2012 BMW G650GS Sertao Owners

[GSBS]

Originally Posted by shearboy2004

Before I got one I would really want to know if they updated the water pump ! Did mine 3 times complete with shaft in about as many years . Have they changed that completely stupid routing of the oil return , you know the one that makes removing the clutch cover almost impossible ! I liked the engine but the rest of it I friggin hated , toque screws in shitty plastic everywhere , it wasn't that hard to work on but taking so much shit off to do simple jobs just pissed me off.

Adjusting the valves was like a major mission and if done at the shop a mortgage payment !

Maybe it's just me but I like the 88 R100GS I swapped it for much better . Bikes shouldn't really be as complicated as they are building them now in my opinion , but that's just me I guess.

You know I read this all the time, but my 03 Dakar has over 73K miles - all but the first 4K I put on it myself - and I've never had an issue with the water pump. In fact, never had the first problem with the engine at all, just changed the oil/filter every 5K and replaced spark plug/air filter every 10K. Valves have never been out of spec.

I agree that having to remove all the plastics is a bit of a hassle, but it also gives me a chance to give everything underneath them a look-see at service time.

In fact, I like the Dakar so much that two years after it was wrecked and on the brink of being totaled by the insurance company, I've decided to sell my 950SE and go back to it, now with improved suspension and other upgrades. Best motorcycle I've ever owned!

However, were I to ever buy the Sertao, the first thing to do would be to replace the Showa forks with either KTM or YZ ones like I have now on mine. It's amazing what a difference it made! And I wouldn't get ABS.

My 2¢

[ROYAL COACHMAN]

Originally Posted by GSBS

However, were I to ever buy the Sertao, the first thing to do would be to replace the Showa forks with either KTM or YZ ones like I have now on mine. It's amazing what a difference it made! And I wouldn't get ABS.

My 2¢

I don't believe that one can get a non abs version
I have been told all bmw's starting in 2012 will have this as a standard component and not an option.

Am I wrong about this?

[PullingG's]

Originally Posted by kdennan

I bought the Sertao! Can't wait to pick it up.

Congrats - please share your thoughts once you have had it out a few times. Enjoy it!

[steve_k]

Originally Posted by ROYAL COACHMAN

I don't believe that one can get a non abs version
I have been told all bmw's starting in 2012 will have this as a standard component and not an option.

Am I wrong about this?

Well, I only ordered the regular G650GS and was told ABS was standard on all BMW bikes for 2012.

[PullingG's]

My understanding as well that all BMWs for 2012 have ABS as standard. Even in prior years and when offered, they made it difficult to get non-ABS packages.

[africa twin]

Picked one up on Monday and have put 500km on it so far. Love the bike altho no off road yet (too much snow).

[slider162]

So far all of the parts from Touratech fit.

[FinlandThumper]

Originally Posted by PullingG's

My understanding as well that all BMWs for 2012 have ABS as standard. Even in prior years and when offered, they made it difficult to get non-ABS packages.

This is what I was told here. The European Union is phasing in rules that any bike above 125cc which will be street legal must have them. They are phasing in the requirements but as I have heard, beginning in 2017 there will simple be no more bikes without ABS. So this could be a case of BMW simply getting ahead of the regulatory curve, but no matter what the reason, ABS-free BMW motorcycles are now all late models, and getting older by the day.

In any event, BMW's home market will demand it and I am guessing that they came to the conclusion that non-ABS was a hassle that wouldn't make them any money. Given their demographic of riders even in the states (I am American), and the number of BMW riders in America that run ABS even on the old F650GS models, I think they are probably correct.

[FinlandThumper]

Originally Posted by GSBS

You know I read this all the time, but my 03 Dakar has over 73K miles - all but the first 4K I put on it myself - and I've never had an issue with the water pump. In fact, never had the first problem with the engine at all, just changed the oil/filter every 5K and replaced spark plug/air filter every 10K. Valves have never been out of spec.

You know, there seems to be a building consensus that some of the F650's have repeated water pump failures, and others run basically forever with no issues. As to now I am in the latter camp but I only have around 40k.

There really isn't any good reason to see why some of these bikes run basically forever on the first pump, and others have a failure at 20k and then need a new pump every couple thousand miles. A few guys were trying to see if maybe the water pump/clutch cover had something to do with it, but I don't know how that panned out.

[FinlandThumper]

Originally Posted by Arpad99

Don't forget the Sertao is probably 70/30 maybe 60/40 road orientated at a push. If you want a really tough durable bike that you can take though almost waist height dirt, give it a 5 minute hose and then go and ride 500 km's. Something that will last for at least 50,000km's, DON'T BUY BMW. And I own and adore my BMW Sertao. Go buy the Suzuki DR 650. The Sertao is a long distance tourer that has the ability to go off road, but feels more comfortable on road. For a start it weighs a ton compared to the DR, everything cost a small fortune. BMW has the quality, the durability and the reliability, all I'm saying is that for serious off roading combined with the ability to travel long distances on road, in other word a true dual sports you can't get much better than the DR 650.

+1 to everything here. The BMW 650 platform in all its different configurations is best viewed as a very nice, single cylinder, all roads touring bike, and not as an enduro competitor. I think a lot of people with negative things to say about them wanted an enduro bike and when the 650 didn't deliver perfectly, they became frustrated. Those of us who approached it as an excellent one-up adventure tourer have been more impressed.

If your purpose is to spend most of the time busting around off road, something like the Suzuki DR650 or any of the other excellent off road bikes available would be a much better choice. The BMW 650's characteristics that make them excellent for touring 4x4 roads, back roads, and even main roads definitely limit them in the off road environment.

[Durden]

My expectation on the 650gs (having never owned one before) is not that is is an offroad enduro, but that it is a road bike with the ability to go offroad. I cant see expecting a 400lb bike to be a mud bogger being reasonable - although I do plan on doing a lot of offroad with it.

I had a KLX250s thinking I would have the best of both worlds, but i found it waaay to slow for highways and underpowered in the dirt.

[Durden]

Originally Posted by FinlandThumper

You know, there seems to be a building consensus that some of the F650's have repeated water pump failures, and others run basically forever with no issues. As to now I am in the latter camp but I only have around 40k.

There really isn't any good reason to see why some of these bikes run basically forever on the first pump, and others have a failure at 20k and then need a new pump every couple thousand miles. A few guys were trying to see if maybe the water pump/clutch cover had something to do with it, but I don't know how that panned out.

Is there any way to see if the water pump area has been redesigned in the G650 or Sertao? I havent heard any issues, but its pretty early in their lifecycle.

[amk]

They are girl’s bikes, I picket it up somewhere else and I share it with an addition that they are gay’s bikes.

[Cal]

Originally Posted by Durden

Is there any way to see if the water pump area has been redesigned in the G650 or Sertao? I havent heard any issues, but its pretty early in their lifecycle.

The only design difference I see is they have redesigned the oil return line, which makes it much easier to remove the clutch cover when you are replacing the water pump shafts and seals.

[eanth]

Originally Posted by amk

They are girl’s bikes, I picket it up somewhere else and I share it with an addition that they are gay’s bikes.

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