2001 bmw f650gs front fork failure - while riding on smooth asphalt my motorcycle suffered a catastrophic fork failure during deceleration - braking causing the axle to separate from the fork and causing a one vehicle collision riding it into the esplanade - where the axle retainer bolt secures the axle. Repairs completed - replace both upper fork tubes / right side lower and rebuild cost $800 cdn old lower - failure is available.
The worst 2001 BMW F650 GS problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Fuel system5
- Suspension3
- Visibility3
- Body2
- Acceleration1
- Electrical1
- Engine1
Specific symptoms reported on the 2001 BMW F650 GS
Recalls 1
Fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: motorcycles. The fuel tank is equipped with a carbon canister which helps control evaporative emissions from the fuel system. This canister is mounted to a metal insert that is integrated into the tank. During the production process, the thickness of the fuel tank material in the area of the insert may be less than intended. As a result, vehicle operating conditions such as vibration, high temperature, etc., could result in the fuel tank developing a crack in the area of the insert.
- Risk
- The fuel tank could leak during refueling, possibly resulting in a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the fuel tank.
Recall number 00V267000 · Recall details
See all 1 recalls for the 2001 BMW F650 GS
Defect investigations
Motorcycle front wheel separation
This pe was opened after the federal safety agency received 3 voqs concerning alleged front axle separations on certain bmw f650 gs model motorcycles sold for use in the united states (the subject vehicles).complaints involving motorcycles in non-us markets are not counted in this total.after gathering additional information about this subject, we are now aware of four confirmed incidents involving model year 2001-2003 subject vehicles.all four bikes were built before september, 2002.of these, two involve my 2001 bikes and the other two, my's 2002 and 2003, respectively.the incidents occurred in 2002, 2003, and two in 2008.in each instance, the lug fractures are forced fractures rather than fatigue-related.between october 1999 and september, 2002, bmw built approximately 4,300 subject vehicles.after september 12, 2002, all f650gs's were built with reinforced lower fork tubes to reduce, according to bmw,the possibility of any significant fracture that could occur at the fork leg axle lug areaduring a crash.bmw took this action because the subject vehicles are designed for off-road use where crashes (many minor) are common and did not want riders to have to deal with a broken fork as a result.currently, there is no data conclusively establishing that the subject fork lugs are separating before an alleged crash occurs.additionally, the infrequent, sporadic, and random nature of the failures fails to establish a defect trend currently exists.a safety-related defect has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.accordingly, this investigation is closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by the federal safety agency that a safety-related defect does not exist.the agency will take further action if warranted by the circumstances.
PE09026
Technical service bulletins for the 2001 BMW F650 GS 13
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- The motorcycle will not start
- Stress corrosion cracks may occur on the studs of certain milled footrests from the BMW Motorrad special...
- Vehicle battery not charged despite the battery charger being connected to the on-board socket...
- The clutch plates do not tolerate frequent and prolonged operation at the clutch friction zone, causing a...
- The wiring harness of the F 650 GS and F 650 GS Dakar (R13) models is routed along the right-hand top rail...
- Leaks have been reported in fork legs
- Bmw: procedure for determining and replacing incandescent and halogen light bulbs under warranty
- Bmw vehicles: fuel level sensor repairs
- Bmw motorcycle: the coolant inlet hose is not compliant with the applicable bmw specifications. engine...
- Bmw vehicles: routing ABS front wheel speed sensor cable
What 2001 BMW F650 GS owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
I was involved in a low speed <=45 MPH motorcycle crash with a medium sized dog (approx 50 lbs) back in the fall of 2005. I was riding a 2001 bmw f650 when the dog ran out in front of me and I couldn't avoid hitting it. I approximate the speed of impact around 45 MPH. I subsequently lost control of the bike and slide along the pavement for approx 300 ft. The damage to the bike consisted of a broken front fork and bent front wheel rim. I had the bike repaired and insurance covered most of the damages to the bike. I did suffer a knee injury in the crash.
