There is no need to spend a heap more money on prepping a F650 Dakar when compared to any other bike. It's got all the quality components on it already with exception of the maker of the suspension. All it needs is a few additional protective additions which you can make yourself.

The Chain Gang :: View topic - Home made GS crash bars.
The Chain Gang :: View topic - Extra bash plates

I made a heap more modifications on ours that I would make on any other bike anyway.


Having done an intercontinental trip on a XT Tenere (3aj) I found that the perfect RTW bike you be something with:

- a large capacity stator to cope with the electrics you would like to have to make the experience just that bit more comfortable (The Chain Gang :: View topic - Accessories Wiring (very long with heaps of pix),
- a comfortable upright riding position,
- low centre of gravity,
- economic,
- good ergonimics (you spend more time on the road than you think and being passed or blown off by smokey trucks sucks)
- good build quality.

And if it were to be something I would want to keep beyond the trips it would have to be good looking with modern technology as well.

As for the 10 grand. Well..... You don't have to be rich to be able to save 10k in a few months. You just have to know what you spend it on. You know how much smokers spend on their addiction??? Or pub drinkers, or porn viewers ;)
Most people do this sort of thing once in their life, so what's 10k in that.

As long as you enjoy what you spend it on. We've got two, and love every bit on it. They are just so easy. Big and heavy for realy bush bashing and sand hill riding but that's what KTM build EXC's and Yammy build WR's for. Plus you wouldn't do this fully loaded anyway.
Keep an eye on the water pump bleed hole, pack the SHB and Suspension bearings in grease and get a 911 and you're laughing. DHL ships everywhere, and so long as the parts don't have a paint scheme, they're not more expensive if not cheaper than the XT's.

As for luggage. I'm all for hard and you don't have to be talented to make it yourself. That way you get exactly the dimensions you want and you can build your luggage around the gear you bring and can incorporate the features you want.
The Chain Gang :: View topic - Home made top box rack and top box.
I've always wondered what happened to your gear when 200kg stacks on top of it when it's in soft luggage. And when the bags are ripped up and you have to make it to the nearest repair place, how do you keep it all in over those km's of corrugated roads?
We had that scenario on our last trip with metal mules and at least we could keep it all together. I do now realise that having the lid locking mechanism as part of keeping the box onto the frame is a bag design, btw.

"Old" v. "New" KLR
 

I've finally decided to go with a KLR, but now I have a new choice? The new one or the old one? You can still get the "old" and "new" KLR new. Do you think the "new" KLR will have some unforeseen problems?

It seems like almost every new bike, car, truck, or for that matter even toaster-ovens takes a year or two to work out some of the kinks? Any opinions?

Leo

Go new ,it has taken Kawasaki 20 years to work out the kinks ,it might take another 20 to get the "new" one right !
Just kidding !

A better all around bike.

I've just read all 7 pages of this thread, I am busy like so many of you deciding on which bike to buy next. I have a 2005 R 1200GS which has given me many problems. It is 5 months out of it's 24 month warranty, I am scared of it, the handlebar switch gear has a latent defect, they stop working, mine has done this 4 times now, the starter button has fallen off again, it happened on a very busy day in the traffic. I had to heave this monster off the road, nearly got nailed by a truck because I could not start the lump. Now I know that I will have a big argument with BMW SA about this when they open again.....Yup, they have closed for the year. What do people do for spares and backup when the company is closed? I am really :censored: right now with BMW.

I am going to go for something smaller and simpler, a 650.

I would not consider the GS 650, it is made of lead and is not a proper off road bike. The new X650 is sooooooo ridiculously tall that I can only reach the ground with one toe...

I have been considering the new Yamaha Tenere, but it weighs 183kg DRY, that is just slightly less than the R1200GS, the KTM 690 Adventure is not available yet, so, that leaves me with the DR650 or the KLR650, and I have just ridden a friend's new model KLR650, which I found to be comfortable and confidence inspiring. I had a 2000 model DR650 for 5 years before I had the BMW, and it weaved on a tar road at anything over 120kmph, AND HAD A SEAT MADE OF WOOD! So, it looks like I'm going to go with the KLR......

For the time being, I am going to look for a buyer for the BM and ride my XT500 for a while.....with only 136kg dry weight and a fuel range of 350km it is still a great bike in the real world. You can still get 90% of the spares for a total rebuild over the counter from your local Yamaha dealer, really cheap. And I absolutely trust my old XT. The complete engine spares list to rebuild the XT500 engine (piston, rings bearings gaskets engineering and all) cost about the same as the BMW handlebar switch gear, how does BMW justify that?:nono:

I just love to ride, and all the posts I have read point towards the new KLR650, do they have any flaws? :helpsmilie:

Same comparison but for 2012 models
 

Interesting read...

2012 BMW G 650 GS Sertão vs. 2012 Kawasaki KLR650 Comparison | Rider Magazine

Hey all,im in the same posistion as a few people reading this thread,deciding which bike to buy.Been going back and forth between 1200gs,ktm 990 and now the 650gs and klr.

Can we get a few more posts from people who actually own 650gs's?Seems like a lot of people are giving their opinion on beemers yet ever owned one.

Wow, this is quite a resurrected thread, from back in 2007. I guess you know that there is a new(ish) replacement for the F650GS single cyl = the G650GS single. Just to confuse things, BMW also still have the F650GS (now the F700GS) which has a twin cylinder, nominally 800cc engine.

Over the years, I have posted a few bits of information about the F from the days when there used to be one in my garage; apart from my posts, you will find information about that model of bike in the forum for "BMW tech" and you could use the search facility in here as well:-
Search | Horizons Unlimited

But, you are right, more or less; plenty of people who have never owned a F650GS have strong opinions on both the BMW marque and this particular model. Like all bikes, they have a few known weaknesses (very well known) which can be dealt with fairly simply.
Actually, you can read opinions about the F650 in other forums in here such as "Yamaha tech". :innocent:

As per the earlier posts in this thread, it very much depends on what you like; the 4 bikes that you mention are very different "breeds". There are also quite a few posts in here about the big KTM and rather less about the big Beemer - I don't understand why that is, but I guess those out riding the 1200GS know what they are doing and don't feel any need to discuss the bike in here.
The KLR: you can pretty much forget about it if you are based anywhere in Europe; they are few and far between nowadays, being old technology that cannot be sold as new anywhere within the EU market. Having said that, someone will be along in a moment with an offer to sell one to you.

Very many of the "which bike" threads go off topic very quickly; the more bikes in the title of the original thread, the more "chipping in" tends to happen.

:welcome: to the HUBB by the way; that's a good first question!! If you don't find the range of information that you want to know about the F650, its probably best to start a new thread with your specific questions, in BMW tech.

Ill try those forums,thx walkabout

:thumbup1:

If all else fails, there are specialist websites for just about any bike; for instance in this case:-
BMW F650 Forums is worth a look.