2002 BMW F 650 CS reviews

The perfect all around bike. Nice looking, lightweight, low seat height, fuel injection, low center of gravity, and BMW's expandable side cases make this bike perfect within town and out on the highway. Enough power overall without getting yourself in trouble. The cons are: not be most fun to ride (lacks character), front end is not as balanced when coming to a stop, combination trip/odometer defaults at odometer at startup, and the rear seat rack is plastic. It is one bike that can easily do all. Show less

Coming from beat up rural 125's the Dakar is an absolute pleasure, its just heavy enough for off-road use, but with tkc80 tires it still administers a reasonable performance. Accelerating to any legal speed is effortless, not instantaneous, but not a task. At high altitudes is the only time I feel underpowered. I comfortably do 900 mile days fatigued only by the dim factory lights in the evenings. I carry all the gear I need to survive indefinitely and can still pick the bike up easily. Ultimately if you are only going to own one bike, and want the option to leave the tarmac this bike trumps everything. Vital accessories:
Improved lights
Alloy hand guards Show less

I have gone through them all, well a few anyway. From Aprilia Leo 125, to Aprilia Leo 250, a brief spell on the gorgeous Yamaha TMAX (whole other story there!), onwards to a Hornet, via Suzuki SV650s and finally to the superb, wonderful, go-out-and-get-one BMW F650 CS Scarver. Woof! What a bike. I needed something geared, fun, quick (but not a crotch rocket), a bit of storage, everyday use comfort and nothing that was going to do my back in (goodbye Mr. Sv650s!). From the moment I sat on this bike I knew it was going to be special. It felt light, assured, gritty and comfortable. I travel about 10 miles to and from work per day in hellish London traffic and the Scarver is just the tool for the job. It's punchy, agile and a has a great sound to boot. It's also very economical taking about $8 ($13 US?) per week to fill up. I love this bike. It's not the fastest thing on the planet and it's looks may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it handles great, sounds great, runs great, cuts through the traffic great and guarentees head turning-a-plenty. Get one. Show less

I have owned two previous bikes - ironically 650s. The first a low-end model Parrallel twin (30 miles and you were down for the count) Second vstar - great bike for the money. Then this, Everybody says it's a great beginner's bike. that's too bad. I just rode this bike 450 miles in one day - 90+ percent on the Interstate. I purchased the bike on ebay and was concerned that it would take 2 days and force me to take all of the side rodes - WRONG. This thing cruised all day at 67 mph and shot to 80 in no time. I'll be honest -- I had to stop a number of times -- but I was stunned at this bike's ability to keep up in traffic. In fact, it's the safest I have ever felt - especially in traffic or dodging chuckholes. don't get me wrong, the semis buffeted me - what don't they. Also, this is not the purpose this bike was designed for. In fact, it's designed for commutes. The 10% of the ride I went on country roads. ABSOLUTELY AWESOME. By far the best handling bike I have ever ridden. I am absolutely I could keep up easily with all bikes no matter how large (excluding death bikes)cruisers out there. I know, I've ridden them - and remember backing off of them -- not this bike. I was stunned when I glanced down on an exit ramp and saw I was going 55 on a 30 mph exit easily. Okay, if the road gets straight - you won't be able to keep up. To think I was thinking about an 1800 cc touring bike. Hey, they are the right choice for people who plan on cruising. I compare this to an SUV vs. a van with one big exception. Everyone wants the suv, until you have a long trip and 5 or more people. The difference is that this bike is actual cool looking. At every rest stop, bikers and truckers looked this bike over. Let's face it, most riders buy a big cruiser and don't ride it very much or very far. One reason is that they are so big or unwieldy, they sit in the garage. If this describes you, buy this bike. One final point. It is not cheap. One more point. The features on this bike blow away any 650 street bike period. The workmanship is awesome. Every button is where it should be. The belt drive is great. Shifting is easy. The headlights on this thing are better than any car I have had. Storage - you wont believe it - storage where the gas tank goes - a removeable compartment that lets you take valuables with you in seconds. Plenty of places to attach backpack. That little cute windshield is more than cute. It blocks out virtually all air up to the chin. This bike is quality vs quantity of power. 10 percent of the population actually needs bigger bikes. I am not one. This bike feels so light (in a good way). You can move it quickly at speed and it corners better than anything I have ridden. On the way out to get this bike, I was upset because I knew I should have gotten a bigger bike. To be honest, for the nearly 500 mile ride home, I wish I had a bigger bike. But now it's home. I have the bike I want and will use. I am so glad I bought it. For those of you that care, this is the coolest looking 650. You sit upright (a little weird at first). It is truly a piece of art. Now I know what German workmanship is. BMW I apologize for any negative comments made -- a job done as well as can be done. I can't think of one complaint. It exceeded every expectation of doing what it does worst - cruise a long way. It exceeded my expectations on country roads. If your trips are 25-50 miles, I believe this is the best bike out there. Show less

I bought my F650 CS 4 days after finishing the Motorcycle Safety Course. From the very beginning I have found the bike perfect for my needs. Being a new rider a bike that would not exceed my experience was necessary. This bike is a joy to ride in the city and has plenty of range to get to the 65 or 75 highway speeds I sometimes get into. It climbs hills and makes corners just fine and I'm sure much better than I do right now. The stuff bay is very handy and the ABS brakes are truly an asset to have when cruising the city streets and backroads. There is no bike in this class that has the technology or the features this bike has. I recommend it to anyone who wants a good commuter bike or is just starting out. Yes, I know many people will say don't buy a new bike for your first one. Well, I did and I do not regret it at all. In fact buying the best equipment makes the experience that more enjoyable and will keep into motorcycling a lot longer than otherwise. Thanks to BMW for a great machine. Show less