GUNNER1
Guest
What with all the problems reported here on the F650 Twins is it worth buying one 
Sooty09
Registered user
Yes, 17500 miles no problems. 100% reliability, no down time. 72 mpg usually.
11500 miles on first set of tyres. 16500 miles on original chains and sprockets, BMW will supply our next set free of charge. Oil use 0.00L between services. Front pads changed at 17000 miles, rear at 14000. Disks still original. Wheel bearings still original, battery still original, starting is one short press of the button.
6000 service £115.00, 12000 £115.00 without valve check. Booked for 18000 service and quoted £215 including a valve check and new plugs.
Paint and anodizing still very good after two years, but not much winter use.
Seat still poor but bottom growing to suit.
Overall for this bike has been totally reliable and trouble free. Highly recommended,
11500 miles on first set of tyres. 16500 miles on original chains and sprockets, BMW will supply our next set free of charge. Oil use 0.00L between services. Front pads changed at 17000 miles, rear at 14000. Disks still original. Wheel bearings still original, battery still original, starting is one short press of the button.
6000 service £115.00, 12000 £115.00 without valve check. Booked for 18000 service and quoted £215 including a valve check and new plugs.
Paint and anodizing still very good after two years, but not much winter use.
Seat still poor but bottom growing to suit.
Overall for this bike has been totally reliable and trouble free. Highly recommended,
GUNNER1
Guest
, anyone else ?
SERVDAVE
Registered user
Mine been fine aswell! Had mine for 6 months. Done 10k with no troubles! Dnt wry bout all the negative threads, alwayr the way with forums! Most bikes have problems, at least if u do have trouble you know where to come for advice!
Blind Lemon Ade
Registered user
One year and counting - no problems at all.
Just done a 2-up weekend with luggage - only my bum complained, and I've had the seat modified.
It's a good'un.
Just done a 2-up weekend with luggage - only my bum complained, and I've had the seat modified.
It's a good'un.
Fanum
Toubab
What with all the problems reported here on the F650 Twins is it worth buying one
It's a bit like saying "What with all the problems reported in the newspapers about the risks of walking down the street, is it worth going out?"
you tend to only hear the bad news, the horror stories, not the vast majority of people who have had no problems, no niggles, no gripes and who are just out there riding them.
Oh, hold on, you said a 650 twin didn't you
No, no its not.
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You've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel lucky?' Well, do ya punk?
It's potentially a brilliant bike with a turbine-smooth engine, slick gearbox, rorty exhaust, quick and direct steering, magnificent fuel economy and tons of accessories available.
It's also perfectly capable of holding its own on an onroad/gentle offroad touring holiday with 1200 and 1150GS models.
The downside is higher-than-expected levels of problems with breakdowns and recalls, coupled with a slow/nonexistent response from BMW. See the index here. You could be lucky and have no problems whatsoever. You could also be unlucky...
Tim
It's potentially a brilliant bike with a turbine-smooth engine, slick gearbox, rorty exhaust, quick and direct steering, magnificent fuel economy and tons of accessories available.
It's also perfectly capable of holding its own on an onroad/gentle offroad touring holiday with 1200 and 1150GS models.
The downside is higher-than-expected levels of problems with breakdowns and recalls, coupled with a slow/nonexistent response from BMW. See the index here. You could be lucky and have no problems whatsoever. You could also be unlucky...
Tim
Gruffalo
Registered user
Im also seriously thinking about getting a 800gs, had a 07 1200gs for about 2 yrs and 20000 miles and nhad nothing but problems with it, so sold it and bought a brand new bandit 1250s, but i miss the upright roomy riding position and the "character" of the bm twins,
i love the bandit and its power and ease of riding, but want a "do anything bike"
ive tried other "tall roaders" but nothing seems to come close to the bms,
sure they have their issues but im sure that other jap bikes are just as bad/good, its been saod before that it depends on which one you buy.
going to be getting an extended test ride on the 800 gs on the near future so i guess we'll see hat happens!
