BMW G650X Issue Log (xCountry, xChallenge, xMoto)

[andrewgore]

Grafspee,
I can't comment on the EFI upgrade. I can say that my bike doesn't stall anymore since installing my Yuasa battery. As far as the valves go, I'll let you know in a couple weeks when I check mine. Clicked over 6k a few hundred miles ago.

Andrew

[MZcountryboy]

10,000+ miles on an original exide battery, never a stall, no problems. Heated grips + HID high beam too.

Worn out a rear sprocket, both sets of brake pads (damn those cut-up rotors!) Eats rear tires for lunch.

I'm running a modified airbox lid, the TT foam filter, and a stock exhaust.

Checked my valves @ 7650 miles - spot on spec.

My bike has been flawless, IMO. - and all the maintenance is done at home, has not been back to the dealer, ever.

Going on another 1000+ mile trip this weekend coming, stay tuned.

I love this bike!

[Butters]

Originally Posted by MZcountryboy

10,000+ miles on an original exide battery, never a stall, no problems.

Now you've done it! I wasn't worried either when I was at the dealer for my first service and they told me I would have to come back in a few days for the Yuasa. I hadn't had any problems - what's a couple days??? Until the bike left me stranded in the middle of nowhere on the way home from the dealer.

I'm glad your battery has been good, but clearly there is a bad batch of Exides out there. But that can happen to any bike. I'm happy it is an easy, known fix. I'll feel better when the whole stalling issue gets sorted out as well, but that may just be the battery as well. If that's the case, 80% of the failures are cured with a new battery

I'm still thrilled with the bike.

[Grafspee]

Thanks for the reply Andrew, I just went through and did an oil change, new TT airfilter, and pulled the airbox to check the valve. However after twisting and pulling on the sparkplug boot/coil with little effect - I got alittle nervous about damaging them. So I put everything back together and went for a ride. I haven't decided if I will dig back into it or have the dealer check them. When the post was made about an EFI upgrade I thought running it in to dealer might be worth it.

[BarryM]

Originally Posted by Cosmickjack

.....and have bought another F650 SC to use as a donor bike.

CS?

That's interesting. Are the motors totally identical in mounting points? Originally I assumed that they would be, but some recent reading suggested that the cases were new castings for weight reduction. I'll be very interested to see how your transplant goes.

FWIW I reckon that the slightly lower state of tune of the F650s makes them a sweeter engine, and certainly a more reliable engine, if indeed there is anything inherently wrong with the G650s.

[DoucheBag]

Originally Posted by Grafspee

Thanks for the reply Andrew, I just went through and did an oil change, new TT airfilter, and pulled the airbox to check the valve. However after twisting and pulling on the sparkplug boot/coil with little effect - I got alittle nervous about damaging them. So I put everything back together and went for a ride. I haven't decided if I will dig back into it or have the dealer check them. When the post was made about an EFI upgrade I thought running it in to dealer might be worth it.

What are your symptoms? if you want to avoid the delaer you can always get on of these:

http://www.gs911usa.com/

[Cosmickjack]

Originally Posted by BarryM

CS?

That's interesting. Are the motors totally identical in mounting points? Originally I assumed that they would be, but some recent reading suggested that the cases were new castings for weight reduction. I'll be very interested to see how your transplant goes.

FWIW I reckon that the slightly lower state of tune of the F650s makes them a sweeter engine, and certainly a more reliable engine, if indeed there is anything inherently wrong with the G650s.

Ahh,
sorry Barry I may have slightly miss led you there,
What I will be doing is taking the crank,valves and any other smashed parts
from the G650 and transplanting them with the Cs parts.

So i will have a G650 motor with Cs parts inside it because you are quite correct.
The Cs cases are indeed different than the G650X.
I do not believe there is anything inherently wrong with the G650,
my engine was just a Friday afternoon engine.

[Grafspee]

Not opposed to using the dealer (have in the past and will I the future) but I do like working on my own bikes. I think it gives you more confidence when traveling. This isn't my first EFI bike, most of my stuff has had carbs, and usually an airhead.

Symptoms: Went for a great dualsport ride in Missouri (Castor River area) and the bike ran great all weekend until the ride home. It started to stall on me in the last 50 or so miles heading home. When I would come to a stop or slow down to a crawl. Checked the voltage as I was riding and it was running low. In the last couple of days the bike starts fine but will not stay idling for long. I you keep the revs up for the first few miles it runs fine after that. Until, you start it up again. I have never had any problems starting the bike, but it does want to stall.

