SWM RS650R Review
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- čas přidán 25. 03. 2016
- This is a review of the SWM RS650R. Great dual sport motorcycle worth a test ride and a close look.
So many of us dual sport riders are always asking for something that is light, has 6 speeds and enough power for the hwy. Well the SWM may be the bike for you.
It was originally produced by Husqvarna as the TE630 and is now been bought and rebranded by SWM. So all the accessories for the TE630 bolt right up to the RS650R :-)
If you are unfamiliar with SWM it stands for Speedy Working Motors, which was founded in 1971 in Italy. They closed their doors in 1984 but have reopened them after some Chinese investors came to the rescue.
Bike specs:
-600cc single cylinder
-EFI
-6 speed
-144kg dry
900mm seat height
-53hp
-12 litre petrol tank
-$9990 AUD
Enjoy the video,
COS - Auta a dopravní prostředky
I love my TE630...so glad to see it's still in production. Great power to weight.
Nice review! Glad my old bike is still in production :D
Yea it hates going into neutral when in stop, so I shift into neutral while rolling into a stop.
Kickstand fix: saw off the protruding kickstand axle bolt. That'll prevent the spring to get caught on the bolt and keep the kickstand down. Did it to my 630
Love your reviews mate! I can't believe it took me until today to discover your channel haha!
+GH2790 Thanks mate! welcome aboard!
+chroniclesofsolid I will just keep commenting on your videos 😉 doing a top notch job m8 .keep up the good work.
Thanks mate
nice dude nice was eyeing this bike off for a while
+lamtheman Thanks, enjoyed the extra compared to my 250 :)
Good job on the review!
+The Steel Horseman Thanks mate
Hi, I've finally bought a CCM spitfire which is largely based on this bike and I'll be receiving it in the summer (UK). I've finally went for the flat tracker version (Cafe racer needed too many mods to become what I wanted, which was basically the Scrambler version). It's good to know spares are easily available. I'm having mine with twin Brembos on the front (for style really) and will have wire wheels too plus the bling pack. Haven't decided on twin or single lights on the front as I can decide what I want nearer the time. I'm really excited and because it's a thing of beauty, will probable only ride it on sunny days and have it in my lounge room under my TV !!
Great review mate! I'm local to where you did the review so it's great to know where my closest dealer is. I'll be checking out their 300rs and 500rs soon :)
Thanks mate! Yer the enduro models look nice!
A good review
Thanks for the info guys.
It's April 2017 now. Are the bikes still running well?
very good review! Just clicked on it and to me it looked like a vid of someone with 200k subscribers. What a shame that there are only 635.
If you have a SWM dealer close, could you maybe review the 300 enduro?
+mustafa kik Thanks mate! I will keep an eye out for the 300 for you.
nice review
Thanks mate!
Right now in the states I think we only have one place out in California that is bring in the SWM branded bikes. Really wanting to get my hands on one of thier SM500R
Great review. Did you è d up getting the bike? What are your thoughts?
Live it ..esp.the color scheme..have a husky te250 in the same ..its a gr8 bike also
Great bikes
Interesting motorcycle. I'm waiting for an awesome 450 - 500cc single cyl lightweight modern dual sport with generous service intervals. To me, that is the perfect size/power/weight for a dual sport.
+Evil Droid Same here! but I think we will both die waiting :-( Until then this could be a good option, reliability pending.
Hey CoS another quality review.I reckon she is the girl for me after the WR250
+brian kilgour Thanks Brian. It would be a nice upgrade indeed :-)
chroniclesofsolid hey chroniclesofsolid! I too own a wr250r. Its an awesome bike but still sometimes wish it had a bit more power. Do you think this would be a good replacement? I am worried it will disappoint offroad! Whats your opinion? Thank you
Hard to say as I have not ridden it off road myself. Basing it of reviews and the TE630's I have ridden with, its going to perform like a really modern DR650 on and off road. My biggest concern would be parts availability and dealership support. If you have a good dealership then it could be a good option.
Excellent review mate - looks like a decent ride. Personally, I would love to see a 450 version of the Honda CRF 250L, or even see Honda bring back the XR 400R or 650R. These bikes were super reliable, bulletproof engine and drivetrain, and easy to service, as well as great bikes to commute on weekdays and go off road on the weekends. I think bikes like these have been sadly missing from the current day dirt bike range, although Yamaha does a fantastic job with the WR range. Enjoy your vids mate - keep up the great work. Well done to you!
