The 650 Dakar Thread

[ar1814]

Originally Posted by THX_337

Folks,

Considering getting a Dakar for my son to use. Will be used by me as well and my wife. My son and I have plans to travel to South America when he graduates. He is 17 and has never ridden a motorcycle, so the F650 seems to be a good starter bike for him, a cheap alternative to get him an adventure type bike without breaking my bank account. He can flatfoot the standard F650 and he has thrown a leg over a Seratao and it appears to be a good fit. With luggage and such it will be lower. We may do a norhtern Yukon/Alaska trip this summer to get his riding chops up to speed for the bigger SA trip.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////
A couple of questions...
What are these things worth?

I am looking at 2 bikes at the moment.

1) A 2006 model (~10K miles) for around $7K (includes Jesse bags, handle bar risers, PIAA lights, carash bars, etc..) looks ready to go. I did a small test ride in the neighborhood and it seems pretty solid.

2) Also looking at another one (have yet to see it), a 2007 model (~4K miles on it) for about $6K. It has some scratches on the tank and rear panels. Owner used it pretty good on off road travel... wants to move on to a KTM (more dirt oreintated for him). It has very litte in the way of Farkles though. Fork Seals have already been replaced.

So I am weighing in on the value of each. My son doesn't need a fully farkled bike while he is learning.

Addtionally, my wife used to have a lowered 650 and I couldn't ride it. I'm 6'3". So it felt like a clown bike fro me. The Dakar seems to fit me better. In the short test ride of one, it seemed OK . I currently have a R1200GSA but wouldn't mind a Dakar for weekend excursions into the mountains. The big GS is fun, but limited. So I am aksing if I am too big for the Dakar? I know it sounds abit selfish, because I am buying this for my son to use. But in the interest of multifunctional, multi purposing, I would use it as well. Especially while he is in school. Maybe even as an occasional commuter. No sense in letting the bike sit at $4/gal gas prices

In my short ride on the Dakar, I noticed it seemd to turn smoother (especially at lower speeds) than my wifes lowered 650 GS and a standard height GS, which I also test rode. Is it me? or does the turning stability of the F650s seem a bit different to you folks (my wife noticed this as well). The Daker feels more stable in turning, and I suspect it has to do with the geometry (higher suspension, bigger front wheel, etc..)
Probably the 21'' front wheel and higher suspension.

One other question. I noticed that the Dakrs have a little canister of some sort mounted to the frame by the oil filter (looks a like a chain oiler). I don't see these on the regular 650s ? Is it an oil resivoir for the suspension? Just curious.
Yes, the suspension is different and they didn't have enough space to put where the spring is.

In any event, I appreciate what ever advice you folks can give me. I know you folks are biased towards the Dakar and that's alright. I have 30K miles on my R1200GSA and am partial to BMW at this point as well.

Other than that, I would definitely buy the first one.

[Airhead11]

Can any of my Dakar brothers help me troubleshoot why my 03, won't start? I'm repairing her after getting rear ended. She started after that but has now been sitting for two months and when I put the key in the dash clock comes on, but I get nothing else.. Battery is good, fuses are good. I've only been able to locate one fuse box- is there another one? Before the accident she would occasionally have trouble starting- I've read this sometimes happens with the Dakar. Today I'm thinking about taking out the starter relay and seeing if that's bad. Any advice is greatly appreciated!!

[Don Coyote]

Originally Posted by THX_337

One other question. I noticed that the Dakrs have a little canister of some sort mounted to the frame by the oil filter (looks a like a chain oiler). I don't see these on the regular 650s ? Is it an oil resivoir for the suspension? Just curious.

It is the remote reservoir for the shock which i've heard is there because of the ABS equipment. If you've read the last few pages, you might gather that the ABS probably isn't something you'd want to pay extra for. I'm not convinced it is worth ripping out unless you plan to use it mostly off road, but then again i wouldn't vouch for it's effectiveness either.

As a tall rider (6'5") the height was a specific reason i sought out a Dakar. Everything feels very comfortable to me, except that in the normal riding position my knees sit against the ridges on the side of the faux gastank. If i put my toes on the pegs and bend my ankles hard, the knees nestle in much more comfortably. I keep meaning to do a peg relocation to fix this, but don't have the budget...

[Aquatic]

Originally Posted by THX_337

Folks,

Considering getting a Dakar for my son to use. Will be used by me as well and my wife. My son and I have plans to travel to South America when he graduates. He is 17 and has never ridden a motorcycle, so the F650 seems to be a good starter bike for him, a cheap alternative to get him an adventure type bike without breaking my bank account. He can flatfoot the standard F650 and he has thrown a leg over a Seratao and it appears to be a good fit. With luggage and such it will be lower. We may do a norhtern Yukon/Alaska trip this summer to get his riding chops up to speed for the bigger SA trip.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////
A couple of questions...
What are these things worth?

I am looking at 2 bikes at the moment.

1) A 2006 model (~10K miles) for around $7K (includes Jesse bags, handle bar risers, PIAA lights, carash bars, etc..) looks ready to go. I did a small test ride in the neighborhood and it seems pretty solid.

2) Also looking at another one (have yet to see it), a 2007 model (~4K miles on it) for about $6K. It has some scratches on the tank and rear panels. Owner used it pretty good on off road travel... wants to move on to a KTM (more dirt oreintated for him). It has very litte in the way of Farkles though. Fork Seals have already been replaced.

So I am weighing in on the value of each. My son doesn't need a fully farkled bike while he is learning.

