Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Rabb Re art Scarvin' In creating the all-new model that the F650CS represents, BMW bosses have bravely allowed David Robb (the American who heads up BMW's two-wheeled design department) and his team to incorporate heaps of design flair and a lot of neat new features concepts. really - in keeping with the CS's aim to break new ground in creating an urbanlifestyle product aimed at modemist-minded non-riders. many of whom are likely to be youthful in years. That meant starting again from first principles, entailing a step back from conventional motorcycle design in favor of concentrating on the practicalities that might attract such people to bikes - hence the CS's undeniably original looks, with swoopy styled airbox cover (the four-gallon fuel tank is under the seat) running forward to the plexiglass flyscreen and very designer dashboard. Said dash is functionally excellent, except for the rather serious problem that the dials on the analog speedo and tach can't be read quickly; you have to peer at them to decipher the numbers and discover that gosh, sorry officer, was I really going that fast? But the digital clock and trip/odometer are very legible, and so is the array of warning lights, which can easily be seen in bright sunshine. No fuel gauge, though - and given the fact that this bike is aimed at attracting people who are likely to be car drivers. I think it should have one, and the same goes for space for a U-Iock or some other form of anti-theft device; there isn't any beneath the seat, though as part of the huge range of optional extras that allow you to build on your base-level CS purchase, BMW will sell you a more costly dedicated electronic security system instead. The main reason there's no space for a U-Iock (though there's an outstandingly complete took kit, and even a large nut for undoing the rear wheel - the lack of a center stand.. however, makes using this problematic) is the BMW's low seat height - just 31 inches, with an optional 30-inch one for even shorter riders. At six feet tall, I found I was immediately aware of how low I was sitting, and it's very easy to put both feet flat on the ground at traffic lights. But the bike isn't cramped, thanks to the well-positioned rear-set footrests. and the passenger also has reasonable accommodation and footrests that aren't too high (plus, Robb has had the bright idea of fitting passenger grip-handles to the back of the "tank" for those who find wrapping themselves around the waist of the rider inappropriate - rnight be someone else's favorite squeeze, see?). However, with such a low seat, the height of the one-piece handlebar seems excessive. and it's quite a long stretch to reach the fat grips, whose thick counterweights completely eliminate any vibration that might reach the ends. Probably, just accentuating the drop of the ends of the bar and pulling them back a little would do the job - but I wouldn't imagine this is a particularly comfy stance for shorter riders, especially if you opt for the optional lower seat, because the bar would then be even further away. The levers were evidently designed by someone with big hands, because they're quite far from the bar, and to work the thumb controls (especially the left-mounted direction indicator) you have to lift your hand away from the grip - not very convenient. Still, the steering lock is excellent in motorcycle terms, making the CS just as practical a device for carving your way through city streets and stacked-up traffic as any scooter. Oh - I get it: street carver - right?! The BMW's open-cradle chassis is essentially the same as its GS sister's, with a bridge-frame backbone made from rectangular steel sections whose twin upper arms act as an oil tank for the dry-sump engine - hence the panels on the side sections which protect the rider's legs from undue heat, but which are also ribbed with rubber to give extra grip when cornering. Between them is the single most apparent evidence of Robb's capacity for original design thought. represented by the so-called "stuff-bay," which takes advantage of the tank's under-seat location by using the traditional tank location. The multi-purpose receptacle is complete with a drain-hole, and it's flanked by a translucent fastening rail that matches the handgrips on both sides. The bike comes standard with a water-repellent soft bag - with a clear map cover atop it - and when unclipped, It transforms into a shoulder bag. The bag can be replaced by anyone of a range of accessories, which can be fixed or even locked into the storage compartment. These range from a 10.5-quart plastic hardcase (too small to take a helmet), a storage box for items like mobile phone, sunglasses, etc., a water-resistant audio system with manual- and speedrelated volume controls for the twin stereo speakers (not sure that catering for the lifestyle market necessarily requires going whole-Hog), and a helmet and baggage spider which allows you to lock your helmet--and hope that nobody has tried to lever it out and steal it before you get back. Strangely, BMW has opted not to offer an optional hard-case top box for the rear of the CS, which has a neat-looking luggage rack emblazoned with the warning "Max Load 5 Kg. [11 pounds!" (it looks sturdier. bULl. Instead, BMW will sell you a very sophisticated set of soft luggage that spreads out over the passenger seat and the rack, is very good looking and doubtless extremely convenient, but which you absolutely cannot leave mounted on the unattended bike with any sense of security - whereas a hard-top box would allow you to pop even a pair of helmets and any other valuables inside, and walk away. Now tilaes urban convenience - or Out on the highway, the BMW CS is infinitely more enjoyable to ride than a twist-'n'-go toybike. with a smooth, progressive power delivery, minimal vibration in spite of the lusty slnglecylinder engine, and a real sense of solidity and quality engineering: it seems a lot of bike for the money. Fire it up from cold without a need to set the choke (there's an automatic richening program on the Bosch EFI), and leave it to idle on the side stand while it warms up. Hop aboard, and you have a much better view of the road and of traffic than with a scooter, while even at speed there's absolutely no vibration from the excellent mirrors. The improved torque delivery compared to the GS funduro makes the CS a very easy bike to ride in town, running as low as 1500 rpm in second gear without using the clutch, and then pulHng away cleanly from little more than walking pace, without any transmission snatch: twist'n'-go - right? That flexible response comes from a