I have checked the BMW site as well as Google to no avail, so here goes: Does anyone know the ground clearance, using normal-height suspension settings, of the F650GS (parallel twin version) and F800GS? Thanks!
I couldn't find any clearance specs either on my F650 when it arrived, so I measured: Unsprung: 24cm (9.4") Settled under its own weight and panniers: 19.5 cm (7.7") The 800's seat is 6cm (2.4") higher with an identical frame, so you can probably add that to the 650's dimensions for reasonably accurate clearance measurements.
PuraVida's # is about right. Here's what a buddy measuered on his F650GS with the MoTech skidplate, unladen (~7.5"): My F800GS sits about one inch higher to the BMW skidplate (unladen; minimal preload to set 30% rear sag = 2.6"; forks raised 5mm). Yes, the 800 has ~1.8" more travel but some of this (~0.5") is lost in setting sag, some raising the forks.
Measured my F650twin today - 8". Same clearance as an '08 KLR650. I did a comparison recently for the thumper crowd: Wet Weights: 2005 KLR650 = 413# 2008 KLR650 = 428# 2009 F650GS = 438# 2007 DR650 = 367# Suspension Travel: 2007 KLR650 = 9.1/9.1 2008 KLR650 = 7.3/7.9 2009 F650GS = 6.7/7.1 2007 DR650 = 10.2/10.2 Ground Clearance: 2007 KLR650 = 9.4" 2008 KLR650 = 8" 2009 F650GS = 8" 2007 DR650 = 10.4<!-- / message --><!-- edit note -->
