BMW 650 Funduro

Hey Pete,

She's just seen a pic of an R1150GS 2001 model with 16000 k on it
for $16000. She f- - kin want's it. I told her it'd be heavy for her
off road but she reallyl want's it. Do they still have that (dare I
say it) torque vibration problem ? And...would it be heavy to pick up
if (when) she falls off it? Can you get pack racks for them to
hold a tent sleeping bags pots & pans for camping etc?

 

A GS650G? Those Katanas are getting a bit old now,Al...

My trouble is that I'm not selling the TrannieSlapper,hence the headaches
over whether or not to buy the Hornet as well.
Brrmbrrrmmmbrrrmmm...

Postman Pat
Bike Slut

 

And it's farkin' shithouse. Or maybe that's just Aprilia's inability to
get a proper sealing headgasket.

Jules

 

Ah, well, buy an old trannie instead of a new trannie!

-----sharks

 

I'm 194cm tall, weigh a shade over 100kg and have found the R-GS "roomy"
and "bulky, but stable" when I've sat on or ridden one (ta, again, Clembo).

They are a *big*, *heavy* bike (249kg with a full tank) with a tall,
wide seat and cruiser-wide bars. A 155cm female with a gymnast's build
may well be able to manage one, but, like me riding down to the GP from
Canberra in one day on the 1989 CBR400 I just acquired (and which I
might have back on the road in time to try it), there'd be an element of
doing it mostly to prove a point, not because the bike-rider match-up
was particularly logical.

They come with a height-adjustable seat, but the diff in seat heights is
only 30mm, and that doesn't make the seat any narrower, nor the bike any
lighter.

 

Yes, they're HEAVY.
Good bike and all that, but needs muscle IMO.
Plenty of racks/ luggage options for that model, way more than any other
bike on the market.
Over a dozen mobs making racks/bags/panniers, it's a whole sub-industry.
cheers
pete

 

She'd want to be a largish lass, it's fair to say. They're not
a small bike. Especially the GS-A.

An R80G/S, on the other hand, is smaller than it looks, very
capable and pretty darn cheap (if you can find one).

I'd skip the 1150 altogether and get a R1200GS. If I had any money.

-----sharks [R100GS]

 

The start offering them with something other than those fragile-looking
alloy wheels yet?

 

Always have, as a no-cost option, according to this copy of Road Rider
I found in the bog. Anyway, I'm sure the wheels aren't fragile
(unless you hit a non-BMW approved rock or something).

-----sharks

 

I'm still trying to talk her out of it IK.
Her Dad has promised to pay $8grand towards it. She told him it's
slightly bigger than the 125 she's had for two years now. I'll wait
until he sees it. (hopefully b4 she buys it)

 

There's a 1993 R80GS for sale at another dealer for under $5grand with
just over 100,000 km on it, but she still want's the 1150. I'm hoping
the guys at the shop won't let her test ride the 1150 when they see
how little and light she is.

 

In aus.motorcycles on Sun, 18 Sep 2005 09:30:46 +1200

IF it's as crashable as they say it is, then that shouldn't matter...

Best bet is to say "look, test ride every BMW you can get your hands on
so you have the experience to handle it. Can't hurt, can help, what's
to lose?"

Because she might, just might, make all you condescending males eat your
words....

Especially if you, who are supposed to be wanting her to be happy,
decide your aim is to help her.

Zebee
- who isn't "light" but is short and has had way too many "that bike's
too big for you" comments from twonks in trousers.

 

There hasn't been problems like that with the BMW version...

G-S

 

Not so good offroad... but smee's been known to dig up spuds with his
bikes so you never know!


G-S

 

Yeah Zebee I guess you are right. She's little, and lightweight, but
she is very strong and athletic. I love her so much and do want to
make her happy but she's a tiger on a motorcycle and has no fear.

 

I did that with a HONDA!
The bimmer has never been offroad!!!!!!!!!!

 

In aus.motorcycles on Sun, 18 Sep 2005 12:43:18 +1200

What's the worst case? That she'll buy it and hate it. So say to her
"ride lots of similar bikes, and learn how to handle them". There are
plenty of ways to manage such bikes that don't require long legs or big
muscles, it's about leverage and forward planning.

So the more big BMWs she rides, the more she'll get a feel for if she
wants one, and the more she'll learn how to handle it. Maybe she should
go to the BMW club and ask folk there if she can handle their bikes.
She might get some takers, after all she just wants to sit on it and
move it around, not "ride" it as such.

Don't tell her she can't, cos you don't know she can't.

Help her learn how to instead!

My biggest bike is about 20kg heavier than the GS, the seat height is
currently[1] 830mm. If 5'2" me can manage[2] that I bet she can manage a
GS if she wants to.

After all, once it's moving it's just a bike. The tricks to learn are
how to move it about when the engine is off, and how to cope when you
are tiptoe when sitting on it. The Short Biker's List has plenty of
things to try out. And the odd tip for tall bikers as to how to think
differently....

http://www.nebcom.com/noemi/moto/sbl.faq.html
http://www.moto-rama.com/html/shortbikerslist.html


Zebee

[1] It used to be a lot lower with a cut down seat, the "correct" seat
is made of a very thick slab of Italian marble.

[2] admittedly the only off road I've done on it is gravel roads, the odd
paved mossy creek crossing, and the driveway where I lived in Lismore,
which was 500 steep winding yards of clay and gravel, which was 2"
deep ruts in summer and lots of mud over 2" deep ruts in winter...
Now there was a learning experience!

 

In aus.motorcycles on 18 Sep 2005 01:06:29 GMT

On that second site is http://www.sylviastuurman.nl/ which is the site
of a Dutch woman into GS BMWs.

So pass that on to her and they can strike up a conversation about the
GS and how to ride it.

Zebee

 

So, does that mean she's really yet to try throwing a leg over one?

A visit to a motorcycle retail emporium might be in order.

 

snip a little about wot zebs[1] sed....

Sheese Mosfet, keep those comments to your self. If the other wimmen
of ausmoto read that - they will want us all to be lovey dovey


Johno

Beer mate?

[1] bloody top bloke!