Travel and Trips on your 600/650

SteveADV

Active member
What has been your best trip so far on your C600 or 650GT? How long was the trip? Any special modifications to your bike? Pictures or video (what camera did you use)? Where's your next trip?
 

Xian Forbes

New member
VCLG 3 peaks challenge was the most demanding day I've spent on the Sport so far (with pillion).

The Goal is to ride to the top of the 3 highest peaks in the SF Bay area in one day.

Ride begins in Downtown San Jose
First Destination: Mt. Hamilton, Lick Observatory
Second Destination: Mt. Diablo, Mt. Diablo State Park
Third Destination: Mt. Tamalpais, Mt. Tamalpais State Park

This was a long day in the saddle for sure as we took all back roads, fire roads through the hills and around the SF Bay to each destination. The three peaks challenge is sponsored by the Vespa Club of Los Gatos so as you can imagine there are plenty of slower bikes on the ride but everyone made it at their own pace. 50cc bikes have even finished the ride.

I would not do this again with pillion. The technical nature of the ride combined with the heaviness, although well balanced, nature of the C-series made for some serious conscious riding. This would have been much easier without the missus so I could throw the bike around a bit more...those GTS Vespas are very maneuverable and very light on tight switchbacks.

I was not the only BMW on the ride. Vespa Club has one member who rides a GT.

I will totally do this again with some changes. No pillion for a start. Leather is nice but I cant wait till my technical riding jacket arrives. The change in temps around here are dramatic sometimes, especially going from a north of SF mountain peak to a place called Diablo (heading into that desperate Sacramento style heat) can have a tremendous temp swings. A properly vented adventure jacket would have been the dogs bollocks that's for sure. My Crampbuster is a fine inexpensive fix, but I can also see a Throttlemeister in my future.

Cheers,
Xian
 

SteveADV

Active member
Wow! Looked it up on-line. What a challenging day. Makes me want to join a Vespa Club here in Ohio.

By the way, "dogs bollucks" is a good thing, right? ;)
 

SteveADV

Active member
Xian,
Have you done the 3 Peaks on your Lambetta? Sounds like the smaller scooter would have been a blast, too.
 

JaimeC

New member
Rode to the Indianapolis MotoGP from Long Island (NY) this past August. Didn't yet have my Aeroflow windshield but I did have the Throttlemeister bar ends and that did help a lot.
 

Xian Forbes

New member
I have not done the 3 peaks on the Lambretta. This year only One 2 stroke Vespa P200E (with malossi top end) made the journey. I started a total maniac rebuild of my Lammy about 2 years ago and so far I'm so far down the rabbit hole with the expense and the engineering...I just decided to buy my Beemer so I could have something to ride. Now that I have the best bike I've ever owned...The Lammy is getting a more race inspired tune. So it will hopefully keep me happy when I feel the need for speed.

I knew it was going to be a lost cause when I bought a $700.00 clutch and a $500.00 variable timing ignition (another reason this project is taking longer than I thought it would) ...by those standards our Beemers are quite reasonably priced.

Dogs Bollocks is a good thing, yes.
 

bill steele

New member
I rode to the White Mountains in the beginning of September with the girl friend this is something we do every year (she has her own bike a honda DN01 700cc) we went to Mt. Washington, Cannon Mt., Diana's bath, emerald pond,cathedral ledge Kancamagus Hwy. (many turn offs to check out) Glen Ellis falls Mt. Willard etc. great riding roads rt 16
302 the Kanc, Sept. a good time to go kids are back to school roads are not busy the the trails are not busy the bugs have died and all the eateries are easy to get in to. we have been doing this for the past 10 yrs and add in new places to check out and new places to hike every year. We are checking out a trip to Miami and Key West for the late spring of 2014.
 

SteveADV

Active member
I rode to the White Mountains in the beginning of September with the girl friend this is something we do every year (she has her own bike a honda DN01 700cc) we went to Mt. Washington, Cannon Mountains.

That is a beautiful part of the world. I am very envious and need the go there on my bike. Did she keep up with you on her DN01 700? :rolleyes:
 

SteveADV

Active member
Rode to the Indianapolis MotoGP from Long Island (NY) this past August. Didn't yet have my Aeroflow windshield but I did have the Throttlemeister bar ends and that did help a lot.

Jaime,

That looks like a super cool event and is slightly closer to me than you (ha). Sounds like you would go again. If so, I'll shove it on the calendar for next year (assuming there is a "next year" for the event).
 

JaimeC

New member
Yep. The race will be August 10th next summer. We'll arrive (as usual) the Thursday before so we can catch the practices on Friday and the qualifying on Saturday as well as the races on Sunday. Also want to experience "Motorcycles on Meridien" again too. There were a large number of scooters there this year (but mine was the only BMW scooter I saw all weekend).
 

bill steele

New member
That is a beautiful part of the world. I am very envious and need the go there on my bike. Did she keep up with you on her DN01 700? :rolleyes:
She has no problem keeping up with me and a lot of times she passes me, She has got 2 warnings in 4 months for going over the speed limit
 

Dean Theriot

New member
My best ride is when I bought my 2016 c650 sport (Valencia orange) in April 2021. I flew from New Orleans to Kansas city Missouri purchased the bike and rode it back . Left the house early that Saturday got back around 10 Sunday night. I rode alone and gave me some time to just ride and was good therapy for me .
 

