Snooker's BMW G650 XCountry Page

A List of Mods, Accessories, Photos and Links - also see AdvRider.com

My bike is an '07 and looks like this:

BMW XCountry LINKS! <<-- A gigantic list of links to parts, accessories, vendors, reviews, mods by other AdvRider.com inmates!

Bike Mods: (most are my own unless credit to another is shown)

• Leo Vince exhaust muffler
• Wilbers 642 shock to replace OEM shock
• Sportech windshield
• Fender support mod - fix for FARFS! ...or... (Floppy-Ass Rear Fender Syndrome)
• Rear Auxiliary Brake LED light, and LED license plate bolts
• Skid plate, engine guard, oil plug, case saver, fender extender, radiator crash bar, highway footpegs
• Barkbusters handguards, gel grips, mirrors, paint tank panels black
• Use KTM axle cap nuts, a common 27mm wrench size - also stainless wheel spacers
• Modified kickstand and disabled side safety switch
• Rekluse "auto" clutch
• Bags! Tank, tail, saddle and number plate day bags
• Install a bendy steel gear shift lever. Important!
• ToolTube for fuel bottle
• Front Forks mod
• Hi-tech LiFePO4 battery mod
• Aux LED Lights mod
• Airbox improvements: Foam filter & prefilter; and cut corner off to allow for electrical cable clearance
• LED headlight replacement
• Waterproof coating the dashboard electronics [AdvRider Dutchgit]
• Custom toolbox and support for Mosko Moto Reckless 80 pannier bags

Problems/Repairs/Maintenance:

MINE:
• My broken swingarm which occurred on the LA Barstow to Vegas dual sport ride, an AMA District 37 annual ride.
• Replace clutch side cover with improved '09 cover. New cover has steel insert in throwout hole to improve clutch disengagement.
• Valve clearance check, and adjustment if necessary. Regular maintenance procedure.
  MORE:
  
