I plan to purchase two low mileage 650s for a Minnesota - Argentina trip with my son. I'm considering bikes from 1999-2008. Which of these model years would be best to purchase and avoid in terms of reliability?

Thanks!

My partner and I just bought a couple of F650 singles and rode 5,000 miles through the US ('05 and and '06 lowered). I can thoroughly recommend them.

The '06 had 27,000 miles at the end and still ran like a new bike. (Its now sold but if you're interested I still have the '05 available in California with about 12,000m on the clock.)

Literally, we didn't have a single mechanical thing go wrong with them. I adjusted the new chains once and didn't need to adjust shocks or brakes or anything else. They ran on all fuels but can't vouch for the higher ethanol content used in southern america.

We travelled from sealevel to a few high passes through the Rockies and again neither missed a beat. We turned ABS off for some dirt road riding and again no issues with braking.

I'd recommend them for a long overland trip although I'd personally prefer a twin.

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F650GS for Sale in USA
http://sanfranciscomotorycle.com

The rule is usually the latest version.

In this case check for the year with the fork change which I think is 03 and later. Also get the twin spark model which is meant have solved the surging issues.

Keep it light with soft luggage, protect your forks with neoprene fork gaiters, stick some foam between the radiator and frame and lube all non-sealed bearings (SHB, swingarm, etc.).

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Tacos Tyring Travels.com

Carry a water pump kit .

The only real differences are the switch to FI in 2000/2001 and the final fixes on this about 2003. Read the chain gang FAQ and buy as new as you can, or after the PO has done the various fixes.

A question if I may. If you are looking at bikes you know little about why are you looking for a specific type? These BMW badged Aprillias are in my experience flawed (I owned two, broke the last one in Morocco), so if you need to learn a new type why not start with a DR/XT/KLR that doesn't have the waterpump and VR issues, has better tyre choice, doesn't have the BMW badge premium etc? The badge means nothing when the waterpump fails in the middle of nowhere or the forks snap or the rims are bashed or the VR fries.

Andy

Oh yeah. Keep the VR cool and mount a voltage monitor. I haven't had any problems with mine in + 35 degree heat in city traffic with the fan blowing all the time. But over draw the electrical system and block air flow to the VR and it will go. BM learned this lesson and now places it on the side of the motor. This is location number 3 for them.

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Tacos Tyring Travels.com

I'd forgotten the fan. The temp switch is mounted on it's side in such a way that the contact plates can turn and jam if you give it more vibration than the Berlin ring road . Typical Rotax BMW, it's designed to be mounted vertically so gravity is even on the plate, but they couldn't be bothered to fit an elbow. You want to either fit the elbow or fit a light to tell you the fan is running. If the switch does fail, the wires pull off and will reach the horn button. No horn, but the chance to cool the engine if you end up stuck at low speeds. I did about 3000 miles like that!

Andy

Come again?? Reach the horn button? How?

But come on now. That must be rarer than tits on a bull. I've never ever heard of that. Have you? Other than your own. Can't start going for single issues like that because every bike has some.

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Tacos Tyring Travels.com

That's a bit harsh........



They don't break down all the time.


Really, most I see that have either question or have issues are things that the owner should have known about and/ or should have done something about. Every bike has issues, we all know it. Most can be provented. We can all accept that no bike is perfect. All you have to do is spend enough time on Advrider to see them all roll in.

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Tacos Tyring Travels.com

The horn is under the tank, the fan switch is in the mess of plumbing by the cylinder and connects to the fan , also under the tank ahead of the cylinder. Plug the two together and you bypass yet another fine bit of Austro-German design, the gravity return switch laid on it's side. I know of two other bikes that had this issue and one that stopped overheating when the owner moved the switch.

My Triumph has one bit of bad design and one infamous part: A UK made coil whose waterproofing would have shocked (ha de ha) Joe Lucas (Triumph now fit German made) and a main earth connection designed by the Chuckle brothers.

My Yam XT had one bad feature, the exhaust made of wet tissue paper.

My two R1100's between them had rotting shocks, some FI programme issues and wiring connectors who's tags kept snapping.

Two F650's had: One rear loom replaced due to blowing brake lights, one new front wheel due to corrosion, a leaking header that took BMW four attempts to seal, one stripped drain plug courtesy of a BMW mechanic who used their manual and a torque wrench instead of feeling the thread go tight (manual was correct later), two fan switches and a waterpump failure resulting in a warped head and scrapped engine.

The only bike that comes close for lack of attention to detail in the design, supplier quality and the manual IMHO was a Ural I owned and that really only had one flaw, poor metalurgy. I'm sure the last carbed F650 was a lemon, it was one of the last made as I (correctly) assumed the FI on the new GS vesion wouldn't be right for a couple of years and I needed a new bike not membership of the BMW testers club. That said, there is no getting over the fact that I'd give a second year engineering student or apprentice an F for mounting that switch on its side.

Andy

I recently did a trip to Turkey, Georgia and Albania (15000km) with my F650GS Dakar (2006) and didn't had any problems (not a drop of oil needed). I bought it with 9400km on it. Now 27000km.

So I guess we're talking about the Classic's than. Not the GS. Dunno anything about them. Ancient history to me. Didn't even consider them, because there are better bikes with similar aged technology around. I wanted a fool proof FI system so went with the GS. Only real choice for a duel sport in 07. Only have to look at the KTM 690 to see how BM got it right the first time around.

I know of hard hitting KTM fans that shunned and even got rid of their 690 because of it's problems.

Even my beloved and bulletproof DRZ has issues (cam chain tensioner, stator bolts). My old 3AJ Tenere has issues with the rear calliper mount and exhaust falling in love occasionally. DR650 have third gear issues (apparently). There's always something.

Your story of mechanics is exactly the reason that noone touches my bikes. With only 1 or 2 strict exceptions, like getting heli coils etc. That drain bolt is shockingly weak, but with the correct tools and finesse it should be good. I changed it for a fumoto valve anyway. The manual says to fill the void in the waterpump with grease of petrolium jelly which renders the warning of it non-existent. So just clean it out, and you should have plenty of warning to replace it. Which is you prepare for it can be done in 20 minutes without needing oil. Simple things like this really.
Protect your forks from chips or change seals every now and again. I can keep going but I'm boring myself.

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Tacos Tyring Travels.com

I've tried to do quite a bit more reading (and trying of bikes) and decided to go with 2008 KLR 650s. The deciding factors were reliability, parts availability, and cost among others issues. Thanks for all the feedback in this forum. We still have much to learn before beginning our trip but we're making progress.

Jay

Go for it

I've no experience of KLR's so that one would be a learning curve for me. My experience of Kawasaki I'd say was pretty positive though, my Dad ran an ER-5 for a while.

Andy