-motorcycle -bmw 2001 f650gs -sunny day -straight, rural city street -35mph -crossed railroad tracks -60ft later felt braking from front tire, then bike slid over to left, me to right -personal injury: broken collar bone, bruises, medium road rash, 10 hours at hospital -front fork axle flange was broken, intact, from main cylindrical shock house, as if someone cut the flange out of the cylindrical shock. -new front shock was purchased, and new shock has design change that includes a stress relieving gusset.
My wife's motorcycle, a bmw f650gs seemed to be smelling of gasoline while running it. The leak was not evident in drips or a puddle so I began to investigate the bike while consequently doing other maintenance. I found a puddle of fuel under the seat, on top of the fuel sending unit area. Upon closer investigation I found a pin hole sized leak in the fuel tank itself, from which fuel was spraying in a stream. Investigating closer I found that there are minute cracks on the top of the same area, and fuel was coming up through them.
I bought a bmw motorcycle about 3 1/2 years ago. It has been nothing but trouble. It was recalled for faulty rear brake, several fuel injection software upgrages due to horrible stalling problems, and on the message board devoted to the bmw 650 gs, I hear of a number of additional failings. Mine stalled since new, I've been through their softwar upgrades that sometimes made things better and sometimes not. Now it stalls very badly again, but is out of warranty so I would be forced to pay bmw's outrageious shop rates to have the problem diagnosed and fixed. By the way, even when bmw was coming out with several software upgrades, they contintually denied the problem. My bike stalls so badly that I am afraid to ride it for fear it will stall at a time when my safety will be put in jeopardy. So, at 3 1/2 years old, it has only 4,000 miles on it. The worst thing I have heard of late is that there is a problem with the '01 models (which I have) leaking gas! What's next?! All the bikes should be recalled to both fix the dangerous gas leaks and the dangerous stalling problem. The way most owners are dealing with the stalling is to disconnect emission control devices, which greatly improves driveability, but of coures then it produces a lot more, probably violating all the pollution standards. I have refused to do that, so I am still stuck with a virtually undrivable motorcycle because I will not disconnect the 02 sensor or the charcoal cannister just to make it run. Yet these are about the only types of fixes that seem to work. Please investigate and do something about this. You can find many complaints about bmw's defects, and their lack of responsiveness in dealing with them by visiting a message board at f650.com. These bikes are a hazard to both the environment and to the safety of their riders.
While coming to a complete stop the vehicle stalled intermittently. Once the vehicle was restarted it would perform properly. The dealer could not duplicate or correct the problem. *nm when the vehicle stalled a strong smell of gas was present. *sc
Year 2001 bmw f650gs motorcycle. For no identifiable reason, the engine idle drops to zero and the engine stalls. If you know to turn the ignition switch off then on again, the idle will be restored when the motorcycle is started.
Mirror on 2001 bmw f650 gs motorcycle folds back. Started on hot day. Now folds back at 20 MPH.
Bmw f650gsa surges and stalls. You can never tell when it's going to do either. One time I was in the redwood forest out by bogeda bay california and before I knew it I was a surging so hard I thougth I was going to be bucked off. The dealer is aware of this problem and says there's nothing wrong. If you keep after them they will say to ride the motorcycle in very high RPM's. I don't think they know what it feels like or sounds like when I'm doing 25mph at 6000 rpms which is just below the redline limit.
Motorcycle stalls at stops and this has presented several dangerous moments. Mr
Compare the 2001 BMW F650 GS
Other model years
Questions about the 2001 BMW F650 GS
Is the 2001 BMW F650 GS reliable?
Owners have filed 14 complaints about the 2001 BMW F650 GS, 4.7 times a typical F650 GS model year.
What is the most common problem with the 2001 BMW F650 GS?
Fuel and propulsion system, with 5 complaints. Next is suspension (3).
How many recalls does the 2001 BMW F650 GS have?
1 recall, covering fuel system, gasoline.
Was there a recall on the 2001 BMW F650 GS fuel system?
Yes, 1 recall: 00V267000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 2001 BMW F650 GS?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history