+Darren Walsh Totally agree, if one of the big 4 made a 400-450 efi with a decent subframe and sub 150kg, that would be my ideal bike. Be it a Honda XR400, WR450R, EFI KLX400S or an EFI DRZ400S. Sad fact is there is too much money in the big adventure bikes at the moment. But that helps overall growth of the off road market, so hopefully we will see reinvigoration in the dual sport segment. Truth be told though I am very happy with my WR250R (because I am a giant n00b) and in no rush to upgrade, so I can wait :-)
Yep, agree with you too mate. I forgot to mention a Yamaha WR 450R version would be right up there along with the older Honda XR's. Back in the day I rode Honda XL's, Honda XR's, Kawasaki KLR's and the Yamaha's. Personally the Honda XR 400R was the perfect all round bike for me - could not fault it. It was like riding a 250 (in terms of weight and handling) but had the extra power and grunt with the 400cc donk. Just a great all round bike. Anyway, I've waffled on way too much here. Your bike reviews are great, you seem to have loads of fun (which is what it's all about) and you give us the information and stats that bike enthusiasts and potential buyers are looking for. Again, well done mate - great work!
+Darren Walsh Waffling is what we are here for! Yer something I lament is missing the late 90s early 2000s mid size dual sports. The XR400R is one for the ages for sure. Thanks for the kind words!
One of the reasons I commented was because you took the Rockingham Beachfront route for the test ride of the SWM RS 650R. It brought back lots of memories for me as I lived down that way for over 20 years and also took my bike tests along much the same route nearly 30 years ago. A lot has changed in 30 years but the road / trail / adventure bike market is still strong with lots of choices for everybody these days, riders are spoilt for choice. Long may it always be that way.
+Darren Walsh Amen
Very nice review. Thanks. I'm thinking about the 300cc version as I'd like to start with (soft) off road and making a ADV build with it. Is the 300cc also an Husky? (asking for spares and upgrades like bigger tank, bash plate and such)
+Rick Dias Yer the RS300R is the old Husqvarna TE310 (plenty of info online on the TE). It is more of an enduro than a dual sport. It wont be anything like a DRZ400S/WR250R/DR650, more like the KTM EXC models or the WR250F/450F from Yamaha.
Not sure how experienced you are, assuming you are experienced. Just in case you are not. Top speed will be an issue with the short ratio gear box, oil capacity might be low for adv purposes, won't have a proper rear subframe capable of holding lots of luggage, and service intervals are likely to be short. All things you can get around with $$
COS
+chroniclesofsolid Thanks a lot for the fast and precious feedback. I'm (so far) a track person and never had off road time (sadly). I guess what you said can be applied to 500cc version too, right? If so, the one you reviewed here would be the one fitting more any possible ADV mods. Did you see SWM's Super Dual? A beauty!
+Rick Dias Yer same applies to the 500cc version.
Did you ride MX track or sports bike track? I did a few sports bike track days before I got into off road. Dirt is much more fun!
The RS650R is a dual sport, meaning it has a good wide ratio gearbox for the highway, decent service interval, oil capacity and a subframe that can take luggage (though I read it can be a tad weak, but fixed with a few braces).Best of all plenty of aftermarket adv goodies. It was designed to have some basic road going capability, plenty of TE630's that have made great adv bikes, ridden with a few nicely set up ones myself. Plenty of info here advrider.com/index.php?threads/husqvarna-te630.507511/page-252 That site is great for info on most bikes.
Have not seen the super dual in person, sure looks good in the pictures! but also looks heavy and has a 19inch front wheel :(
COS
+chroniclesofsolid Man... thanks a thousand again. Really. Very appreciated.
+Rick Dias No worries mate, happy to help.
Ride safe,
COS
I Like it colour is ok however i would swap that exhaust system for a custom one and the head light ( you didn't show the light in the dark )I like the light of the 2015 WR250 with a LED bulb i have one on my bike and its perfect to ride at night i ride a xz250rr CrossFire and looking for a 2nd bike
The windshield looks like it's from transformers. Can't remember which one
Great review. Have you ridden the Superdual?
Unfortunately not
These are now in the USA and soon CDN, have you tried the AJP PR7, Also do you know if the SWM 500 comes in Dual Sport they show just a SM on the web site... I also missed the price, as the CDN dollar is on par with Auz thought it would be a good place to estimate.
Cheers good review,
I wish I had an AJP PR7 to try, they are as rare as rocking horse poop. Yes the 500 comes in a plated enduro model here called the RS500R which costs $8990 ride away.
Nice swm way cheaper than ktm ect..if you get the chance would like to know your thoughts on a demo ride.
Hay mate this is an OLD review now , I ran the Australian & New Zealand SWM fb page & have been into you to do a review on the SWM Superdual X ( for ages ) not sure what your problem is with theses bikes ( you say the DRZ and DR 650 are a tried and tested bikes also the KLR 650 ) now the Superdual engine has been around since 2010 - when it was a Husky , stopped production for one year in 2013 and started making again in 2014 under SWM name . I would plug your channel on my fb channel with around 1000 follows now & like it or not the SWM,s are now starting to make a name for themselves ! .
