Great to see you back at it, Katy. I always enjoy watching your work on the f650 - plus your editing/music are great as always! I like working on forks...something about the whole process appeals to me. (I've been listening to BBC In Our Time podcasts while working on bikes lately - great series to learn about almost any topic) Hope you are all doing well!
Thank you :) I have to say I also quite enjoyed working on the forks. The more I dismantle things the more confident I get. I do think a new bike will be on the cards in a couple of years time, something a bit newer with less miles. What have you been working on recently?
@@HaynesGarage My wife and I are finally doing the steering head bearings on her F650. And since the forks are out I really want to do those, too. On the Vstrom at 25,000 miles i checked the valve clearances (which is a big job) and all were perfectly in spec. And I have a GPZ500S which was lightly crashed that I want to make into a track bike. it's mint and was only $400. I hope you'll mount your F650 in your living room someday or pass down to your daughter :) What silver paint do you use for forks/engine parts? It's hard to find a silver that's not too metallic and not too machine-gray.
Good luck with the steering head bearing. I think mine probably needs doing but I should have done the job at the same time as the fork oil seals. Problem is that I have very limited time atm. Enjoying spending time with Kaiya though. I’m glad your valve clearances were ok on the v strom and hope you’re enjoying your time in the garage with the Mrs. I actually used a silver car wheel alloy paint - £6, but came up better that the other paints I’ve bought before. You’re right, they’re often too dark or too sparkly silver!
@@HaynesGarage If you don't feel a detent in the center when you turn your handlebars left/right, your steering bearings are probably fine. It must be so sweet to have Kaiya hanging out with you in the garage - what a cutie! re: paint - for touch up on the Rotax I've actually tried car alloy silver, machine gray flat, and white paint -- all sprayed in a cup and mixed them together, and got a close match! (applied with a small brush) unrelated: our F650gs has the factory bmw alarm system. when you turn the bike off, the speedometer ticks for 30 seconds...tick tick tick TICK tick tick tick TICK...I always think a bomb is about to explode when it stops. haha
Yes, exactly. Removing the rings before dismantling forks from the bridge is key point of this silly designed bike. I'm about to have 4th fork repair work. I can do the work with eyes closed now. So my best tool for leaking fork is, kichen towel paper. I will do the work by the time it has no more fluid to leak. BTW you are truly lucky rider who has the best tool & buddy at the same time! The best husband. Truly respect!
Thank you. I’m lucky to have a husband who doesn’t mind his wife being covered in engine oil and dirt all the time 🤣 Hope your repair work goes well on your bike. Make sure you’ve stocked up on that kitchen towel 😉
First bike is a 650gs, got sold a re-built bike😢 and it's all ducked up. Learning more about fixing more than riding but you've been such a massive help❤❤
@@HaynesGarage just replaced the water pump seals and break pads, my back caliper broke in half after my pads melted to my break disk and had to get that welded and a new disk Lazer cut cost about 100, bmw quoted me 350 for a new one. Also quoted me 300 for the water pump seals and got 2 for 5 pounds from a local store. Rn it seems to be the wiring, when I lock the handle bars, the break light stays on. Abs and hazards switch are cut or disconnect so abs is always on and never have hazards but indicators work. Front light now stays dim but used to always be on and still have high beam but now always ride with high beam 0cause it's better to see than the now normal dim. Bikes rev counter is hitting the limiter but still giving me power, and the rev counter is jumping around, still able to ride normally until power cuts then only re-engages when I go off throttle then back on. Gonna do a fuel flush and maybe get a new battery. Never had this problem before but when I turn my handle bars the bike switches off randomly or switches on and then clicks and dies when I hit the starter. Have to wait a min or 2 until I can jiggle the handle bars for the bike to come on and pray it starts when I hit the starter instead of clicking.
Sorry about all this BTW, really appreciate a creator who helps their community been following you from monster and me lol. How much oils do you use? Manual says 2.9l but people say to fill less
I just got the same dust seals from Pyramid and yeah had the same thought about the different desigb but the old spring clip design didn’t appear to exert much pressure so I’m hopeful the new ones will be ok😂 Old fork seal was a real pig to get out, top tip that worked is heat gun on outside of aluminium slider until good and hot then slider in vice and slam out with the fork tube and both hands!
As Katy says the fuel tank is under the seat. It helps keep the centre of gravity low. Up top is the oil reservoir on the left, battery in the middle and air intake on the right.
Well done, glad to see that you keep the old f650 alive and running
Great to see you back at it, Katy. I always enjoy watching your work on the f650 - plus your editing/music are great as always! I like working on forks...something about the whole process appeals to me. (I've been listening to BBC In Our Time podcasts while working on bikes lately - great series to learn about almost any topic) Hope you are all doing well!
