BMW F650 GS question

Now as I have a look at things through the forum , I have a few questions

As a lot of guys are riding GS 1200 's will I be able to keep up on the GS trips with a 650 . Yes yes I know you're all a bunch of nice oakes that will wait for me at some rendezvous point but hey don't want to be riding 500km with not a single club member in sight . Height and wallet constraints tends me towards the 650 . Ok not really wallet I can probably shell out and get a 800GS but hey a man needs some abundance of cash floating around to keep up a social schedule and do some shopping right ?

Guess thats it . Should probably go to grade 1 again because "a few questions" turned out to be only one

Hey Gert,

Keeping up with the group should not be your concern - keeping upright on the bike should be!

But seriously - the club's motto is "Shared Riding Pleasure" for a reason, because we ride together. Yes, there will always be fast and slow guys in a group, and exactly for this reason the groups tend to spread out in any case. And you won't be riding 500km without anyone in sight. Worst case scenario you will never be slower than the sweeper! You'll always have at least one riding buddy

The way larger groups ride makes it quite flowing, where the faster riders can go up front and the back markers take their time to get to the next stop. We are quite adamant that every guy rides his own pace and within his own comfort zone, because when it turns into a 'mine is bigger than yours' situation, people get hurt.

I guess it may also make a difference with which group you are planning to ride - the S group on the road tends to have more fast guys, but Dani (on 800GS) joined them the other day and enjoyed the ride doing it the 120km - 140km she was comfortable with!
With the GS group that does more gravel roads and tracks & trails, the speed is obviously slower, and we tend to bunch up a bit more especially at the more technical sections to lend each other a hand if necessary. Also the GS group would also stop every 50-70km to take a water break...

As far as your 1200GS vs 650GS question is concerned, with the June club ride to Loskop dam we had the following bikes:
1 x 650GS (with the 650cc motor)
4 x 650GS Dakar
2 x 650 XChallenge
3 x 800GS
1 x KTM 990Adv
1 x 1200GS HP2
2 x 1200GS
2 x 1200GSA

and... wait for it...

1 x Honda NXR 125!!!! Jaco (Mario's son) loves riding the GS routes with us and he keeps up just fine. Sometimes they will take alternative routes to avoid major highways, but more because of cops than about the speed

So if you were wondering whether you would be able to keep up on the GS trips? I don't doubt it! Ok, so we'll see you at the next club ride then


And don't be shy with the questions... we're all learning all the time!

Heyta Gert,

Marnus hit the nail on the head here, listen to him, he knows his stuffs...

I also had a normal 650, (not Dakar) when I joined the club and later the rides rides committee on the GS side. I was naturally also concerned about keeping up, and I was very worried about "leading" a ride or even a trip on my little 650 with 1200's in the group.

On the GS rides speed never became an issue, I could always keep up, the sweep rides at the back, so it does not matter what speed you ride, the sweep will look after you.

I then moved from the 650 to the X-Challenge, and lead one of two groups all the way from Pretoria to Sodwana Bay (760km) in one day, on my X-Challenge............. believe it, cause it's true ......

So, never worry about speed, anyone can twist a throttle and ride fast, skill comes in when you ride slow. Always ride within your and your bikes capabilities, don't try and prove anything and always be safe!!

So when are you joining on a club ride ???

I will be joining as soon as there are TWO BMW GS 650's in the garage . Yes two , because the one standing there already does not belong to me