G 650 GS: Is it coming "back" to Thailand?

[gobs]

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Hi friends,

Browsing the Internet, I just discover BMW is "re-introducing" the "new" G650GS in France as soon as January of 2010,



after doing it yet with success in USA and some other UE countries (Spain and Portugal in particular)...
It seems BMW is going to sell this "old/new" F650GS in whole Europe...
Price in France will be 7000 Euros or here about 350 KBahts (a dream ), with ABS and heated grips... The intro in BMW line up...

The only change is the black engine, now made in China (as the X serie). Before it was made in Austria and was light grey.

Will it come back to LOS?
In case of, I should be curious to know the "new "price for a brand new G650GS...

Cheers,
Gobs

[johngooding]

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They are now selling the F650GS which of course has the twin 800cc engine. It does seem misleading to use the 650 name for this as virtually all the other BMW bikes use the engine cc in the name. Does the G650GS use the original single cylinder 650cc one?

I talked to both BKK in Bangkok and to Barcelona at the CM bike show and the only new model they were mentioning was the Naked 800, the F800R which they had at the show.

[Captain_Slash]

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gobs wrote

The only change is the black engine, now made in China (as the X serie). Before it was made in Austria and was light grey.

It wouldnt be the colour of the engine that bothered me, more the country that its being made in. The old engine was made in Austria as it was made by Rotax who make fantastic bulletproof engines

[gobs]

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Sorry... I forgot to mention that the G650GS is powered by the "previous/new" 652cc 4 valves single engine...

Jhon said: "I talked to both BKK in Bangkok and to Barcelona at the CM bike show and the only new model they were mentioning was the Naked 800, the F800R which they had at the show." I'm not surprised with this, John... Some months ago in France it was a big and certified NO-NO from BMW for this re-introducing!

In fact, BMW has a problem with the new F650GS (800cc): the bike failed to find its way through customers interest (too much "in the middle" of everything)... Add to this the "crisis"...
In counterpart, the 800GS is a top sale. Well designed and powered for what it's expected to be and do...
But maybe, as well, we'll never see this offer (G650GS) in LOS...

I understand your point of view, Captain... But, BMW certifies (ehm!) the chinese Rotax engine is manufactured within the same standards as the Rotax made in Austria...

Wait and see...

Cheers,
Gobs

[Azoulay]

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Hi Friends,

Thanks to Gobs I am completly puzzled... BMW engine made in China ! What a shame ! I will drink again to forget, but not forgive !

[Franz]

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Would make perfect sense in re-introducing the single cylinder version, if they only could get out more power of the Rotax steamhammer it would be perfect !! Have ridden it 2 years and was totally satisfied. No need in considering the inline 2 - F650GS as with just a little more cash everyone would go for the stronger and more versatile F800GS. The difference between both bikes was too small, this should have been obvious to Marketing from the start. In todays bike market you need a big-displacement thumper to be present in the Enduro business anyway.
I'm waiting for the XT660X now, the X-Moto 650 would have been the perfect bike but just look at the tank with 9 liters and you know you wouldn't be able to reach Mae Hong Son without refilling and that's a no-no for me. Cheers, Franz

[gobs]

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In my humble opinion, re-introducing the defunct/new G650GS, as you say Franz, for sure makes sens... But for my part, no need more power on the single...

Look:
G650GS: 650cc single, 50 hp
F800GS: 800 twin, 72 hp
1200GS: 1200 boxer, 110 hp for the 2010 model now with the HP2 engine.

It's a true and full BMW GS market range: just for everyone's taste if you are in BMW things... No need (IMHO) of the actual F650GS (a "strange" mid-term in the GS range: not a motard, not a "true" GS, not a naked, not a xxx)...

Just speaking of BMW here... Obviously, other bike brands have very good "GS" bikes...

Cheers,
Gobs

Reason of edit: powers in hp are given in "metric horse power" not "british horse power"...

[gobs]

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OK, G650GS now officially for sale... in France, for the price of 6990 Euros (about 350 KB ). In black or red, ABS and heated grips "de serie", but no center stand...
Oh, and on the original BMW french pictures engine is in a "pearl grey" color as previously... Black in the US version untill now but maybe can change too...

