BMW->ke1398 invites you to venture into "urban mobility" with their 2015 C 650 GT maxi-scooter->ke2256. The C 650 GT makes your around-town driving easier and still has the speed and power to get you out of the city. Besides the ample storage space in two gloveboxes -- one on each side of the inner fairing below the hand controls -- and main storage under the seat, you can add more storage accessories and turn your maxi-scooter into a baby-bagger. Go for the luggage rack and top it off with the optional top case that adds 8 gallons of storage, and a center tunnel bag with two compartments -- one main water-resistant compartment and one small lid compartment -- to add another 2.7 gallons.

Continue reading my review of the BMW C 650 GT.

2015 BMW C 650 GT

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2015 BMW C 650 GT
  • Engine/Motor: 2-cylinder 4-stroke liquid-cooled engine, 4 valves per cylinder

Design

This scooter looks classy, just like you'd expect from BMW. While you're shopping for accessories, look at the "scooter coat," which protects your legs, seat and lower body from harsh weather, and the Akrapovic Sport Silencer. The silencer slips on the exhaust manifold to generate a more throaty sound. If the scooter is quiet, cagers won't hear you and if they don't hear you, they are more likely to not see you. If you're going on the highway with this maxi-scooter, you'll want cagers to see and hear you. You'll also want to know where you're going. Add the BMW Navigator system to have GPS, weather and traffic reports on the go.

One thing I like about the C 650 GT is the optional low black seat. For a small trade-off of comfort, you can reduce the seat height between 1.18 and 1.57 inches. As a height-challenged person, I like that option. I have to give up the heated seat for the low seat, but I'm okay with that.

Chassis

A nifty feature of the C 650 GT is the parking brake integrated into the jiffy stand. Put the jiffy stand down and your braking brake is applied. The front and rear brakes both have two-piston floating calipers on 10.6-inch discs, dual on the front and single on the rear, with ABS. The inverted front fork and rear single-sided swingarm each have 4.5 inches of travel that will give you a surprisingly smooth ride over the road, especially on the rather large 15-inch cast aluminum rims. The contact patch afforded by the 160 mm wide rear tire is respectable for a scooter, giving you good traction in the corners as well as on the straightaway.

Drivetrain

At 575 pounds curb weight and a total payload weight of 406 pounds, you are going to need the horsepower and torque provided by the 647 cc liquid-cooled DOHC engine to carry you smartly. With 60 horsepower at 7,500 rpm and 49 pound-feet at 6,000 rpm, you'll have to really wind it up, but the C 650 GT has the guts to do it while getting respectable gas mileage for a maxi-scooter. Top speed is 109 mph, so even cruising at highway speeds, you'll have enough roll-on to pass or accelerate your way out of trouble.

Pricing

MSRP on Granite Gray Metallic Matte is $10,490. For an extra $100, you can choose between Sapphire Black Metallic, Quartz Blue Metallic or Havanna Metallic. Add the optional premium package for $605 and get heated handgrips, heated seat and tire pressure monitor. The anti-theft package doesn't come standard, and will add $395 to the price.

He Said

My husband and fellow writer, TJ Hinton, says, "This is the kind of scooter I'd expect from BMW. The speed is impressive and the design looks more like a European tour bike and less like a scooter. Storage capacity with accessories is impressive, and should be enough to propel this 'scoot' out of the city and into the realm of weekend touring. God bless the Germans; they're so meticulous."

She Said

"It's a smart-looking scooter. I'd expect nothing less from BMW. MSRP on the C 650 GT is a little cheaper than Suzuki's->ke371 Burgman 650->ke2336 and I'd expect the shorter-stroke engine in the BMW to be more responsive. With front and rear suspension travel of 4.5 inches, that's comparable to a full-size motorcycle. That has to be a nice ride with not-too-shabby fuel economy for a maxi-scooter."

Specifications

Drivetrain:

Engine Type:

two-cylinder 4-stroke liquid-cooled DOHC engine, four valves per cylinder

Bore x stroke:

79 mm x 66 mm

Capacity:

647 cc

Rated output:

60 horsepower at 7,500 rpm

Max. torque:

49 pound-feet at 6,000 rpm

Compression ratio;

11.6 to 1

Mixture control / engine management:

BMS-E digital engine management

Emission control:

Closed-loop three-way catalytic converter, emission standard EU-4

Clutch:

Centrifugal clutch

Gearbox:

CVT gearbox

Drive:

Chain drive in oil bath

Performance:

Maximum speed:

109 mph

Fuel consumption at constant 56 mph:

53 mpg

Fuel consumption at 75 mph:

42 mpg

Fuel type:

Premium unleaded

Electrical:

Alternator:

Three-phase generator 588 W

Battery:

12 V / 12 Ah, maintenance-free

Chassis:

Frame:

Steel tube construction with aluminum die cast unit

Front wheel location / suspension:

Upside-down fork, 40 mm

Rear wheel location / suspension:

Single-sided swing arm

Suspension travel front / rear:

4.5/4.5 inches (115 mm/115 mm)

Wheelbase:

62.6 inches

Castor:

3.6 inches

Steering head angle:

64.6 degrees

Wheels:

Cast aluminum, MT H2

Rim, front:

3,50 x 15 inches

Rim, rear:

4,50 x 15 inches

Tires, front:

120/70 R 15

Tires, rear

160/60 R 15

Brake, front:

Two-rotor disc brake, diameter 10.6 inches, Two-piston floating caliper

Brake, rear:

Single disc brake, diameter 10.6 inches, two-piston floating caliper

ABS:

Standard

Dimensions:

Length:

87.3 inches

Width (incl. mirrors):

36.1 inches

Height (excl. mirrors):

55.6 inches

Seat height, unladen weight:

31.7 inches Standard; optional seat height 30.9 inches (available as accessory and/or factory option, see an authorized BMW Motorrad dealer)

Inner leg curve, unladen weight:

75.2 inches Standard; optional inner leg curve (inseam) 73.0 inches (seat available as accessories and/or factory option, see an authorized BMW Motorrad dealer)

Unladen weight, road ready, fully fuelled:

575 pounds

Dry weight:

549 pounds

Permitted total weight:

981 pounds

Payload (with standard equipment):

406 pounds

Usable tank volume:

4.2 gallons

Reserve:

Approx. one gallon

Color Options:

Havanna Metallic, Quartz Blue Metallic, Sapphire Black Metallic, Granite Gray Metallic Matte

Price:

$10,490