20 Things You Should Know About: BMW’s 650 Singles

Adventure Rider Issue #4

• It’s What We Do
• Contributors
• Ténéré Tragics
• Industry Players: Robin Box
• Safari ADVT
• Horizons Unlimited
• The Cold War
• Adventure Travel Film Festival
• Reader’s Pic
• Set Up to Stand Up with Craig Hartley
• The Adventure Challenge
• Triumph XC800 Tiger Across Australia
• Yamaha 2014 Super Ténéré
• BMW Airheads
• Wish You Were Here
• Reader’s Ride: Borneo
• Afraid Not with Karen Ramsay
• Packing For Adventure with Robin Box
• Navigation Techniques with John Hudson
• How To Ride with Miles Davis
• No Comment
• 20 Things You Should Know About: BMW’s 650 Singles
• 10 Minutes With: Allan Roberts
• Ol’ Mate
• Reader’s Bike: Robert Holness’ KLR650 and Ural Tourist
• Checkout

BMW’s Sertão/650 GS

In 1993 BMW launched the first 650 single and called it the F 650 Funduro. Then for many years the F 650 GS Dakar was a popular choice of adventure bike riders, and in 2011 the Sertão GS was launched. A great many laps of the globe have been completed and a fearsome reputation for reliability and longevity has grown around all of the many variations of BMW’s 650cc single. We asked Craig Bennett, BMW Motorrad’s Technical Specialist, for some quick facts about this ground-breaking group of adventure bikes, and particularly the newest incarnation.

The current G 650 GS is the Sertão, the 650cc single has been in the BMW range for quite a while.

1. In 1999 and 2000 Richard Sainct won Dakar on the modified F 650 RR.

2. Heated grips and ABS are standard on the Sertão.

3. The ABS can be easily deactivated, but you must be stationary to do this.