can’t dispute that it is the most gutless motorcycle offered by BMW Motorrad, being the only single cylinder bike in BMW’s current line. Yes, I’ll confess that most of its DNA dates back to the introduc- tion of its predecessor in 1993. Oh, and this little bike offers you no prestige or snob appeal whatsoever to feed the angst borne of your nascent mid-life crisis. So why would anyone want to buy a G 650 GS? And, more incredulously, why would a person of reasonably sound mind buy one twice? Feather is the name that I
O
gave to the 2012 G 650 GS that I purchased three years ago. It earned its nickname from the effortless nature of its control inputs. It accepts throttle, steering, clutch and shift motions as effortlessly as though it is directly connected to my brain. I fell in love with the bike on the way home from the dealer and shortly thereafter vowed never to part with it. That infatuation was a surprise even to me. Although I had test ridden most other BMW models, I had never tried the 650 single before buying it. My wife’s eyes rolled skyward as she learned this fact just prior to my picking the bike up. I purchased the bike because it’s light, attractively priced, fits me perfectly and has ABS. I’m a small guy, and the G 650 GS, with its factory-low- ered suspension, it lets me plant my feet on the ground more securely than with any bike I have owned since the 1960’s. Most importantly, it’s just plain fun to ride, and as a bonus, its fuel economy is extraordinary.
kay, it’s not BMW’s most popular motor- cycle, and you likely won’t even find one on your dealer’s show- room floor. And no, I
By Tom Stewart #14651 No relationship is all sweetness and light,
of course, and Feather has even more short- comings than those mentioned above. The littlest GS is burdened by an antiquated but efficient chain final drive that cries out for regular lubrication and messy cleaning to avoid premature chain and sprocket wear. Word on the street suggests that dealers must take one or two of these little beasts each year, which they then have to figure out how to sell. This means you can proba- bly buy one at an attractive price, but it also holds the trade-in and resale value down. And, although the thumper makes lots of
beginning of this season, I traded my baby in on an F 700 GS. Despite apparent simi- larity, the 700 rides totally differently from the 650 single; it feels smoother, more planted on the highway, and happier at higher speeds. My 700 is lowered, so it fits me well, and I really enjoy it on longer trips. All season though, as I enjoyed the F 700,
the thought of the 650 sat in the back of my mind, cajoling me like a slobbering puppy that drops a stick at your feet and seems to say, “let’s play.” When I called my dealer to arrange the end of season service for the 700, I asked him what became of my old 650 as I hadn’t seen it pop up on the used bike section of their website. When I heard that they hadn’t had time to service it for resale and that it was still there, my brain went into overdrive. My mind was
flooded with
smile-inducing memories of that
wonderful, big-single The BMW G 650 GS is the sophisticated execution of a minimalist concept.
useful torque right off idle, the rider is con- stantly aware of the presence of the big explosions that keep that oversized piston pushing the crankshaft around. This gives the 650 a compelling texture and character but it can become tiring while trying to keep up with my 1200 GS companions on four-lane freeways. But I didn’t buy my 650 GS to ride on freeways. My plan was to use it as a one-up backroads tourer and, in that role, for me, it’s perfect. It’s all I need 99 per- cent of the time. Still, I often find myself on longer trips in small groups, and that some- times means lots of freeway miles. So at the
torque accelerating out of cor- ners, the blast I had at the track day at the Calabogie Motors- ports Park with the Ottawa BMW Club, and the confidence it imparted on unpaved roads. My path was clear: I needed to buy my 650 back. First though, I had a signifi- cant obstacle to overcome. My
long-suffering wife may have thought I was foolish buying the G 650 GS the first time without having even tried it; my wanting to buy it a second time struck her as lunacy. But she didn’t say no. Last week, Feather came home. We spent
a late fall day dancing over the sun-dappled and twisty roads in the lake country near my home, and I was reminded of a philoso- phy espoused by my friend and fellow BMW rider, Jim Cooper: “It’s a lot more fun to ride a slow bike fast than it is to ride a fast bike slow.” Amen.
Left, Tom Stewart and his BMW G 650 GS, Feather, after purchasing it for the second time. Stewart says Feather is fun to ride and just wants to play. February 2016 BMW OWNERS NEWS 77
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