Quote:
Originally Posted by MountainMan
Bummer to hear about the issues with your bike. There were a few minor things on mine, didn't seem to be too much problem but I was probably used to fixing little things at that point in my trip. I had a small weld tacked to the side stand in Columbia. Carried a block of wood for the small base plate but wished I had the $0.10 stand pad that a HU member bought for me in Damascus.
The rear pipe is indeed hilariously large. Had the leak from the head cover gasket, apparently very common even on last years 800, fixed but not many spare gaskets on this continent last year is that is any indication. Didn't you throw a set of TKCs on it initially?
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Yes, I've done the last 120,000 miles on TKCs and have now done 12,000 miles on the F650GS. My criticisms perhaps came over a bit harsh. I have a R1200GSA and was looking for a second bike that could handle all-day motorway rising at 80+mph and still be nimble offroad.
The F650/800GS is uniquely positioned to do both of these well. The obvious alternatives that are widely available in Europe can't do both, though the R1200GS (non adventure) comes close.
It's extremely rare in the UK to see the Kawasaki and Suzuki models mentioned above, so I wouldn't be rushing off to buy one of those.
The older Transalp looks OKish, but the new one is heavier than the R1200GS.
The new Tenere can't handle the long distance motorway cruising and the seat is a bit high for me. A small capacity twin dropped into a slightly lower version of the Tenere would be exciting, though.
The other alternative was the BMW G650 Xchallenge and Xcountry. I was impressed with the road performance of the Xchallenge. Both of these suffer from abysmally poor fuel range but there is now a reasonably-priced add-on rear fuel tank.
Later this year BMW is bringing out a touring version of the G650 Xcountry.
Tim
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"For sheer delight there is nothing like altitude; it gives one the thrill of adventure
and enlarges the world in which you live," Irving Mather (1892-1966)
Last edited by Tim Cullis; 19 Feb 2009 at 11:58.
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