In a way, it's a case of the emperor's new clothes - there is, in fact, very little new about BMW's G650 GS. But it all adds up to a neat, up-to-date, midweight all-rounder that's a whole lot more than the sum of its parts.

Those parts are the 2002 version of the indestructible Rotax 652cc big single, with BMW-inspired DOHC twin-spark head and Bosch digital fuel-injection squirting down a 43mm throttle body, housed in the time-honoured rectangular-steel-tube F650 GS “bridge” frame.

It has a (slightly) updated swing-arm, 41mm long-travel forks and cast wheels (19” in front and 17” rear), dollied up with hard-edged, new-millennium plastic panels and distinctive asymmetric styling, including a very modern-era instrument panel.

Rather than the now industry-standard analogue rev-counter and big digital speedometer, this has a neat, old-fashioned speedo (black face, white lettering, white needle) on the right, possibly in deference to the born-agains and novice riders at whom this very easy rider is aimed.

To its left there's an LCD screen with displays for time and distance and a distinctly odd, curved, bar-graph rev-counter that is very difficult to read while you're riding - but that doesn't matter, because you ride this bike by the seat of your pants anyway.

It has an enormous spread of torque, from 2200rpm to the little red shift light at 7200. If the bike sounds busy, you change up; if it gets jerky you change down; who cares what the revs are?

Set up lean for fuel economy, the 2011 version churns out an understated 35kW at 6500rpm and 60Nm at 5000 - but there's no discernable powerband, just twist the throttle and it goes faster, totally fuss-free - up to a true 164km/h (with 170 on the clock) at, as near as I could tell, exactly 7000rpm.

There's some vibration throughout the rev range, felt mostly through the footpegs, but it never becomes a problem.

Due to force of circumstances, our time with the G650 seemed to consist mostly of either battling through traffic or wringing its neck in performance testing, so you may be able to better our recorded fuel-consumption figure of 5.4 litres/100km; regard that as a baseline figure rather than the best the bike can do.

The rest of the drivetrain is as sorted as a unit with an 18-year production pedigree should be; the clutch is light and predictable, with a just-discernable lockup point, the shift action of the five-speed gearbox is as crisp as breaking glass and there's no lash in the chain final drive despite a relatively long run by street standards.

All of which adds up to one of the smoothest-running big singles on the market, gliding through the traffic as to the manner born, with its 780mm saddle height and upright seating position giving you a commanding view over most four-wheelers.

On the open road it seems to “go to sleep” nicely around 130km/h at a rather busy 5200rpm - at which point the speedometer needle is pointing straight up and which just happens to be the German national speed limit (off the autobahns, that is). No coincidence, I'm sure.

However, on the way back from performance testing, I found the G650 GS naturally settling down into cruise mode at about 100km/h, engine spinning at a more relaxed 4000rpm.

The 41mm long-travel forks are non-adjustable, the rear monoshock has conventional rebound damping adjustment and a remote handwheel that enables preload adjustment “on the fly”.

Initial suspension travel is very supple, soaking up bumps without making the bike jittery. The ride was comfortable on the worst sections of our bumpy test route - and also on decent gravel, although mud and/or sand soon had the bike (and its rider) very unsettled. This is not an off-roader - certainly not as issued, with cast wheels and dual-purpose tyres.

Back on the tar, the G650 is light, nimble, easy to ride, and reassuringly stable, except at full throttle when the steering gets a little twitchy, although never enough to make me back off.

Even hard braking doesn't upset the chassis' equanimity, right up to the point where the (optional) ABS cuts in - although it induces impressive angles of nosedive.

The brakes themselves are 1970s-style floating Brembo callipers on stainless-steel discs; they're more than adequate for a motorcycle weighing 193kg wet, although without the initial bite afforded by modern opposed-piston technology.

The steering is very accurate and ground clearance practically unlimited, as is to be expected from a bike originally designed as a dual-purpose machine, and high-speed handling (averaging a respectable 120km/h through our ride-and-handling section), slightly soggy but predictable, aided by a low centre of gravity since the 14-litre fuel tank is under the seat.

Fit and finish are well up to BMW's usual high standards, and all the plastics chunky and solid, while the broad, deeply padded seat and short reach to the 'bars make the bike comfortable for riders of all sizes (although, at 780mm, the seat height may be a limiting factor for the short of inseam).

The tiny (but effective) screen and built-in, cast-alloy carrier makes it a decent light tourer for the slight of stature, especially as no great upper-body strength is required to throw it around - and exactly the same qualities make it a very able commuter for anybody, although I fear that at R73 000 (R81 271.71 with ABS and heated grips) it may be priced out of its target market.

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine: 652cc liquid-cooled single.

Bore x stroke: 100 x 83mm.

Compression ratio: 11.5:1.

Valvegear: DOHC with four overhead valves per cylinder.

Power: 35kW at 6500rpm.

Torque: 60Nm at 5000rpm.

Induction: Digital electronic fuel-injection with 43 throttle body.

Ignition: Digital electronic with dual spark plugs.

Starting: Electric.

Clutch: Cable-operated multiplate wet clutch.

Transmission: Five-speed constant-mesh gearbox with final drive by chain.

Front Suspension: 41mm conventional cartridge forks.

Rear Suspension: Monoshock adjustable rebound damping and by external handwheel for preload.

Front brakes: 300mm disc with Brembo double-piston floating calliper and ABS.

Rear brake: 240mm disc with Brembo single-piston floating calliper and ABS.

Front tyre: 110/80 - 19 tubeless.

Rear tyre: 140/80 - 17 tubeless.

Wheelbase: 1477mm.

Seat height: 780mm.

Kerb weight: 193kg.

Fuel tank: 14 litres.

Top speed (measured): 164km/h.

Fuel consumption (measured): 5.4 litres/100km

Price: R73 000 (R81 271.71 as tested with ABS and heated grips).

Bike from: Atlantic Motorrad, Cape Town.