• Weeping water pump requiring 2 seals AND shaft replacement. Links:
  • The old faq.f650.com site explains the big picture, the weep hole is between the inner oil seal and the outer water seal on the water pump shaft. Even though the X bike is newer the water pump kit needed is the same part number: 11 51 2 343 451 as item 6 in the water pump fiche page. The 2 seals and the shaft itself are what needs replacing but on the X bike you must remove the swingarm to do so in order to get the rear bolts out of the (11 14 7 699 387) clutch housing cover!
    • Look for Swingarm Removal on this page for instructions on how to remove it. And grease it while you are there!
    • Some people lay the bike on its right side (you can keep the engine oil in it), but I'm not sure about that vs. on a lift with wood underneath it or suspended from a ceiling.
  • Advrider tbarstow has basic repair instructions in post 9740. And more detail on removing the left footpeg and 3 inner bolts to remove the lower frame casting in post 11492 and following ones.
  • Advrider Dutchgit has repair advice in post 9044, but also in post 10317 says don't worry too much about a weep but keep coolant tank topped off, and next post shows diagram.
  • Advrider Bli55 has pics of leak in post 9654, but unfortunately this was after he already replaced the seals and shaft in post 10380, in fact he used double lipped seals from SKF instead!! Hmmm.
  • Advrider Sh4ft asks about doubler lipped seals starting in post 8492. You cannot replace the shaft without removing the entire clutch housing cover (and hence the swingarm, etc). Also some summary advice in post 8702. He refers to:
  • A thread in the UKGSer forum that includes this picture of everything on the left frame area you have to remove to get the last couple of left side cover bolts out.
  • I debate a case that is NOT a weepy water pump and does not require this fix, with a diagram explaining when it is NOT a weep problem.
  • For adding coolant, this is how to bleed air out of radiator and hoses at bleed screw . Advice on what coolant to use, or just get BMW coolant (less than a quart needed before mixing with water). Just lean bike to right a lot and massage hoses until radiator is full before capping it.
• Faulty soldered connections at ignition key switch
• Fuel pump replacement and 4th pin in connector pulls out problem: Links: Advrider jjmead1 replaced pump but 4th connector pin pulled out and leaked gas. Zac Cutler had similar pin pull out. Read followup through posts 11085, 11094 and the next few (including link toNHTSA campaign 07V376000 Wiring Set for Fuel Pump Unit), 11118 cheap fuel pump highflowfuel.com, also see 11127, 11144, and 11165 Zac Cutler answers to my questions. Also this Fuel pump from eBay
• Radiator overheating problem: Links: Advrider jjmead1 issue here. Some posts with diagnostic attempts starting here, then finally solved here.
• Reset throttle positioning sensor:
  • AdvRider Drone gives the proper sequence for resetting the Throttle Positioning Sensor
  • Advrider matloik gives procedure for resetting the TPS Which one is right?
  • AdvRider leafman60 says the factory manual says no reset is needed.
• Cold stalling and cleaning idle actuator:
  • AdvRider Muckpee great description of cleaning the throttle body and idle actuator, for stalling problem like I had.
  • AdvRider page, read (with RepRom pics!) about how to clean idle actuator that gets gunked up and can cause stalling when cold.
  • AdvRider XFrog talks about several possible reasons for stalling problem. This is a whole thread on this issue. Also HERE.
  • AdvRider cpuover has several good posts but his solution was the coolant sensor. Even shows his GS-911 readout matches it with fault 4433. And HERE is where he changed his coolant sensor.
  • Advrider Buffalo Bill also says the coolant temperature sensor 13621703993 in the radiator made his bike stall
  • Advrider toofast4uu says tight valves caused his cold stalling issue, check them! Read here and a couple more pages.
  • AdvRider NittanyRider talks about BMW's fix for cold stalling.
  • Advrider page on cleaning idle actuator, and moving breather hose and adding filter (debatable). Also Delta61 moved hose
  • Example of really dirty idle actuator and throttle body Read starting here and it also shows how to get to throttle body to clean it.
  • Advrider keepshoveling explains idle actuator theory and to clean bottom of throttle body too
• Swingarm removal and servicing:
  • leafman60 on post 8708 and 8710
  • Dutchgit on post 9747. Also read next few posts for suggestion, such as:
    • Replace those 3 m5 button heads with some cap heads. Uses a 4 mm hex key plus a lot more purchase on the tool than the puny button heads.
    • Behind the "big bolt" (Hex bolt) sits a bit of M8 thread, so screw in a threaded-rod (draadeind), slide a heavy socket on the rod, lock it up with a washer and an M8 nut and hammer it out.
    • Viv has a trick to remove the big bolt on post 9759, using a outer 3-legged yoke on a piece of threaded rod.
    • Elsewhere, advice if you can't the 3 little button head caps off, read after post 10140
    • Example from Sh4ft of using a slide hammer kit (borrowed from Autozone) with the inserted 8mm bolt, on post 8556. Also a discussion on how to fix his bent shifter shaft, with the resolution here.
    • Glowplug gives advice to be careful with the threaded insert on the left swingarm side, on post 2780. With pics.
  • Notes about the bearings used:
    • From Viv on post 9781, left hand bush bearing is standard part IR 25x30x30
    • Bli55 on post 5473, post 5496, and post 38, and he made a custom bearing pressing tool on post 8716 here
• Magura clutch replacement alternative option: AdvRider OzAnt post 19909 gives an option for a Magura hydraulic HYMEC clutch. Also see more info at crossroads.com.au F650GS site.

  More Bike Pics and Ride Reports:

  • Random Pics of Bike, some of Moab, Telluride, etc
  • LA Barstow to Vegas - AMA Dual Sport Ride - Nov. 2010
  • Baja trip report, pics, map, GPX tracks - Feb. 2012
  • Utah Canyonlands ADV 500 mile offroad ride report, pics, video, map, GPX tracks - May 2013
  • Colorado Backcountry Discovery Route - Aug 2013. I joined this awesome family on their vacation/ride for only the last 2 days. Here is a map of my GPS spot tracks on the Steamboat Springs section.
  • Mexico trip through Baja and Copper Canyon, March 2017. A month long 2800 mile solo trip through 5 states of Mexico:
    • My actual trip route on Spotwalla map here: tinyurl.com/SnookerMexicoMap2017. You can click on photo icons to see a picture taken at or near that location on map.
    • Picture album at Flickr, in chronological order: tinyurl.com/SnookerMexicoPics2017.
    • Trip planning info (RR and maps): See my ADV post for: my favorite RR, OSM map (look for Mexico for download URL), Copper tracks on an overlay map, and general info. These are not mine but helped me.
  Posted here by request from other XCountry riders:
  • ADV rider 'purdsam' has this awesome South America trip report. He went 10,000 miles on his '08 XCountry!

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