Delray

Well-known member
Had a nice, long ride over the weekend picking up a new-to-me bike. There was a bit of a curveball thrown ....

On Saturday night, I flew to Charleston SC from South Florida to buy a 2019 BMW C650 GT. It's matte blue with 7,126 miles. The agreed-upon price was $7,250. That would change.

Earlier Saturday, the seller called to say, "we have a situation." That was the curveball. The bike had a flat rear tire. To his credit, he turned over every stone trying to find a tire the Charleston BMW dealer could install before they closed at 4:00 p.m. No luck. With the dealer closed normally on Sunday and Monday, my options were, 1) wait until the following Friday for a new tire to arrive at the dealer, racking up a $1,000 hotel bill, or 2) plug the tire and trust my repair work would carry me 555 miles safely home. No brainer. I chose the plug.

Because there was NO. POSSIBLE. WAY. the TSA would let me on a plane carrying tire repair tools -- basically two T-handled ice picks -- I asked the seller to buy a kit at Walmart. He got the deluxe version for $10.99.

The flat tire was an OEM Metzeler he had put on the bike 500 miles ago. Essentially new. I priced the tire and asked if he would lower the price of the bike by $200, since I'd have to buy a new tire when I got home. He agreed and the price became $7,050. Another fortuitous financial turn: I cashed in frequent flyer miles to buy my one-way ticket for a grand total of $5.60, seat choice and carry on included. Negative hit: $143 for a dump of a hotel on Saturday from my 1:30 a.m. arrival until the seller picked me up at 7:00 a.m.

The repair was straightforward. He had a portable pump. I put both tires at 38.0 psi and did some sea trials to make sure the tire held air. I was pleasantly surprised to see the TPMS readout agreed with my reading of 38.0 psi. The four previous GT's I had all read 3 lbs. lower-than-actual. It was noon by the time I repaired the tire and tested it, did a quick cleaning, then stopped at Walmart for a portable inflater in case my plug failed.

When I started for home, within a mile I was confronted by my personal riding Kryptonite: Tall bridges. I hate riding across high bridges. The bridge to Charleston is tall, though nothing compared to the Sunshine Skyway in Tampa, which puts your bike in serious winds 40-stories over the earth on the longest cable-concrete bridge in the world. Yummy. When I bought the 2015 GT I just sold, I had to cross that Tampa Tower of Terror within minutes of the seller's house. I alternately yelled EFF YOU at wind gusts and calmly coached myself ("Okay, you're doing fine, here's the crest ...."). In Charleston, there was little traffic and the day was calm, so the passage wasn't terrible. I came across two more tall bridges near Brunswick and Savannah, Georgia. Both times, I chose another route. Eff you, effing tall bridges.

On the ride home, I LOVED having live tire pressure readings. Very reassuring to see your tire is fine at a glance. It's one of my favorite features about this bike. Other than heating up a pound or two while riding, which is normal, both tires were at 38.0 when I turned off the key at home, same as when I started. Success. The plug held and I bonded with the bike. We rolled through the fire together.

New tire? We don't need no stinkin' new tire ("Scarface" reference). I'm thinking maybe I stick with the plug instead of a new tire. It's new, the plug is solid and the savings enhance the best deal I ever made on a bike. To wit: there are five 2019's for sale today on CycleTrader. Average asking price is $11,015. I just paid $4,000 less. One of my core evaluations for buying a bike is, "Can I clean it up and sell it tomorrow for more money?" If I can, that's a good deal.

That said, once again, I was astounded by how dirty most bikes are when you show up to buy them. In Charleston, I had access to a clubhouse with hot water, so I took an hour and gave the a bike a good preliminary cleaning, which you see in the photo. I feel better riding clean a clean bike.

The ride home was uneventul, which is what rides should be. Conditions were perfect. Low 70's and partly cloudy, meaning no direct sun beating on me for hours. The first day, I rode 180 miles to Brunswick, Georgia on Highway 17. I'm not a superslab fan. On 17, I was able to do 60 mph most of the time, which is my sweet spot. I enjoyed the endless towering pines that line the roads in South Carolina and Georgia. Later in Savannah, I marveled at huge banks of moss hanging from the trees. Between the moss and coastal fog, I can see why ghost tours are popular.

After a night in Brunswick (updated Red Roof Inn, $54), I rode 387 miles home on Sunday over 13 hours (lots of little stops). I was ready to roll at 4:00 a.m. but it felt too cold at 52 degrees. Being acclimated to South Florida, I don't ride below 55. When I did get rolling, at 7:00 a.m. and 58 degrees, the heated seat and grips were much appreciated.

It is nice to own a Gen 2.0 again (2016+ models). I love the quicker acceleration and the BMW growl engineers added. It's the newest GT I've owned and I may have warranty left. I will check on that later. It was a long way to go to buy a bike but worth it for a great deal and fantastic riding experience.

