2011 G650GS front fork failure

  • Thread starter Thread starter Moosly
  • Start date Start date
JohnnyBoxer said:
Tell us if you make it back ok:D
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When you're riding your new bike home could you try a few wheelies, stoppies and heavy jumps aswell as as riding over a few potholes and kerbs etc.:D

It'll save us all having to do it........!:augie

Oh and enjoy the new bike, this fork thing has only happened to one G650GS we know of and they must have sold lots of them by now.

FP.:thumb
 
Farmer Palmer said:
When you're riding your new bike home could you try a few wheelies, stoppies and heavy jumps aswell as as riding over a few potholes and kerbs etc.:D

It'll save us all having to do it........!:augie

Oh and enjoy the new bike, this fork thing has only happened to one G650GS we know of and they must have sold lots of them by now.

FP.:thumb
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There's the rub, how will we ever know, the G650GS forks don't seem the same as the later 2 spark F650GS ones, casting seems different although they may have been similar specs...........they look a bit different
 
The more i think about the original post on the adv rider thread the more I get suspicious.... I can't make sense that the circumstances outlined would be enough even to stress and break a substantially miscasted or weak outer casting (basically very low load situation) looking at the photo's you cant see any occlusions or other cavities or obvious faults - the metal looks like it has been heavily stressed to brittle fracture that way. I guess there could be other faults that we just can't see but...

2 other factors that concern me about the original posters story are:

1) no overall picture of the bike.

2) the bent axle - cant make this bend stack up in my head as a result of the axle coming away from the fork stanchion - event the resultant stresses on the wheel wouldn't cause the metal to bend there?

Hopefully the truth will out at some point.
 
Moosly said:
2) the bent axle - cant make this bend stack up in my head as a result of the axle coming away from the fork stanchion - event the resultant stresses on the wheel wouldn't cause the metal to bend there?

Hopefully the truth will out at some point.
Click to expand...

Yes was just looking at the pic and the bent axle doesn't make sense, the casting would smash to pieces rather than bend the axle I would think.
 
Was planing on getting one of these to replace my F650Gs, but i think i'll wait a bit, already had a close encounter on my F650 with fork issues..
 
Mine wasn't a spectacular failure just a fatigue crack at one side of the lug causing the oil to leak and the wheel to sit a bout 5-10 degrees offcentre.
I didnt even know it had happened until i reached home, and saw the oil and then the crack. (and despite buying a lotto ticket i didnt win :(!)

My guess was age (2000model), abuse and one pot hole too many did them in, i'd been getting seal leaks a few times and replaced the seals about four times, so user error cant be ruled out.

I ended up buying some forks off flea-bay from a stolen recovered 07 bike and threw the old ones away.

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2526017#post2526017

I'm sorely tempted by the G650GS as its only about £120/month with all the bells, but aside from being newer it doesnt really offer any improvements, especially if they have what could be a pretty nasty fork issue.

I've cast my eyes out on some of the bigger GS and i might pop over to Alan Jefferys for a test on the F800GS, as the economy looks pretty sweet, also tempted by the Tiger800XC
 
ah here this is bolox, it was happening for years, bmw ignored it. fixed in on newer bikes and nwo back to this problem again

i am huge bmw fan but this sort rubbish quality and same on f800gs is hitting hme hard.

bmw better get act together as looks like they have just now become biggest importer or chinease junk but charging high end retail.

easy fix bang on set mx forks.

thats grand for old bike but not new 1.

if was me i would be marching back to bmw asking for full refund as biek is not fit for purpose.
 
nostromo said:
So are you going to tell us why or do we have to go and buy one.
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Reporting on the pillion hanger & centre stand rusting. This coming from the fella that also reports that a new, genuine BMW top box for his G650GS was £140....(oh, and also stated that the G650GS was the new hooligan bike, ala RD350 of old!!) :rolleyes:
 
lo,, the pillion hanger still rusted on his, even though he didn't take pillions either. Although the report does state that the bike is stored outside.... he seemed to be commenting on his concern of the paint quality/coverage, etc.

I did get an email back from him (Steve Farrell?) when I offered to send him £150 to get me a topbox from BMW, and he could keep the change....his reply was that he'd made a mistake with the price :)
 
Having seen a few pictures of this failure, and hopefully a few more soon I am becoming increasingly confident that things aren't as they initially appear on the tight shot.

It is possible that the fork with a chunk missing is bent, this along with the bent axle is suggesting the front end took a fair old knock before or at the time when the casting broke.

The info so far is tending to suggest that this isn't simply a casting failing, and therefore hopefully those with a G650GS can be a bit happier and not worry too much that the fork will just fall apart on their next ride.
 
Since the forks are manufactured by Showa -which is owned by Honda -its more bad luck I'd say then any thing else. I'm sure we have some mettalurgists out there who will concour.
Given the amount of units sold over failure rate is neither here or there.
Not nice if it happens to you but if the problem is handled in the correct way it won't be an issue.
Side Topic -will some please tell "John Aero" to install "spellchecker"
 
the NHTSA report on the fork failure #10409875 has been updated by NHTSA

The insurance company has stated that the determination of the incident IS NOT MY FAULT.
Any other updates please check the thread, as it is hard to keep up with all the threads on the internet about the incident.
Thanks
 
antiquewidow said:
the NHTSA report on the fork failure #10409875 has been updated by NHTSA

The insurance company has stated that the determination of the incident IS NOT MY FAULT.
Any other updates please check the thread, as it is hard to keep up with all the threads on the internet about the incident.
Thanks
Click to expand...

You tell them here, you know what happened, good luck in your quest :thumb
 
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