Addtionally, my wife used to have a lowered 650 and I couldn't ride it. I'm 6'3". So it felt like a clown bike fro me. The Dakar seems to fit me better. In the short test ride of one, it seemed OK . I currently have a R1200GSA but wouldn't mind a Dakar for weekend excursions into the mountains. The big GS is fun, but limited. So I am aksing if I am too big for the Dakar? I know it sounds abit selfish, because I am buying this for my son to use. But in the interest of multifunctional, multi purposing, I would use it as well. Especially while he is in school. Maybe even as an occasional commuter. No sense in letting the bike sit at $4/gal gas prices

In my short ride on the Dakar, I noticed it seemd to turn smoother (especially at lower speeds) than my wifes lowered 650 GS and a standard height GS, which I also test rode. Is it me? or does the turning stability of the F650s seem a bit different to you folks (my wife noticed this as well). The Daker feels more stable in turning, and I suspect it has to do with the geometry (higher suspension, bigger front wheel, etc..)

One other question. I noticed that the Dakrs have a little canister of some sort mounted to the frame by the oil filter (looks a like a chain oiler). I don't see these on the regular 650s ? Is it an oil resivoir for the suspension? Just curious.

In any event, I appreciate what ever advice you folks can give me. I know you folks are biased towards the Dakar and that's alright. I have 30K miles on my R1200GSA and am partial to BMW at this point as well.

I'm inclined to go with the first one. The 6K miles difference is nothing on these engines.
By the sounds of it the extras on bike 1 will come in very handy with your eventual intended use. And most probably worth more than $1k anyway.

No2 sounds like it has been thrashed a bit!

my 2c

[BeachGuy]

I'm looking for some advice about valve lash. Doing a major service on my 34,000 km 2001 F650 GS and shot this video this afternoon.

Question 1: Is the amount of cam chain lash normal in this video. There was no pressure on the cam lobes during this video.



Question 2: Should I have had the cam lobes putting pressure on the valves. If I have pressure on the valves there is no slop in the chain.

This bike has ABS and it looks as if it will take an Act of Congress (reads as Balance the Budget) to get the cam chain tensioner out from it well engineered place between the engine and ABS module.

Thanks for any help in advance.

[nomad5326]

Picked up some LED turn signals, well cause I keep breaking mine. When I touched the wires to check continuity/correctness the bulbs light up but won't blink when i use the switch......other (non-broken side) works fine. PO did install a LED flasher tail light. Are there issues w/LED (Relay/etc)?

[WayneC1]

THe cam chain tensioners can stick, they changed the design at some point in production, suggest you start by taking a look at that, there are pics and info on it over at f650

[WayneC1]

The early f650gs indicator relay is not usable with LED, info and diagrams on it here http://www.f650gs.crossroadz.com.au/LEDIndicators.html

[nomad5326]

:-( Thanks Wayne.....man they looked cool too!

[WayneC1]

Stick with it, grab an LED flasher from CustomLED or others they are low cost and the diode set up for the dash lamp is easy. I have run LED for a very long time with front indicators in the hand guards & they are brighter, more reiiable and dont break in minor falls

[GrizzLee]

Originally Posted by Don Coyote

As a tall rider (6'5") the height was a specific reason i sought out a Dakar. Everything feels very comfortable to me, except that in the normal riding position my knees sit against the ridges on the side of the faux gastank. If i put my toes on the pegs and bend my ankles hard, the knees nestle in much more comfortably. I keep meaning to do a peg relocation to fix this, but don't have the budget...

Hey, that's good to know for us tall folks.

Everyone, thanks for the responses.

So the prices being asked are reasonable I suspect?

Another question....

Are the plastics interchangeable with regular F650s? Don't stone me here, but I am not a fan of the Dakar colors. If/when I get one of these bikes, I was thinking of trading plastics with someone for another color (red or yellow). Has anyone done this? I figure it could be repainted, but I am sure a regular GS person might want them to make stealth Dakar or be a poser

Ok, I'll sit back and wait for the hate mail to fill my inbox

Thanks..

[LoJack]

I thought option #2 was a little high, for a stock bike that had been used off road. Not sure how much Jessie's are, but a good rack and pannier system is at least a grand. Add the PIAA's and crash bars... Sounds like a better deal on the other. Mileage like that shouldn't be a worry unless the oil was never changed.

Plastics are the same, I think, except for the headlight shroud. At least the '01 GS I had was different than my '02 Dakar. You won't get flack from me about it. Took me a while to get used to it, though I have always like the '01 Dakar's black and white checker.

[kubiak]

Originally Posted by THX_337

Hey, that's good to know for us tall folks.

Everyone, thanks for the responses.

So the prices being asked are reasonable I suspect?

Another question....

Are the plastics interchangeable with regular F650s? Don't stone me here, but I am not a fan of the Dakar colors. If/when I get one of these bikes, I was thinking of trading plastics with someone for another color (red or yellow). Has anyone done this? I figure it could be repainted, but I am sure a regular GS person might want them to make stealth Dakar or be a poser

Ok, I'll sit back and wait for the hate mail to fill my inbox

Thanks..

yea it hink the panels should interchange. try to get close to the same year though, i have a 02 dkar and got some panels off a 05 dakar and it had different emblem grills so it had different location of the emblem holes. i filled in the holes anyway so it didnt matter. i modified my dakar so much you cant really tell what model it is. its your bike you paid for so you should fix it the way you want for sure!

[GrizzLee]

Originally Posted by kubiak

..... i modified my dakar so much you cant really tell what model it is. its your bike you paid for so you should fix it the way you want for sure!

I like the way you think.

Thanks folks.

I'll let you know if we join the Dakar club soon

[nomad5326]

Each bike had mis-matched plastics from 2001-2004. Only one did I repaint to OEM. Hope it helps. Rattlecan is cheap but so is Earl Sheib!