Random observations on the road ....

.... Cramp Busters throttle lock clamps rock on long rides. A little pressure on the heel of the hand is blessed relief from holding your hand in a fist for hours. However, I found it cumbersome at parking lot speed, and accidentally launched myself forward a few times. I removed it within an hour of arriving home.

.... Only one person on the JetBlue flight was wearing a mask. Me. I took it off briefly in the airport to eat a bag of Kettle Chips and felt like I was living on the edge. I wore the mask for Uber rides, in hotels, stores and restaurants.

.... Uber charged me $56 at 1:10 a.m. for a 12-mile ride from the airport to Mount Pleasant. When I woke up the next day, I checked the airport rate to see if it is always $56. It was $26, less than half. Bye bye, Uber. Hello, Lyft.

.... I checked with the BMW dealer for service history. Seller had 6,000 mile service done in October, No need to change oil and filter, which I'd normally do. On the other hand, the 6,000 mile list includes brake fluid, which wasn't done. The fluid is dark. I am headed out to change it after this post.

.... UPDATE: Happily, I have full warranty through December 2022. With travel plans for the bike this summer, that is reassuring. If you're in a jam, I've heard BMW roadside assistance is legendary.

UPDATE 2: Photos of bike with backrests and luggage rack on street with paving stones was taken after a thorough cleaning at home, right down to the wheels (and underneath the bike). Wheels had never been cleaned, but BrakeKleen works wonders, just wear safety goggles because it can splash. Changed the brake fluid; checked air and CVT filters; installed a Battery Tender harness and charged the battery to 100%; added four ounces of BMW Fuel System Cleaner, good to go.

5.7.22 in Charleston 700kb.jpgIMG_6745.jpgIMG_6737.jpg2. Left Front.jpg
4. Left Rear.jpg
 
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Ceesie76

Active member
Nice trip report!

I'm not one for long rides, I prefer a car for those.

My best trip the past four years that I've had my C650 Sport is hard to pinpoint, they're all similar - probably most enjoyable are the ones that shorten my work commute time by about 70% as I travel the 7 miles home on LA surface roads lane-splitting rather than sitting still in a box waiting for my green light turns. In the California sunshine.
 

Delray

Well-known member
The headline and the point of this post, if you want to skip the color commentary below: "Wow, I really enjoy fast, superslab riding on my BMW C 650 GT. That is new to me. I was always a reticent rider on interstates."

I am planning a long trip this summer with my bike. Last summer, after I bought the 2019 GT described in an earlier post, I parked it in Florida for a Fly 'n Ride. I flew from Florida to Plattsburgh, New York in the Adirondack Mountains (using free miles, the trip cost me $5.00, including seat upgrades). For $2,000 cash, I bought a 2003, candy apple red Honda Silver Wing with 21,000 miles that was meticulously maintained.

I rode it through the High Peaks to my hometown of Rochester, New York, where I used it for transportation through September, then sold it and flew home; the previous owner was kind enough to let me keep his NYS plate on the bike the whole time, so I didn't have to register it. We both carried insurance.

The other day, thinking about my northern migration this summer, I looked at a 2016 BMW R 1200 RT. I briefly owned a 2007 RT last summer and it was super nice on the interstate. I felt like I was sitting inside a train watching the scenery go by. It was so solid. The RT would be a fantastic bike for a round trip ride from Florida to New York. That's what it's built for.

BUT ... once I got to my hometown, I'd have to shift the RT all the time. I love the automatic ease of the GT. It's perfect for bopping around town, making short trips, sightseeing, etc. One plus for the RT: Gen 3.0's have semi-automated shifting, so you can do most shifts with your foot only, just tap the lever up or down, without using the hand lever to engage the clutch. That's nice, but you still have to shift.

That led me to thinking seriously about riding the GT round trip. Thusly, I have been hopping on I-95 every chance I get and I love it! Not sure why I'm suddenly comfortable where I was previously wary, but I am entirely at peace.** I can't wait to get on the highway now and let 'er rip. I think I will really enjoy the trip north this summer.

** A few likely reasons for my increased comfort level: Well-maintained, late model bike. New Metzeler tires in the last few months. Wearing more protective gear. Finding a car or truck doing a steady 70 mph and trailing them -- less wind blast, fewer lane changes and no red lights. One other related reason: the bike tracks straight as an arrow with my hands off the handlebars, with no vibration at any speed. I could eat a snack cruising down the road. I've had bikes where the handlebars vibrated heavily if I took my hands off. This may relate to the front tire being balanced well, which I am sure of on this GT because I watched the guy balance it.
 
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Ceesie76

Active member
I ride my 2016 650 Sport on the highway from time to time, at speeds of around 65-75 MPH. I find that it is rock solid, but that there is a fair amount of wind noise. So, I usually wear ear plugs to block a large portion of that noise, and keep the windscreen on its middle or upright-most position. Still, with 6'2" I am not free from the bufetting. I do wear a pretty good quality full-face helmet so I don't think that's it. The seat and seating position are relatively comfortable, but I do tire after maybe an hour or so - long distance riding just not for me. But, the 650 is certainly very highway-capable.
 
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