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BMW's F650 GS Dakar tackles
the rough with the smooth
By Dave
Abrahams I'm sure the original idea behind the Challenge was focused on the big boxer-twin GS models but the Rotax-powered single is a considerably better bet for an amateur like me. It's 25kg lighter than even
the new, lighter R1200 GS, it's easier to ride on rough
ground than the monstrous twins and the average rider
has a far better chance of saving it if things get out
of shape on the loose stuff.
The screen is also attached
to the headlight cowling, not the handlebars, so
contributes greatly to the stability of the slim single
– I was amused to note on the way back that my Dakar was
less sensitive to gusty crosswinds than the quarter-ton
R1150 GS Adventure I was following.
In the dirt the 21" front wheel made the bike more stable on a loose surface; it would track accurately on anything except thick sand - which was the downfall (literally!) of more riders than anything else. The knobbly tyres a Dakar wears as standard issue help more on muddy terrain than the bone-dry, hard-baked routes of the GS Challenge but they certainly didn't hurt; I was, however, surprised by how well the mud-pluggers handled being thrown about on twisty tarred sections I don't know how long they would last if used for that full-time, though; 600km of low flying put visible wear on the Dakar's Metzelers. The long-travel suspension that is the Dakar model's main claim to fame is a mixed blessing; on really rough roads it's so much more comfortable than even the latest GS version that it's embarrassing. I lent the Dakar to a GS rider and rode his bike over the 22km section from Paulpietersburg to Etomble and was struck by how much harsher the front suspension action on the GS was than that of the Dakar. The difference at the back was less marked – possibly because the set-up was well pre-loaded with my 106kg! Naturally the front end dives like a pelican under hard braking but you can make allowance for that – and the steepened head angle automatically makes the bike turn in just that much quicker! There's a neat fork brace above the front wheel so the long fork stanchions don't walk; the bike is actually more stable on tar than it looks. Comfort zone Aside from the
special Dakar colour schemes (there's the standard blue
and white or a zebra-like white with black stripes) and
the taller screen the furniture of the Dakar is the same
as the GS.
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