I'm looking to buy a late 90's BMW f650. All the ones in my price range (less than 2000 pounds) have about that much. i know these bikes can go for a long time, i'm just unsure of how wise it is to buy with that many miles on it. any comments or advice would be most welcome!!

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enyatopbox.blogspot.com

I spoke to a chap at Beemer this morning about test riding the 600GS and 800GS. I asked him your question as I have heard that 50k miles is a lot for the beemer engine, he did agree. But he was a sales man...so who knows.

It really depends how well it has been maintained, if you are looking to spend low £'s the chances are the bike would have high miles, I have seen bikes with 20k miles but look like they have done a million miles.
Just check out the usual, smoking, rattles etc and good luck.

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'He who laughs last, was too slow to get the joke'
Never confuse the map with the journey.

No it is not if the engine has been maintained!! Go to f650.com and search mileage on the Rotax Engine.
Many in the 100000 range.

the engine of my ex-f650 (97 make) had been blown up in 30k miles. it was 25k miles when i bought it. so i guess the former owner wasn't so carefull. there are also some other singles on the market. have a look at them.

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ozhan u.
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Everyone is talking about the engine. The Rotax engine is the strongest part of that bike. It's the rest that is not so good. All bikes wear out, including BMW's. F650's have particular problems with wheel bearings, head bearings and swing arm bearings. Do your research on this and look at riders who've done extensive travel on these bikes. Some have had few problems, others not so lucky.

From what I've read here and elsewhere, they also have been known to have broken frames where the shock mounts to frame. Also water pump problems, F.I. issues on newer versions and persistent over charging and battery problems. This is endemic on this model.

Any single cylinder bike with 50,000 miles would need lots of careful scrutiny in every area before you could really take off somewhere for a long tour.

If the bike in question was used previously for simple commuting then perhaps consider it. But IMHO, you would be much better off finding a much younger and lower mileage bike like an XT600 or the like. Also consider buying outside the UK and beginning the trip there. Dual sport bikes are half the price in the USA than the UK and far more plentiful.

A lot depends on what you plan to do with the bike. I would not take a clapped out old POS on a long range tour. But if you like challenges and road side drama ... go ahead on! Bring lots of tools, spare parts and intimate knowledge of the F650 and all it's systems.

If you are truly set on that bike, have a good mechanic do a compression check on the motor. Check out the oil. (send it out) Try to determine state of valves/seats/head/. At that mileage I'd be inclined to pull it all apart for a complete and well deserved top end re-build including a new timing chain. Well worth it if you get it cheap enough, and especially good if you can manage some of the work yourself. (not all that easy:confused1

So, re-built motor, all new bearings throughout, Magna-Flux of chassis and wheels for cracks and corrosion, perhaps all new wiring? New Water pump, seals, new Stator, Reg. Rectifier, battery.
What have I missed? If you did all this the up side would be at the end you would know A LOT about how your bike works. You'd also have spent enough to have bought a newer, better bike and just ride away.

You choose.

Read this months Visor down magazine - several page owners report and test on both the 800 and 650 .
The smaller engined bike gets a slating of sorts for all manner of things

Chris,
The OP is suggesting buying an early F650GS SINGLE.
Are you referring to the two 800cc parallel twins here? Or the Chinese G650 single and the F800GS? BMW due to utter stupidity, has made telling one model from the other a bit confusing.

Remember, there are several BMW's using the 800cc motor. The F800GS and the F650GS both use essentially the SAME 800cc motor. The more expensive F800GS has different specs and different parts (cams, comp. ratio, HP, suspension and more) but motor size the same. I have no idea which two bikes you're referring to. The F650GS is out of production and has been for a while.
The G650GS (single) is the "new" single made in China, previously badged the F650GS (single). Confused yet? Good, you should be. :confused1:

The OP refers to the early Aprilia based Rotax powered F650GS single from the 90's. This bike has a long history starting with the Funduro in 1995 and continuing until "about" 2005 in the US, and later in the UK and EU. It is discontinued.

But in 2009 the "new" G650GS single began showing up in showrooms here in the US and elsewhere. It is not really new as claimed, essentially the same old bike.

Wow! Thanks so much for the advice guys! It's a 1997 model, so non-computerised. I think that is important. i don't want to be stuck in the middle of nowhere and in need of a computer!! it is a well loved bike, with a few scratches on the surface which i am sure i will add to... it is from a dealer with a year's warranty, so that makes me hope they have had a good look at it. guess i need to ring them and get a bit of history.... Keep the advice coming please!!

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enyatopbox.blogspot.com

A years warranty on a 50k, 13 year old bike from a dealer?

They must be pretty convinced that its a good one, so you should be ok especially at the price you're paying.

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'He who laughs last, was too slow to get the joke'
Never confuse the map with the journey.

I am sure that Andy-Threewheeledbonnie-will pop his head up soon.

£2000 could be spent a lot wiser than a high mileage F650.

Dominator, XT600, Transalp etc..

Better bikes, more reliable and you should be able to pick up something with less than 20,000 miles on if you look around.

Those three bikes are also much better made, more reliable, easier to work on much simpler.

As always, it's your decision and opinions are like arseholes... Everybody has one

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Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

Maybe you can get a nice DR650 for that price, too? That´s a well proven overlander bike, simple and reliable, if looked after.

My other pick could be the good old Tranny 600, and a twin is nicer for motorway travel.

Is your head spinning yet?
This thread will degenerate into a thread like LR v LC and pro BMW v Anti BMW, and twin cylinder v singles, the more more posts the more confused you will become, in the end you will just have to make your own decision, but whatever you decide..........enjoy it.

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'He who laughs last, was too slow to get the joke'
Never confuse the map with the journey.

Wave £2k under my nose and you can take my nice (8800km) TTR600RE with acerbis tank, Ohlins shock * standard stuff too!
Runs mint and on an 04 plate!