In 1993, BMW introduced the F650 "funduro" built in Italy by Aprilia and gifted it the reasonably well proven rotax engine.
The
appeal of the F650 was a solid base for a bike that could do anything
and be run very cheaply. Carb models could average over 57mpg and the
newer FI models averaging over 67mpg boasting a tank range well over 200
miles.
Our
F650 was the Strada (ST) version, which was introduced in 1997 with a
shorter wheel base, 18" front wheel and lower seat height. Making the ST
the more road biased version.
We
took a trip to Southend to view a blue F650 with low owners, full
service history, heated grips, engine crash bars, new tyres and full
hard luggage. One evening later that week saw us riding it home!
Initial
thoughts of the F650 was the very good handling on low speed
manoeuvres, a silky smooth gearbox and a punchy amount of torque
available as soon as you twist the throttle. With a 50 mile motorway
trip home in the cold and dark the initial grin very quickly turned into
serious doubts by one simple thing: the buffeting at 70mph.
Seriously
it was bad, not helped by forgetting ear plugs. A taller screen was
ordered and this did settle some of the buffeting around the head but it
was never enough to completely avoid it.
Our
F650 was used for everything; commuting, fun and green laning. Oh yes,
we took this beast off road with fully road going tyres, the result was
interesting but we managed to keep it upright and fly through the odd
rutt and puddle.
Maintenance
was simple on the F650, with 12,000 mile service intervals and a centre
stand making for easy chain adjustment. We do have to admit the dry
sump took a few oil checks to get used to, starting the engine for a few
minutes before checking the oil on a dipstick didn't come naturally.
As
mentioned above, the gearbox was silky smooth through all gears and
allowed for very quick clutch-less shifting when on the move. The 650cc
single, 50bhp, engine was good until a point, and this point was trying
to cruise on the motorway with some luggage on the bike. Which became
clear when travelling to and from the motorcycle live show in
Birmingham. The bike felt like it was almost struggling between 75/80mph
and had very little puff above that.
To throw a complete
comparison the lower end of the rev range was actually pretty good with
enough torque go accelerate quickly in and out of traffic and throw the
bike into a corner knowing there was some power to push you out the
other side, even when making a hasty escape from the flights the front
wheel wasn't adverse to popping up.
In
short, the F650 was a reasonable all rounder, quite good fun to throw
around and very easy to ride on the limit with those skinny tyres which
was great fun. It was incredibly cheap and easy to run and maintain.
It's just a shame the bike did have some annoying flaws.
Please share this if you enjoyed reading it! All the best
BirotarUK
We recently did our first track day on our ZXR 400 and GSXR
600 at Mallory Park with NoLimits. It was our first ‘proper’ full day on track on our own
bikes, and it was absolutely awesome. We were very lucky to have dry weather and little
wind,
someone must have been looking over us because the forecast for the day
was supposed
to be poor. As you can see from the video, we have got some practicing
to do. Our position on the bike needs improving, the braking points and
racing line also needs to be improved - but hey, that's what a track
day is all about! (Please excuse the shaky footage!)
If you’re thinking about
doing a track day yourself, here are a few things that are worth considering.
Gear - what you need
You need a ‘double-d-ring’ helmet
You need a full (2pc/1pc) leather suit
You need a good set of boots and gloves
We recommend a back protector
Tracks are very strict and will NOT let you on the track if
you do not have this equipment.
Bike - things to bare in mind
Photograph by Wil Collins Photography
Photograph by Wil Collins Photography
You can
take your own road/track bike to most track days, but if you are taking your
road bike on track, there are a few things that will be recommended for you to do to your
bike before you start the session:
Remove mirrors
Tape over the speedo
Your bike will have to be noise tested before you go out on
track; noise limits range from track to track but our session was limited to
103dB. If you are worried that your exhaust might not pass, buy, borrow or
steal a standard exhaust for your bike (okay, maybe don’t steal it!). It’s not
worth you making the effort of booking the day, getting there and not being
able to ride!
Photograph by Wil Collins Photography
Tyre pressures
are important
Photograph by Wil Collins Photography
Most tracks have a tyre specialist on site so make sure that
you visit them before you go out on track. Road pressures and track pressures
are different – DO NOT RIDE ON TRACK WITH ROAD PRESSURES IN YOUR TYRES. You can
buy a pressure gauge from an online store or your local automotive shop so that
you can check them yourself.
