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Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2009 4:40 pm Posts: 2 Location: Rothbury England
Hi, potential new owner here, I`m looking at a very clean 1 year old with 1200 miles from a local dealer. I`m also looking at a 06 BMW f800s, with every factory option, heated grips, ABS, sports luggage, very tidy with 10k miles. Both bikes have lots good points, similar performance etc. however I reckon the physical size of the suzook will be better for my aging 6ft tall frame, as well as future re-sale... Its gonna be a friend for my pride n joy, Ducati Hypermotard S.... mainly used for a daily commute of 100 miles and general messing about / light touring. Come on convince me the suzook is the way 2 go !
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 7:53 am Posts: 972 Location: Melbourne, AUS
Simple. Go through this entire forum and look at every single thread. With over 1000 members posting their comments on the GSX650F try and find a post that says "I dont really like this bike that much" or "After a few months I chose to trade it for something better".
I've had mine for 9 months and done 18,000km in all weather and conditions. Bike has not let me down once. Your right too about the 'F' being good for a 6 feet tall rider. I'm 6'3" and the bike is very comfortable for me to ride, with lots of leg room. It runs very smooth with a good linear acceleration curve, handles well, has good economy and plenty of grunt when you need it especially with the low to mid torque it has.
Read the reviews from all the bike magazines or web sites that have checked the bike out. Try and find a review that says "the 650F could have been better if.......". They all like the 650F and consider it a well built machine. I think the only negative comment I have read from a reviewer is that he did not like the Helmet Hooks under the seat.
Fact is Suzuki have built a seriously good machine. So good that next year they have decided to release it in a 1250cc as well - GSX1250F. It's no sportsbike and it's not a full blown tourer, but it's in-between and you can tweak it to which ever way you want to go. It will give you 100% reliability, and take whatever you can give it with no complaints.
Spend a bit of time on this forum and you will convince yourself that the 650F is the way to go.
Joined: Wed Aug 19, 2009 11:44 am Posts: 699 Location: NW 'burbs of Chicagoland
BikerBoy wrote:
Simple. Go through this entire forum and look at every single thread. With over 1000 members posting their comments on the GSX650F try and find a post that says "I dont really like this bike that much" or "After a few months I chose to trade it for something better".
I've had mine for 9 months and done 18,000km in all weather and conditions. Bike has not let me down once. Your right too about the 'F' being good for a 6 feet tall rider. I'm 6'3" and the bike is very comfortable for me to ride, with lots of leg room. It runs very smooth with a good linear acceleration curve, handles well, has good economy and plenty of grunt when you need it especially with the low to mid torque it has.
Read the reviews from all the bike magazines or web sites that have checked the bike out. Try and find a review that says "the 650F could have been better if.......". They all like the 650F and consider it a well built machine. I think the only negative comment I have read from a reviewer is that he did not like the Helmet Hooks under the seat.
Fact is Suzuki have built a seriously good machine. So good that next year they have decided to release it in a 1250cc as well - GSX1250F. It's no sportsbike and it's not a full blown tourer, but it's in-between and you can tweak it to which ever way you want to go. It will give you 100% reliability, and take whatever you can give it with no complaints.
Spend a bit of time on this forum and you will convince yourself that the 650F is the way to go.
Now that's one hell of an effective endorsement!! And 100% spot on!!
_________________ +-+-+-Michael-+-+-+ flush-mount indicators, HID lowbeam, tank cover, gel grips, N-R tankbag, ext mirrors, decals removed/added, Nuvi 760 gps & RAM mount, swingarm spools, Vortex 17t front sprocket, PR2 tires, GIVI windscreen, center stand, SW Motech rear rack & Motobox, Centech fusebox, Stebel horn Life needs to be an Adventure
Joined: Mon Dec 15, 2008 7:58 am Posts: 747 Location: West Oz. SOR
IMO go for the F800S. Compared to the GSX650F
good points: belt drive - no adjsutment or maintenance needed for 40,000(ish) kms bad point: seating, engine responce engine NVH bars screen maintenance is harder/need special tools to do even some basic stuff cost of servicing .......... ..........
