BMW F650. Anything to look out for?

[iYRe]

i'm going riding with a mate who has one today - and he is looking to sell. Its been meticulously maintained - he's the second of my mates to own this bike. Its got new exhausts, brake rotors etc etc...

Send me a PM if he's interested..

[Skinny_Birdman]

They were designed for touring on all types of roads, not OFF road. They have been the bike of choice for many RTW Riders and as an example, check this lady out, 190,016 kms on a Funduro touring the world. www.benkapulko.com (I wonder how she managed that on a such a "Fragile" bike.

As to the vibrations, mine does not vibrate, if it did then something would be causing it.

I think the thing that was causing it on mine was one large metal thing going up and down inside another metal thing about 3500 times a minute. It vibrated sufficiently to shed fairing bolts with monotonous regularity, unless they were loc-tited in. Fragile - it has several frilly plastic bits in silly places, and mine went through 3 fork seals in 10000km (and yes, the forks were straight and unpitted)... but then, as you say

I also know of some who have owned them and have changed to other bikes because they wanted to do more off road riding which ideally requires a 21 inch front wheel which is why BMW have the "Dakar" Model.

Its the old story, "Horses for courses" I use mine just for the road and I love the sound and the grunt of the big, twin carbed single
(Moto Guzi muffler). If I want to go Adv riding I use my Kwaka 250.

Sorry, I thought I'd posted on the adventure forum. Silly me. My point was that I found it was a good road bike, and it was, as you say staggeringly frugal. But I bought it because I wanted an adventure bike, it was unfit for this purpose, and I'd hate other people to make the same mistake.

[Frodo]

Wow, Skinny didn't like his F650! I rode a Transalp 650 through 9000km of Patagonia seal and gravel and in my opinion the Funduro I owned previously would have been a better bike, smoother, less fragile and generally easier to work on.

That's just my opinion. Just as valid as Skinny's.

Different bikes for different folks. Just ride it before you buy it.

But to come back to the original poster:
- water pumps are a known weak point (mine was fine) - check for weeping water - easy to fix with an aftermarket kit.
- steering head bearings (mine needed replacement - not difficult)
- voltage regulator rectifier can fail - I replaced mine with an F650GS unit.

www.f650.com is a valuable resource.

Cheers

[Skinny_Birdman]

Fairplay, the 650 Transalp is also pretty fragile in terms of its plastic frilliness. But smoother? Interesting! As TA will tell you, I am actually an evangelist for the 600 Transalp, despite no longer owning one.... I wish Honda hadn't decided to bollocks it up with the 650, and by all accounts worse still with the 700.
My question would be, is the non-Dakar GS any better than the Funduro? Built in Germany (I think) rather than Italy, 5 valve FI motor, but is it better? Worse?

[DR650gary]

There ya go. http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/moto...-448103932.htm

Stop looking and start riding.

Got lots of good bits as well, the whole package.

Cheers

[Frodo]

Fairplay, the 650 Transalp is also pretty fragile in terms of its plastic frilliness. But smoother? Interesting! As TA will tell you, I am actually an evangelist for the 600 Transalp, despite no longer owning one.... I wish Honda hadn't decided to bollocks it up with the 650, and by all accounts worse still with the 700.
My question would be, is the non-Dakar GS any better than the Funduro? Built in Germany (I think) rather than Italy, 5 valve FI motor, but is it better? Worse?

Well, I chose to replace my Funduro with an Aprilia Pegaso Trail, which in my view is a better bike than the F650GS. I'd love it to weigh 15kg less and to have 6 speeds, but 90,000km I'm still happy - a 600km day is no problem and is okay in gravel.
I agree that the TA 700 is a step backwards compared to the TA650 (can't comment on the 600) - much more like a V-strom and so more road focused. We had one on he Patagonia trip that damaged the cooling system when it slid on a muddy track - coolant leaked for much of the trip.
Why do adventure bikes get heavier and more complex with each new model? Look at the MCN thread!

[alane]

Had verry little trouble with mine .Been all over the south Island,----you name it,----proly done it.

Also did the dustybutt twice,including Awakino challenge.

Now done 90.000km,s.
Light bulbs in the instuments keep blowing. Fan chucked it in ,replaced with 2nd hand vtr250 honda -- 87'--88' (same), thermo switch gave up,(tridonTFS064 $25).Rear brake masta cylinder & light switch,replaced (found aftermarket one cheap)

Tyre selection a bit limited ,if you want a knobbly on the front (19")


i hit the road @ 60kmh near Greymouth once when the chain & sprocket came off the front,(output shaft) & locked the rear wheel,because "old tight arse" did,nt replace the flimsy circlip ,that is all that stops it running off the end of the shaft. (BE WARNED)

Must admitt though ----I DO think its a bit "wissy "(rymes with pissy) @ times -----mmmmm!! -----well --- most of the time.

But it is comfortable ,SMOOTH (transalper must of put square tyres on his)--- & pretty reliable.
Oh! ------- AND economical for a carby bike.

[alane]

AND -----Yea! Its a 94' Funduro I,m talking abought.


AND ---Sorry Transalper --------It,s Skinny birdman that musta put square tyres on his.

[Transalper]

AND -----Yea! Its a 94' Funduro I,m talking abought.


AND ---Sorry Transalper --------It,s Skinny birdman that musta put square tyres on his.

ha ha, that's alright, the 2000 F650gs I had also vibed across the rev range a lot more than the 600 Transalp or the DR650... but I've felt worse in other brands.

[Waipukbiker]

Good point about that circlip on the c/s sprocket Alane, I tried a 15 tooth sprocket on mine for a while then changed back to the stock 16 but reused the Circlip, will fit a new one asap.

[CrazyFrog]

Bargain for someone who's willing to change the countershaft seal
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/List...x?id=483350402

$2000, plus rego/wof costs, they don't get much cheaper

[cave weta]

Bargain for someone who's willing to change the countershaft seal
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/List...x?id=483350402

$2000, plus rego/wof costs, they don't get much cheaper

If it was up this way - I would have it myself!- so easy to fix

[Waipukbiker]

That is a bloody bargain for those kms.

[matdaymon]

Hey guys, sorry to revive this oldish thread but I'm starting to actively consider an F650 as my next bike to go up to from my 250 Hyosung.
What is the general maintenance costs and servicing schedules like on these and how much does it generally cost to replace the parts such as waterpump that are mentioned above?

I have seen a couple that I plan on testing to see how the 1pot engine is to ride once I get a break from uni but what are they like real world riding on roads/gravel roads handling wise?
Purposes Im looking at one for are daily commuting (short 50km round trip), road touring and generally not dying when I go visit my family in the waikato who almost exclusively live down gravel roads.
Cheers

[ops.normal]

Howdy

Power on the '650 is underwhelming (esp. coming from a cbr600). Also, a heavy right wrist is the difference between 23 and 27 km/litre on my machine. In terms of comfort thought, I'm 6'3" and much prefer the more upright, stretched out nature of the '650 (the dakar version suits me down to the ground).

Having bagged the power output, you quickly get used to the single banger, and the machine is a very capable longer distance bike. I reckon the ratio of enjoyment to risk of bodily harm is stacked well in the favour of the adventure bikes

I can't speak with any authority on the servicing costs yet, but a leaky front seal is about to change that.

I would suggest you ride a handful of the same version, as I felt quite noticeable differences between different '650s. Especially in terms of the roll-in feel (commencing a turn) and the suspension feel.

Hope this helps