Nowhere near as heavy as Gauteng but in Cape Town we have our fair share of rush hour(s) traffic. And it’s in these conditions where the single most enjoyable scooter journey of the past few months takes place. On average journey times are, without much effort, cut by 30 per cent.
Some non-motorcycling colleagues have inquired whether this huge scooter is actually easy handle in traffic. Not a stupid question considering it is not a scooter in the true sense. It is rather heavy and with seat space for two passengers it might look like quite a cumbersome vehicle. Fortunately that is not the case. It is more nimble than you would expect and because you don’t need to change gears (thanks to the CVT transmission) you simply use the throttle and modulate your braking via the front and rear brakes.
Fuel consumption
A little higher than we anticipated. So far we’ve averaged 5,66 L/100 km. Having said that, we have tended to be a tad over zealous with the throttle (who wouldn’t?). With some discipline one should be able to dip below the 5,0 L/100 km. We’ll keep you posted.
Practical and comfortable
It’s hard to think of another “bike” that will be more practical than the C650 GT. The two storage spaces up front, together with a seat storage that easily holds a laptop bag, two litres of milk and a loaf of bread (as tested).
The windscreen is electrically adjustable. Set it to its highest position and wind buffeting is almost eliminated.
The riding position is something to get used to initially. I tend to put my legs in a 90-degree bend with my feet firmly flat on the sideboards. I quickly learned that it is actually better to put your feet higher up the sideboards at an angle. Let’s call it a pseudo–Harley riding position.
What next?
Unfortunately the C650 GT is almost on its way back to BMW Motorrad. The riders on the team are already dreading that day. Look out for a full end-of-term report in an upcoming issue of car.
Do you own a BMW scooter or have any thoughts to share with us, send as an email to [email protected] or contact the riders directly via Twitter: @WilhelmL_CARmag or @NicolL_CARmag.
Mileage on arrival (km): 1 204
Mileage now (km): 1 981
Fuel consumption (litres/100 km): 5,66
Like: level of luxury, traffic-cheater ability
Don’t like: thirstier than expected
Click here for our introduction to the BMW.