blast in the city, I just had to carry a screwdriver to put the carburator back on it when it would cough and blow the carburator off.
On the Highway it was a rattler. It would buzz your fillings out after 10 minutes.
The power spoiled me though.Try to ride as many bikes as possible.
I think fun level is priceless.
I would pay more for the right bike.
What about a Duke?
 

WR 250

Member
Mar 17, 2000
220
0
The kouba links seem like a really good idea. I didn't see the KLR listed on their site but maybe they are planning a kit for that bike? If so the KLR becomes a very viable choice. Stock I can touch tippy toes, but if it were just an inch lower than I'd probably be on the balls of my feet which would feel much more secure. Especally on a bike that weighs over 300lbs dry.

I checked into the Husky but according to their website, the closest dealer is located in Washington state. That's just too far away.

The KTM Duke. What the hell is it? It looked like a D-P bike, actually it looked really cool, but the suspension travel was in the 5"-6" range. Strangly enough it still kept the same height from the tires to the fenders making it look a lot like a dirt bike. Is it a Super-Motard? The seat height was 33" which is lower than most dual sport bikes, except for the BMW.
 

dirt bike dave

Sponsoring Member
May 3, 2000
5,349
3
Rockrider - you don't necessarily have to get a custom linkage to shorten the rear suspension. Many of the suspension companies can 'shorten' your stock shock by using a shorter shaft that doesn't extend as far, or putting a spacer on your stock shaft to keep it from extending fully.

When you made your original post, I immediately thought KLR!, and I agree with what SparkyMarky has said about the KLR. It has a very loyal following for 'adventure' touring.
 

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