I found a short comparo Kawa KLR650 (carbs) vs BMW G650GS here:

http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/roadt ... index.html

I just sent a request to BMW Thailand to know if the G650GS will be available here in the future...

Wait and see...

[gobs]

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Answer from BMW Thailand about the G650GS:

Dear Mr. Raynald,

Please be informed that we don’t have the plan to import the G650GS at the moment.

If you are interested in the other models, please feel free to contact us.

Kind regards,
Chanida

So, subject closed "at the moment"...
In France, BMW had the same answer some months ago... to, finally, introduce it this year...


Cheers,
Gobs

[Ian Bungy]

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I find it a bit hard to believe and a Strange thing to do if they Re-Introduce the Antique F650GS when they already have the X-Country, X-Moto etc for Sale??? And also the Far Superior New 650 Twin available??? What would be the Point and Who would Buy it unless it was Much Cheaper???

[bard]

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I second Ian here, the X serie has the 650 thumper, is light and a great bike.

However when I looked at the bikes at Barcelona a couple of weeks ago, I noted that the current F650GS is low, seemed to be a great allround bike but with the retarded name 650 even tho it's a 800, and a 800 bigger brother which looks like it can do almost anything, versus the softroader "650". Problem number 2 is the F650GS was from the beginning marketed as a low, introduction bike to BMW.

Here is what I think, most bike buyers are men. Yes, there are women but very few compared to men. You tell a man that the bike he will buy is low for women, and beginner friendly... So you are supposed to shell out a large amount of money on a girlie bike. Admitting you're a beginner and all this is not a typical manly thing to do, in bike environment high testosterone level comes with the interest.

Now maybe BMW figured out, shit the girlie bike image don't sell to men, and not enough women are interested. Let's re-introduce the old engine, put it in a F800GS mold for rough, though outdoor types. And we will sell to all the adventure riders who want a cheaper alternative to the F800GS, and/or prefer a thumper.

I think it's a good idea for sales, Chinese engine or not, it will sell to the adventure guys. Maybe it will even sell some to some RTW riders? Who knows...

In Thailand I really like the X serie bikes, they are very nice and until Yamaha sell the XT660R the only offroad larger capacity bike here.

[Franz]

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Ian, there's one major factor I think why people won't by any of the X-series......tank has got 9 liters .....my F650GS used about 5 liters on 100km with my style of riding so that gives you with no safety around 180 kms, but who would dare to run them down to zero, so even less, let's say 150-160 kms on a fill , same as with the Duc Hypermotard. That would be the reason for me to consider the one-pot thumper F650GS again....one more factor is the thumper fact. I don't need 2 pots on such a bike. Nothing to do with technical facts just with: like it or hate it.... cheers, Franz

[gobs]

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I second Franz here.

IMHO, I think BMW is a "creative and specific" bikes brand (and I don't mean here the others are not!), but it happened several times they make mistakes with some kinds of bikes and didn't get the wide market they expected...
Design, positionning on the market, technical choices, among other things made them going the "wrong", or the "not so fashion", way...
Speaking about the GS serie, remember 10/12 years ago, how uggly and stangely engineered these bikes were through customers'eyes. Nowadays, at least in Europe (not sure all over the world), the 1200GS is the first sale in the BMW bikes branch!.. It's such a best-seller that in the head offices they can't decide, by fear of the "what and how to do", to give it a better replacement... So the delay, every year, by adding this or that to the actual one without deeply modifying it... Don't break a success story.

Though the X serie is very interesting, their sales are at the margin, as "fun bikes", as said Franz... Not a extended market, and not part of the G serie as BMW named and designed them differently...

The F800GS is a top-sale in the range (rough, efficient and strong bike but not the 1200GS "factor") while the actual F650GS sales (more around town designed) are not what they were expected to be... Prices difference (and image) between the two bikes doesn't help the F650GS...

