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A new forum for F650 Twin Owners

20K views 20 replies 11 participants last post by  TonydeButcher 
#1 ·
As we are getting more new members with the newer F650 twins we thought you all deserved a forum of your own.

please post any questions etc. relating to the twin models in this forum, this will enable us to keep information on the different models in specific areas and build up the same level of knowledge we already have on the singles.

enjoy.

Ian



 
#3 ·
Oooo I can genuinely come back now.

Just dropped by the site for a looksee and now that you've got a 650 twin section....

.... started off on a 650 CS five years ago (and hence a member here), then went a very roundabout route via a 600 Fazer, CBF1000 and now back on a 650 twin GS. Happy days :mrgreen:
 
#7 ·
Wilbur, what no SLOG meetings going on lately? Hadn't checked out for meetings, but will go have a looksee...

Brian, not sure if we had the same Fazer - mine was the FZ6 version (mark II?) - whilst it could go like stink and had a very nice handling chassis, I found you had to get it north of 9,000 revs to make it "interesting". Otherwise it was a bit dull, and given most of my riding is mixed commuting into London I got bored of it very quickly. It's one of the reasons I love the low down torque that the 650 twin has....
 
#8 ·
I'm picking up my 650GS (twin) on Saturday morning and ridiculously over-excited waiting for it. Was test riding them last week and decided to commit to that over the new Triumph Tiger 800.

Had an 1981 R65 (a BMW 650 of a different nature) and rode with SLOG once or twice, remember a great day down to Eastbourne with Wilbur, John, Flying-Brick? and a few others.

Since then I've had far too many bikes: SV650, XS650, Triumph Thruxton - hopefully now I've found something I'll keep for a while! I'd be keen to do some revived SLOG riding.
 
#9 ·
I, too, would love to do another SLOG run, but due to a couple of factors, this is not possible:-

a. My bike had to go to settle some debts, &

b. I now live in Edinburgh, which is about 400 miles north of SLOG territory.

Other members of SLOG are quite welcome to organise meetings & rides though.



 
#13 ·
Aye, I've lost count of the number of matches England have lost against Scotland at Murrayfield when the weather turns all Northern....

Worked well for you against SA back in the autumn I seem to remember
:whistle:
Was at that match thanks to early Christmas present. Although not a great game, the atmosphere & result were superb.

Drinks at the Murrayfield Ice Rink afterwards, while the masses made their ways home in the P*ssIng Rain, were good too :)



 
#14 ·
I am now no longer a G650GS owner due to issues discussed in one or two postings on this site! Having owned mainly BMWs over the last 20 years I told BMW that the G650Gs would be my last unless they did something immediate and exceptional. They did. They gave me a F650GS as a replacement. Done a couple of hundred miles now and although it is slightly boring compared to the single's grunt, I am growing to like it a lot. As a result you may want to move me into this forum as opposed to the G650Gs section.:wave:
 
#17 ·
Sorry!!!!! I first rode an F650GS twin as a courtesy bike from BVM Moto in Stroud a few years ago and immediately I rode it away I thought, "what a great bike". After a few more miles during that day I thought it almost too perfect and eventually bought the G650GS because I have always liked the Rotax singles for their slight agricultural feel, but inherent long life and quality, and my long standing love of singles anyway (When I was 16 I bought an AJS 500 single which cost me a tenner and did 80 to the gallon). Perhaps I am a bit of a masochist, I also very much enjoy good old French red plonk just as much as the stuff that is "oak aged" or had some other miraculous treatment perpetrated upon it. In other words, I like things with character, even a little bite. As for the F650GS twin, its initial perfection which initially made me think it was a bit, you no what, the word I am not supposed to use, I am quickly discovering is masking a lovely machine that does actually have character. I will post pictures shortly but I have also discovered it is very easy to make a rack for it as it has four vertical bolts in the tail piece to which I have fitted my old touratech luggage plate from a 1996 R1100GS I used to own. Bolted to this this is a JVC hard base toolbag from B&Q (£30 or so). I think it looks good, not everyone will agree, takes at least one open face helmet and is one version of hard based toolboxes I have used on various bikes over the years. They are cheaper than top boxes and I always tend to use soft luggage anyway on long trips because it is easier to repair enroute than hard panniers should one drop the plot. I repeat, sorry about the b word, :bowdown:
 
#18 ·
Sorry!!!!!
Apology accepted :)

I also very much enjoy good old French red plonk just as much as the stuff that is "oak aged" or had some other miraculous treatment perpetrated upon it. In other words, I like things with character, even a little bite.
Agreed - wine snobbery just means there's more of the undiscovered good stuff for the rest of us.

As for the F650GS twin, its initial perfection which initially made me think it was a bit, you no what, the word I am not supposed to use, I am quickly discovering is masking a lovely machine that does actually have character.
:nod:

I will post pictures shortly but I have also discovered it is very easy to make a rack for it as it has four vertical bolts in the tail piece to which I have fitted my old touratech luggage plate from a 1996 R1100GS I used to own. Bolted to this this is a JVC hard base toolbag from B&Q (£30 or so). I think it looks good, not everyone will agree, takes at least one open face helmet and is one version of hard based toolboxes I have used on various bikes over the years. They are cheaper than top boxes and I always tend to use soft luggage anyway on long trips because it is easier to repair enroute than hard panniers should one drop the plot. I repeat, sorry about the b word, :bowdown:
Sounds interesting. As I had a Givi box on my 125 I just got the matching base plate for that. Must admit I'm more of a hard luggage fan, but will be intrigued to see your solution.
 
#19 · (Edited)
topbox & pannier frames

Thats naughty, not buying the proper carrier for your topbox plate !!When I bought my new F650GS in 2010 I was amazed at the price of this item for the BM because Ive bought variouse ones for other bikes over the years at 1/3 of that price.As there is 4 correctly spaced bolts on the tailend 2 of them securing the pillion handrail all I had to do was turn 4 short spacers to support an aluminium plate to fix the topbox base to, with 4 slightly longer bolts & the jobs done.I dont carry a pillion any longer as the wife has now retired from biking so I have mounted it slightly forward of the end of the pillion seat which makes for more stable riding than having it overhanging too much.
I would be interested in anybody who has made their own pannier frames for this bike suitable for keeping throwovers from resting on the exhaust silencer.
 
#20 ·
Thats naughty, not buying the proper carrier for your topbox plate !!When I bought my new F650GS in 2010 I was amazed at the price of this item for the BM because Ive bought variouse ones for other bikes over the years at 1/3 of that price.As there is 4 correctly spaced bolts on the tailend 2 of them securing the pillion handrail all I had to do was turn 4 short spacers to support an aluminium plate to fix the topbox base to, with 4 slightly longer bolts & the jobs done.I dont carry a pillion any longer as the wife has now retired from biking so I have mounted it slightly forward of the end of the pillion seat which makes for more stable riding than having it overhanging too much.
I would be interested in anybody who has made their own pannier frames for this bike suitable for keeping throwovers from resting on the exhaust silencer.
I like being naughty and doing what bike manufacturers don'e expect me to do, especially when they charge too much for bits and bobs:)
 
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