Any more views?
 

3 1/2 years on, I would be interested in getting any more opinions on the subject of this thread: two up on a F650GS.

I am thinking of doing such a trip but relatively short, perhaps a couple of 1000 miles over a week or so, with luggage.

Dave

A couple considerations:
1) You're in the US, where roads are built for higher speeds than much of the rest of the world. Not that the cops let you do higher speeds - just that the freeways, other primary highways, traffic moves fast.
2) You´re in California - lots of hills and mountains.

On the F650 running 2-up around California, you might feel you are underpowered.

On the other hand, I'm one for considering max Gross Vehicle Weight. Between the 650GS and 1150GS, there's only 20 lbs GVW difference, so the 650GS isn't much difference in the ability to carry the 2 of you and your gear compared with a bigger BMW. (BTW, beemers have some of the higher GVW's of the bikes out there, in comparable cc classes. I think GVW is one of the more important factors in choosing a suitable bike for what we do).

If you have access to such a bike, you might try a shorter weekend ride, overnight it or something, with little gear. The seat length seems a bit short on the 650, compared with a bigger BMW. You might find out you hate the seats on the 650GS, and it won't matter whether the 650 is suitable to do the ride if your rear end ain't into it.

Dakar
 

Im my 14th month touring through Asia on a dakar 2004. It is great. Lots of power at any rev count, huge seat, good clearance... I like it more and more.
Almost all pluses; the minuses are:
It is a tad heavy and tall for me, it doesn't like mud and the original suspension is made of the softests sh!#.
Talking about which, I'm going to post a question about ways to harden it up because I bottom the rear nearly on every bump now!
In Asia, you go up... let's say the Everest and at teh top there is a guy there on a scooter or an Enfield... Makes you think. Go riding on whatever it is you like.
fernando

No worries!
 

Recently we had 12 days away two up on a F650GS, over paved and unpaved (some VERY unpaved if you get my drift) around the South Island of New Zealand and it was fine. We aren't small people either. Also aboard was two rear and two tank panniers, topbox and tankbag.

Regards

Nigel in NZ