The 650 Dakar Thread

[Gravel Seeker]

Originally Posted by Spyker

I had an issue with my Dakar that the coolant would squirt out of the overflow bottle. Decided that the PO overheated the engine. Pulled the head and put a straight edge on it. I could see the light close to the exhaust port.

So the head is definitely warped.

Decided to try the sandpaper and glass method. It's really hard work but you can see the progress as you go along. Quite satisfying at the end of the day
............
After putting the head back she started right up! No more leaking coolant!

Nice

Been there, but didn't do that. Handed it over to a local cylinder/ engine shop to have it skimmed level and he charged me about $45-50 as I recall

[bkwags]

Originally Posted by Spyker

I had an issue with my Dakar that the coolant would squirt out of the overflow bottle. Decided that the PO overheated the engine. Pulled the head and put a straight edge on it. I could see the light close to the exhaust port.

So the head is definitely warped.

Decided to try the sandpaper and glass method. It's really hard work but you can see the progress as you go along. Quite satisfying at the end of the day.

After putting the head back she started right up! No more leaking coolant!

Looks good. I did that to a 5 horse Briggs mini-bike way back when. Trying to increase HP. It worked well. I actually put mine in a drill press and put a weight on the handle to take away some of the elbow grease. It was nice the spark plug was near the center and perpendicular to the head sealing surface. Not so in your case.

What grit sand paper did you use???

[KG6BWS]

Having some clutch issues, starting to slip. Has 50k miles on it. Thinking its time for replacement.

Ive never done a clutch in a bike before. How hard is it to replace?? Anyone know of a good place to get all the parts I need??

Thanks.

[Gravel Seeker]

Originally Posted by KG6BWS

Having some clutch issues, starting to slip. Has 50k miles on it. Thinking its time for replacement.

Ive never done a clutch in a bike before. How hard is it to replace?? Anyone know of a good place to get all the parts I need??

Thanks.

Just in case you are running synthetic oil, that will give you clutch slip.
Mine's done about 75k kms now, so just a little less than yours and I had slippage, but as soon as I stopped using synthetic oil the slippage went away.

[KG6BWS]

Originally Posted by Gravel Seeker

Just in case you are running synthetic oil, that will give you clutch slip.
Mine's done about 75k kms now, so just a little less than yours and I had slippage, but as soon as I stopped using synthetic oil the slippage went away.

I dont remember what I used last oil change, but thinking about it, you might be right. When i get over this damn flu, going to do another oil change and check the adjustment on the clutch while Im at it.

[mischief]

Originally Posted by nomad5326

Thats great Christi! Glad it worked out for you. Did you go w/std spring height or bump it up?

Honestly I don't know. I was talking to him and asking questions and realized that he knew way more than I did so I just told him what I wanted it to do and let him figure it out. I've never had much luck second-guessing someone more knowledgeable than myself.
It's getting a new front brake line tomorrow. We just moved to Albuquerque and while I was backing it out of the truck the line blew out. Good times

[Seventh]

Hi folks,

It took a long, long week to clean the injector. I called my mechanic over today, and we got to work debugging the bike. I'd type out everything we did, but it was easier to make a video.

http://youtu.be/kaGG5gFAWyM
(switched the old video out)

Short is, last mechanical thing is the ignition coil / starter. Then, it's on to electricals.

[docwyte]

Sorry for the noob question, I just bought my bike yesterday!

I've been hearing of the "hockey puck" mod for the side stand. Are people shaving the puck down at all, or is it literally drill a few holes in the plate and run some sheet metal screws through the plate and into a hockey puck?

Are there any taller/bigger side plate side stands I can buy, in case I decide to not use a hockey puck?

TIA!

[divimon2000]

Originally Posted by Seventh

Hi folks,

It took a long, long week to clean the injector. I called my mechanic over today, and we get to work debugging the bike. I'd type out everything we did, but it was easier to make a video.

Short is, last mechanical thing is the ignition coil / starter. Then, it's on to electricals.

Check out the thread on f650.com guy with a dreadful issue finally finds it. I think yours is electrical for sure, bad wire somewhere or component. Good luck

[tomatoe333]

Originally Posted by Seventh

It took a long, long week to clean the injector. I called my mechanic over today, and we get to work debugging the bike. I'd type out everything we did, but it was easier to make a video.

I doubt it's either the ignition coils or starter. I'd be pulling apart the wiring harness near the preload adjuster for the rear shock, looking for frayed wiring there. Also, have the dealer check the version of ECU software. There ARE updates available, one of which solved a similar hiccup/stalling problem that my twin-spark bike had.

[KG6BWS]

Originally Posted by docwyte

Sorry for the noob question, I just bought my bike yesterday!

I've been hearing of the "hockey puck" mod for the side stand. Are people shaving the puck down at all, or is it literally drill a few holes in the plate and run some sheet metal screws through the plate and into a hockey puck?

Are there any taller/bigger side plate side stands I can buy, in case I decide to not use a hockey puck?

TIA!

I just took a hockey puck, literally a NHL spec puck, and bolted it on. Put it under the side stand foot, drilled thru both at the same time, stuck small machine screws thru it from the bottom, used nuts and lock washers on top. Get the added benefit of a larger footprint when you park on the soft stuff. Works like a charm.

[Don Coyote]

Originally Posted by tomatoe333

Also, have the dealer check the version of ECU software. There ARE updates available, one of which solved a similar hiccup/stalling problem that my twin-spark bike had.

How does this work for a non-warrantied bike? Do you take it in like a regular maintenance job or are they supposed to update it for free? My dealer(s) are out of town and i've been doing all the work myself the last few years. Might a non-BMW shop have the ability to upgrade the software?

[KG6BWS]

Originally Posted by Don Coyote

How does this work for a non-warrantied bike? Do you take it in like a regular maintenance job or are they supposed to update it for free? My dealer(s) are out of town and i've been doing all the work myself the last few years. Might a non-BMW shop have the ability to upgrade the software?

When I took my Dakar in to get the ECU checked/upgraded if necessary, they checked it for free. If it had needed upgrading it would have cost their normal shop rate for 1 hour I believe it was....dont quite remember now how long they said it would take.

[tomatoe333]

Originally Posted by Don Coyote

How does this work for a non-warrantied bike? Do you take it in like a regular maintenance job or are they supposed to update it for free? My dealer(s) are out of town and i've been doing all the work myself the last few years. Might a non-BMW shop have the ability to upgrade the software?

I don't have the receipt in front of me, but I'm pretty sure it was an hour of shop labor to do the update. I had them adjust the valves while it was there, saved me the headache of pulling everything apart to do it.

[Kainic]

I am in the middle of relocating my VR on my Dakar using a G650 Xchallenge bracket and the wires to the VR are very long.

Anyone with pictures of their install?

I would like to make it nice and clean with some protection for the connections from the elemenets?