jon
i love the bandit and its power and ease of riding, but want a "do anything bike"
ive tried other "tall roaders" but nothing seems to come close to the bms,
sure they have their issues but im sure that other jap bikes are just as bad/good, its been saod before that it depends on which one you buy.
going to be getting an extended test ride on the 800 gs on the near future so i guess we'll see hat happens!
jon
GEm
Guest
Another one here with no problems on my F650GS twin which will come up to it's second birthday at the end of September. Chain as good as new, has needed no adjustment. Just coming to the end of it's first set of tyres (9000 miles). She is a lovely fun bike to ride, forgiving and very nippy. On her main service she had to have some software downloaded for the petrol gauge and something new fitted in the tank on a recall - I hadn't had a problem as I rarely let her run down to more than half full (don't want to look a prat running out of petrol!)
The minor niggles I have had with mine I have pretty much sorted - hated the GPS bracket but Touratech have a super one; have fitted handguards (Balderston's BMW) and have put the larger BMW screen plus the extender on (It's still too short and at the wrong angle in my view and I'm only 5ft but I can live with that); brake pedal extender fitted (and painted with hammerite to match the pegs) .
Think of the niggles as the bikes character and you'll learn to love them as well.
mine is called Jessica
The minor niggles I have had with mine I have pretty much sorted - hated the GPS bracket but Touratech have a super one; have fitted handguards (Balderston's BMW) and have put the larger BMW screen plus the extender on (It's still too short and at the wrong angle in my view and I'm only 5ft but I can live with that); brake pedal extender fitted (and painted with hammerite to match the pegs) .
Think of the niggles as the bikes character and you'll learn to love them as well.
mine is called Jessica
everywherevirtually
Registered user
Tim, your problems are well documented on here and my question to you would be if given the choice what would you ride now?
GUNNER1
Guest
Malcolm Leick
Registered user
I'm very happy with my 650 twin. Just coming up to 24,000 miles with only a few minor niggles sorted out under warranty (Fuel guage, radiator hose). My original chain lasted 23k miles and I only changed it because of all the scare stories. The guy who fitted the heavy duty replacement said there was still plenty of life in it.
There are plenty of bits you can add in the shape of crash bars, hand
guards, bash plates, knobbly tyres etc. If you are doing anything other than commuting short distances, probably the most pressing mod will be the windscreen. The original is pretty much like riding a naked bike. There is a whole thread devoted to wind screens and I've been through 4 variations to get to where I am now, which I'm pretty happy with. (Wunderlich Ergo Vario from Nippy Norman). It's a personal thing which depends very much on how tall you are and your seat height.
Tim mentioned light off road use. I've actually pushed that a bit further on ride outs with the Trail Riders Fellowship and others. Others riders have been amazed with what the bike will handle. As I've detailed on another thread, the alloy rims can be vulnerable on difficult trails with large stone blocks that may bring the bike to a sudden and dramatic standstill while you continue on over the handlebars. You also have to accept that the bike will get bashed around a bit if you are taking dives onto rocky ground. Good crash bars and a bash plate are essential. I can also remove the top half of my screen, which is useful when you do take flight!
For on road and long distance touring the alloy rims are actually better because you will be running on tubeless tires, which are less prone to going bang and deflating rapidly than their tubed cousins.
I think it's a great bike. In future I may back it up with a cheap dedicated s/h 250/350 trail bike that I can thoroughly abuse, and take more care of my 650. I chose it because I wanted something that I could use every day with the ability to tour and go off road when necessary and it's more than delivered on that expectation.
People have different views on the seat, presumably because we all have different shaped bums and backs. If you find it too hard a lightly inflated Airhawk should do the trick, or you could invest in some of the alternative seats offered by Nippy Norman and Touratech.
