From the March 2012 BMW Owners News

Photos and review by Jonathan Beck #139270

"We gotta get moving if we're going to arrive before dark." At the time my comment was met with a slightly puzzled glance from my riding partner, as it was before noon and we should have only been a couple hours from our destination of Mike's Sky Ranch in Baja, Mexico. "Time tends to get away from you," was my reply to his glance. Looking at the ominous clouds hovering over Valle de la Trinidad to the southeast, I knew we were quite possibly in for some nasty conditions ahead. What were normally relatively smooth and fast fire roads had been transformed into a morass of mud and sand, and we were set to begin climbing into conditions that would only grow more severe.

Perfect conditions to test out a new bike

BMW's first offering for 2012 is the Sertao, named after the badlands of northeastern Brazil. I figured Baja would be a fitting Latin alternative for a test run of this new bike. At first glance, the bike has hints of both the F800GS and F650 Dakar, and rightfully so. The chassis is similar to the older F650 model, and the styling is in keeping with the rest of the BMW line. A redesigned headlight, instrument cluster, and graphic scheme are among the details setting this bike apart visually from the rest.

If I were to select two words to describe the Sertao, they would most likely be understated and surprising. Thumbing the starter fires up a motor that is quiet and unusually smooth for a big thumper. In typical BMW fashion, the motor feels and sounds more calm and collected, rather than having a fire-breathing monster personality. What is immediately surprising about this new powerplant is a massive low-end torque curve (the bike feels like it could wheelie at any time), and a top end that will easily carry the rider at freeway speeds, and beyond, all day long. Add to that the longer travel and Sachs suspension internals, and the bike had a very planted feel overall when riding offroad. The handling characteristics are notably improved over the F650/G650 models, perhaps by virtue of this longer travel. In particular, the Sertao's shock offered much more confidence offroad, keeping the rear wheel planted and power to the ground, in spite of running the street-oriented tires in what were some very challenging conditions.

Speaking of those conditions, dirt varies from place to place in the world. This particular spot happened to possess the kind of dirt that rivals lithium grease when wet. Couple that with a climb to over 4,000 feet, in the rain, and sleet, and snow, as darkness begins descending, and you have the makings for an epic, challenging ride, or an epic disaster. Riding sideways almost as often as forward in the slick conditions, I felt more like I was on a skating rink than a dirt road. Wide bars, effective geometry, and redesigned suspension all played a part in keeping the bike upright the entire time during the slimy climb up the San Pedro Martir Mountains. This was the Sertao's first "real" ride outside of a brief test in Los Angeles for a press event, and the G650GS quickly became a friend on the trail.

Where this ride involved skating up a mountain in the rain, the next ride involved strapping a skateboard to the bike and heading in a different direction. Stay tuned, the adventure continues.