Final week, I picked up a 2013 BMW F800GS sight unseen off Fb Market. It was the most cost effective one inside 5 states of me, and I jumped on the alternative to improve from my little single-cylinder Beemer to a full-scale journey bike. However because it seems, the bike was low-cost for a purpose — it wants some actual work earlier than it’s really roadworthy.
I haven’t gotten the GS into a store but for a full, skilled analysis of all its points (a neighborhood store, once I requested, merely stated “I can’t assist you to together with your issues” and hung up) however my very own driving expertise and diagnostics have proven there’s quite a bit going improper. So, in tough precedence order, right here’s the place my subsequent few paychecks and weekends will likely be going.
Tires And Tubes
The picture above could also be blurry, however your eyes don’t deceive you — that’s a date code for February of 2013 on my rear tire. The entrance is healthier, having been made in 2017, however nonetheless not precisely recent. Each are an ADV design, meant for a mixture of streets and grime, however the entrance is oddly extra aggressive than the rear.
Even discounting the age, neither tire is in nice form. The rear is squared off, and the entrance is worn down. They’ll be getting changed with newer, barely extra street-oriented (although nonetheless dirt-capable) rubber. I don’t know the situation of the tubes inside, however they appear like an “so long as I’m in there” form of improve.
Steering Head Bearing
Historic tires aren’t the solely purpose this GS is sketchy, nevertheless. These F800s are identified for chewing by head bearings, and the gif above exhibits that mine is totally and completely shot. It’s deeply notched within the middle, and you’ll actually really feel it whilst you experience. Because of this, the bike doesn’t wish to provoke turns — and, whether or not due to this or the tires, doesn’t really feel assured mid-corner both.
It is a job that I don’t belief myself to do. Urgent bearings into the body seems like one thing exact, one thing that ought to be dealt with by knowledgeable with actual, purpose-built instruments. Hopefully, I gained’t be needing this usually sufficient for these instruments to be value shopping for.
Within the feedback once I first purchased the bike, plenty of you talked about suspension fixes – weak shock mounts, recent fork oil, issues of that nature. With how badly the bike rides proper now, I’ve no means of even figuring out what situation the flowery digital suspension is in — I’m spending all my time simply making an attempt to maintain the factor pointed the proper means. After these fixes, I’m hoping to higher be capable to diagnose the suspension.
Wheel Bearings
I haven’t pulled the wheels off to test the situation of the bearings, however, given the state of the remainder of the bike, I’m certain these are tough too. I’ll must have the wheels off for the tires, tubes, and bearings anyway, so I’ll as properly throw some bearings in whereas I’m there. This mentality is what we within the enterprise name “scope creep,” and it’s how I ended up spending $3,000 on transmission work on my previous FR-S.
This marks the top of what I’m calling “Precedence 1″ repairs — points that make the bike all however unrideable till they’re fastened. As soon as these are accomplished, the wrenching isn’t completed, however not less than I can take the GS out to go purchase extra elements.
Oil Change
The bottom of the GS’s oil filter is definitely visibly corroded, so it’s doubtless been on the bike for a very long time. The oil stage itself is nice, nevertheless it’s undoubtedly value altering out. Time to search out out precisely what number of bolts maintain that aftermarket skid plate on, I assume.
It is a quite simple job, nevertheless it’s under some extra complicated issues for a easy purpose: I don’t belief this bike’s dealing with sufficient to experience out to my native RevZilla for oil and a filter. As soon as the dealing with is sorted, and the bike feels protected to experience once more, I can begin grabbing elements for the opposite, simpler fixes.
Brake Fluid
Talking of simpler fixes, this simply wants a flush. The rear brake fluid is roughly the colour of maple syrup, and it must go. I’ve someway by no means really flushed a brake system earlier than, so this will likely be my first try. Place your bets now on how a lot paint I mess up by spilling fluid.
Oddly, the fluid for the entrance brake is in significantly better form. I’ve received a idea as to why that’s, however we’ll contact on that in one other repair in a while down the road.
Chain and Sprockets
Once I received the GS residence to my storage, the chain stress was simply barely out of spec — shut sufficient that I might repair it with the bike’s present adjustment vary. However the precise situation of the chain itself, and the damage on the sprockets, makes me assume the set isn’t lengthy for this world. A brand new chain, with new sprockets to match, is so as.
