On the road again... again!

[zippy_gg]

We found a nice F650 ST for Kathy in Lynnville, TN. so I am flying out to Nashville on Tuesday to pick the bike up, ride to Chattanooga to meet with Brett again.:thumb:
On Wednesday morning I'll head back to California. My next stop will probably be somewhere near Dallas (Texas is one heck of a big state!:D ).
Hey Lynn, maybe we can meet on my way to El Paso and it will be my turn to treat you to a BBQ.:beer:
I'll stop at Southwest Mototires to get a new rear installed as it will be needed by then.
Hopefully I'll get home not too late on Friday to get my little girls (their weekend with Daddy!).:p
It will be interesting to compare that ride with the one I did last month on the LT. The weather will be nicer though and that will make up for the lack of fairing and smaller windshield.:sun:
The bike does come with the standard tool kit.:yeah:
I got a lot of positive feedback on www.f650.com (http://www.f650.com/) from owners who love that bike the same way we love our LT. Must be a Beemer thing.:bmw:

[zippy_gg]

I don't get it...
Is it because it is an F650 and not an LT???

[MaverickAR]

I am curious why you dont just take I-40 all the way back to California?

[andy]

I am curious why you dont just take I-40 all the way back to California?
I40 this time of the year can be a hit'n'miss! Just keep in mind that I40 around Flagstaff, AZ rises to around 7000ft!

[MaverickAR]

Good enough for me. Southern route...Approved!

Carry on!

[dshealey]

I40 this time of the year can be a hit'n'miss! Just keep in mind that I40 around Flagstaff, AZ rises to around 7000ft!

You got that right! I have been through there when it was 117 in Phoenix, Had to stop and put on more gear at the rest stop about 2/3s the way up 17 near Flagstaff to keep reasonably warm!

[KYchris02]

my best friend in seattle is a GS rider. when i visited him last year his GS was in service mode and the only steed he could offer was his wife's 650. i weigh 240 @ 6'4. the 650 was undersized to me. i pounded her all day doing 600 miles. not really comfortable for a big guy... but the bike was smooth, perky ... and accelerated when i asked her. the old girl took all the pounding my big a$# offered and asked for more. The BMW 650 will be a great bike for your wife and a worthy 2nd bike for you. fear not.

[vvk]

The weather will be nicer though and that will make up for the lack of fairing and smaller windshield.:sun: :bmw:

Perky indeed! It plods on and on...
Got one as a loaner (no compression in Cyl #4 :-( )
Be prepared to have your helmet close perfectly, or use a lot of wind protection. Like riding a naked bike.

[mikeinpgh]

Have a safe trip Gilles
You should buy your next bike further from home not closer
How about Maine?

[zippy_gg]

Have a safe trip Gilles
You should buy your next bike further from home not closer
How about Maine?
Mike, why stop at Maine? I am sure there a lot of good bikes for sale in Eastern Canada...!:D

[zippy_gg]

Perky indeed! It plods on and on...
Got one as a loaner (no compression in Cyl #4 :-( )
Be prepared to have your helmet close perfectly, or use a lot of wind protection. Like riding a naked bike.http://i22.ebayimg.com/05/i/06/a7/ce/c0_3.JPG (http://javascript<b></b>:void(null))
This bike has the "taller" windshield... so my abdomen will be protected!!! :D

[zippy_gg]

I40 this time of the year can be a hit'n'miss! Just keep in mind that I40 around Flagstaff, AZ rises to around 7000ft!
And that is exactly what someone on the forum warned me about...
Southern route it is!:sun:

[zippy_gg]

my best friend in seattle is a GS rider. when i visited him last year his GS was in service mode and the only steed he could offer was his wife's 650. i weigh 240 @ 6'4. the 650 was undersized to me. i pounded her all day doing 600 miles. not really comfortable for a big guy... but the bike was smooth, perky ... and accelerated when i asked her. the old girl took all the pounding my big a$# offered and asked for more. The BMW 650 will be a great bike for your wife and a worthy 2nd bike for you. fear not.
At 5'11" and 200 lbs I hope to be comfortable enough on that bike. It has a Corbin seat...
If I fall in love with the bike during my 2100 mile trek... Kathy may not see much of that bike!!!:p

[zippy_gg]

I picked the bike up in Lynville, TN last Tuesday, then headed for Chattanooga to meet with Brett (thanks again for your warm hospitality).
Next day was between 950-100 miles without incidents and a nice weather.
Trouble began on Wednesady morning, about 150 miles from Weatherford where I spent the night. I was carefully watching my rear tire as it was seriously worn, and then the thread started showing. Try finding a tire in that size in the middle of Texas!!!:eek: Kathy was on the phone talking to every dealer she could find. the" (where xxx ranges from 2-7 days). Finally She located one somewhere between Midland and Odessa, at Midessa Motorcycles where I got gouged on labor.:mad: Made it to Las Cruces for the night. On Friday I ran into more trouble when the bike wouldn't crank when I press the starter button. Dying battery. :( The young gas attendant, toting a nice helmet and about to get on a GSX told me there was a Suzuki dealer just 3 miles up the road. After getting help in push starting the F650... I never made it to the dealer. About half-way the bike stalled... across from a Walmart who just happened to carry my battery. That cost me over 2-3 hours and by then the wind in AZ had picked up tremendously. The ride to and past Phoenix was horrendous, the bike leaning seriously to the left. I even lost a saddlebag in the strong wind, made aware of that fact by cagers. I got off the next exit and went back to get my bag, which was no easy task in that weather.
Made it home in los Angeles on Saturday around 1:00 am. safe and sound. The on-off rain that accompanied me in the last 60 miles washed the bugs off the bike and the sleeves of my Cortech jacket.
While the F650 is no touring bike (not even close) it is a great little trooper that wants to go-go-go...! I felt the lack of weather protection, and noticed the tremendous difference between 70 mph and 80 mph when it comes to wind resistance. Also at 90 mph the gas mileage got really bad, so I cruised mostly at 80 (except during the AZ episode - 50-60 mph). I never felt the lack of power except once when I couldn't go faster than 80mph uphill with strong headwind.
The F650 gets :thumb: :thumb: and a :beer: for good measure! :p

[ibbones]

Wow, what a ride. I bet you remember that ride even better than the first ride to pick up a bike.;)

[zippy_gg]

Wow, what a ride. I bet you remember that ride even better than the first ride to pick up a bike.;)Like I always say: "If it goes according to plan it's a vacation. If it doesn't go according to plan it's an adventure"
Well... that was no vacation!:p
Altough the weather was a lot nicer this time than the last... until AZ that is!;)
I forgot to mention that the Corbin seat is extremely hard. I haven't tried the stock seat on yet to compare, but my butt was very sore at the end of each day.:o