[BarryM]

Originally Posted by Cosmickjack

Ahh,
sorry Barry I may have slightly miss led you there,
What I will be doing is taking the crank,valves and any other smashed parts
from the G650 and transplanting them with the Cs parts.

So i will have a G650 motor with Cs parts inside it because you are quite correct.
The Cs cases are indeed different than the G650X.
I do not believe there is anything inherently wrong with the G650,
my engine was just a Friday afternoon engine.

Blimey. That's brave. How certain are you that these bits are the same (or even similar)? The crank for one I believe is described as 'lighter' on the G series.

[DoucheBag]

Originally Posted by Grafspee

Not opposed to using the dealer (have in the past and will I the future) but I do like working on my own bikes. I think it gives you more confidence when traveling. This isn't my first EFI bike, most of my stuff has had carbs, and usually an airhead.

Symptoms: Went for a great dualsport ride in Missouri (Castor River area) and the bike ran great all weekend until the ride home. It started to stall on me in the last 50 or so miles heading home. When I would come to a stop or slow down to a crawl. Checked the voltage as I was riding and it was running low. In the last couple of days the bike starts fine but will not stay idling for long. I you keep the revs up for the first few miles it runs fine after that. Until, you start it up again. I have never had any problems starting the bike, but it does want to stall.

sounds like battery to me, mine would only shut off when coming to a stop, or when quick braking after doing 1st gear whellies. Bike would always fire right back up with no issue, volt meter would be in the mid 13's...

[Janet from Joisey]

Model: xCountry
Year: 2009
ABS: Non-ABS
Mileage at time of issue: approx 3,000 pavement miles with approx 20 miles on gravel; nothing extreme.
Date of occurrence: first noticed July 16, 2009
Modifications (if any): cannister removed; ATV-heated grip elements under handgrips.
Description of Failure(s): header pipe started looking discolored; then, during 10-day SouthEast trip, noticed loss of top end power (felt like it had a throttle stop); difficulty accelerating and passing at highway speeds; low speed stuff felt okay (completed TransWV trail); exhaust sounded loud with rattle.
Resolution (if any): at conclusion of 10-day trip, brought bike to dealer; welds on catalyst inside of exhaust broke off which plugged up the exhaust system. Warranty offered for new header pipe and exhaust pipe. I chose to go with aftermarket exhaust and header featured on BMW microfiche, the Akrapovic header and exhaust system. Dealer charged me for the difference between it and stock system. No reported problems with fitment under Hepco-Becker pannier racks. Have not ridden the bike w/ new system yet (getting picked up today), but reports are that it is awesome. One note of caution: your mileage may vary per your own dealer's policies regarding warranty replacement.
Reference Thread: Same issue as Andrew Gore's on page one of this thread (and about the same mileage). Also see his thread at:http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=479425

[Bike#8]

I had my XMoto in with the local BMW shop this week for oil/filter. They installed a new battery as part of a refit for the X series.

[DRONE]

Originally Posted by Janet from Joisey

Warranty offered for new header pipe and exhaust pipe. I chose to go with aftermarket exhaust and header featured on BMW microfiche, the Akrapovic header and exhaust system. Dealer charged me for the difference between it and stock system.

You go! A new Akra at half price! What a deal!

Please provide step-by-step instructions for how we can bust the catalytic converter on our OEM cans. Thanks!

[Janet from Joisey]

Keep an eye on your header pipe for discoloration. That was the first sign I had of things to come.
My argument for the Akra header and pipe instead of a BMW stocker was that I did not want to have to replace this again in another 3k miles or after the warranty period.
It cost me $600, but I gotta say that I talked with another dealer's parts department regarding the Akra pics on their microfiche (I was wondering if the 0-2 sensor is kept. . . it is), and the parts guy at this major dealer said that they would not swap the system for the difference. That they would replace the system with BMW stocker and I would have to buy an Akra and then I could sell the stocker.. . . so ymmv.

[Cosmickjack]

Originally Posted by BarryM

Blimey. That's brave. How certain are you that these bits are the same (or even similar)? The crank for one I believe is described as 'lighter' on the G series.

Simple,
They have the same part numbers.