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BMW F650CS – Eye Catching Single
By Dan Modestino
Photos: Dan Modestino & BMW Archives
 BMW has been manufacturing motorcycles for over 80 years and continues to set trends in design and technology. At the same time, features that were used on BMW motorcycles in the year of their conception (1922) are still found on their present day machines. The two most important characteristics known are the Boxter Engine and the Cardan Shaft used to transfer power to the rear wheel. The fact that BMW still uses these features on their present day motorcycles speaks volumes about the level of engineering they possessed from the beginning.
 Fast-forward to a present day showroom and you will see the evolution in their engineering spilling over into creations like the F650CS.
The Designers at BMW must have had a “free-day” when they sat down to design this bike. The Result was a provocative motorcycle that grabs the attention of everyone, motorcycle and car enthusiasts alike. Sort of Urban/Street Fighter is what we thought when we first set our eyes upon the F650CS.
 As a matter of fact, if you stand in front facing it, it will almost seems as though it’s staring you down with it’s beady little projection beam headlights. Together with the bicycle looking mirrors it kind of resembles an insect.
Hop in the saddle of the CS and the seat feels comfortable and low giving it the dual-sport feel. The seat height at 780mm (30.7 in) can be lowered further with the optional seat and lower profile rear tire offered by BMW. This brings seat height down slightly to 750mm (29.5 in) and is at no charge to those that prefer to be closer to the road. A combination of a low seat height, centrally located foot pegs, a long wheelbase of 1,493mm (59 in), and wide upright handlebars make the CS’s 191kgs (421 lbs) fully fueled feel light and manageable.
 The four-valve 652cc single cylinder engine is liquid-cooled, counter balanced, and fuel injected. BMW gave some M class DNA to this engine, borrowing the intake and combustion chamber design from the 333 hp six cylinder 3-series engine. This formula makes the advanced single respond well to high revs. We found that it pulls best from 4000 to a little over 7000 rpm, thumping out an even 50 horses and 42 lb-ft of torque. The exhaust note coming from the single into the three-way catalytic muffler gave a pleasing medium growl. Sounded better than we expected, but the muffler is huge and blocks the look of the single sided swing arm.
In our roll on tests we discovered that if the revs dropped below 3000 rpm in the higher gears, you needed to drop a gear or two to get’er back to the power band where its comfortable. This engine was most at home on the highway at higher rpm, where as in the city lower speeds took some getting used to.
 The 5-speed gearbox also took some getting used to because of the shift leaver’s long throw. At first a few shifts were missed, but after a few hours we became old friends. These small initial inconveniences are expected when you change from bike to bike.
Horsepower and Torque are directed to the ground via a low-maintenance Gates belt. I have always been little skeptical about this method of transferring power, especially with the unusual single sided swing arm. Turns out this method of power transition offers a smooth, responsive, and quiet experience. No messing around with a greasy chain!
I was surprised to find out that there is no preload adjustment on the rear suspension. Preload is essential in giving the rider the freedom to adjust the ride quality to suit the riding style. Another good reason to have a preload adjustment is for those who intend on having passengers. With the extra weight, the suspension travel is reduced and could cause a rough ride.
 Perhaps the most distinct feature of the F650CS is the location of the fuel tank under the seat. This creates space for cargo in front of the rider. As a standard feature BMW offers a soft “tank bag” that is fitted into the area where the tank would traditionally be. When removed the bag can easily convert into a backpack, but it isn’t very big. I thought this to be a good idea for those who use their bike as a primary mode if transportation and tend to need the storage space for stuff. BMW has come up with a list of creative options to fill this space if the tank bag is not for you:
- Hard Storage Case, approx 10l vol.
- Helmet Net. A helmet fits very well in this space.
- Audio System that’ll accept your portable radio, MP3, or CD players via loud speakers.
There is available 62 liters of storage options that should more than equip riders that like to do some long-distance trips.
 The BMW F650CS comes standard with some other practical features. For comfort in the cool weather is the two-level heated handgrips that work great, hazard light switch, and a passing light. Another thoughtful option is the accessory outlet that allows charging the battery using a special jack while the bike is in storage.
For me, I missed the lying down on the tank when I wanted to get down underneath the windscreen at highway speeds. The only way to be comfortable lying down on this bike is to make sure there is a lot of padding in the tank bag, or else you’ll have the hard plastic tie-down bars jabbing you in the chest. The reason for getting low at higher speeds is the windscreen on the CS deflects the air right into the chest and neck area making longer higher speed rides annoying. Reducing the speed to 90kmh is when the air hitting your body became tolerable.
Our test bike came equipped with BMW’s optional ABS, which in my opinion is $850 well spent. This system worked flawlessly and will compensate for over squeezing of the brakes in panic situations preventing front-wheel lock up. Experience riders will still be able to brake hard without activating the ABS.
 In the world of singles cylinder motorcycles, BMW builds one of the most advanced on the market. The F650CS is a motorcycle that delivers the best power in the upper revs in it’s class, has a stopping system that can include ABS, and is a motorcycle with a dual-purpose feel, with street performance. Mostly, BMW didn’t just build an affordable motorcycle (11,840.00 as tested) that suits all levels of riders; they designed a motorcycle that has a dynamic look. With motorcycle sales on the rise, the F650CS is sure to attract the attention of the first time as well as veteran buyers and lure them in to BMW showrooms around the world.
For more information on BMW motorcycles follow this link. www.bmw.ca
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