If you are not interested in going off road at all then quite frankly you could choose from any number of bikes. I did 4600 miles around Spain, Morocco and Portugal on a 500cc scooter (Piaggio X9) which had better weather protection than any bike I have been on, a fantastic windscreen, and a huge comfy seat. And underneath the seat I was able to fit a tent, sleeping bag, thermarest and stove! Cruising at 90mph was no problem, with no gears to think about in town. The only problem was the large expanse of gleaming plastic panels. When I ditched the bike in a snow storm, crossing the Atlas mountains, the insurance bill was about £1200 for replacement panels and wing mirrors.
My 650 has gone down on roads, ice, rocks, mud and gravel. Thanks to the crash bars the only damage has been a few dents in the exhaust from large pointy rocks on some Peak District trails. I personally wouldn't spend money on a flash slip on exhaust as I know it's going to get battered. I may eventually go for a cheaper, cut down lighter weight option, and probably should have done so before I dented the original!
Good luck!
There are plenty of bits you can add in the shape of crash bars, hand
guards, bash plates, knobbly tyres etc. If you are doing anything other than commuting short distances, probably the most pressing mod will be the windscreen. The original is pretty much like riding a naked bike. There is a whole thread devoted to wind screens and I've been through 4 variations to get to where I am now, which I'm pretty happy with. (Wunderlich Ergo Vario from Nippy Norman). It's a personal thing which depends very much on how tall you are and your seat height.
Tim mentioned light off road use. I've actually pushed that a bit further on ride outs with the Trail Riders Fellowship and others. Others riders have been amazed with what the bike will handle. As I've detailed on another thread, the alloy rims can be vulnerable on difficult trails with large stone blocks that may bring the bike to a sudden and dramatic standstill while you continue on over the handlebars. You also have to accept that the bike will get bashed around a bit if you are taking dives onto rocky ground. Good crash bars and a bash plate are essential. I can also remove the top half of my screen, which is useful when you do take flight!
For on road and long distance touring the alloy rims are actually better because you will be running on tubeless tires, which are less prone to going bang and deflating rapidly than their tubed cousins.
I think it's a great bike. In future I may back it up with a cheap dedicated s/h 250/350 trail bike that I can thoroughly abuse, and take more care of my 650. I chose it because I wanted something that I could use every day with the ability to tour and go off road when necessary and it's more than delivered on that expectation.
People have different views on the seat, presumably because we all have different shaped bums and backs. If you find it too hard a lightly inflated Airhawk should do the trick, or you could invest in some of the alternative seats offered by Nippy Norman and Touratech.
If you are not interested in going off road at all then quite frankly you could choose from any number of bikes. I did 4600 miles around Spain, Morocco and Portugal on a 500cc scooter (Piaggio X9) which had better weather protection than any bike I have been on, a fantastic windscreen, and a huge comfy seat. And underneath the seat I was able to fit a tent, sleeping bag, thermarest and stove! Cruising at 90mph was no problem, with no gears to think about in town. The only problem was the large expanse of gleaming plastic panels. When I ditched the bike in a snow storm, crossing the Atlas mountains, the insurance bill was about £1200 for replacement panels and wing mirrors.
My 650 has gone down on roads, ice, rocks, mud and gravel. Thanks to the crash bars the only damage has been a few dents in the exhaust from large pointy rocks on some Peak District trails. I personally wouldn't spend money on a flash slip on exhaust as I know it's going to get battered. I may eventually go for a cheaper, cut down lighter weight option, and probably should have done so before I dented the original!
Good luck!
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What am I riding now?
Well, I bought a Yamaha Tenere last summer and did two Morocco trips in Jan and April, sticking 6000 miles on the clock. It's now stored in Marbella, waiting for my next trip in Jul/Aug.
My 2008 F650GS was traded with financial compensation from BMW last September for a new F650GS. In the UK I've been busy with a house move and all that entails so by the beginning of May I had just 850 miles on the clock of the orange F650GS (and so far just one BMW recovery callout due to an ignition switch problem).
A couple of days before leaving for a Lakes/Scotland trip with mates over the bank holiday week I had my R1200GSA MOT'd (getting it ready for sale), so I had to decide which bike should I take--the GSA or the twin? I ended up taking the twin, so the mileage is now over 2300, and had a great trip with remarkable fuel economy, it's a great bike in the twisties.