SWM stands for: Sironi Vergani Vimercate Milano = SVVM and now its owned by Handy & Harman Ltd.
"a bit agricultural..." Priceless!
baced on your review ..would concider a SWM 600 superduel as it has comfortable seat & windscreen the 650 doesnt have.
G’day CoS, do you know whether SWM are still selling these bikes in Oz? Cheers
Not in WA as far as I am aware. Only in the eastern states
The sticky kickstand may be able to be fixed by loosening the connection to the bike. I'm wondering if the clutch wasn't adjusted right by the dealer as well, and that's why you had such a hard time finding neutral. Anyway, great review as always. I'm seriously considering the SWM RS500R. I'll take a long look as soon as it gets to the States. I'm jealous that Australia sees everything first.
Thanks Will, The perks of being down under! Yer the clutch I did not get too annoyed by as a lot of bikes have sticky gearbox's when they are brand new. Yer they offer a nice bit of performance for the $$.
Can you tell me what are service intervals? thank you
5000kms from memory
Maybe now you can say how reliable it is? Also you didn't say nothing about off road riding.
Dang thats like the perfect bike I always wanted. I got some questions. Anyone has experience with another Person on it ? And is travelling possible with it ?
I hate that the bike is so young and that there are only few reviews on it. Especially no long term reviews :| .
What are the service intervals on this bike?
+Moto Tayls Not sure to be honest. It uses the same engine as the Husqvarna TE630 which had oil changes at 4000-6000km I think.
i never liked the husky 650, 630 so this is the same. The old husky te510 does look good and swm 500 looks good. The adv looks great.
TE510 (and hence the SWM500) sure as hell aren't good on the road, or anywhere really. They are gimmick bikes. Balls to the wall power that shames all the other 500's and make them seem civil, but HUGE heat, unbearable vibes and ridiculously short ratio gearbox. Fun, insanely fun. But just downright savage and annoying as hell to ride unless you stick to a very specific speed, gears are always too high and too low at the same time, no way you can dualsport them comfortably. If you like MX bikes in the bush and want to make your shoulders hurt after every ride sure, for anyone else nope no way
my te510 vibrated so bad in the bars and couldn't go very far but it was heaps of fun to ride offload and on road. I stuffed the handle bars full of rubber and put softer grips on and it helped the vibes. it also never ran hot or boiled offroad. the 6 speed was very close ratio but a 15 sprocket and 40 - 45 could help.
Good ole Rockingham.
You don't like a red frame?
It's easy to extend gear lever.aluminium channel and self tappers!
Top speed?
did you ride the 500?
Didn't get the chance :-(
Want the 630 the BMW product?? 06/07 husqvarna te610 was Italian. Think 08 BMW still used stuff but after that...?
Fyi, 1:18 image was of a TR650 Terra, not the te630 :)
+Sir Fedswith Ahh dam! Thanks for the catch! that will learn me good :-(
That was a little bit of a facepalm moment 😁
The loss of 2" of travel at either end compared to the TE630 is a deal breaker for me. Then there's the red frame.
+Carl Michael The reduced travel is disappointing indeed.
3000mile oil change and 6000mile valve checks
Thanks for the info.
Or is that rebuild
The same engine as my Husky TE610e from year 99, including the idle sound...
at least the spare parts will be :-D
REAR TIRE140 / 80 x 18”
Dam.. 600cc and still 2kg lighter than my 20hp CRF250l.. time to part exchange I think :D
+Jason Smith Probably Yer not bad for a big girl
Great video, just a little pointer, Husqvarna is pronounced just as it is spelt . It isn't pronounced Husq-a -varna. Keep up the good work.
+dazza421970 Thanks mate, was not sure myself. Now I know 😎
No worries, I enjoy your tests . Keep it up
Agricultural...best left in a field
Seems like a nice bike, but I would put my money into a DR650 or a KLR650, for several reason. Both are known quantities. They are nearly indestructible, and when you do need parts they are readily available. Also both those bikes have the advantage of being carbureted, no complicated, failure prone, and super expensive to fix fuel injection. The DR650 is also air cooled, which I prefer. Again less to go wrong. Power is not really relevant to me on a dual sport, as I ride them mostly off road. All 650s are to big and heavy to ride hard and fast off road. There are a ton of aftermarket parts available for the DR650 and the KLR650, including my favorite accessory, a centerstand. I would never go off road riding without one. One flat would ruin your day, and could even be fatal in the Arizona desert. As for the seats, ALL dual sports have horrible seats, and that is not necessary. It is totally possible to put a decent seat on a dual sport. My former 1980 Honda XL500s had a WAY better seat than modern dual sports, which are apparently designed to be ridden standing up.
