BMW G650 X Series - First Ride

Dirt, street and something in betweenRiding past the 18th green at this four-star golf resort on a dirtbike visibly horrifies the golfers. The fact that we're on BMWs provides some small reassurance, but these aren't like any BMWs they've ever seen. Or us: After a four-day flog over the twisty roads and cheese-grater trails of southern Arizona, BMW's new trio of 652cc singles aren't what we expected either.

But first, let us assure you that rumors of the F650's demise are premature-the adventurous GS will survive for at least another year. These Generation-X singles are intended to inject some (relatively) affordable fun into BMW's lineup, hopefully generating younger foot traffic in showrooms in the process. Though these bikes exhibit none of its flagrant cheapness or orthopedic shoe styling, the basic F650 recipe carries on with welcome improvements and fresh ingredients.

Engines still come from Rotax in Austria, and the rest of the package is still a cooperative effort with Aprilia; bikes are screwed together at the firm's Scorze works in northern Italy. All three flavors rise from the same basic platform-one warmed-up version of the F650 engine in a modular steel and aluminum chassis-but head off in three very different directions with mission-specific brakes, wheels and suspension.

The Xcountry is Munich's take on the all-purpose scrambler, which means it's capable of heading off in just about any direction-paved or not-so long as you're in no great flaming hurry to get there. The new engine is the star: strong, smooth and good for an indicated 100 mph on top. The lowest seat of this bunch is still 2.4 inches taller than an F650GS, yet a better fit if you're 5-foot-9 than 6-foot-3. Suspension is on the soft side, and the suspension bits are relatively pedestrian. The non-adjustable 45mm Marzocchi fork and Sachs shock wilt rapidly under aggressive treatment.

Still, the Xcountry handled 250 miles of paved and unpaved roads well enough at a conservative clip. The G-spec 652cc twin-cam single is stronger, smoother and 4.5 pounds lighter than its predecessor, pushing what BMW claims to be a 353-lb. (wet) package. Metzeler Tourance tires are potentially treacherous at speed in actual dirt but grip fine on the road. So? Treat it like a modern interpretation of Honda's 1970 CL350 and you'll be fine. Though it's hard to say how many people will shell out $8675 (add $670 for BMW's 3.3-lb., two-channel ABS on all G650X variants) for this brand of casual all-surface travel, the Xcountry fills the role quite nicely.

The Xchallenge is much happier in the dirt...as long as the challenge du jour isn't keeping up with a KTM 525 EXC. Forget BMW's brochure palaver about "extreme enduro riding." Dirt-worthy dual-sport is more like it, though the 2.5-gallon gas tank under the seat precludes extended play on all three bikes. On the plus side, BMW's numbers make the fully fueled Xchallenge 79 lbs. lighter than an F650GS with its 4.0-gal. fuel payload.

Good news: As with its siblings, the Xchallenge feels about the same with the tank full or nearly empty. Bad news: Lower final-drive gearing makes it buzzier on the road, drops top speed to about 96 mph and lights the low-fuel light after 90 miles of fast off-road work. Adventure tourists will not be pleased. And the tricky air-adjustable shock takes some getting used to, sinking on smooth ground and hoisting the tail end over rough stuff, even if the Xchallenge inhales rough stuff at speeds that would snap an F650 in half. For those who've given up on being an AMA National Hare Scrambles contender, it's a superb dual-sport, albeit an expensive one at $8975.

The Xmoto derivation is pricier still at $9575, but it's our pick of this litter. The G-spec single is smooth enough for short freeway sorties, though the seat towers nearly 3 feet over the pavement and feels like upholstered Bakelite. Narrow? Compared to anyone's inline-four, it's like straddling a pool cue. The appeal has less to do with actual supermoto slithering than dissecting roads with more corners than straights. Acceleration is underwhelming by 600cc supersport standards, but the alleged 53 horses go a long way working against its 351-lb. (wet) weight. Armed with effectively unlimited cornering clearance, serious brakes and sticky Pirelli Diablo radials, the Xmoto rewards tidy lines with astonishing back-road velocity. As with its two brothers, this one is a bit too focused to be the only motorcycle in most garages we know. And it's expensive. But if you're tired of the rising tide of clich engineering and horsepower saturation, the single life has its advantages.

Tech SpecEvolutionLeaner, more athletic successor to the F650 singles, the G650 comes in dual-sport Xchallenge and scrambler Xcountry variants as well as the featured Xmoto.

RivalsStronger and dramatically more capable than Suzuki's DR-Z400SM, the BMW is a supermoto single for those who want the racy look in a more civilized, cooperative package than KTM's new 690 single.

TechPrice: $9575Engine type: l-c singleValve train: DOHC, 4vDisplacement: 652ccBore x stroke: 100.0 x 83.0mmCompression: 11.5:1Fuel system: EFIClutch: Wet, multi-plateTransmission: 5-speedHorsepower: 53 bhp @ 7000 rpmTorque: 44 lb.-ft. @ 5250 rpmFrame: Modular steel/aluminumFront suspension: 45mm inverted fork, adjustable for spring preload, compression and rebound dampingRear suspension: Single shock adjustable for spring preload, rebound dampingFront brake: Single four-piston caliper, 320mm discRear brake: Singe two-piston caliper, 240mm discFront tire: 120/70 ZR17 Pirelli DiabloRear tire: 160/60 ZR17 Pirelli DiabloRake/trail: 28.5o/3.9 in.Seat height: 35.4 in.Wheelbase: 59.0 in.Fuel capacity: 2.5 gal.Dry weight: 324 lbs.Colors: Gray/redAvailable: NowWarranty: 36 months, unlimited mi.Contact: BMW Motorrad USA300 Chestnut Ridge Rd.Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07677800.831.1117www.bmwmotorcycles.com

VerdictBMW is betting there's a market for supermoto attitude in a socially acceptable package, but that'll be a tough sell for nearly $10,000.