just my opinion
in all seriousness
the cost-v-value for money of the GSX compared to the F800S is far greater. the GSX is a tarted up bandit which gives is good linage
Get the GSX650F Get the GSX650F Get the GSX650F Get the GSX650F Get the GSX650F Get the GSX650F Get the GSX650F Get the GSX650F Get the GSX650F Get the GSX650F Get the GSX650F Get the GSX650F Get the GSX650F Get the GSX650F Get the GSX650F
Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2009 4:40 pm Posts: 2 Location: Rothbury England
Cheers peeps! before posting yesterday, i spent quite a bit of time going over both forums, amd i must admit the BMW forum scared me some what, 06 models with piston slap problems, Bore coating probs and quite a few other odd ball faults, I guess % wise its not a lot of bikes concerned, but it did shock me, especially when i was looking at a 3 1/2 yr old bike, out of warranty! Your right, the GSX forum, its only positives and smiley faces, which has to be a good sign.
Tonight on my way home from work I popped into my Ducati dealer to pick up a few bits for the Hyper and the salesman points out a Kawasaki Versys, 09 with only 120 miles on the clock, Black and very tidy (as it should be) the price was spot on, BUT it would feel flat in comparison to the Suzook.......So popped next door and had a sit on the GSX650F, (again) it felt so good, everything just seemed right ........So i think i`m now convinced.
Oh, prices (£) I`m looking to pay £4200 for a 1 year old bike, imaculate in Blue n white with 1200 miles, does this sound ok? Thanks again peeps for your help, its much appreciated!
Joined: Sun Oct 26, 2008 3:29 am Posts: 294 Location: Salem, OR
I like my GSX 650F.
I'm 6 feet minus a 16th, or an 8th.
I have been on some long rides. My feet get a little tired of being in one position most of the time, so I move my feet around a little on the pegs. The sitting position is good for my neck, 'cause I don't think that I could lean forward for a long time with my head tilted up to see straight ahead.
The wind screen could be a little taller, but I kind of enjoy a little wind on my helmet, and I can scoot forward on my seat a bit and the buffeting is not so bad. But I just like being up there in the breeze.
Many owners change the seat because the stock seat is uncomfortable for them. I spent a lot of years rolling around in an office chair, and I must have a hard ass, 'cause the stock seat works fine for me for long distances.
The headlights will likely need some slight adjustment to show further ahead at night. Some owners put in brighter headlights. I will when I need to do a replacement.
I will be putting on some Michelin tires this winter, as my front tire at 6,800 miles looks like it's getting close. The stock tires don't seem to last as long as ones that can be purchased later.
I'm now using Mobil 1 4t synthetic and I do notice a slight improvement in sound, and shifting. The shifting has always been good anyway.
Shortly after getting my bike, I had the shop use some lock tight to keep the right hand end piece screwed into the handle bar. It jiggled loose one day while I was on the freeway. So, I just held it in place with my hand. Screwing it back in did not work. I just needed a dab of lock tight.
My bike has been super reliable, easy and really fun to ride.
Joined: Tue Sep 29, 2009 4:52 am Posts: 48 Location: Riverside, Southern California, US of A
I've had my '08 for about a month and a half and have zero complaints thus far.
I use my bike to commute to work daily. The ride is 60 miles each way and the initial soreness (from not being used to the seat) fades after the first couple of rides. I hope to get some touring in on the bike when time allows. I am 6'1" 240 lbs and I'm very comfortable with the ergonomics and the power available when necessary. I run Mobil 1 Synthetic 10-40 Racing 4T, which I put in myself at 600 miles. The bike handles well, shifts well, and is a perfect fit for what I need it to do.
If I had to do it again, I would make the same purchase. I looked at all of the bikes in the same class and the 650F came out ahead in almost all categories.