Ktm r made to stand they're way faster husq as well
Nuthin goes wrong I've had liqu cooled. Maybe stop leak
Carb or EFI?
+Spiritual Pathways It's EFI
+Spiritual Pathways It's EFI
Thanks for the quick reply my man. I have a DR650 right now but would love one of these lighter bikes with the same if not more power (especially with efi.) Hard to get my wallet to go along with it though.
+Spiritual Pathways No worries, happy to help :) Yer my wallet never agrees with me either :(
U dont need all that power unless you're going threw Mud a 250cc will do
It looks a bit Chinese not Italian design.... Its good value for money ...
i own a sumo swm 650 for now 750 km.
u can ask me questions.
How many kilometers do you get out of a tank? And how is the maintenance? Build quality?
it's ~ 4,5 l/100 km so far, maybe it's getting lower after 1st service;
tank cap. is 12 l --> ~ 200-250 km out of a tank;
services at 1.000 km, 5.000 km, 10.000 km, 15.000 km, ...
quality:
good: engine, gearbox, suspension (fork and shock), frame, wheels, brakes, clutch, exhaust, frontfender and mask
bad: plastics (side and rear end), fuel injection and mapping (so far - i'm gonna have to add an O2 sensor eliminator), motorcovers, ...
+ it rides very stable and trustworthy
+ stock exhaust sound is good
+ looks very good in real life
+ digital instrument with funny functions
+ seat/saddle with key lock
- rear shock spring is scratching the exhaust - has to be done somehow
- starting procedere is a little bit tricky (mapping and O2 - because of exhaust gas regulations)
- indicators are not LED
- right side engine cover starts to rust (aluminium ??)
- license plate holder jiggles a lot
- shifter pedal can't be risen - so i have to use shoes instead of boots
sorry for bad english
Thank you a LOT! I am doing my A2 license and I'm looking at a beginner bike. I've been looking at the sumo SWM 650r and the Yammy xt660x.
The SWM is pretty light and the Yamaha is not how much i have seen. I'm a little cunfused between these two because I've read lots of feedbacks of people who own these.
The yamaha is known to go past 100.000km without having to rebuild the engine while some people have had problems with their 630 huskies (crankshaft bearings gone at little km - hope these are just some extreme cases).
Great info mate, thanks a bunch for posting this up :)
- so i've got the new mapping installed - much better in every way - like a completely changed engine!
- the exhaust was scratching the rear shock spring because the muffler was mounted too tight on the manifold - problem solved!
- the others little mistakes are still there ... but it's a 6.500 € bike!!
- so i'm pretty happy with the bike now
I will stick with my proven DR. A replica of a discontinued bike at that price is not an option.
or xt700z ....whatever gets here 1st 😞 hurry up yamaha
Chinese bike, based on the husqvarna and built by the italians... Can assume long term durability and reliability isn't going to be great then...
It's not based on the Husqvarna, it is it. Made on the same production line the Husqys were, after Cagiva bought them, then BMW. In Italy. No real reliability issues with the Italian-made Husqvarnas, by the way, and these SWMs are retuned to be less stressed.
Chinese *money* meant the same people could keep making them after BMW sold the brand to Pierer (KTM), who had no intention of keeping the outgoing models as they were, so the rights to those capable Husqy designs were available to be bought...
You nailed it, my son has the husky 630 , and we are so looking forward to swm, mainly for a new supply of parts and plastics as this bike is virtually a clone.
Chinese bike? Bit like saying Land rover and jag are Indian :)
my 2011 is still running great today :) not saying it'll last over a decade but the way modern machinery is built these days make everything seem so disposable. I'm pretty satisfied with its build quality.
To be fair though, I did have a faulty radiator that leaked within 1000km of ownership. Replaced it under warranty.
Dan Electron future come, Chinese did it
God why would you bother..what’s with the head..what’s with the exhaust..that’s one ugly bike..
Very nice bike, ugly ass colors.
Great bike. Shit review.
Brenton S Looking forward to see you better review Brenton...........
I thought this was a very fair and honest review, with lots of info.
Don't buy this bike! Everything is very cheap and bad quality. The Plastics are very cheap looking and they dosn't fit together very good. The motor sounds bad. There was a metalic sound in it. Like somebody lost his key in it. I didn't trust this sound. The side stand is very instabile.
Fazit: There are some good pats on the bike but all in all the bike has bad quality. I've trieded my self.
+Kanal 1 noted thanks
Brembo and Marzocchi aren't cheap low quality.
yes they are not.