This will imply shopping for a series breaker/rivet instrument, or it could imply begging or borrowing one from a neighborhood store or fellow motorcyclist. Or, possibly I’ll wimp out and use a kind of grasp hyperlinks that simply has a clip on it as a substitute. I’m penning this for accountability — if I observe that route, you might be allowed if not inspired to dunk on me for it within the feedback.
Valve Verify/Adjustment
Given the general state of this bike, I doubt it had its BMW-mandated 12,000-mile service. So, I’m together with the elements from that service right here to make sure the bike results in full working order. Meaning it wants the valve clearance checked, which makes the third job on the record that I’ll be farming out to the professionals. The very last thing I want is to mess that up by trying to DIY it, and find yourself lunching a valve.
The valve test is that this low on the record for a few causes. First, whereas it’s overdue, most individuals on the boards appear to have had no points with valve clearance at this mileage — the checks all come again OK, inside spec. Meaning the hazard appears low, whereas the prices are excessive. If I can recoup some funds after my handling-fixing extravaganza earlier than getting the engine discovered, I’d wish to.
Brake Pads And Rotors
The pads and rotors on my F800 appear to have quantity of stopping energy left, however they’re clearly previous — rusted beneath the calipers, prepared for alternative. Even when they don’t essentially want an replace, as they appear to work properly, brakes are a serious security merchandise. I’d somewhat have new pads and rotors and never want them, than want them and never have them.
Air Filter
One other bit from the 12,000-mile service is the bike’s air filter. With the rear-mounted tank, the filter on this GS is definitely up between my legs whereas driving — good and straightforward to entry with a few Torx bolts. For a couple of minutes of work and $35 in elements, there’s not a lot purpose to not do it. However, on the similar time, the F800 appears to run properly, so I’m not likely in an enormous rush.
Battery
Once I rode the bike residence from my buy, there was one odd, unnerving second. I stalled the bike, not but used to its clutch, and the starter appeared reluctant to get the engine turning once more — taking three tries earlier than it turned over. The battery might not want changing, however I not less than need to deliver my multimeter right down to the storage and test it out.
Whereas I’m in there, it may’t damage to test the charging system as properly. F800GSes are identified for burning by stators, and whereas mine is a 2013 mannequin — the 12 months BMW up to date the design to maintain stator temperatures decrease — it’s not proof against the identical faults. The sluggish begin subject hasn’t recurred, so hopefully the electricals are advantageous.
Entrance Brake Fluid Reservoir
Bear in mind once I stated the entrance brake fluid was in higher form than the rear, and that I had a idea as to why? Nicely, right here’s my pondering: The entrance fluid reservoir has a really small leak, so it doubtless wanted to be topped up now and again. Doing that sufficient occasions would preserve the fluid brisker than the untouched rear system.
This restore is that this far down the record as a result of it’s a tough one, parts-wise. BMW doesn’t appear to promote the reservoir individually, solely as a package with the cylinder included. I don’t assume I want that, so I’m going to attempt to discover an aftermarket unit that slots in. If that doesn’t work out, I’ll see about discovering the complete meeting used — or retrofitting the cylinder from the R1200GS, which appears to be a not-uncommon improve on the boards.
Windshield
This one is much less a repair and extra of a modification, however the inventory windshield simply isn’t tall sufficient to maintain somebody my top snug on the freeway. The wind buffeting, significantly with the GoPro mounted on my chin to doc my first experience with the brand new bike, was extreme. This tiny inventory windscreen must go.
There are a couple of methods I might go along with this. A buddy and fellow F800GS proprietor makes use of a Madstad adjustable setup, which he swears by, however these are costly and (for my part, not less than) not great-looking. An alternative choice is to retrofit the mounting {hardware} for the taller manufacturing unit windscreen that BMW supplied on the GS Journey — one thing that different discussion board customers have accomplished. Essentially the most tempting, nevertheless, could also be a $34 windshield I discovered on AliExpress, if solely as a result of I need to know precisely how good or how dangerous a $34 AliExpress windshield is. It’s simply plastic, proper? How dangerous might it’s?
Presently, that’s the record. I’m certain as I begin working my means by the bike, I’ll discover extra points, however that ought to be sufficient to get me out on the street once more. If I’m actually fortunate, I can get every little thing accomplished earlier than too a lot of the driving season elapses. If not, properly, not less than I’ll have some enjoyable wrenching on the brand new bike.