Opinions please

i8mancs

Hi everybody I would like to get some feedback regarding what bike to go for out of the following options

Honda Transalp
BMW F650
Aprilia Pegaso 660

I am more than likely to go for the the Honda but should i consider the other two

thanks in advance

Nodster

Follow your heart and go for the Honda bonus if you get a good clean one

ogriofa

The BMW is a really good bike, I have ridden both (I bought the Transalp)

What height are you? I'm 5'11 and the Honda suited my style better. My buddy is 5'8 so the BMW was a better for for him. It was his fave bike to date. Mine was the Honda. Loved it.
Don't know if you are new to bikes, but the Transalp restricted isn't the best for long trips. The mpg is pretty bad. Great for going into town though. That said, it was still my fave bike. Perfect when it was unrestricted. Sold it because I was leaving the country.

I'd go try all of them (or the Honda and BMW at least) - You never know till you sit on them.

Both are great bikes, good taste!

lostboy

you know the pegaso and the f650 are close enough the same bike? they are both built out of the same factory in italy and share a lot of parts, they both use the same rotax engine but the top ends are set up slightly differently.

uberalles

I had a transalp and thought the central gravity was very high, felt like a cherry on a cocktail stick when windy.

Mate has a f650 for sale soon as he is getting a huge BMW replacement.

What part of Ireland are you in op?

AgileMyth

I've a 00 f650 Dakar. Lovely bike, can't fault it. Great on petrol and extremely comfortable over long distances. Mine is restricted but still has plenty of power for my usage, flies up to about 140 kph but won't go much quicker.

Uberalles do we know each other? I've been considering changing mine for a 1150 GS when the restriction is up!

i8mancs

ogriofa wrote: »

The BMW is a really good bike, I have ridden both (I bought the Transalp)

What height are you? I'm 5'11 and the Honda suited my style better. My buddy is 5'8 so the BMW was a better for for him. It was his fave bike to date. Mine was the Honda. Loved it.
Don't know if you are new to bikes, but the Transalp restricted isn't the best for long trips. The mpg is pretty bad. Great for going into town though. That said, it was still my fave bike. Perfect when it was unrestricted. Sold it because I was leaving the country.

I'd go try all of them (or the Honda and BMW at least) - You never know till you sit on them.

Both are great bikes, good taste!

Hi I am also 5'11 and it will be restricted. I wont be using it every day as I have a company van and travel the 32 counties. It would be mainly for weekends and the occasional Dub city job. The new rules coming into effect in Jan 13 have given me the kick up the hole to get a move on and get full license.

i8mancs

uberalles wrote: »

I had a transalp and thought the central gravity was very high, felt like a cherry on a cocktail stick when windy.

Mate has a f650 for sale soon as he is getting a huge BMW replacement.

What part of Ireland are you in op?

Dublin

Wossack

personally would avoid an f650

maybe a once off - but this small incident of someones wheel falling off sticks in my mind

uberalles

uberalles wrote: »

I had a transalp and thought the central gravity was very high, felt like a cherry on a cocktail stick when windy.

QFT I thought the Transalp lacked some stability and the brakes were too soft for my liking.

daenerysstormborn3

Wossack wrote: »

personally would avoid an f650

maybe a once off - but this small incident of someones wheel falling off sticks in my mind

:eek: That is unreal! If you read the whole thread it actually seems to have happened quite a number of times with BMW bikes and there seems to be a problem with BMW admitting liability. That is just crazy!

This post in that thread caught my eye - "I think I have ended up with the remains of your motorcycle,minus the luggage and front forks.Your insurance company has written off the machine,and I am wondering if you still have the Title?I have ordered a set of yamaha yzf450 front wheel and fork assembly,and plan to put the bike back on the road if I can get hold of the original Title,which I need to import the bike into Canada.If I cannot,I will just use it for offroad. Hope you recovered okay,and if you ever make it back up this way,look me up in Haines Junction." - you'd want to be off your rocker to consider putting that bike back on the road in any shape!

Wossack

yea, the way it was handled by bmw was the worst bit... I think theres a post later on where they have a side by side of later f650 forks (cant remember the year), and the area that failed in the original post, is clearly redesigned with more reinforcement

Killgore Trout

I loved my '96 Transalp.

The brakes were a bit crap, slightly improved with a new rotor and braided metal hoes. Post '97 they had double disks up front. I thought they ruined the look of it with the 650 in 2000 or so.

I'm 5'8" and didn't have any problem with the height.

They're a great bike - they're not loved by the bike press, but most people who've owned them will disagree.