How do these X bike stake the mileage?

MarkShelley

Very similar to Paolo Maldini
UKGSer Subscriber
Joined
Jun 13, 2009
Messages
7,245
Reaction score
184
Location
Cambridgeshire, England
I am looking at a bike with circa 50K miles on it. It looks cosmetically pretty good for the mileage and it has been serviced correctly. Has anybody done this sort of mileage and, if so, would you do it again! Any expensive failures likely to be imminent?
 
My bike has 20k, but has had a very hard life, (Iceland, Morocco, half way across Africa). Both the original owner and myself, have used it as a “Adventure Bike.” As long as they’ve been serviced correctly, they seem to stand up to it. What I like about bikes with this sort of life, is that it’s hard to hide its faults. Anyway, we all pay a premium for the perceived build quality of BMW, if they’re not capable of 50k+ then maybe we should be buying Chinese knock offs.
Just be sure that you pay a price that reflects its age, mileage and condition. Then enjoy!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Looks like it has sold already. It was 44K up for £1950

Shame, keen price...

Mileage would not bother me, many Rotax engined 650 singles - BMW, Aprilia etc high milers about....
 
I've seen g650 motors go on ebay for £700 with only a few hundred miles on them. At £1950 it wouldn't be the end of the world if the engine needed replacing.

Only issues i've had with mine were the clutch cover wearing (now fixed with later part) and the water pump seals failing. apart from that the motor seems pretty indestructible, and has covered around 24k.
 
Mine done 45,000 so far no major issues , but has full BMW service history. Doesn’t use a drop of oil between services.
 

Attachments

  • 075E6FBB-A1C0-42BD-8D9B-171D2AF7E244.jpeg
    075E6FBB-A1C0-42BD-8D9B-171D2AF7E244.jpeg
    170 KB · Views: 580
I did 70k on mine (2007 model). In that time the engine needed 2 set of clutch plates, I used EBC the second time and that lasted a lot longer than the BMW replacement and a re-torque of the head at around 45k as it was pushing coolant out.

Other than that, oil changes every 6k, plugs every 18k, rear pads quite a lot and a rear disk at around 60k (the original warped). Plus quite a few tyres of course. Chains lasted around 25k with a Tutoro chain oiler fitted.

CAT came loose in the silencer at around 50k partially blocking the exhaust and at the time ebay had used ones quite cheap. Ignition switch needed resoldering at some point too. Wheel bearings used to fail until I stopped jet washing it.
 
Last edited:
I did 70k on mine (2007 model). In that time the engine needed 2 set of clutch plates, I used EBC the second time and that lasted a lot longer than the BMW replacement and a re-torque of the head at around 45k as it was pushing coolant out.

Other than that, oil changes every 6k, plugs every 18k, rear pads quite a lot and a rear disk at around 60k (the original warped). Plus quite a few tyres of course. Chains lasted around 25k with a Tutoro chain oiler fitted.

CAT came loose in the silencer at around 50k partially blocking the exhaust and at the time ebay had used ones quite cheap. Ignition switch needed resoldering at some point too. Wheel bearings used to fail until I stopped jet washing it.

Good mileage & relatively trouble free... :thumb
 
Aa this thread is 3 years old, is there any updates from bikes with high mileage? I ask because I've done 45k miles on mine but it uses no oil and starts on the button. As this such a light bike I'd hope to continue using it for up to ten years or so more, I'd be 80 by then. I've located another one with 20k miles and considering switching to the lower mileage one. So has anyone any further experience of taking these engines to 50k+ miles?

Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk
 
Aa this thread is 3 years old, is there any updates from bikes with high mileage? I ask because I've done 45k miles on mine but it uses no oil and starts on the button. As this such a light bike I'd hope to continue using it for up to ten years or so more, I'd be 80 by then. I've located another one with 20k miles and considering switching to the lower mileage one. So has anyone any further experience of taking these engines to 50k+ miles?

Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk

A friend put over 70,000 on his and decided he ought to check the valves again. While he had it apart he took the head off to look at the piston crown and bore and get a general feel for how the internals were standing up to his travels - the original honing marks were still in the bore.

There is an old addage: better the devil you know. With maintenance your bike will see you out, the money you would have to put to yours to change would buy a lot of maintenance - and then you would be getting a bike you didn't know.
 
I seem to remember that Walter Colebatch (Siberski Extreme) ran his 650 to almost 100,000 miles. It was still running well and reliable but when he did a trip with someone on a very much lower mileage bike he realised how loose and rattly his engine had become.
 
I seem to remember that Walter Colebatch (Siberski Extreme) ran his 650 to almost 100,000 miles. It was still running well and reliable but when he did a trip with someone on a very much lower mileage bike he realised how loose and rattly his engine had become.
Thanks Packer, that's encouraging. I doubt I'll work my engine as hard as Walter did. So now in the process of refurbishing the bike, some powder coating, water pump seals, etc.

Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk
 
Moro!

89 000 kilometers with my Xchallenge includes hard life. Driving in Morocco, european and Russia. Also much cold starts becouse I drive also winter. Once dropped in bottom of lake, when ice break under it (Bmw spend three days under water)

Never opened engine. But some problems I remember... Instrument cluster failed on this lake accident. Cluth saft hole fixed, start engine overhaul, swing left hand bearing renew. All bearing on wheels and chain guide renew once or two, dont remember. Also made new front wheel on exel rim. Oil change limit on my use 7500km

Now Front telescopes bushings are final, also idle actuator. Hope I find second hand somewhere.

My friend ask sometimes, is Xchallenge good bike? My answer is yes. Worst problem is original BMW spares prices SUCKS!!!

-Ike from Finland-
 
Moro!

89 000 kilometers with my Xchallenge includes hard life. Driving in Morocco, european and Russia. Also much cold starts becouse I drive also winter. Once dropped in bottom of lake, when ice break under it (Bmw spend three days under water)

Never opened engine. But some problems I remember... Instrument cluster failed on this lake accident. Cluth saft hole fixed, start engine overhaul, swing left hand bearing renew. All bearing on wheels and chain guide renew once or two, dont remember. Also made new front wheel on exel rim. Oil change limit on my use 7500km

Now Front telescopes bushings are final, also idle actuator. Hope I find second hand somewhere.

My friend ask sometimes, is Xchallenge good bike? My answer is yes. Worst problem is original BMW spares prices SUCKS!!!

-Ike from Finland-
Thanks Ike, I remember your bike falling through the ice

I've decided to keep mine and had some work done on it. Changed both coils and had the waterproof seals and shaft replaced, as well as a full service. It runs well now. On another site I heard of a guy who had done 170,000 miles(274,000 km) on an xCountry. He says he only had to change the valve shims once in that time. These bikes have great engines.

Good to hear your bike recovered from its time in the river. Cheers Jim

Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk
 


Back
Top Bottom