Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

BMW F650 and F650ST SpecificaIions V...... Engl_ type (Left) Whenever the urge strikes, the Funduro can be ridden olf-road comfortably, albeit at a mild, sit-down pace on maintained dirt roads. (Below left) A windscreen comes standard on the off-road version of the F650, as does a crossbar for the handlebars. (Below) The F650 is powered by a singlecylinder, 652cc, four-valve, water-cooled, fourstroke Bombardier-Roiax motor built to BMW's specifications. It makes good power. entirely too soft for anything more than super-slow, off-road cruising. On the smallest of G-outs, the F650 bottoms easily and harshly. If there happens to be a small rut in the middle of a G-out, then clinch your teeth and hold on tightly because you're heading for a serious, back-wrenching jolt. Afterwards, check and make sure your saddlebags are still attached and not tumbling down the road. Believe us, we're not kidding. Even bumping up the preload all the way isn't going to help out much. The forks are pretty soft, too. Basically, the F650, in stock condition, isn't up to the task of hard-core off-road riding. Instead, it likes to be ridden at a leisurely, sit-down pace on two-track dirt roads. Stay away from the sand; the front end, that uses a 19-inch &ont wheel, likes to plow and you'll start flmmdering from one side of the trail to the other. The suspension isn't the F650's only fault when it comes to off-road riding. The Michelin T66 tires are simply awful (at least compared to full-on knobby tires) on the dirt - hit the brakes and nothing happens. You just keep going - sliding. There just aren't enough knobs to get a decent grip_ on the earth to slow you down properly. On the road they're fine but you'll want more knob, at least smaller and taller knobs, for serious off-road riding, but good luck trying to find a quality 19-inch front knobby tire. And then there's the wide fuel tank that just makes standing up on the bike feel awkward. Otherwise, the F650 is just fine on the dirt. It's the pavement where the F650 shines. In fact, it's so much fun on the hard stuff that it doesn't really matter that the bike suffers in the dirt. You won't care at all. Much of this has to do with the F650's superb motor. The Rotax, 652cc, OOHC, four-val ve, water-cooled, single-cylinder motor, which also features dual spark plugs, churns out good, strong power, with hardly any vibration to speak of. Throttle response, via the dual, 36mrn Mikuni, constant depression carburetors, is spot-on, and there's no hesitation or hiccup anywhere in the power delivery. Just smooth, pulling power everywhere. Even at 70 mph, you can roll on the throttle and the Rotax motor responds with a significant surge of power. It doesn't take a whole lot of effort to get the front wheel off the ground, either. We wouldn't go as far as saying this is a good wheelie bike, but a heal.thy dose of throttle and an earnest jerk on the handlebars in the lower gears will get the front wheel off the ground. Just thought we'd mention it. There's absolutely no drive lash, either, so feel free to open'er up while leaned over in the turns. And since the F650 is chain-driven, there's absolutely no drive-torque effect, either. Speaking of the chain, the F650 is the first chain-driven BMW motorcycle ever. The five-speed transmission worked just fine, too, though finding neutral while at a stop sign required a fair amount of skill. On the road, we found the gap between fourth and fifth a little wide; there were times we wished for a fourth-and-a-half gear that would've made whipping through the esses a little smoother. But it really wasn't a big problem. The motor pumped out enough power to pull the higher gear most of the time. Slowing the F650 down for the turns was never a problem. The four-piston Brembo up front was more than adequate and the rear brake offered excellent feel and power. As mentioned, the F650 is extremely comfortable to ride. It has a rather low . Rotax, 4-stroke, single .4 V g_r Chain-driven w/bucket tappets DIspl_ 652cc BoN & stroke 100 83mm Carburetlon _ _ 2 33mm Mikuni HornpDwe, reting lcIeimecD .48 bhp @ 6.500 rpm Torque reting . . . . . . . . . . . .41 lb.