Long-term update: BMW G 650 GS Sertão

While press launches should give a great snapshot of any new motorcycle’s abilities and drawbacks, of course it will be no surprise to anyone to hear the format of such events is geared to focus on the former, while gently steering road testers away from the latter.

In truth, concealing a new model’s inadequacies is not such an issue these days – any new model from any of the established manufacturers is inevitably going to be refined and well executed, but the biggest drawback to a traditional press launch remains – time. Fact is, there’s only so much you can learn about a new machine in a day or two’s ride, and in such a window you can’t hope to reveal all of a bike’s quirks and idiosyncrasies.

HAPPY REUNION
For that reason I was pleased to have a second go at BMW’s G 650 GS Sertão, the marque’s latest single-cylindered dual-purpose bike with an off-road edge, after initially sampling it at the model’s press launch (click here to read that review). That launch actually gave me a great taste of the model’s broad capabilities over a very wide spectrum of terrain, from smooth highways, to potholed backroads through Victoria’s Gippsland region, through to some slick and muddy ascents and descents in the High Country. This time around, however, it was about to cop some slightly more mundane abuse, namely the daily commute, with a little weekend enjoyment thrown into the mix.

As a freelance writer I tend to travel a bit and in doing so I rack up a few kays – between 500-700km most weeks. The weekday commuting is largely made up of highway/inner-city motorway, most of it with a posted limit of 100km/h (but an effective peak-hour speed of 30km/h), but a bit of 110km/h zone too – plus some built-up stuff at either end. For a bike that lays claim to some significant off-road ability, I have to say the Sertão is still a very handy tool on the blacktop and as a general day-to-day ride.

With a claimed wet weight of 193kg it’s a pretty reasonable proposition to manhandle (or ‘womanhandle’, if that’s a better reflection of your good self) around the garage, and the 860mm seat actually feels quite a bit lower than it is. That’s because the seat narrows towards the tank, so it’s less of a stretch to get a foot down, but then when I was on the bike I found myself wanting just a little bit more legroom. The 860mm standard seat will be fine for a majority of riders and it wasn’t even what I’d call cramped for myself, but taller types (I’m 188cm) will appreciate the extra long-haul comfort of the optional 900mm jobbie.

Otherwise, the ride position is tailor made for eating long distances, with a relaxed reach to the broad ’bars and a pretty much bolt-upright stance. When I first took delivery of Bikesales Network’s long-term test bike it came minus its screen (the screen bracket had snapped thanks to an impromptu off-road decking), and so it was revealing to see the difference when I got the bike back with the screen in place. While it’s not like being cocooned by a full-on touring bike’s screen, it certainly makes a big difference – the Sertão screen effectively punches a hole through the air and does so without triggering any undue buffeting.

While I’m not about to name names when it comes to that snapped bracket (okay, so it was Fattore…), it did remind me of my own misadventure on the Sertão press launch. On a slippery ascent I punched the bike’s nose into a wall of earth by the side of a High Country trail, which broke the bracket to which the bike’s front guard attaches. This meant it effectively lost its ‘beak’, which gave it an unusual look, to say the least, while from that point on it threw up a rather annoying rooster-tail of water, mud and crap.

ALL HEART
On the highway, the Sertao’s 652cc donk is a spirited little performer – it’s surprisingly sprightly for a single, and incredibly refined for one, too. It’s  smooth – remarkably so – with just enough vibration to remind you that you’re not on a multi-cylinder machine. There’s a heap of low-down punch to help you make a snappy getaway from a red light, and just the slightest flick of its feather-light clutch will see the front wheel soar skywards. While that’s ideal for hopping the front over logs and washouts in the bush, it’s also my preferred method of clearing speed humps in the urban jungle.

There’s punchy performance on tap throughout the full range of legal speed limits, and even at 110km/h on the freeway it still responds well to a good handful, requiring maybe a single downshift for any fast overtake. At 100km/h in fifth gear the engine is spinning at 4200rpm, and it’s far from straining. Redline is indicated at 7000rpm, not that there’s much point in wringing its neck.

