Hi-Mileage F650's

[MichiganMike]

Haven't heard much about High Mileage on these bikes. Has anybody put 100K on yet? Many of the people I know that ride the F650 have other BMWs and the mileage gets spread out.
Just curious.

[jpeck]

I think I saw an example of a 100K F650 on the "F650 Registry" a while back, with no issues with the motor, only clutch, brakes, chain, chasis bearings, etc., which are maintenance items. I personally have 42K on a 97 and it runs the same as it did at 20K, when it was fully broken in. There is no oil consumption between 3,000 mile changes, and I have only replaced one valve shim, at about 20K miles. I have replaced wheel and steering head bearings, and checked and lubed susupension bearings. I don't know if it will go 100K, but I think it will go for a long time, so long as it is kept up...

[76650]

"I have a friend" that has over 90K at least. He maintains his faithfully (and he is a certified BMW technician). Last I spoke to him, he had every intention of going significantly greater that 100K on his 97. Check out F650.com, lots of great info!

:p

[Muriel]

I'm just shy of 60,000 on my '97 F650. Benka Pulko and the Ratay's have been around the world on theirs - don't know the exact mileage, but they're up there. Real energizer bunnies (the bikes).

[dlearl476]

There is absolutely no reason that an F650 wouldn't last forever if properly maintained. It is well engineered and built of the finest materiels by excellent manufactures (Aprilia, in the case of the <2000 models) OK, maybe the SHBs are a little shoddy, but other than that, they're quality products.
It all depends on what your idea of "Maintenence" is. If you put gas and oil in it and run it 'til it won't anymore, I would guess you could put 50,000-60,000 on one until the cost of repairing it would outweigh the cost of buying a replacement. If you follow a more rigorous schedule and replace each and every part when it is out of spec, it won't ever wear out. Granted, by 250,000 miles the only original part might be the owners manual, but what the heck.
Us 'mericans have been brainwashed into thinking that durable goods are disposable by their producers. They aren't. One trip to the third world to see '51 Buicks used as Taxicabs or '37 Ford flatbeds used as "buses" will tell you that. Anything mechanical will last as long as you take care of it. Witness my GREAT grandfathers pliers (circa~1900) which are still in my tool box and the best ones I have and the first ones I reach for.