02-09-2012, 11:37 AM
Hi,
Whilst at Rufforth Auto Jumble yesterday I noticed a rather unusual BMW bike being ridden into the parking area; I only glanced it but it didn't appear to have the "pots" sticking out either side as is usual with a BMW boxer engine.
I mentioned this to my chum David (Yorkie) when we met up and later we were able to inspect the bike at close quarters. Sure enough the bike was something totally new to BMW and the design was a parallel twin? Both David and I are ex BMW bike owners and this bike was entirely different to the ones we owned ours being the traditional BMW horizontally opposed twins.
I've surfed the web for more information and here is one of the websites I had a look at;
http://www.frasermotorcycles.com.au/bmw/f650gs
Has BMW lost the plot a bit with making motorcycles? With a model identification of F650Gs this bike has a capacity of 798cc? With DOHC (Double overhead cam) fuel injection and digital engine management together with a 3 phase generator the bike is a huge break from the usual BMW bikes but at what gain?
The old flat twin BMW bikes were easy enough to maintain at home with a handful of spanners and a vacuum gauge to balance the carbs but digital electronic engine management; fuel injection and now water cooling the new bikes are no longer friendly to home servicing.
With a top speed of 114.95mph the bike I was looking at is only slightly faster than my old 750cc although I haven't checked acceleration times.
Has any member any knowledge of these new BMW bikes or even ridden one? I've always been a huge fan of BMW bikes but I feel the highly technical upgrade of the new bike to be more of one of fashion rather than useful.
I must add that I've not gone into this in great detail and perhaps there is more to the design and reasoning behind it that I have not grasped. I know at least three of us forum members are BMW fans so thought it worth adding the thread for interest.
Kind regards, Col.
Whilst at Rufforth Auto Jumble yesterday I noticed a rather unusual BMW bike being ridden into the parking area; I only glanced it but it didn't appear to have the "pots" sticking out either side as is usual with a BMW boxer engine.
I mentioned this to my chum David (Yorkie) when we met up and later we were able to inspect the bike at close quarters. Sure enough the bike was something totally new to BMW and the design was a parallel twin? Both David and I are ex BMW bike owners and this bike was entirely different to the ones we owned ours being the traditional BMW horizontally opposed twins.
I've surfed the web for more information and here is one of the websites I had a look at;
http://www.frasermotorcycles.com.au/bmw/f650gs
Has BMW lost the plot a bit with making motorcycles? With a model identification of F650Gs this bike has a capacity of 798cc? With DOHC (Double overhead cam) fuel injection and digital engine management together with a 3 phase generator the bike is a huge break from the usual BMW bikes but at what gain?
The old flat twin BMW bikes were easy enough to maintain at home with a handful of spanners and a vacuum gauge to balance the carbs but digital electronic engine management; fuel injection and now water cooling the new bikes are no longer friendly to home servicing.
With a top speed of 114.95mph the bike I was looking at is only slightly faster than my old 750cc although I haven't checked acceleration times.
Has any member any knowledge of these new BMW bikes or even ridden one? I've always been a huge fan of BMW bikes but I feel the highly technical upgrade of the new bike to be more of one of fashion rather than useful.
I must add that I've not gone into this in great detail and perhaps there is more to the design and reasoning behind it that I have not grasped. I know at least three of us forum members are BMW fans so thought it worth adding the thread for interest.
Kind regards, Col.
Happiness is a wreck of a cabinet to restore.