It’s certainly a winner at the fuel pump, where it recorded an average consumption of 4.2lt/100km. That’s a nice, low figure, but it would want to be to offset what really has to be the bike’s single biggest issue – its miserly 14lt tank. Sure, a safe range of around 300km isn’t too bad as far as bikes in general go, but it’s definitely a limiting factor for an adventure bike. Another 4-5lt of tank capacity would be appreciated, Herr BMW, for extended off-road epics. Having said that, in purely freeway running, at a steady 110km/h, it did return an impressive 3.75lt, bumping its effective range up to around 350km.

I can’t fault the Sertão’s handling, either on the bitumen or on the dirt. Conservative steering geometry, fairly skinny rubber (a 90 on the front, a 130 on the back) and 21in front wheel add up to neutral steering and docile road manners, yet it will still slice through a corner beautifully, and changing line is simply a minor shove of that broad handlebar away. The brakes are up to par (and the ABS can be switched off for dirt work) and the gearbox is slick – with a more refined action than that of the old F 650 GS Dakar of years gone by, if memory serves. That handlebar does require some careful manoeuvring if you go in for lanesplitting in the city, but at least it’s high enough to sail over the mirrors of most standard cars (though SUVs and 4WDs are another matter).

The Sertão eats up a decent dirt road, and it was a heap of fun on the fire trails I sampled in the state forest in my neck off the woods. While heavy and cumbersome in comparison to true dirt fare, the Sertão can still impress in more open going, where its weight and momentum can be a benefit. Speaking as a road rider who enjoys the odd bit of mild ‘adventure’ riding, I’m pretty sure I’ll reach the limit of my off-road abilities long before the Sertão does.

Practicality is at the top of this bike's priority list, and that is something any owner will quickly appreciate in day-to-day running. The heated grips are a valuable addition, even in mid spring in Victoria, and the factory 31lt topbox ($689) is very handy; it's big enough to take a full-face helmet, and can be opened, detached and then reattached in seconds. The remote rear preload adjustor is also a good thing, as it's easy to get to and easy to use.

Any complaints? Apart from the size of the tank, just a few. On a couple of occasions I inadvertently left the park light on when I'd meant to engage the steering lock as the two features are just a small twist of the ignition key apart, and you have to push the key past the park light function to reach the steering lock. To be fair, the bike still fired up on both occasions despite the park light being on for five-or-so hours. As an owner you'd get use to making sure you hadn't left the park light on, but it's still something to keep an eye on. Flattening a bike's battery through no-one's fault other than your own is never a good look... Other than that, the fact the horn button is above the indicator switch (instead of the other way around, which is the traditional format) is annoying, and the numerals on the LCD tacho are too small to read with a quick glance.

THE BOTTOM LINE
The Sertão was initially released early this year with a price tag of $13,350 (plus on-roads and with ABS, which adds $650), which put it well ahead of bikes like Kawasaki’s $7999 (plus on-roads) KLR650 and Suzuki’s $7990 (plus on-roads) DR650SE. I didn’t have a problem with that because for me the BMW is in a different class, thanks to its electronic fuel injection, ABS brakes, up-to-the-minute instrumentation and styling, and better quality of general finish. And let’s not forget BMW’s historically strong resale value, which can’t be ignored.

However, BMW Motorrad Australia recently slashed prices across a variety of its models, and a Sertão will now set you back $10,990 (plus on-roads), that price is including ABS as standard (but now excluding the previously standard auxiliary power socket, worth $50). While early purchasers of the model will be gnashing their teeth (and who can blame them?), that massive $2360 reduction will surely tempt more prospective buyers into BMW showrooms. The price now undercuts models like Yamaha’s $11,499 (plus on-roads) XT660R, and certainly its single-cylinder adventure bike hero, the $13,999 (plus on-roads) XTZ660 Ténéré.

These days there’s no shortage of single-cylinder duallies to choose from. For me, it comes down to this: if the range isn’t an issue for your intended usage, I don’t think you could ever be disappointed with BMW’s G 650 GS Sertão – and the recent price drop is the icing on one very sweet cake.

Visit the BMW G 650 GS Sertao in Bike Showroom

SPECS: BMW G 650 GS SERTÃO
ENGINE
Type: Liquid-cooled, four-stroke, DOHC, four-valve, single-cylinder
Capacity: 652cc
Compression ratio: 11.5:1
Fuel system: Electronic fuel injection