Gypsy, I'm trying to help, and I don't want to offend fans of it, but I don't like the F650CS at all.....
Two comments:
1. This sort of advice reminds me of folks who discourage people from buying scooters because they're not "real motorcycles". I got news for you: some people don't want a big, powerful, sporty, motorcycle - they want a safe, convenient, easy-to-ride motorcycle. To recommend to someone to get a VFR800 rather than a F650CS is like recommending someone get a BMW M3 rather than a Honda Civic because it's performs so much better. Sure it does, but that's not the point.
2. At least get your facts straight. The first generation F650 used the Rotax motor, but the 2001 and beyond bikes were new designs completely built by BMW. Not that it matters, many think the original Rotax motors were in some ways better. I have a friend who has a 1st generation F650 that he uses for adventure touring - he has 30K on this bike and it runs like a top. For the intended purpose, it's a great bike.
- Mark
Well, Mark, apparently you can't take criticism of the F650 well. You are welcome to your opinion, which you formed by how much experience using one, eh?
You are correct, BMW did dig in and change things about the original model. That's good because that was even worse at doing motorcycle things than what resulted. Only so much could be done to the basic package though.
The cyclinder head and attachments were changed not just to enhance the original pathetic performance, but rather to meet world emisssion standards. The drivability is still poor. Change doesn't automatically mean better, nor much better. And what not changed about the drive components is still as poor as it was. And now there's an expensive drive belt to change out there rather than a chain.
How did the changes really work out? Well, sales dropped and the model was discontinued.
And, I did not recommend a VFR -- no words in there that do that at all. Rather, I pointed out there were much better packages, and that one like the VFR package contains suplatives across the entire range of motorcycle things. And all at a low, and probably lower cost of ownership than an F650.
As far as scooters go, I'm a great fan, and ride them every chance I get. They suit a large number of missions, doing well at them. But, they are not motorcycles. Motorcycles do address scooter missions though ofen not as well. And behond that, motocycles address missions well beyond those that scooters can do a good job at.
What missions are an F650 really good at? And of those, is there better address by other motorcycles? The answer to the latter is, "Definitely."
My point, and my desire to help the otriginal poster lays in the fact I wouldn't want my wife, girlfriend, or in fact any person, riding an F650 when they are going to be cared for much better by something eles. Unless they fully understood the liabilities.
Go ride an F650, Mark, and then tell if you'd rather have your loved on riding one, or instead, a more competent and complete motocycle package.
Best wishes.
it's really an easy-to-ride bike due to its very low gravity center. For paved roads it looks to be a better choice than a GS. Also a GS has a different handling, more special I'd say.
