BMW F 650 CS reviews

I am new to motorcycling and recently purchased a certified pre-owned 2005 F650CS with 662 miles. This is my first bike and so far I'm very satisfied with it. I mostly use it to commute back and forth to work, but also find time to get out and roam the back roads. Starting the bike when it is cold takes a couple tries, when warmed up it starts flawlessly. The height of the seat is a good fit for me. At 5'10" I have a 32" inseam, so my feet are planted on the ground when stopped. I have a custom lowered seat, which the previous owner had purchased, that lowers my CG, but not real comfortable for a longer trip. Being on the light side, 140lbs. soaking wet, acceleration is very good. Getting up to desired speed is no problem. Good stuff! Show less

Usually my arms and rear hurt after long rides. With this new F650CS, I've been able to tour the country in comfort. I'm an overweight guy, so I need a bike I can feel safe on...and this is definitely the one for me. I've owned many other brands of motorcycles before, but BMW will have my business from now on. I'm very happy with my new purchase! Show less

I have read the reviews here and would just like to post a little feedback. I currently ride a Aprilia Futura and its a flawless machine.My wife is now new to riding so we took a strech and bought an 05 650Cs. This bike is a hoot as someone commented. A single cylinder belt drive and its got plenty of zip trust me. Corners like a dream,looks great heated hand grips, I wish I had them on my bike. Many call it a starter bike but its far from it. When it comes to wind everythings equal, my bike weights in at 500+ and the Beemers 380. I don't feel any worse off for it because many bikes with large fairings only act like a cross sail where the 650 has gaps for the air to just run through. I love my bike but this bike is a real joy to ride and I've riden a few. Good luck!! Show less

Outstanding Restarter bike! Balanced, Smooth and nice zip. Wonderful tight space handling. 25 years without a cycle has created a huge window for improvement. The F650 is smooth and a delight to lean into corners. It's a bike you don't mind running on the gravel or two track and you can ride for 6 plus hours without huge fatigue. Wind is a challenge due to bike weight and limited wind screen, but is managable. It's clearly not a dirt bike, but on the more open off road when you want to let it run 40-60mph it's far more comfortable and managable than an offroad two/four stroke 250/450. Show less

I went into the bike shop with NO intentions of buying a bike, especially anything other than a cruiser. Low and behold, just like women, all it took was a wink and a whisper in my ear and I fell in love. :) There she was, ready for me to ride her home. What a beautifully sculpted body! I completely freaked out when I saw the odometer with only 600 miles on it! The girl that had it before was too short to ride it, I heard. So, I took her to BMW, had the service done, put a couple hundred miles on her this month and now I'm waiting for the rain to stop! I have experienced nothing but joy with this CS. I dream about her and have even woken up talking about her, leaving the person laying next to me wondering who the hell I'm talking about! An amazing ride, to wrap it up. I completely recommend it. The CS comes factory equipped with the touring tires, but they can put on an off-road set that's specifically for the CS. Mine has the touring suspension as well, so as far as I can tell, it's a touring bike! Albeit, a small touring bike, but it's SO comfortable, who cares?! Show less

per industry definition. Great fun and a good value.' Show less

This bike is a lot of fun, and very reliable. It does have some personalities you might find different than other bikes, but I believe they all do. I rode the crap out of the '03 CS, and it came back for more, to be exact it got better as the miles rode on. As you can see the reliabilty is a five The performance on the top end could be better (110mph), but I am a speedy guy ;)Otherwise it accelerates better than some older 600cc sport bikes. The comfort is good on the rump and comfortable all round, but I like the ergonomics better on the higher end BMW's. The quality was good, but I did have a few gripes, but as always the warranty covered it all, so not to worry. I hope this helps you make your decision. Show less

After riding cruisers, I have no regrets about changing to this type of bike, I believe it is referred to as a "Standard" bike. Whatever, its still a wonderful ride. The fit is perfect for me and I would assume anyone from 5'3" to 6' however I am aware of riders over 6' loving this bike. The CS is simply outstanding in the twisties commuting and in city traffic. Long trips? My longest so far on this bike is 680 miles. Performed flawless no problems never saddle sore was sorry for the ride to end. I know this bike is not advertised as a touring bike but I would argue that point. Would I buy this bike again if I had a second chance? Yes I would and I say that without hesitation. However I would also consider its older brother the F650GS. I don't really want a bike with a chain but I love the look of the GS so much that I might would consider it and the GS can be ridden off road. This is not a put down on the CS but the all black GS is something to behold. Show less

Just bought mine a few days ago. I'm a new rider and I think this bike is a hoot! Easy to ride, shift, brake, and handle. Very solid and confidence inspiring for a new rider like myself. The seating position is just right for short riders. Most bikes I looked at had me on my tiptoes, which I'm not comfortable with. I absolutely recommend this bike. BMW build quality same as their cars. Switches and gadgets have a solid look and feel, unlike some other bikes I checked out in the same class. It's different looking, and definitely drew a lot of "looks" and questions. Most questions were of the "I didn't know BMW made bikes!" variety. Every comment so far has been positive. You definitely won't get lost in the Japanese bike crowd. It won't keep up with some of them either, but that's not the reason you buy this bike. The bike is pricey; for the same money I could have had something with twice the displacement. The Bavarian styling and fit clicked with me though. I am not in the least disappointed. BMW service was excellent and I will probably continue to buy BMW's for many years to come. Show less

My F650 is very good for biking but is only way to do it is in the city. On trip to Koln, the legs became cramped up and hands were warm but vibrated badly. Traveling is not recommended if your purpose of biking is a travel goal. This bike is city perfect for my taste due to petrol cost and light weight and close to ground ride. Bike tends to be pushed lateral by wind gusts. Show less