I rode the BMW F650 CS for about a week while my BMW F 650 GS was in the shop. I really loved riding it. It was great to commute around on, the street handling is excellent. The position is fairly upright with wide bars that keep weight off your wrists so you can ride all day. The bike is ... Read review
Advantages: fun fun fun Disadvantages: love/hate looks (I love 'em)
I rode the BMW F650 CS for about a week while my BMW F 650 GS was in the shop. I really loved riding it. It was great to commute around on, the street handling is excellent. The position is fairly upright with wide bars that keep weight off your wrists so you can ride all day. The bike is extremely comfortable the seat is perfect, the luggage rack is handy and the tank bag thing is awsome! I loved it for keeping random things I'd normally stuff my ... ...great thing about buying a BMW motorcycle is the customer service. The warranty is great (look for the steering head bearing to go out around 15,000 miles) and they don't begrudge having to fix some thing, or just investigate. All the dealerships and shops I've been in have been great and I love 'em. To get it serviced by them is insane though, $100 for the first service and $500 for major ones like the 12,000 and 24,000 ( brakes, valves, oil, filters, ... more
I rode the BMW F650 CS for about a week while my BMW F 650 GS was in the shop. I really loved riding it. It was great to commute around on, the street handling is excellent. The position is fairly upright with wide bars that keep weight off your wrists so you can ride all day. The bike is extremely comfortable the seat is perfect, the luggage rack is handy and the tank bag thing is awsome! I loved it for keeping random things I'd normally stuff my pockets with. Super handy, as it just snaps off the bike and has backpack straps to sling over your shoulder. Apparently the passenger seat is really comfortable too. The bike is gutsy with a wide powerband and extremely smooth engine. The new 2spark is awesome. It's almost silent, which is really nifty sometimes, but if you depend on people seeing you you've got to work harder and pay more attention (something you really should be doing anyway.) The windscreen is good at freeway speeds, though definitely not really a touring screen. The bike is great at freeway speeds and could cruise for hours at 95 and days at 85 top speed being about 110. It likes to go fast. Fuel is about 60 or so mpg if you're riding fairly hard. So that's nice! Prius people will hate you for it though. It takes premium, but with a 4 gallon tank that's not really an issue. The carving handling is excellent and its just as fun as a purebred sportbike through the curves and a lot more fun riding home, I didn't take it on any really serious sportriding though.
One great thing about buying a BMW motorcycle is the customer service. The warranty is great (look for the steering head bearing to go out around 15,000 miles) and they don't begrudge having to fix some thing, or just investigate. All the dealerships and shops I've been in have been great and I love 'em. To get it serviced by them is insane though, $100 for the first service and $500 for major ones like the 12,000 and 24,000 ( brakes, valves, oil, filters, gaskets, and moditech). I reccomend buying the excellent shop service manual CD and doing it yourself. The single is easy to work on and the manual is so good a real beginner could do it. It takes about 5 hours for me to do a full service on my GS (same engine, with a chain and two pipes). I've never heard of a maintained BMW breaking down, but if it does they'll fix it and pay for the tow.
Compared with my '03 GS it was more convenient for traffic and such, it's geared a bit higher and the position is a bit more foreward. The belt drive is SILENT, which was strange for me, but I didn't miss having to buy chain lube. It was just as gutsy but I wouldn't actually take it in the dirt and it didn't handle potholes and such nearly as well. My GS also gets better mileage, but didn't start to until it was really broken in. I'd expect the CS to get about 70 when really broken in. I 'm also fond of the GS's looks.
I'd definitely reccomend the bike for a great all around machine, it's fun and everybody wants a ride, or just to look at it.
Advantages: Easy handling and maintainence free belt drive Disadvantages: No centre stand,rear suspension not suited for riders over 70kg.Intruments hard to read.
...could do at the time.
BMW have paid some attention to the first's models deficiencies with the new '04 model.The speedo dial has had the numbering improved-but it's still too far from the riders face.The front mudguard is now longer,but not enough for a wet dirt road.There are now availiable the parts to fit the F650 topbox.And lastly they have gone back to the original twin plug head to cure the "surging/hunting"that effects some of the previous ... ...stand and a decent rear shocker.
To some up,potentially a bike that could sell hand over fist.If you weigh next to nothing,only ride on perfectly smooth roads and never carry much with you at all-you'll love it the way it is.If not,be prepared to spend a fair bit and curse the Marketing Dept of BMW-for ruining what could have been their best ever scoot. ...
gragraposker 13.06.2004
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of BMW F 650 CS Scarver
Advantages: Low running costs, reliability and fun to ride Disadvantages: no centre stand
...Yamaha FS600 for a 2004 BMW F650 CS and have no regrets. Although signficantly less powerful than the Faser the Scarver is more fun to ride - I feel more in tune with the torquey single, and the engine braking is excellent. Handling is surprising good too - probably something to do with the low centre of gravity. My missus and son have both enjoyed the pillion experience. The Scarver is cheap to run - low insurance, good fuel economy and reliable. ... ...are very effective. The gear change is a bit agricultural but you get used to it. The seat is low so would be good for short legged people. I use the bike mainly for 25 mile round daily commute into Bath, and its perfect - the upright riding position is extremely comfortable and gives good visibility. I would definetly recommend this bike. The lack of a centre stand is my main criticism. ...
28Berkeley 06.05.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of BMW F 650 CS Scarver
...solution for you. Introducing the BMW F 650 CS Scarver, it's the next generation of sweet popcicle motorcycles. When you mount this sweet papa, you get the same sensation as if you were sucking on a sweet popcicle. Do you get what I'm trying to communicate to you? It's as simple as this, if you're looking for the ultimate sensations, you need to be sucking on a popcicle (cola flavor if at all possible) AS you're riding on the BMW roadkiller!
Now ...
Matt_says_NO 26.05.2004
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: not helpful Review of BMW F 650 CS Scarver