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
- 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 |