IMHO, BMW noticed through the real market point of view there is a lack (in term of price and capabilities) before the F800GS, hence the re-introducing of the previous F650GS (650cc/single) as the "new" G650GS. It offers a kind of a first step in the range and is able to satisfy peaceful bikers who don't need a ton of hp or torque and enjoy quiet "soft off-road" touring...

This way, their range is wider, from the X serie to the 1200GS. IMHO, no wonder they will sell a lot of G650GS... There were numerous riders (especially in US) who were missing this "old and hammering" injected thumper. And some RTW riders too...

Sorry, Bard, but I'm afraid I don't well mind what relation you are making between stestosterone/bikes/money/power/image
But no matter...


Cheers,
Gobs

[Captain_Slash]

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Franz wrote

my F650GS used about 5 liters on 100km with my style of riding

Blimey Franz thats only 20km per litre, you must have been hammering it, mine used to give me 32 km per litre riding it steady. Mind you mine was a brand new twin spark with the electronic engine management and whilst riding with BobS his 2003 model used a lot more fuel at the same speed

[TonyBKK]

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Franz wrote

my F650GS used about 5 liters on 100km with my style of riding

Blimey Franz thats only 20km per litre, you must have been hammering it, mine used to give me 32 km per litre riding it steady. Mind you mine was a brand new twin spark with the electronic engine management and whilst riding with BobS his 2003 model used a lot more fuel at the same speed

Heh heh, well, not sure if you've ever had the pleasure of trying to keep up with Franz- let's just say he really seems to enjoy twisting that throttle. So much so in fact that last ride he wore a hole right through his throttle-hand glove!
Ride On Franz!
By the way, is 20km/liter bad? I only average about 16-17 km/liter on my ER6n and Ninja 650R...
Tony

[Franz]

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Tony, what is it about the kettle calling the..... , yourself love to twist that right hand thing...... . Yeah like you I love opening up sometimes scratching the extremeties of the bike too but not on a closed racetrack...... ....Sh.. that Nan party will go on without me as I need to be in Bkk this weekend.... . 20 kms/l is pretty good compared to your 16-17km/l.
Colin, no I didn't hammer her but ride her a little quicker...... . Mine was the last model they imported a 2007 with the same engine like yours. Was a very comfortable & robust bike, even did offroad on her but forgot to remove the sidepanniers and on a steep uphill backwheel ride they nearly broke/tore off my right leg, got stuck between pannier and gravel...... ........
BTW Tony why you know about my right hand glove ???? (it's my third pair in 2 years........

Forgot to mention one more fact, anyone just wondering why there have been sold so many F650GS'es worldwide ? Just look at the situation in LOS, lack of single cylinder >500cc thumpers gave them a real good market, so again it's not about technical aspects but the fun, simplicity & reliability that this bike is sold in high numbers

Cheers, Franz

[Captain_Slash]

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TonyBKK wrote

By the way, is 20km/liter bad? I only average about 16-17 km/liter on my ER6n and Ninja 650R...

16km/litre is only 45 mpg which I think is bad for a modern FI bike, I get just over 20km/litre out of my 1200 Sportster which is an old fashioned carburettor bike

[speedybuffalo]

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Concerning BMW production in China a bike journal reported, that all the recalls by BMW Motorrad were related to parts produced (by subcontractors) in Europe....

The quality control for the BMW products made in China seems watertight - at least for the time being.

[gobs]

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I saw this too...

Nothing to complain with "chinese BMW products"!

In fact most of complains are about the so "high" technology, that is in fact subcontracted with european makers. Hence what it is said before...

As many say: wait 2 or 3 years after the launch of a new BMW bike before purchase it. It seems to be the average delay for BMW to "correct" its "mistakes"...


Lately I saw in Barcelona workshop in CNX one more ESA not working on a K1200 "something". Mechanics were making some grimace...


Cheers,
Gobs

[Marco]

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Lately I saw in Barcelona workshop in CNX one more ESA not working on a K1200 "something". Mechanics were making some grimace...

Cheers,
Gobs

While i was there last ime (Barcelona) i saw 2x K1200R bikes and when i asking from Kampol he said they have Sofware problem,,many of them,,dont know if that was case in this time but those bikes where new and abt1000km on the clock,,,