SOLD: Frankenstein bike: 2001 BMW F650GS 100,000km: R25,000

[Zanie]

I am sadly selling my F650GS (I had a good helmet cry about this). My initial plan was to hold on to it, but – honestly – I am not using it since I bought my smaller, nimbler Honda Rally.

Noting my penchant for “off the beaten track” rides, let me make this clear: this bike is cosmetically FUBAR – I have lost count of the number of times I have dropped it.

Yet it has been mechanically maintained to within an inch of its very hard life, and has been modified extensively to serve its purpose. It is a Frankenstein bike with street (gravel?) cred.

I had the 100,000km service done recently (April 2018) and also had the last known issues sorted (leaky fork seal fixed, steering head bearings replaced, and rough running solved by replacing the throttle position sensor).  According to my best knowledge (and actual road testing), the bike runs well. GS Traders can vouch for this.

The bike’s service history is recorded. I made use of Kingtek (sadly moved to Durban!), Donford Motorrad and GS Traders. As a rule, I had the oil change done every 5000km rather than the recommended 10,000km.

Below I have included a list of the good, the bad and the ugly of this bike.

Extras:

• Wide foot-pegs.
• Crash bars (SW-Motech).
• Centre stand (SW-Motech).
• DNA Performance air filter (part number: R-BM6SM05-01). It doesn’t need replacing (ever); only cleaning/servicing. It cuts down on air filter costs, because I was going through the standard paper ones pretty fast.
• Handguards (Barkbusters).
• Orange headlight protector.
• Battery lead extender. This is attached directly to the battery, with the charging point within easy access. It can connect either with a charger or compressor.
• Spare clutch and front brake levers. I’ve snapped off clutch or break levers before during falls (always in the middle of nowhere), so I always carried spares.
• Spare tank strips. Just the small ones – I’ve already used the large ones, which had a tendency to fall off, but I think they’re attached with Loctite now.
• Custom-made radiator guard.

Modifications

• 21-inch front wheel.
• Flexible indicators (EMGO). The flexible stalks mean they don’t break in a fall – I haven’t had one break since I installed them and I fell a lot.
• After-market mirrors (EMGO). Very cheap to replace after a fall (roughly R100 for the mirror and/or R50 for the mirror adaptor). Original mirrors still available (one may need to be rethreaded).
• After-market rear tail-light (EMGO, part number: 62-21650). Reason for modification: A legal-sized number plate sat too low on the original tail-light attachment (perhaps due to the higher front from the 21-inch wheel), hooking into the rear wheel knobbly tyre when rear suspension bottomed out; snapping the whole tail section off (happened 3 times). Now the number plate sits high, out of reach of the rear wheel, and the LED after-market light is much brighter than the original 1-candle-power BMW tail-light.
• Instrument cluster from the later “facelift” model of this bike (fitted 2017). The original instrument cluster died – a known issue with this bike (damage behind the 12-pin connector on the PC board causes all sorts of instrument readout issues). This is the reason for the discrepancy between actual (100,000km) and apparent (61,000km) odometer readings. You cannot reset cluster odo readings. So to get the real “distance age” of the bike, add 38,601 km to the apparent odo reading.
• Recovered seat - very, very comfy.
• In-line fuel filter. BMW weirdly combined the fuel filter and fuel pressure regulator into one unit. The fuel pressure regulator generally lasts a “lifetime”, but the fuel filter needs to be replaced every 40,000 km. This means you shell out a lot (>R2000) to buy the combo unit; replacing a perfectly-working fuel pressure regulator whenever you replace the fuel filter. I had an in-line fuel filter installed ahead of the combo unit the last time I replaced the combo unit (at 90,000km). Now only the in-line fuel filter needs to be replaced every 40,000km rather than the whole combo unit.
• High-tensile strength sub-frame screws.
• Softer front fork springs. Apparently the old 650s had fork springs that were incredibly hard, even for “standard” weight riders (80kg). Usually owners replace them with progressive springs, but due to my weight (62kg), softer springs were recommended. FYI: Before this mod I literally used to rattle off mirrors every gravel ride (that’s why the one original mirror may need to be rethreaded).

Recently-replaced/serviced parts

• Front tyre: 90/90/21 TKC80. Basically new – still has some “hairs”.
• Rear tyre: 130/80/17 Metzeler Karoo 3. Replaced same time as front.
• Clutch kit (replaced at 97,000km), so the clutch is now good to go for another 100,000km.
• Full service/overhaul of rear shock (done at 90,000km) by Superfoxi (suspension guru on this forum).
• Radiator (replaced in 2015). I think the old radiator died because, from the service history, the bike mainly stood idle for the first 12 years of its life, before I adopted it.
• Brake discs (not pads) - front and back - replaced at 70,000km. These are just under 5k for a set. Brake pads still appear fine.
  Chain and sprockets replaced at 90,000km.
• Battery replaced at 96,000km.

Broken/missing

• “Poop-scoop”, i.e. rear wheel mud guard. This is the first things to break off the moment you go off-road. Show me a 650 with one and I’ll show you a bike that basically doesn’t see dirt (or one where the owner removes it every time for a gravel ride – mission).
• Pre-load adjuster knob original thread is stripped (known issue with this bike). Pre-load can still be adjusted with an allen key.
• The fairings are the worst hit: scratched, paint missing, and (in one case) held together by cable ties, hence the “Frankenstein” look.
• Front rim smiley. This happened some time in 2013. It has never given me issues (punctures basically always happened on rear tyre and due to discernible causes, e.g. nail). Since this bike has tubes, a flush rim fit isn’t necessary. My mechanic suggested to leave it unless it’s bothering me visually.
• The LED spots are dying/dead (I think dead at last check). I’d suggest having the wiring and/or spots checked. Perhaps an easy wiring fix; perhaps replacing the spot(s). You can check with Flying Brick (source of my spots) which ones I used. You’ll need them if you plan to ride at night. 650’s headlights are incredibly dim, even on bright. FYI: I had the standard spots wiring fuse replaced with a water-tight one, otherwise the lights would die after the first puddle.

PM me (include your contact details) if you’re interested. Photos of the bike and recent service are below.

 

[XRRX]