But the noise from the chain continues to freak me out and affects my enjoyment. I'm going to talk again to the dealer. A friend with a 650 twin who's had his chain replaced under the recall reckons it's cured the chain slap problem.
What would I ride by choice? I love the road presence of the GSA, but after going from a R850R to a R1200GS to a R1200GSA, I'm now tending to downsize and I'm quite happy with smaller, more nimble bikes, so the F650 twin and Tenere are fine.
I wrote 'light offroad use' so as not to offend our 800GS cousins, but I did two Morocco trips on my previous 650 twin and the bike is capable of tackling quite difficult technical offroad stuff, the only disadvantages being the low ground clearance and the easily-diverted front wheel (the narrow 21-in from the F800 would be better here).
Once the chain issue is sorted I'm hoping to keep the F650GS as a UK road bike and when I sell the GSA I might buy something in the 250-450cc bracket that is capable of adventure touring.
Tim
Well, I bought a Yamaha Tenere last summer and did two Morocco trips in Jan and April, sticking 6000 miles on the clock. It's now stored in Marbella, waiting for my next trip in Jul/Aug.
My 2008 F650GS was traded with financial compensation from BMW last September for a new F650GS. In the UK I've been busy with a house move and all that entails so by the beginning of May I had just 850 miles on the clock of the orange F650GS (and so far just one BMW recovery callout due to an ignition switch problem).
A couple of days before leaving for a Lakes/Scotland trip with mates over the bank holiday week I had my R1200GSA MOT'd (getting it ready for sale), so I had to decide which bike should I take--the GSA or the twin? I ended up taking the twin, so the mileage is now over 2300, and had a great trip with remarkable fuel economy, it's a great bike in the twisties.
But the noise from the chain continues to freak me out and affects my enjoyment. I'm going to talk again to the dealer. A friend with a 650 twin who's had his chain replaced under the recall reckons it's cured the chain slap problem.
What would I ride by choice? I love the road presence of the GSA, but after going from a R850R to a R1200GS to a R1200GSA, I'm now tending to downsize and I'm quite happy with smaller, more nimble bikes, so the F650 twin and Tenere are fine.
I wrote 'light offroad use' so as not to offend our 800GS cousins, but I did two Morocco trips on my previous 650 twin and the bike is capable of tackling quite difficult technical offroad stuff, the only disadvantages being the low ground clearance and the easily-diverted front wheel (the narrow 21-in from the F800 would be better here).
Once the chain issue is sorted I'm hoping to keep the F650GS as a UK road bike and when I sell the GSA I might buy something in the 250-450cc bracket that is capable of adventure touring.
Tim
GUNNER1
Guest
Malcom/Tim
Loads of good info from you both,thanks.
The reason I am talking about the problems with the 650 is that I have recently had Quadrupal Bipass Surgery and I am retired so I dont want to buy something that I might have to end up pushing a lot,doing call outs or forking out lots of money all the time.
I will only be using it on the roads so the alloy wheels will be fine, and maybe a bigger screen.
Loads of good info from you both,thanks.
The reason I am talking about the problems with the 650 is that I have recently had Quadrupal Bipass Surgery and I am retired so I dont want to buy something that I might have to end up pushing a lot,doing call outs or forking out lots of money all the time.
I will only be using it on the roads so the alloy wheels will be fine, and maybe a bigger screen.
Malcolm Leick
Registered user
I had a stent put in three weeks before my Morocco trip which I know is a flea bite compared to open heart surgery. But then Ranulph feines ran seven marathons in seven days on seven continents, three months after his triple bypass op. He is a bit hardcore, but don't be too pesimistic about what your capable of. I think you would enjoy the 650. It's not a wild beast that has to be tamed, and if your short like me you should still be able to get boh feet down at stand still. Make sure the fuel guage has been sorted before you take it away. If it's a new one they should have that ironed out anyway. The only other time mine has stopped is when the side stand switch got clogged with mud from off roading. Shouldn't be a problem for you.
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