Dakar Feedback
 

Dave

The bike was carrying a fair old weight:

Me about 85 KG with gear on
Misses about 70 KG with gear on
Elkamet fuel tanks taking total to 39 litres - were full on a number of stretches
Metal panniers about 13 Kg each when full (inc weight of pannier)
Tank bag with camera equipment about 4kg
Rear roll bag 10 kg
1.5 litre of oil 1 kg

I did have the seat scoped to reduce height of bike. Will make a few more adjustments to it for my next trip.The only time that we banged lids was when she nodded off on the boring sections. For us no problems.




Cheers

Julio

Thanks Julio,
You "made" me read the bike instructions: i.e. I've dug out the handbook for the F650GS.
Your figures add up to 155 Kg of "live" load and 41 Kg of luggage = 196 Kg total, and that is ignoring the weight of the bigger fuel capacity.

The handbook has the following:
All up maximum weight allowed = 380 Kg
Bike weight with normal fuel tank full = 194 Kg
So, available for rider, pillion and luggage = 186 Kg (this split 124 Kg max on front wheel and 256 Kg for the back).

Therefore, you were at least 10 kg over weight, again ignoring the extra fuel you were carrying.
All that is without a calculator, but I reckon the figures are right!

Anyway, as I mentioned, I don't rely on figures alone:-
How did you find the bike to be handling with a full load and what suspension settings did you use in Africa?

Banging heads together: I guess I need to learn to take the pillion into account more often when riding two up on this bike. It doesn't happen when my wife is on the back of my bike but she won't ride hers with a pillion at all (which suits me because I do not make a good passenger).

Cheers,

I took a pillion from Bolivia to Buenos Aires via Chile on an F650 Dakar - obviously, it can be done, but it does get kinda cramped, it struggles with over-taking at altitude, and, even with a svelte passenger, the rear shock bottoms way too easy on any dirt.

I know it wasn't one of your choices - but if I was gonna two-up across Latin America, I'd take an 1150GS - loads of room for precious cargo, plenty of grunt, and more robust than the surprisingly-delicate 1200 (cue flaming from outraged 1200GS riders...)

Suerte, Dan

I agree with Dan
 

When their bike gets buried up to its shaft in sand/gravel, how many new 1200GS riders would happily shove their bike over onto its side and spin it round on its cylinderhead to get it out??

Seriously though, everytime mine went down, the only damage was a slightly more bent engine bar. You'd need to upgrade the suspension for two up though, with all the gubbins I was carrying, my replacement 180 rated spring on my Ohlins just about covered it and that was only for me. My original 160 spring was useless and always bottoming out. Great bike, plenty of room, power etc and no reliability problems at all.

Thanks Dave; The seat length is definately a bit snug. There is room to adjust your position from time to time but not a lot.

As far as banging helmets, I suppose it does happen now and then but I never realy noticed. It helps that my wife is a very active participant. She pays attention and sticks to me like glue over the rough stuff or while cornering.

hi bud
 

I've just ridden 25,000km from Australia to France right now on a 650gs and although i was only one up, i wished i had the 1200gs for most of the ride, except the off roading part, the comfort with 2 would be worse so i'd say go 1200 if you can
Ride on
Kev