It doesn't really matter where they built. It's HOW they're built and to what budget.

A factory in Germany or Korea would use the same tooling and probably have the same project manager and go through the same testing. It's not like BMW just wash their hands of it and pass it over to some random factory in the jungle.

The G650 in general is built to a tight budget. It's a cheap bike. That's the bottom line to it.. The paint is thin and the fasteners are poor quality. Like any budget bike.

The overland favorite, XT600E is also a cheap bike. It too has cheap bolts that rust in front of your eyes and exhausts that look like they were recovered from the Titanic.

Yes - I must admit you can see where the corners have been cut on my Sertao - and the paint / chassis is definitely one of them ! To date I have been quite impressed with the critter though, but compared with the build on the GSA or 800 there is a noticeable difference in many areas. I do like the 650 simplicity though

Yup... It does seem to be a solid little engine though. Suspension and finish is cheap but if you keep it for any length of time you will end up upgrading bits and pieces, here and there anyway.

Does yours have the hot start problem ?? If it does, your dealer will fix it for free on warranty.

Done 33000 on my old (03) F650 GS this past year including 6000 miles in three weeks through Eastern europe and ukraine , I then rode it all winter , the salt has got to the engine lacquer but thats part down to me for not washing it off every day , no major issues with it, fork seals went and an oil pressure switch in Romania still got me home though great bike and that is from someone who said never a BMW . Biggest plus for me 79mpg means I can go a little further on my budget. Also i bought it for £1800 with 1800 miles on it , to me thats good value .

Mine ate it's waterpump near Fez. Rotax remains unforgiven :thumbdown: and their Bavarian overlords remain on my list of people I only buy from when the product is one of a kind and at least three trouble free years into it's production.

Andy

im led to believe that after a certain build date the hot start is fixed already and in my case the larger beak of the sertao also.

Mefo tyres for Sertao
 

Try MEFO tyres - German - from Zen Overland - Gabe stocks them and I really like these tyres!
Tyres & Tubes

Explorer - MFE99. REAR. 13/80-17
Explorer - MFE99. FRONT. 90/90-21

Cheers
Col

Yes - all was done when I collected mine (Dec 2012) along with all other mods. I believe its all done at the factory now - only thing changed was the beak.

I'm just back fro trail riding in parts of Spain and I can say the bike was superb (TKC's fitted). Loaded up on roads it never dropped below 65mpg, and peaked at 80.4 one day !

As a few have said, I think I'd change the rear shock in time ...

Iain

In Anchorage now after 22000 miles from Argentina, waiting for parts again. 2 x 2011 G650's, same issues, water pumps x 2 Fans X 2 overheating issues, steering head bearings, wiring issues (caused by Motoadventura in Chile)
Almost 6 weeks off the road in 8 months so far, not impressed just now. Still got 8000 miles to do this trip

www.ginoontour.blogspot.com read the blog and you'll get a flavour for it. Pretty fed up as they could have been brilliant, cost cutting is the main issue IMHO

I think the fan died because it was on to much because of the rad guard. They do have a lifespan. The cooling system is designed without much margin so better not block it off. Better to ditch those guards and use chicken fencing. This should solve your cooling/ overheating issues.

If the steering bearings were never lubed while you owned it you've done pretty good out of them.

The water pump is common. They last less long than other bikes, but with the weep hole you get warned. Other bikes don't.

Forewarned is forearmed
 

I'm not familiar with this weep hole design; please elaborate on how this works.
Thanks.

As tmotten indicates, at least some of these factors have been identified for a long while with the F650GS and that technology very much carried over into the G650; therefore, prepping the bike for riding long distances is not exactly rocket science.

As for cost cutting; every manufacturer does that, some more than others, but they all do it - so do we of course, in every aspect of life.

The weep hole is on the water pump cover. It prevents cross contamination as well as warns you.
Well documented, and I think in the manual as well.

Thanks - I don't recall that detail on the 2005 F650GS so maybe Rotax/BMW modded the water pump cover design.
I guess the weep hole relieves any excess water pressure from contaminating the oil and, as you say, tells the rider that the seal is leaking.

the 2005 F 650GS does have the telltale hole, As far as im aware all bmws that have water cooling have this. In the left engine casing where the waterpump shaft goes through there is 2 identical seals, one for oil and one for the collant and there is about 1mm inbetween with this telltale hole so that if one of them fails the liquid will flow out of the hole so you know it has failed

And on the rotax 650s its always the coolant seal. There is a kit to repair it..

I've not seen a g650 in our place with a failed seal ... The early f650s were terrible for it.

Tony will be able to advise you better.. I've only been with BMW specifically for 6 months and we don't get many 650s through the workshop.

www.touringted.com