Tyre condition is
also very important
Photograph by Wil Collins Photography
Check the condition of tyres by looking for
splits, tears,
nails, screws, tread depth, uneven tyre wear at least a week before you
go on
track, so that you have enough time to replace them if necessary. Your
road tyres
will be able to lean further than you think, but ideally you want a
decent set
of branded tyres on your bike. Remember that the only thing between you
and the
track are you tyres. Some track day hoonigans have multiple sets of
wheels for their
bike with slicks and wets. If you’re a track day virgin (like us) and
you want
to do an evening session or a full day, you don’t need to go to that
extent. But bare in mind that you will be working your tyres hard on a
track day!
Fluids: check them
all, and top them up if necessary
We changed the oil before our track day – if
you have the ability to do this yourself, we would recommend it as you will be
working the engine hard. We also changed the coolant and brake fluid. If you
are riding to the track, fill up your fuel tank to the top before you enter the
circuit grounds. If you are towing or taking your bike to the track in a van,
fill up a few jerry cans with fuel. We used 15-20 litres of between the two of
us but even if you don’t use it all on track, you’ll have some spare for
another day. Most tracks have a fuel pump but expect to pay more for the convenience.
Brakes will help you stop
Photograph by track side photographer
If you
ride your bike on the road, and you know the brakes aren’t great, upgrade the
pads to something more abrasive (we recommend ‘HH Sintered’). If you have an
older bike and you can afford it, upgraded the lines too. And if that doesn’t help,
upgrade the master cylinder (MC). We changed the calliper seals, upgraded the
brake lines, changed the pads to HH sintered, and fitted a GSXR K6 MC to our
SRAD because, frankly the brakes were sh*t. You have run off areas on most
tracks, but you don’t want to go into the gravel at 130mph after the main
straight!
Set up
We had
our suspension set up and had a power run at Race Engineering in Essex. Find
out more about this here.
Spares
Takespare fluids with you, tools, and
anything else you believe you and your bike might need. Spare pair of pants?
You
Photograph by track side photographer
Prepare yourself
for some serious fun but be aware of your ability and don’t push yourself past
your comfort zone unless you feel ready to. The first few sessions on the track
are for you to learn the track and for you get an idea of where the
braking/turning/acceleration points are. Take it easy! Someone at Mallory crashed
on the first lap of the first session and damaged his bike. We felt bad for
him because unfortunately he rode the bike there. So we suggest to warm up your tyres and your
mind-set before you ride hard, it won’t hurt. Keep hydrated, and make sure you eat properly through the
day. You will need all the energy you can get.
Insurance? Well
this is up to you…
Novice, intermediate
or fast?
When you book your track day you will need to choose a group to
ride in. If you have any doubts, choose novice. If you’ve done track days
before and you felt like other riders were holding you up, choose intermediate.
If you’re fast, then you will know it and your choice will be easy. We’re not
sure if you can swap once you have made your decision, but its worth asking if
you feel like you’re in the wrong group.
Photograph by Wil Collins Photography
Costs – expect to
pay anything between £79 - £300 for a full track day.
It depends who you go with,
what track it is and if tuition is included. The photography service is pretty
cool, so set aside £20 - £45 for some cool pictures of you trying to get your
knee down! Consider van rental, fuel, overnight stay, meals etc…
Photograph by track side photographer
This is what we paid for our track day at Mallory:
Track day £198
(£99x2) Van £49 Fuel for van £50 Fuel for bikes £25 Hotel £40 Dinner £20 Lunch, snacks and water £10 Photography £25 Total: £417
So you’ve got an idea of what you have to think about before your track day. But
let us stress one more thing you shouldn’t forget: it is so much fun! It’s one
of the most exciting things to do on a motorcycle. We would recommend it to
anyone who enjoys riding. You learn your limits, the bike’s limits, and you are improving your
riding skills, whilst having a good time.
Photograph by track side photographer
It’s okay to be nervous, it is a
risky sport. But where is it safer to ride fast and hard but in a controlled environment
that is purpose built? There will be no ‘unaware’ road users pulling out on you,
everyone is going in the same direction (we hope), there will be a perfect road
surface, and most importantly no police or speed cameras to try and trip you up!
Just book your track day and have some fun, you will be hooked. Let us know if
you have any questions, we will do what we can to help.
Photograph by track side photographer
P.S. share the photos of your track with us!
We look forward to
hearing about your track day and hopefully you found our tips useful.