Joined: Wed Aug 19, 2009 11:44 am Posts: 699 Location: NW 'burbs of Chicagoland
northumbrian wrote:
Cheers peeps!
Tonight on my way home from work I popped into my Ducati dealer to pick up a few bits for the Hyper and the salesman points out a Kawasaki Versys, 09 with only 120 miles on the clock, Black and very tidy (as it should be) the price was spot on, BUT it would feel flat in comparison to the Suzook.......So popped next door and had a sit on the GSX650F, (again) it felt so good, everything just seemed right ........So i think i`m now convinced.
Oh, prices (£) I`m looking to pay £4200 for a 1 year old bike, imaculate in Blue n white with 1200 miles, does this sound ok? Thanks again peeps for your help, its much appreciated!
For comparison purposes, I paid $4400 for '08 w/ 4000 miles.
_________________ +-+-+-Michael-+-+-+ flush-mount indicators, HID lowbeam, tank cover, gel grips, N-R tankbag, ext mirrors, decals removed/added, Nuvi 760 gps & RAM mount, swingarm spools, Vortex 17t front sprocket, PR2 tires, GIVI windscreen, center stand, SW Motech rear rack & Motobox, Centech fusebox, Stebel horn Life needs to be an Adventure
Joined: Mon Oct 26, 2009 5:19 am Posts: 246 Location: Grayson, Ga.
knolltop314 wrote:
BikerBoy wrote:
Simple. Go through this entire forum and look at every single thread. With over 1000 members posting their comments on the GSX650F try and find a post that says "I dont really like this bike that much" or "After a few months I chose to trade it for something better".
I've had mine for 9 months and done 18,000km in all weather and conditions. Bike has not let me down once. Your right too about the 'F' being good for a 6 feet tall rider. I'm 6'3" and the bike is very comfortable for me to ride, with lots of leg room. It runs very smooth with a good linear acceleration curve, handles well, has good economy and plenty of grunt when you need it especially with the low to mid torque it has.
Read the reviews from all the bike magazines or web sites that have checked the bike out. Try and find a review that says "the 650F could have been better if.......". They all like the 650F and consider it a well built machine. I think the only negative comment I have read from a reviewer is that he did not like the Helmet Hooks under the seat.
Fact is Suzuki have built a seriously good machine. So good that next year they have decided to release it in a 1250cc as well - GSX1250F. It's no sportsbike and it's not a full blown tourer, but it's in-between and you can tweak it to which ever way you want to go. It will give you 100% reliability, and take whatever you can give it with no complaints.
Spend a bit of time on this forum and you will convince yourself that the 650F is the way to go.
Now that's one hell of an effective endorsement!! And 100% spot on!!
+1 to the +1
_________________ Proud Member of ***650's Anonymous***
When life throws me Lemons, I don't make Lemonade. I throw them back!!
Joined: Wed Aug 19, 2009 11:44 am Posts: 699 Location: NW 'burbs of Chicagoland
Eagalicious wrote:
knolltop314 wrote:
BikerBoy wrote:
Simple. Go through this entire forum and look at every single thread. With over 1000 members posting their comments on the GSX650F try and find a post that says "I dont really like this bike that much" or "After a few months I chose to trade it for something better".
I've had mine for 9 months and done 18,000km in all weather and conditions. Bike has not let me down once. Your right too about the 'F' being good for a 6 feet tall rider. I'm 6'3" and the bike is very comfortable for me to ride, with lots of leg room. It runs very smooth with a good linear acceleration curve, handles well, has good economy and plenty of grunt when you need it especially with the low to mid torque it has.
Read the reviews from all the bike magazines or web sites that have checked the bike out. Try and find a review that says "the 650F could have been better if.......". They all like the 650F and consider it a well built machine. I think the only negative comment I have read from a reviewer is that he did not like the Helmet Hooks under the seat.