-ft. @ 5.200 rpm Compression retio 9.7:1 Cooling system .. , .Thermostatically controlled liquid-cooled. auxiliary fan Valve actuation _ Double overhead camshafts Catalytic converter Open loop catalyst Clutch _ Multlple plate in oil bath Transmission _..5-speed Primary drive. . . . . . . •. . . . . . . . . Straight-cut gear Final drive O-rlng chain Final drive ratio 2.937 (16/47) Ignition CDI Frame . . . .. . ..Single-Ioop cradle, square-section steel tube w/bolt-on lower section Rake .. .. '" 62 degrees Trail . . .4.56 in. Suspension Front .41 mm telescopic, conventional, Showa fork , w/stabilizer bridge Rear SinQie Showa shock linkage, rebound damping adj. and preload Wheel travel Front ,..... . 6.69 in. Rear 6.49 in. Brakes Front .... .Disc, 4·piston, floating caliper w/rigid 11.8 in. disc. Brembo Rear ....Disc, 2-piston. floating caliper w/rigid 9.45 in. disc, Brembo Wheels Front 2.15 x 19 in. (18 in. sn MT. wire spoked Rear _ 3.00 x 17 MT. wire spoked TIres Front 100/90 x 19 in. (18 in. sn (tube type) R_r 130/80 x 17 in. (tube type) 0/ A length 85.8 in. O/A width 34.7 in. Wheelbase _ 58.3 in. Ground cl_rence 8.27 in. Seat height . . . . 31.5 in. (30.9 in. sn Fuel capacity ..... : .4.6 gal. including 0.5 gal. reserve Claimed wet weight .421 Ibs. Colors. . . . . . . . . . . .. Flame red. deep black (F650) Orange. midnight blue (Sn .... _. _.$7,490 (both models) MSRP ......... Standard equipment: Analog clock Pre-drilled handlebars for heated grip installation Windshield Optional equipment: Low suspension kit Saddlebags and mounts Engine protection bars Top luggage box Heated grips seat height, a wide saddle, and all the controls are positioned exactly where they should be. The double-clamped handlebars - with a crossbar - can easily be adjusted to suit your comfort needs. Slow-speed stability is pretty good, though the bike responds quickly to the smallest amount of rider input. The bike also feels quite light on the pavement, making it a breeze to weave in and out of heavy, city traffic. While the suspension might be a little weak for off-road riding, it's more than up to the task for aggressive pavement riding. Even while leaned over at speed, the F650 maintains its composure over unfriendly tarmac. It soaks up the bumps quite well, giving the Beemer a solid and confidence-inspiring feel. Cruising along on endless stretches of straight-line pavement, the F650 proves its worthiness as a first-rate touring bike. The motor sings along at just over 4,000 rpm at 65 mph, and slap on the optional, hard-case saddlebags and the F650 can go anywhere the nearly twice-as-expensive GSllOOR can, though not as far on a tank of gas. The 4.6-gallori tank should carry you about 200 miles before having to switch to reserve, which is still pretty good. Unlike the GS, the F650 has a manual on/off/reserve fuel valve. BMW also offers a more street-oriented version of the F650 called the F650ST. Although nearly identical to the F650, the ST does have some significant differences, such as a smaller, 18-inch front wheel, no windscreen, more street-oriented tires, and narrower handlebars without a crossbar brace. To us, the main difference between the two is the windscreen, which we could've done without on both bikes. Buffeting makes x its presence well known at highway speeds, but the windscreen does help ease the bite of the cold and the other elements. Other niceties on both F650s include an analog clock mounted next to all the usual information gauges on the instrument panel; a built-in accessory plug on the left side of the bike to power, for example, a heated vest, and there's already a hole drilled in the handlebars for heated grips, which are offered as an option, as are saddlebags, a shorter windscreen (for the F650), a low suspension kit, engine-protection bars and a top luggage box. The F650 also comes stock with both center and side stands. We've had the F650 in our possession for only a few days and have already put over 500 miles on the bike and have discovered that not only is the F650 an excellent motorcycle for the entry-level rider but for the experienced rider, as well. There just aren't very many motorcycles out there able to carve the turns as well as the F650 does, nor one that is as comfortable for tho~ long, touring days in the saddle. And there aren't too many bikes out there that can perform these tasks, pi us be taken on those occasional off-road excursions without feeling guilty (as you would on a full-on streetbike), as well. Many will call the F650 the "poor man's GS," but that same person will also be called the "smart man." 1:N

• Cover