Please remember that this is advice only, track day companies have
different rules and we recommend that you check them
before you book your track day. We can't be held liable if you make any
bad judgments.
Photograph by track side photographer
Photograph by track side photographer
Photograph by track side photographer
Photograph by track side photographer
Photograph by track side photographer
Photograph by Wil Collins Photography
Please share this if you enjoyed reading it! All the best
BirotarUK
Trying to find a good 'un-discovered' photoshoot location can be difficult! We're always on the hunt to try and find somewhere new to take some pictures, so one evening we set out on a mission. After a visit to the legendary Ace Cafe with Wil Collins, we went for a ride and ended up at Alexandra Palace.
Alexandra Palace, London
The sun had just set and the city lights in the distance made for a great setting. Here are the results:
Photograph by Wil Collins photography
After a short while, it got darker and Wil worked his magic in this awesome night time setting.
Photograph by Wil Collins photography
Honda VTR SP1
Suzuki GSF Bandit S 600
BMW R1200GS
We hope you like these shots! A big thank you to Wil for the photographs. You can check out his work here. #BirotarUK Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube
We’ve
owned two Bandits now, of different variants, so it puts us in a good position
to give you an honest bike review. A lot of people have given the nickname 'Blandit' to this Suzuki and it’s pretty
hard for us to understand why.
Suzuki Bandit 600 (1996-2005) specification
Max power: 78 bhp Max torque: 39 ft-lb Top speed: 129 mph 1/4-mile acceleration: 12.4 secs Fuel capacity: 18 litres Average fuel consumption: 44 mpg Tank range: 190 miles Engine size: 600cc Engine type: 16v transverse four, 6 gears Frame type: Steel tube double cradle Seat height: 805mm Bike weight: 204kg
Bandit 600N admiring country views
One of
our first bikes was a 2002 Suzuki Bandit 600N (N meaning naked). With 78bhp and
a fuel range knocking on 200 miles it’s easy to see why a lot of people use
these for commuting. The small fly screen as standard does offer some wind
protection but take it above 75mph (on a private road) and you start to feel the wind resistance
strain on your neck.
Bandit 600N catching the sun
The
Bandit is a budget middleweight bike, but don’t let the word budget put you
off, you get a wide comfy seat, ample under seat storage, 4 pot Tokicos on the
front and a fuel gauge from 2002 onwards. Who needs mod cons anyway?
Bandit 600N detailing
The engine is reasonably free revving, giving enough low down torque to be able
to enjoy riding at town speeds in a higher gear. It is very comfortable to cruise at 70mph on
the motorway, and you can rest assured that you can keep on going, as it’s often described as a bullet proof engine. With routine
servicing we’ve seen Bandits exceed 100k miles.
Bandit 600S
The
riding position is up right with wide bars and this combination makes for a
very comfortable ride. Fear not, you show the bike some twisty lanes and it
isn’t shy. It will make cornering fast feel effortless, although it’s not a
patch on its sporty big sister, the GSXR. The adjustable forks can be a bit
soft for some, but it’s nothing some thicker oil can’t sort.
We used
our first Bandit as a fun bike, with the occasional pillion, and it managed
this without a problem. We’d say it’s an ideal first bike and because of this, if
you’re interested in buying one, we recommend that you check carefully for
signs of it being dropped and for any large gaps in servicing.
In late
2014 we’d been missing our first Bandit and so decided to see what was out there.
After a few phone calls and a long drive to Wales we retuned with a 600S (the
faired version of our first bike).
Morning sun in Wales
'How many men does it take to load up a Bandit?'
Comparing the two is night and day in terms
of wind protection, we could happily sit on this all day and enjoy minimal wind
resistance, although we have put an aftermarket screen on. With the engines
being exactly the same, we knew what to expect in terms of power, nothing that will
make the earth shake, but plenty to enjoy on day-to-day rides.
Bandit 600S
We have
fitted a top box on our 600S and we use it for everyday commuting, social
rides, pillions and doing the shopping. It still has the same soft front
suspension as previous but with today’s roads, the softness is welcomed. These
bikes are very easy to work on, with a plug, oil and filter change being done
in about an hour start to finish, it’s easy to keep on top of routine
maintenance.
The Suzuki Bandit 600 isn’t going to win any awards, unless there is one for
simplicity and reliability, but it is genuinely a comfy bike that will take you
across many foreign borders (and back) and then ask you: what’s next?
Photograph taken by Wil Collins Photography, Alexandra Palace London