Thank you :) I have to say I also quite enjoyed working on the forks. The more I dismantle things the more confident I get. I do think a new bike will be on the cards in a couple of years time, something a bit newer with less miles.
What have you been working on recently?
@@HaynesGarage My wife and I are finally doing the steering head bearings on her F650. And since the forks are out I really want to do those, too. On the Vstrom at 25,000 miles i checked the valve clearances (which is a big job) and all were perfectly in spec. And I have a GPZ500S which was lightly crashed that I want to make into a track bike. it's mint and was only $400. I hope you'll mount your F650 in your living room someday or pass down to your daughter :) What silver paint do you use for forks/engine parts? It's hard to find a silver that's not too metallic and not too machine-gray.
Good luck with the steering head bearing. I think mine probably needs doing but I should have done the job at the same time as the fork oil seals. Problem is that I have very limited time atm. Enjoying spending time with Kaiya though. I’m glad your valve clearances were ok on the v strom and hope you’re enjoying your time in the garage with the Mrs.
I actually used a silver car wheel alloy paint - £6, but came up better that the other paints I’ve bought before. You’re right, they’re often too dark or too sparkly silver!
@@HaynesGarage If you don't feel a detent in the center when you turn your handlebars left/right, your steering bearings are probably fine. It must be so sweet to have Kaiya hanging out with you in the garage - what a cutie!
re: paint - for touch up on the Rotax I've actually tried car alloy silver, machine gray flat, and white paint -- all sprayed in a cup and mixed them together, and got a close match! (applied with a small brush)
unrelated: our F650gs has the factory bmw alarm system. when you turn the bike off, the speedometer ticks for 30 seconds...tick tick tick TICK tick tick tick TICK...I always think a bomb is about to explode when it stops. haha
Good for you. Great job.
Yes, exactly.
Removing the rings before dismantling forks from the bridge is key point of this silly designed bike. I'm about to have 4th fork repair work.
I can do the work with eyes closed now. So my best tool for leaking fork is, kichen towel paper. I will do the work by the time it has no more fluid to leak.
BTW you are truly lucky rider who has the best tool & buddy at the same time! The best husband. Truly respect!
Thank you. I’m lucky to have a husband who doesn’t mind his wife being covered in engine oil and dirt all the time 🤣
Hope your repair work goes well on your bike. Make sure you’ve stocked up on that kitchen towel 😉
First bike is a 650gs, got sold a re-built bike😢 and it's all ducked up. Learning more about fixing more than riding but you've been such a massive help❤❤
Oh no, what’s been wrong with it so far? I hope you manage to get it fixed :)
@@HaynesGarage just replaced the water pump seals and break pads, my back caliper broke in half after my pads melted to my break disk and had to get that welded and a new disk Lazer cut cost about 100, bmw quoted me 350 for a new one. Also quoted me 300 for the water pump seals and got 2 for 5 pounds from a local store. Rn it seems to be the wiring, when I lock the handle bars, the break light stays on. Abs and hazards switch are cut or disconnect so abs is always on and never have hazards but indicators work. Front light now stays dim but used to always be on and still have high beam but now always ride with high beam 0cause it's better to see than the now normal dim. Bikes rev counter is hitting the limiter but still giving me power, and the rev counter is jumping around, still able to ride normally until power cuts then only re-engages when I go off throttle then back on. Gonna do a fuel flush and maybe get a new battery. Never had this problem before but when I turn my handle bars the bike switches off randomly or switches on and then clicks and dies when I hit the starter. Have to wait a min or 2 until I can jiggle the handle bars for the bike to come on and pray it starts when I hit the starter instead of clicking.
Back breaks still gab after repairs tho, and took it to a shop. I just try not to use them much
Sorry about all this BTW, really appreciate a creator who helps their community been following you from monster and me lol. How much oils do you use? Manual says 2.9l but people say to fill less
I just got the same dust seals from Pyramid and yeah had the same thought about the different desigb but the old spring clip design didn’t appear to exert much pressure so I’m hopeful the new ones will be ok😂 Old fork seal was a real pig to get out, top tip that worked is heat gun on outside of aluminium slider until good and hot then slider in vice and slam out with the fork tube and both hands!
Good job! :)
Thanks :)
Hey katy, any idea why the BMW f650 GS 2003 has the fuel cap on the side rather than the top? Looks a bit odd to me
Hi, these bikes have a plastic fuel tank located to the rear under the seat of the bike rather than the standard metal tank at the front of the bike.
hi katy, any idea why the fuel fill caps for these bikes are at the rear? doesn't make sense to me
yeah, I would like to know why as well
These bikes have a plastic fuel tank under the seat rather than one located at the front of the bike.
As Katy says the fuel tank is under the seat. It helps keep the centre of gravity low. Up top is the oil reservoir on the left, battery in the middle and air intake on the right.