Well OK, like the "I rode the WR200 prototype" post i did I am lying. What I rode was a BMW G650 with a 12K Tourtech setup on it. Full body work (drops 46 pounds) exhaust, revalved YZF triple clamps and WP shock. Lots of goodies everywhere. Was my second time riding a G650 based bike.
I tried to apply my ride on this bike to what the new TR650 might be and rode it back to back with my much loved and well setup TE511. My impressions?
1. Motor... The motor is VERY good. The EFI on this bike is spotless. I tried to stall it, seems impossible. Huge flywheel old school slow reving 4 stroke feel. Lazy motor is a little hard to pop the front end up but has gobs of smooth flowing torque for days. On the pavement can come around a tight corner in 5th and just roll it on. No stuttering or complaints just liquid power and lots of it. After riding it for a while I was wheelieing it all over to the horror of the new owner :>) Motor is very nice for the street and the gears will allow single track to 75 mph lazy cruzing all day long. The owner rode my TE511 for the first time and was amazed at how quick it revs and spontaneous it is. They are very different animals designed for different missions. Runs very nice from the first rpm to the last, no hit or bog, smoother than any 570/610/630 I ever rode and more power too.
2. Trans... Fine. Real wide spread and versatile. At first off road i was put off by the huge 1st to 2nd jump but after realizing the boatloads of torque and that this is not a flickalbe single track machine and riding the wave of big power it was fine. Just a mental adjustment for what the bike was designed for. I did find the shifter awkward and the throw long and deliberate. We did some trailside setup and adjustments and made the bike far better.
3. Weight / handling... It is what it is. A huge 650. Makes my 511 feel like a 125. That said the new owner who is not young and a good off roader rode it up a real nasty hill littered in rock and very steep. I got to the top thinking there is no way Joe headed up this mess and went to turn around only to see him crest the hill with a huge smile on his face. He was stoked and loudly proclaimed he could ride this bike anywhere just slower. Good stuff. Bike rides very nice, is a great street bike (he rode 30 miles highway to my house and said it was as EZ as riding his BMW K100), a very good gravel road bike and eats that up as good as any bike I have ridden, and a doable single track bike if pushed to do so. The height and steering stops heald the bike back off road. He is fixing both those issues with having it lowered and turning the stops in.
Overall the bike was very good. He had some buyers remorse and there were a few things to adjust and fix. By the end of the ride he was very happy and I was pretty impressed with the bike. Will make a VERY good light weight adventure bike. If the new TR650 is as good (might be better) it will be a great bike IMHO.
I tried to apply my ride on this bike to what the new TR650 might be and rode it back to back with my much loved and well setup TE511. My impressions?
1. Motor... The motor is VERY good. The EFI on this bike is spotless. I tried to stall it, seems impossible. Huge flywheel old school slow reving 4 stroke feel. Lazy motor is a little hard to pop the front end up but has gobs of smooth flowing torque for days. On the pavement can come around a tight corner in 5th and just roll it on. No stuttering or complaints just liquid power and lots of it. After riding it for a while I was wheelieing it all over to the horror of the new owner :>) Motor is very nice for the street and the gears will allow single track to 75 mph lazy cruzing all day long. The owner rode my TE511 for the first time and was amazed at how quick it revs and spontaneous it is. They are very different animals designed for different missions. Runs very nice from the first rpm to the last, no hit or bog, smoother than any 570/610/630 I ever rode and more power too.
2. Trans... Fine. Real wide spread and versatile. At first off road i was put off by the huge 1st to 2nd jump but after realizing the boatloads of torque and that this is not a flickalbe single track machine and riding the wave of big power it was fine. Just a mental adjustment for what the bike was designed for. I did find the shifter awkward and the throw long and deliberate. We did some trailside setup and adjustments and made the bike far better.
3. Weight / handling... It is what it is. A huge 650. Makes my 511 feel like a 125. That said the new owner who is not young and a good off roader rode it up a real nasty hill littered in rock and very steep. I got to the top thinking there is no way Joe headed up this mess and went to turn around only to see him crest the hill with a huge smile on his face. He was stoked and loudly proclaimed he could ride this bike anywhere just slower. Good stuff. Bike rides very nice, is a great street bike (he rode 30 miles highway to my house and said it was as EZ as riding his BMW K100), a very good gravel road bike and eats that up as good as any bike I have ridden, and a doable single track bike if pushed to do so. The height and steering stops heald the bike back off road. He is fixing both those issues with having it lowered and turning the stops in.
Overall the bike was very good. He had some buyers remorse and there were a few things to adjust and fix. By the end of the ride he was very happy and I was pretty impressed with the bike. Will make a VERY good light weight adventure bike. If the new TR650 is as good (might be better) it will be a great bike IMHO.