Fact is Suzuki have built a seriously good machine. So good that next year they have decided to release it in a 1250cc as well - GSX1250F. It's no sportsbike and it's not a full blown tourer, but it's in-between and you can tweak it to which ever way you want to go. It will give you 100% reliability, and take whatever you can give it with no complaints.
Spend a bit of time on this forum and you will convince yourself that the 650F is the way to go.
Now that's one hell of an effective endorsement!! And 100% spot on!!
+1 to the +1
copycat ....................
_________________ +-+-+-Michael-+-+-+ flush-mount indicators, HID lowbeam, tank cover, gel grips, N-R tankbag, ext mirrors, decals removed/added, Nuvi 760 gps & RAM mount, swingarm spools, Vortex 17t front sprocket, PR2 tires, GIVI windscreen, center stand, SW Motech rear rack & Motobox, Centech fusebox, Stebel horn Life needs to be an Adventure
Joined: Tue Sep 29, 2009 4:52 am Posts: 48 Location: Riverside, Southern California, US of A
knolltop314 wrote:
northumbrian wrote:
Cheers peeps!
Tonight on my way home from work I popped into my Ducati dealer to pick up a few bits for the Hyper and the salesman points out a Kawasaki Versys, 09 with only 120 miles on the clock, Black and very tidy (as it should be) the price was spot on, BUT it would feel flat in comparison to the Suzook.......So popped next door and had a sit on the GSX650F, (again) it felt so good, everything just seemed right ........So i think i`m now convinced.
Oh, prices (£) I`m looking to pay £4200 for a 1 year old bike, imaculate in Blue n white with 1200 miles, does this sound ok? Thanks again peeps for your help, its much appreciated!
For comparison purposes, I paid $4400 for '08 w/ 4000 miles.
For another comparison I paid $4795 USD ( 2,879.05 GBP) for my '08 with 1 mile on the odo. Besides the conversion I'm not sure of the markups in other countries. This is where some fellow countrymen can chime in for help!
Joined: Sat Nov 14, 2009 10:16 pm Posts: 32 Location: Virginia
thought I would put in my 2 cents on this one... I have been blessed with having owned and ridden many bikes. I currently own a 1200RT and am pretty familiar with BMW (having also had..1150RT, 1200GS). When I was looking to replace my FJR I seriously considered buying an F800ST, therefore took one out for a ride. Initial impressions: Good power, handled well. Pretty dedicated riding position read uncomfortable(and this was the ST). I knew that I was going to have to raise the bars if I bought it. There were two deal breakers. One, a lot of vibration in the bars at cruise (60-65mi or 100k-120K). The second was heat. I live in the mid-atlantic and the summers here get hot any muggy. I have sold bikes before for this very reason. Lastily, price.... I knew that if I bought the GSX that even adding all the farkles would have me at a 2 to 1 price advantage.
Having owned the GSX for a couple of months now and dialing it in....absolutely no regrets. This is probably one of the most underated mounts. The beauty of this bike is that you can go either way with it. Set it up for Hardcore strafing or mid-weight touring. Newbie or geezer (like me). The engine is super smooth, clutch and tranny the same. Pretty good aftermarket support and here in the US where the buying public is fickle they can be had cheap. Their loss our gain....
Bottom line, each one of us has their acquired taste....for me it answered my needs and wants.
BTW...spend some time on the forums and you can get a good idea about issues. I did on this one and found very little of concern.....
Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2008 3:22 am Posts: 206 Location: Houston, Texas
Ok, I'm back...I've been silent TOO long.
Get the "F". I looked for a couple years and finally just bought it after sitting on it once in the show-room. Since then I've driven the car to work MAYBE 20 times -- oh, by the way I bought mine 18months ago! 15000miles, I drive hard -- although not as hard as Jeff my mate from work that has my "F's" twin.
Power, performance, style, comfortable. I'll never sell it.
Buy it, you can always get the F800S as a second bike for the garage. Although put a drip pan under it because you'll never drive it with the 650F sitting beside it!
Cheers, DJ
_________________ Ride safe -- it's a jungle out there.
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