F 650 Owners Advise

[Reddog900]

I am assisting a friend in a search for a "commuter bike" and he has his eyes set on a used F650. Looking to find one around the 2000 - 2002 years/models.

 

Can anyone assist me on the following:

1. refer me to a website that offers advise on these bikes.

2. any personal insight or experience on the ownership challenges of the 650 series.

3. maintenance challenges - can someone work on these models? Do they require the same frequency of service ie: valve adjust?

4. anyone else want to offer any comments.

 

As always, thanks for your assistance.

 

Wishing you'all the best this Christmas.

[David]

Tim, this FAQ will get you started. It comes from the best site for the bike, too.

 

http://faq.f650.com/main.html

[Stan Walker]

Tim

 

If after checking that site you still have some questions, feel free to PM me. I own two of the original non FI F650 models.

 

Stan

[Gregori]

Avoid the first year or so of the Fuel Injected bikes. (2000/early '01) Many of them had a surging type issue. I rode a lot of used bikes in my search for a 'good' one, and at the time I was shopping (2002, 2003?) every single one I rode had it. I ended up buying a non FI and put quite a few good miles on it.

 

I don't recall much in the way of service, other than the need to oil the chain every couple hundred miles. (But this is a chain-drive isssue, not an F-bike issue.) Oil and gas were all it asked of me...

 

It was a reallly fun bike, and I'd get another one if I had a need. The only drawback that I can recall is that it has a bit of a vibration issue. Once again, this is due to it being a thumper (single cylinder) not something specific to an F-bike, per se.

 

Best of luck to your friend.

If he does get one, F650.com (as noted above) is a good owner resource.

 

G.

[Jeff98362]

If a CS is in your friend's budget, and fits his needs, I recommend it. I found it to be much smoother (belt) and quieter (belt) than the GS. It also had a sportier feel...probably the seat/handlebar positioning. I also got 75MPG on the CS, and I flogged the wee out of it.

[Big_Gray]

Hello Tim:

I had a 2001 F 650 GS and I sold it in 2003 when I acquired the RT. Overall it was a wonderful bike for many things and I often wish I could have afforded to keep it.

 

It was comfortable and would cruise all day at 130 kph without effort. It got great gas mileage and I made one trip of 9000 km in thirteen days on it.

 

It was a great bike for riding about town. I had several "little" things go wrong with it that were all fixed on warrantee but once they happened, I kind of lost confidence in its overall reliability.

 

In hind sight it probably would have been alright as a long termer but I got the RT and I love it in spite of all the problems you read about on this board.

[kudzu]

My ownership experience has been great! Nary a hiccup in 20K miles, including an AK trip. An all time favorite motorcycle. Obviously, and as stated above, it is a chain drive thumper...

[Bill J]

Regarding vibration, it is noticeable, but not a problem. I rode from the MOA rally in Ohio to Minneapolis without even thinking about it.

 

The valves don't need to be adjusted as often as with the R-bikes, but it's a lot harder if any valves need adjusting. You have to remove cam shafts to replace shims. On the plus side, most do-it-yourselfers on the F650 board say their valves rarely need adjusting over many, many miles.

 

Oh, if you do venture into F650.com, be sure to check the FAQ thoroughly and do a search before posting any noobie questions. A lot of the regulars aren't very tolerant of that. In fact, they can be rather rude.

[kudzu]

Oh, if you do venture into F650.com, be sure to check the FAQ thoroughly and do a search before posting any noobie questions. A lot of the regulars aren't very tolerant of that. In fact, they can be rather rude.

That's good advice. Whole different atmosphere over there from this DB. Too bad - it's their loss.

[Marty Hill]

It happens to be a very good board. 3 or 4 members just got tired of seeing the same questions and direct you to the search function. Yes, sometimes they are a bit rude but overall the site is very good.

[Stan Walker]

They are much nicer to you if you cough up the required money to join their little group. I refused to do so when I found out the owner of the list was spending the money on things un-related to the list. As a result I only visit occasionally and almost never post.

 

Stan

[Bill J]

It happens to be a very good board. 3 or 4 members just got tired of seeing the same questions and direct you to the search function. Yes, sometimes they are a bit rude but overall the site is very good.

Marty, I agree, it's a very good source of info on the F650. I'll even say it's the best source on the the bike. I've saved a lot of money using info from that site.

 

However, more than once I've seen a new guy get very rude treatment because he didn't first check the FAQ or do a search. Then, when someone points out the rude behavior, there's a big urinating contest with the usual people egging on the fight. My only issue is with the rude behavior. If someone wanders into this site because they just bought an RT and don't have a clue, people are more polite when they suggest doing a search.

[Marty Hill]

No arguement from me on that point.

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

I'm going to guess that the guy who gets uptight because someone didn't look at the FAQ's is the same guy who put them together.

 

You can always start your questions like this: "I couldn't find the answer in the FAQ's- perhaps I'm looking in the wrong place..."

[DaveC]

They are much nicer to you if you cough up the required money to join their little group. I refused to do so when I found out the owner of the list was spending the money on things un-related to the list.

 

I think it only costs $10 to join.

I do not care what he spends the money on. The owner of the web site has to spend time to maintain it, and pay for a server somewhere to run the web site. If he makes a few bucks for his efforts, I do not have a problem with that.

I doubt that he is getting rich, only charging $10 to "join."

[Marty Hill]

I know Steve. He lives on almost no income and has a very old 650. If he is taking money, it can't be much. By the way the 10 bux is for the newsletter...most don't join and still get to use the site.

[kudzu]

Have to agree with Dave and Marty, here. Though I think the forum would benefit from a little "climate change," it is a great resource and deserves supporting. Like this DB, there are a bunch of great folks over there who readily share there knowledge and experience. Kudos to Steve, et al, for maintaining the site.

[DaveC]

Since one of my bikes is a F650GS, I do spend some time over there.

 

I have seen newbies "trashed" for asking dumb or simple questions. "How many wheels does this model bike have?"

I have also seen people being too sensitive to a bit of joking, and going away feeling abused or having their feelings hurt. "These people are too "thin skinned."

 

I suspect that part of the reason for this may be due to the average age of the people on that forum. I suspect that the average age of the people on this site is 20+ years older than on the F650 site. Younger guys tend to have that "locker room" mentality of bashing someone for asking a dumb question.