Is There A Reason No One Rides A BMW Sertao?

[Freeloadeur]

I stumbled across a blog post this morning, the usual stuff "adventure bikes are too big, no one makes a 650cc..." you know the score. Aside from ignoring the obvious Ténèré (I think the writer was American so we'll future them) the talk was of big DRs or no-longer-made KTMs or rare-as-hen's-teeth Huskies.

I'm surely not the only person in the world to have spotted the BMW G650GS Sertao?
Admittedly BMW seem to have forgotten it exists, to the extent that their flagship dealers on Park Lane don't even have one in their showroom, but Touratech seem too think it's worthwhile making a lot of over-priced bling for.

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Is there some reason I don't know about, maybe they're made of a special lead/cheese alloy so weighing a ton but collapsing under the weight of a passing Starbucks latte? Or maybe they just don't look butch enough to have drawn the attention of the hairy chested adventure motorcycling press?

[ZX Raziel]

The 800 weighs about the same and can do the same work , i think that is why people choose the bigger sister over the 650 , which is otherwise Great bike , just a smidget on the heavy side .

[The Wilbur]

The main advantage of the 652cc single, certainly to me anyway, is the fuel consumption. 72mpg on recent ride from Edinburgh to Bury Port, fully loaded & lots of Motorway.

[Freeloadeur]

It's true it's not the lightest in the world at 193kg wet weight, compared to the F800GS's 214kg. But that's still nearly 2½ stone of pies.

I was reading impressive consumption figures for the Sertao, good to hear they match up to real world usage.

I seem to remember Will Wilkins saying he found his a bit "dull" hence swapping it for an 800XC which tried to kill him on a roundabout, and I was watching a YouTube review which described it as a "mule" which isn't the most exciting word.

I'm quite drawn to them though, as a first "full-licence" bike, especially as to me it looks and feels, just sitting one, a lot like a big Derbi Terra Adventure, and they seem quite cheap second-hand. But not hearing much about them (and that quite cheap price) has me wondering if there's a reason (and that I should just go buy an Enfield instead).

[Philiptigerrice]

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Love mine

[Philiptigerrice]

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[Philiptigerrice]

I ride one - look - there's TWO pictures for the price of one, to prove it - (Me on Salter fell a fortnight ago)

And it s a great bike - I think most of what BMW does now is all about selling big Panzers though. The Sertao, is basically a Dakar - which they did really well out of - but it lost its name in some copyright drama, despite being an improvement on the respected Dakar, and they didn't really market it - although they sold a shed load in the states.

Re BMW - Lets face it - if you want a 500kg nuclear powered, ultra tech go anywhere do anything, but don't get it muddy bike, that is cooled with the tears of angels, and lubed with Swans saliva - then thats what they'll build. And i suppose it's working for them... BMW is all about the big GS now. But thats why many people think they've lost their way a bit.

They tried to get it back with the 800, but thats a similair weight to an early GS1200 - I looked at one, and the weight put me off. (Sertao is 180kg dry - the 800 Adventure is 235kg,(505lbs) thats a full 55Kg heavier for the 800 - it made no sense to me, so stuck with my sertao)


I got my Sertao at a year old, with 1000 miles on it. I've put wide pegs, TKC80's, bar risers, adjustable gear lever and engine guards on it. Full warranty etc - and it was £4950. Bargain.

I can do pretty much anything on it. It handles really well off road with its 21" front, but isn't ideal for a hardcore rally - but then its not a rally bike.

It's not overly heavy,I can pick it up out of ditches (regularly) and do it on my own. Its never let me down, I go away camping on it - ride Manchester to Aberdeen on it - and it cruises nicely at 80mph on the motorway.

I do a bit of shopping on it - nip in and out of town, its small and light in the traffic and then load it up - and I'm away with my tent. I get 60mpg, insurance is cheap too. And its easy to maintain - there's nothing to go wrong. I weigh 18 stone, and lump it about all over the place, I've crashed into dry stone walls, dropped it 50 times, had it upside down in a quarry-esque car park on the Taffy Dakar (long story!), thrown it around Walters Arena like a nutcase - and aside from bending the gear lever once - I just pick it up and crack on. B)

Its bomb proof

Its a fabulous bike. I'm lending mine to my brother when I work away, as he's doing his test, and he can make mistakes on it - drop it - whatever, and it will forgive him, keep him safe, and it'll take it all in its stride. (thumbs)

But - you cant keep up with the 1200's on the motorway, when they disappear into the distance. But so what. :whistle:


Why haven't they sold squillions in the UK? Well, I think the styling wasn't great - the new 800GS does look better - and they were expensive new. So other bikes outsold it, despite it being, in terms of quality - a superb 650, badly marketed - and overshadowed by more popular Big BMW's. Many of which went offroad once, fell over - and never went back offroad again. :whistle:

People slagged off the rotax engine, cause its now built in china - when what they were really discussing was an engine so simple and straightforward, its been a massive success


Would I have bought one new - probably not - but get yourself a clean one used, and you'll love it! You can pick them up for £4k, clean as a whistle. Try one - and try and kill it on the mud

[waynecoluk]

Good description Phil....you almost make me wish I would have got one over the Versys 650...

[Kinioo]

Great bike, but bit girlish....
just joking

[Philiptigerrice]

Kinioo - you made me properly laugh then - a lot of my mates ride 'Proper' GS's - you know the big ones :whistle: And they tease me for riding a Lady GS.

But - I actually think that that may be one of the reasons they've not flown off the shelves.... The relative size of them.


When you sit a few of them in the showroom, they look fooking tiny next to the big GS's! Lol

Whereas if you put one in another showroom - it would look like the animal it really is