combination of the fuel injection and the beit final drive, and though in the upper three gears you need to have the engine revving just over 2000 rpm to be able to accelerate wide open without any snatch, this makes for an extremely user-friendly package. The gearshift action is faultless, though the cable-operated clutch action is a little stiff, and there's a sweet spot between 3500 and 6000 rpm you'll want to use the well-chosen ratios to operate in most of the time - though if you ask the BMW to plonk along lazily in top gear at anywhere above 2500 rpm, it'll do so quite happily all day long. But flick that mental switch from plonker to sportbiker, and the BMW will respond with pleasurable performance, accompanied by a pleasing exhaust note and quite a lot of Intake noise from the airbox under wide-open acceleration. Though the way the power builds is too linear to be exactly thrilling, you do feel you're going places, en route to the claimed top speed of 109 mph. For such a minimalist motorcycle, 90-mph cruising with the tacho needle parked on the 5500-rpm mark is surprisingly comfortable, and that's thanks to the effective clear plastic fly-screen, which deflects enough air above your helmet to make this enjoyable - though your shoulders do get a bit of windblast. Upping the pace to ton-up speeds is less enjoyable, though, and loping along at 75 mph at 4500 rpm is about the ideal single-cylinder satisfaction level. But where the BMW really comes into its own is on the twisty stuff, where its light 372pound claimed dry weight (416 pounds with a full tank of fuel) carried low down allows you to sample the benefits of its slim-single build as you flick it from side to side along a winding country road. The wide-spread bar gives good leverage for changing direction easily and controllably aboard a sweet-steering bike that goes exactly where you point it and holds a line well, even over bumps. The non-adjustable suspension is pretty soft at the front and hard at the rear - presumably to take account of a possible passenger or luggage. The only time you really notice this is over road surfaces with ridges or joints in them, when the back end jolts abruptly and gives your spinal cord a good reminder of what you've just passed over - not exactly ideal for concrete joints on freeways. Otherwise, what is presumably budget-priced suspension is adequately compliant within the horizons of the SC's likely customer, and the 0207 Dunlop rubber gives great grip that will have you scraping the hero tabs on the flip-up footrests. There's quite a lot of fork dive under panic braking, but not enough to cause any problems, and in any case the single 300mm front disc and its twin-piston Brembo caliper don't really deliver enough bite to make this a factor in normal use. The BMW's stopping power is adequate, but not exceptional, though stepping on the 240mm rear disc quite hard will help a bit. The optional ABS fitted to the test bike worked brilliantly, making the BMW a secure ride on slippery road surfaces; another option worth mentioning is the waming flasher operated by a button mounted atop the triple clamp - just the job for when you leave the bike parked curbside while you pop into the post office or to buy a paper - every bike should have one. 41 mm fork that's equally devoid of low seat and multi-purpose stuff-bay, damping regulation. is light-steering and easy-handling much an issue in Germany as it unfortunately is in other countries. ' However, at the end of the day, David Robb and BMW are giving you the facility and thus the choice to cart all this stuff along or not, whereas other manufacturers don't unless you buy a scooter. (yet still feels solid and predictable on the road), has a responsive-but- the Blast are erroneous (though gentle power delivery from an engine understandable)_ Both bikes are tai- maybe street crime isn't as Despite the above, any impressions that this is a Teutonic version of with loads of personality and not a lored as lead-in products to ranges of lot of vibration, Is phenomenally eco- bigger models, but the Blast is much nomical (BMW claims 100 mpg at 55 more low-tech, less dynamically satisfying and ultimately just plain mph, and 60 mpg at 75 mph) and In both functional and stylistic terms cheaper than Its BMW counterpart - has no rivals in the marketplace. and a look around the F650CS (sorry, stili can't bring myself to call Without following Honda's abortive route of some years ago and developing an automatic transmission for it the Scarver) will tell you why. the motorcycle (which would ulti- prisingly sunny winter week In Britain also came fitted with the optional only a matter of time before these At the end of the day, only the marketplace will decide if the come fitted on most bikes, except F650CS is more than just another mately destroy its very purpose), or fitting ali-enveloping weather protec- ABS, as well as - joy of joys - the perhaps sporting ones, where you clever marketing concept from the tion (which it already does with the optional heated grips, both of which might want to be able to alter the most consistently innovative compa- Cl), BMW has produced a dynami- work very well (as I had occasion to discover on over-salted road surfaces gearing. But as a classy feature, for the first time ever on a belt-drive ny in world motorcycling - but after riding the BMW for a week, it's cal bike that - while retaining the essential appeal of a motorcycle - cally satisfying but ultimately practi- bike, the BMW employs a cast-alu- impossible not to give the company The BMW follows Harley's entry- minum single-sided swingarm to credit for coming up with a package offers the same convenience as a level single Buell Blast (launched at the same time as the F650GS) in adopting belt final drive instead of a mount the rear belt pulley on. Apart from looking good, this also allows that makes it easier than ever for maxi-scooter, and at a very competi- someone new to biking to get started on two wheels. The CS is well-priced tive price. BMW management has bet big that there are customers out without being cheap, functional with- there who do indeed want to take out being bland, offers a high level of accessibility and convenience with Its n cue I • off: it deserves to. in sub-zero Celsius conditions). chain (or a shaft), for less grease, no maintenance, longer life (25-30,000 miles), and cheaper replacement. It's the bulky catalytic exhaust silencer to be tucked in tighter. There's a variable-rate linkage for the non- adjustable rear shock, matching the that step up. Let's hope the bet pays _ VII' S FEBRUARY 20, 2002 CN 25

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