Trying to decide

Diane,
I guess you answered your own question, grunt from the bottom will make up for less trouble with high speeds(oil cooler helps a lot).
The water cooling on the 650 and lower mileage is good, but possibly will not give you the needed safety reserve for to be not the chasen rabbit.

I had a Jawa and now a Ural in steep mountain range. Small and light is good fun, but torque does calm the nerves and eases in the end on the wallet...less repairs...less tail gaters.

Perhaps a good idea might be if you put the area and perhaps somebody from the forum could have a look at the rigs for at least get an idea if they are lemons or sweeties.
Or may the owners give you the contact to the service shops so you can call there and get a first hand advice.
Just a thought.
Sven

Thanks. Both are giving me service info. But I think you are right. More torque.

The 650 is a great bike for commuting but not keep up with freeway traffic. I have heard good things about Perry. As a known quantity I'd go with a rig assembled by him.
My opinion.

You didn't mention what kind of sidecar is attached to either bike. Sounds like the 1200 is where you're headed, but if the car is not a good match then you should keep looking.

I know of only 2 F650cs with sidecars, there could be more, one has a Velorex, I always am concerned with Velorex mounting even when done by a professional as the Velorex company will let pretty much any one become a dealer at which point even if it is their first install ever, they are the "professional"

The second we did for a customer who has since passed away. He sold it to some one in Washington state who sold it to another person in Washington state who was located less then 10 miles from us. My wife always really liked the bike and so I purchased it for her, then we purchased a different bike for her and sold the F650CS to some on in Oregon who had or has it for sale. We mounted a Sputnik sidecar on it that we color matched, we also added a BMW CS wheel with disk brake and made "leading legs" for the bike to lower the steering effort. This is a well sorted bike that I would not hesitate to ride cross county on. I have attached photo's of the bike.

As to the R1200C, if Perry set it up, it was done right, If it has not had the steering modified we do make a new from billet ball joint mount to lower the steering effort.
Jay G
DMC sidecars
www.dmcsidecars.com
866-638-1793

The sidecar for the F650 I believe is a Sputnik.
I have attached a picture of the R1200C. The sidecar does sit lower to the ground.

Sputnik sidecars are steel and have an opening trunk and front, Velorex sidecars are fiberglass and plastic and do not open. The sidecar on the R1200C is hard to tell for sure what it is, This body was made in either England or the USA, the English version I can not remember for sure but it may have been a swallow. In the USA it was sold as a body only where you made your own frame and sold as a "universal" the turn signal on the front appears to be a Ural, I can not tell much more in the photo.
Jay G
DMC sidecars
www.dmcsidecars.com

The body on the blue 1200 is an International, made in Minnesota [a longtime ago]. You sometimes see these bodies with a single vertical fin in the back, a la a Goulding.

Of course, I could be wrong. ;^)

Thanks. Here is the picture of the F650GS. I do not know what kind of sidecar it is or who mounted it. The current owner said it was professionally installed but no paperwork. Can someone tell me about this?

On the F650CS it is a Velorex, I can not tell every thing from a photo however it does look like the upper rear was tied to the seat support and nothing else, the lower rear could stand to be further back. I can not tell where the wheel lead is but chances are as the lower front on the Velorex is not adjustable they just set the wheel lead where it was possible with out fabrication rather then where it should have been mounted. So if you do look at this bike, take a close look at how it is hooked up, Make sure there is no flex in the mounting system. You should be able to shake the bike hard and see no movement in any of the mounting brackets.

On the R1200C Al is right, it is an International, No idea why I said a "universal".

Jay G
DMC sidecars
866-638-1793

Thanks Jay

Thanks everyone. Put a deposit in the R1200C. My first sidecar rig. Yeah.

Diane,
The 1200C will serve you well in West Texas.

If you have not done so, call Perry Bushong, owner of Perry's Motorcycles & Sidecars in Ft Worth 817-877-5900. He can give you the story and history on that rig. If it needs any adjustments, he is the man to see. It will be well worth at least one trip to Ft Worth for you and the rig, especially since this is your first hack.

There is a sidecar school in Lufkin, TX I can highly recommend. Held on the FIRST weekend of every month. Pinewoods Riders Academy 936-637-7555. What you will learn in two days will make you a better and safer rider. No matter how many years you have been riding two wheels, riding three is a different animal. One must learn new techniques and form new skills to be safe on a hack. The wrong move or reaction in a panic can have serious consequences when on three wheels. Marcus Renfroe is a patient instructor and experienced sidecar rider/builder. While you are in East Texas, make a mini-vacation and ride on up to Jefferson, Caddo Lake area, some great riding roads with lots of tall pine trees. Not something you see much of in your area.

Enjoy the new rig, maybe we'll see you at the annual May Sidecar Rally in east Texas.

CCjon
Cypress, Texas

Twowheelgal " Here is the picture of the F650GS. I do not know what kind of sidecar it is or who mounted it."

The sidecar is a Velorex 563 Tour.

The bike isn't a 650GS.b
Here is a 650GS Dakar rig we built that has really been to Africa.

Lonnie