Originally Posted by Bjorn

Ted - I think I've got to apologize. I didn't mean to come across as cycnical. The reason why I put the word "fact" into quotation marks is that I find it a fairly strong word to use – particularly as I know so many people with the exact opposite experience on that model.

With the following, I'm not trying to say "you're wrong and I'm right", so I hope you'll read it the right way:
The water-pump is a known problem – hence most people carry a waterpump replacement kit. Stock steering head bearings are another known problem, so I changed them prior to departure and they lasted all the way from the UK to Oz. I had a broken rectifier on the way to work in London – but that was on my Kawasaki ER5 after just 15000km on the clock. (Still, I'd recommend the ER5 as a reliable commuter bike).

What I'm trying to say is: yes, things go wrong – on all bikes. That's why there's bike-mechanics. And on known issues / small-sized items like the water-pump, I can live with it as I'll be carrying a spare with me.
As long as it's not gear-box, engine, head-gasket, etc... I wouldn't worry too much about it.
If someone asked me if they should buy a KTM LC8, I'd probably tell them I've seen a few with engine problems – but as KTM has tightened up, the later models are much better and I'd probably mention the "early-model-problems" and still recommend them for someone who wants such a big bike...

Met a very nice guy here in S-America, travelling on a Harley from the late 1940s. It was his road bike back home in Holland, and he decided to go on a road-trip in S-America. "And when you go on a road-trip, you take the bike you have, no?" – I could really sympathize with that comment.

Would I take the F650 again? Maybe. Maybe not. For weight-reasons and more freedom, I'd probably go for a DR350 with soft-luggage. But that's not because I'm unhappy with the F650. And I'm sure I'll have something go wrong with the DR350 at some point, but that's all part of it...