I have been hearing rumbles about the F-series stators going out around 20,000-30,000 miles. I just picked up a 650 this summer and plan on putting a lot of miles on, and don't want to have to worry about this on a trip. Anyone else hearing about this?
Here is a tread fwiw mine is ok at 32k
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showt...706033&page=40
My F650GS twin stator went out at 39K miles. BMW won't sell just a stator it comes as a kit with a stator and flywheel for the ridiculous price of $900. This kit now comes with an updated flywheel that has holes in it thats supposed to help keep the stator cool. Who knows if it works.
I wasn't interested in dropping nearly a grand for a simple stator so I bought an aftermarket one from Ricks for $165. You pull the sidecover off and the stator is bolted to the inside of the sidecover. I had to cut off the plug on the end of the stock stator and solder it onto the new stator. Then bolt the stator back onto the sidecover, install the sidecover and I was good to go. Why the kit doesn't just come with a new plug I don't know. Since I bought mine there is another company making stators for the 800's now so maybe its a direct replacement without having to solder anything.
For the price of the Ricks I can replace the stator 5 times with change left over compared to the price of the BMW one.
The F800 Riders Forum has a thread that will tell you more than you want to know about the stators on these bikes.
Tom
Salem Or.
'93 K1100LT w/Bushtec
'03 F650CS '09 F650GS
Voni's F800S stator too failed at about 60K miles. I replaced it with one from Rick's. I'm not positive but I believe the windings on the one from Rick's are more robust. I really don't expect another failure.
Paul Glaves - "Big Bend", Texas U.S.A
"The greatest challenge to any thinker is stating the problem in a way that will allow a solution." - Bertrand Russell
http://www.bigbend.net/users/glaves
I was wondering if the Rick's you are all talking about is Rick's in New Hampshire? OM
"Well they say.. time loves a hero but only time will tell.. If he's real, he's a legend from heaven If he ain't he was sent here from hell" Lowell George
2009 F800GS 1994 TW200
Part of the Forum Threadside Assistance Program
I've been active on this problem over on ADVRider... so here's a 50,000 foot fly-over:
The original design flywheel is just a solid "cup" so there is no air cooling to speak of,
there is no (injected) oil cooling, and the way the stock Regulator works on this bike (shunt style),
it is always demanding maximum output from the stator ... so.......
The old design stator gets quite hot (~200C or higher) and in at least some cases the insulation on the windings is compromised.
The new "ventilated" flywheel from BMW is supposed to help ... albeit at a huge cost.
I'm not sure if the stator included with the $900 BMW kit is an upgraded design over the original or not....
Starting at some point in 2011/2012 the regulator was changed slightly to provide a better/higher voltage to the battery;
it is still the shunt style that runs the stator "flat out all the time" but the higher voltage helps the stator a bit, and the battery likes it better as well.
The Rick we are talking about is this guy: http://ricksmotorsportelectrics.com/
This company has also started making a unit: http://www.electrosport.com
I fed Electrosport the details on the failure mode the bikes have been experiencing and they encorporated some things into the design that the feel will help the situation. They assert they modified the windings to provide a cooler running design
and are using wire with an insulation rating of 220C.
I think Rick charges $165 and the Electosport unit is $199
It is possible to rewind the stock unit as well ... not sure what the result of that would be...
"Custom Rewind" has been mentioned as a good shop for this type work: (800) 798-7282
Just for the record: I have no affiliation with any of these outfits
It does seem funny that the F650GS & F800GS bikes seem to have more trouble with stators than the old F800S / ST bikes?
Maybe it's just my perception.....
Paul: is the flywheel on your wife's bike just a "cup" design, or does it have some ventilation or oil cooling features?
Some bikes have a oil passage in the end of the crank that meters a bit of oil into the stator area for cooling....
I don't think any of the BMWs do that............
Last edited by jimbob59; 12-30-2012 at 02:42 PM.
Paul Glaves (see post #4) wrote an excellent article about F-series charging systems in the December 2011 Owners News. I recommend all F-series owners read it. If you don't have the issue handy you can get it online in another part of this web site.
Karl
2007 R1200ST
Good info everyone. I was thinking it was Rick's Motosports, I have bought from them and have been happy. They also sponsor some of the ATV shows on Monday on the Outdoor Channel.
"Well they say.. time loves a hero but only time will tell.. If he's real, he's a legend from heaven If he ain't he was sent here from hell" Lowell George
2009 F800GS 1994 TW200
Part of the Forum Threadside Assistance Program
Hers is a 2007 model - the rotor/flywheel is solid.Originally Posted by jimbob59
Paul Glaves - "Big Bend", Texas U.S.A
"The greatest challenge to any thinker is stating the problem in a way that will allow a solution." - Bertrand Russell
http://www.bigbend.net/users/glaves
My 07 ST crapped a stator and Regulator at 34,900 miles. Replaced the stator with a Rick's unit and the Regulator with a salvage unit off of ebay. So far so good but I've only put about 7k miles on it since the replacement and mostly in cool weather but it hasn't failed yet. Knock on wood.
http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=788285
Thanks Paul!
Very similar if not identical in design then ...
Not sure if the failure rates are higher on the GS models or if we are just bigger whinners ...
Maybe a little of each,Thanks Paul!
Very similar if not identical in design then ...
Not sure if the failure rates are higher on the GS models or if we are just bigger whinners ...but there are many GS bikes out there running around for every one F800S out there, so we would expect to see a lot more failures of any component on GS bikes compared to S or ST bikes.
Paul Glaves - "Big Bend", Texas U.S.A
"The greatest challenge to any thinker is stating the problem in a way that will allow a solution." - Bertrand Russell
http://www.bigbend.net/users/glaves
Maybe a little of each,
Likely you are right .... I'm a bit disappointed it took this long for BMW to come up with an improved design ...
Sure wish it was less expensive to "upgrade"
Yes I am a whinner as mine failed at 52,000 miles on the road. It was giving me clues for some time, but I did not understand. A no start a few times, thinking bad battery. Changed battery and hit the road and it got worse and woud not keep the engine running at idle. Replaced in Oklahoma City at about $1200 plus. Two hours to remove from doner bike and two hours to install plus price of a new one, and I didn't get the new flywheel. I now have 73,000 miles and all is fine so far. I check the temp of the side cover with a inferred temp checker and it is always about 30 to 40 degrees hotter the the engine block. Engine about 190 and cover about 230Thanks Paul!
Very similar if not identical in design then ...
Not sure if the failure rates are higher on the GS models or if we are just bigger whinners ...
Do the aftermarket ones still put out the 400 watts?
I believe one solution that was being touted was reducing the output to reduce heat but I don't know if anyone went with that idea. IIRC as stated above Electrosport is trying to compensate for the heat by using better wire/insulation and they say it should be good for higher temps than the stocker would get.
Roy are you saying they charged you 1200 dollars just for a stator ?!?!
2007 F800ST
1997 DR350SE
1978 GS1000E
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