BMW F650 GS

Experienced hand

Q: When is a 650 not a 650?
A: When it's an F650GS

BMW has decided to use an existing name of a long-running model for an entirely different bike - and conceal the bike's true engine displacement too. For the record, the "new" F650GS isn't a 650 - it has an 800cc twin-cylinder engine, albeit detuned from the donk in "real" 800s. It produces 52kW and 75Nm.

And being a twin, it has almost no commonality with the long-running, much-loved and entirely sound F650 GS single-cylinder bike - which really was a 650. Half the problem would seem to have come from BMW's decision to reconfigure the 650 single (the real one) in three all-new, more hard-nosed -- and significantly lighter -- G-series models -- the G650 Xcountry, Xmoto and Xchallenge.

So, we have a detuned 800cc twin wearing the hallowed GS moniker. Before dismissing this as an inconsequential lightweight, it should be remembered that the bike which started the whole adventure sport, Paris-Dakar replica round-the-world tourer trend 30 years ago was none other than BMW's venerable R80 GS -- which was also a twin-cylinder 800, albeit with horizontally-opposed air-cooled jugs and shaft drive.

Unlike its ancestor, the new F650 GS offers two vertical liquid-cooled cylinders, six gears, chain final drive, underseat fuel tank, heated grips and a single brake disc at each end, available with optional ABS systems. It comes with 21st century niceties like superb headlamps and an LED tail lamp, an onboard computer, fuel-injection and a catalytic converter exhaust.

The latter combine to give miserly fuel consumption (without blunting performance appreciably), and tailpipe emissions so clean they make the bike's environmental impact negligible.

Quixotically, although the GS (Gelande Strasse in German, or "terrain street" in English) suggests it's an all-road all-rounder, in reality the bias is heavily in favour of its on-road persona, wide handlebars and cleated footpegs notwithstanding. The bars don't have a dirt-bike style cross-brace, and the footpegs have generous removable rubber inserts.

The bike can be ordered with the optional lower seat at no extra cost -- this lowers the seat from 820 to 790mm from the ground. As an extra-cost option, lowered suspension moves it down to 765mm, but this requires the removal of the centrestand.

The testbike had the super-low stance and, while this might be attractive to those of the vertically challenged, for those of ordinary height, the bum and heels are just a shade too close together and make standing up in the gravel a chore.

Other options include tyre-pressure sensors that send information to the on-board digital display, which also includes stuff like a gear-position indicator, ambient and engine temperatures, fuel consumption and available range, two trip meters and a stop-watch lap-timer. Just because it's there, doesn't mean you have to use it...

The controls are all uber-logical -- barring BMW's plain weird and much-condemned three-button indicator system, now hopefully to be confined to history as the new K1300 series leads the way with a single, simple button.

With fuel-injection there's no fuel tap or choke, and a push-button starter lights up the high-idling twin that has a turbine feel to it, rather than the metronomic thump you'd expect from a vertical twin.

There's a cable-operated clutch with a light pull, but more feel than a hydraulic system can manage; first gear is engaged with a solid if out-of-place "Clonk!" and the light throttle picks up revs readily.

For street use, the GS is smooth, fast and tractable, and the fat exhaust gives a pleasantly fruity rasp as revs climb. Gears other than first click smoothly into place with minimal toe work, and when the time comes to slow, back-shifting gives at least some engine braking, although the single disc brake at each end offer serious retardation. ABS proves just how hard modern tyres can decelerate before skidding - a lot.

The GS is never going to win a stop-light shootout, but it gets off the line plenty quickly and despite its sit-up stance, the front wheel stayed on the deck - unless the rider would prefer that it didn't.

Cornering grip and clearance is generous, thanks to the broad capabilities of the Bridgestone tyres, although the wide bars take a bit of getting used to: it's easy to oversteer with them and, for comfort in the wind stream and nippiness in traffic, narrower bars would make the GS an even better roadbike.

However, it's also supposed to be reasonably comfortable off the beaten track too, and while it's clearly no enduro bike, the GS gets along fine on unsealed roads as long as they're hard-packed; it doesn't cope too well with gravel and absolutely hates -- largely by dint of its very road-oriented tyres -- mud.

It skates around in the kind of gravel that councils use to "fix" roads -- a combination of tyres and the smaller 19-inch front wheel - the "real" GS, the one which is called F800 -- has a 21-inch rim and more dirt-oriented tyres.

Standing on the GS puts some more weight on the front and adds some bite, but if your ride to work or play includes any unsealed roads, you'll be looking for more ambidextrous tyres.

That minor detail aside, the F650GS is absurdly easy to ride, smooth, rewarding and rugged, with deep reserves of both safety and performance. For those needing a competent and undemanding all-rounder, the GS deserves a place on the shopping list.

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