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F650 exhaust clamps

4K views 10 replies 5 participants last post by  Ton 
#1 ·
On getting my bike out of the garage early Friday morning, (my drive is very steep.) I closed the garage door got on the bike, usual drill,l choke, rear brake on, ignition on, hit the starter and settled the motor to tick-over, as I put some load on the engine and after moving a few feet the exhaust note changed to a loud blatting noise. "What now" I thought, as it was 3 am in the morning so ignition off, reversed back into the garage, off with the bike gear and jumped into the car and off to work.
Today (Sunday) I stripped off the tank, seat, side panels, silencer, radiator and got down to getting the header pipes off lo and behold BMW have done it again. Stainless steel exhaust pipes with mild steel exhaust clamps and nuts and bolts. The clamps on the right hand side have corroded to nothing and the left hand one is no better. I now have to by a new header pipe system just to get the clamps to tighten up the whole think. Typical! Thankfully the bolts and studs have come off with a bit of brute force and allot of WD40. Looks like a telephone call to Motorworks on Monday. I am seriously thinking of getting a Harley in the new year.
:riding:
 
#4 ·
[ I am seriously thinking of getting a Harley in the new year.
The clamps can be bought from your local engineering supply store in stainless steel for small money.Having previously owned several Harleys I can guarantee that the finish, reliability,and longevity will not come close to any bmw or any european made motorcycle.
 
#5 ·
Hi Mate, if you want to get a Harley then do that and I hope you fully enjoy your bike, I just love the look of them, but I would simply not spend the cash on one, I dont think we can agree on the Harley reputation but as I said I do love the look of them.

I am not sure about the point you make in your post, a BMW has mild steel exhaust to cyl head clamps, so your going to buy a Harley, which if I understand what you are saying you can buy stainless steel clamps that will fit your Harley and replace them. If you did that with your BMW you would not be having the problem now, have I understood this right?

You open your post with comments that make me think you have had a couple of issues, not sure what they are but perhaps you have just been unlucky...?

I cant see you sneaking down your road at 3.00am with a H, they are not known for their quiet exhausts..

I hope your luck takes a wee turn for the better....
 
#7 ·
I now have to by a new header pipe system just to get the clamps
If you don't want to buy new header pipes, buy an extra left hand clamp (from Motorworks etc.), cut it in half and then weld it back together in position on the right hand header pipe.

Check the gasket which joins the l/h header pipe to r/h header and main exhaust pipe. This keeps failing on my bike. You will almost definitely need to replace it if you have removed the header pipes.
 
#8 ·
Exhaust clamps

Right, the problem I have with BMW is, and to some extent is common to all bikes, is that for a few pence/quid more a potential problem could be averted a few years down the line.
The exhaust clamps are a good example, throughout the bike fasteners are stainless steel, but at a vital exposed point on the bike the fasteners are mild steel. The manifold clamp on the right hand side of the exhaust pipe (the longer one) is put on when the unit is assembled, so if it goes then it is a new pipe assembly, the left hand pipe (shorter) is clamped to the longer pipe so at leased there is the possibility of getting a manifold clamp.
Another example, the swing arm bearings are needle roller bearings with seals not rubber as with all the rest of the suspension but felt, FELT! I couldn't believe it when I found out, no one from BMW could give me a valid reason why they used felt and not rubber. Felt wont keep water out. :wall:
I suppose most people dont do major work on their bikes but I have always done my own maintenance and its when you do your own, then you come up against problems like this.

Dont get me wrong the F650 is one of the best bikes that I have ever owned, good handling, relatively easy to maintain, comfortable and with a bit of care it can be taken on a green lane. I wont be getting rid of it.

As to getting a Harley I will be getting a 1200 Sportster Custom. I like the sound and look maintenance isn't that much of a problem. I went for some test rides at the Harley dealer over here and basically they gave me the keys and said come back in about an hour.
I tried the new 883 Sportster Iron very quick and nimble but too cramped.
I also tried the 1500 Heritage Softail Classic with foot boards an excellent riding position but at £16000 to rich for me.
The last was the 1200 Sportster Custom, with forward or highway pegs I was very dubious about them, but the riding position is excellent, with raised pull back bars its like sitting in an arm chair.


I suppose I will have to get allot of chrome polish and develop the muscles in my right arm ready for all that polishing, but you must admit they are one hell of a machine.
:riding:
 
#9 ·
Yep I agree that they are incredible. I almost bought one and then a Yamaha with the forward foot pegs but for general commuting I decided to go with the bike I have, I would still love something Harley style for occasional use, but thats a bit of a luxury which at the mo is not to be had...

Good luck with it mate,

As for felt bearing seals theny you are quite right, why the heavens would BMW who are supposedly great engineers be using felt as a bearing seal, its clearly going to hold water, ensuring that your bearing grease will eventually milk up and wash out, cant say I have come across it before, though only worked on occasional road bikes, mostly two stroke trial bikes...
 
#10 ·
So you were talking about the flange not the clamp. As mentioned before if you do everything getting a flange and cutting off the old one and welding a new one should have been easy to do for you.
I bought my St in 98 and I never had the swingarm bearings out. The previous owner had never touched them. So even without a proper seal they can last quite some time. It was on my list of things that I had to do in 2011 ( the bike was from 98)
I happen to do all the maintenance on my bike but the F650ST was one of the most reliable motorbikes that I have owned.
If you like a Harley go for it. A Harley was never on my list of bikes that I would want to own . I can't afford the blond bimbo anyway that goes with one of these bikes. And if I could it still wouldn't be the Harley but the new Guzzi California.

Ton
 
#11 ·
And I forgot to comment about felt seals. Modern cars don't use felt seals. When you put the front axle in the water even modern seals won't stop the water going to the wheelbearings. And on my Enfield the felt seal didn't leak a lot. I has been fitted in their gearbox for so many years and still works. I have seen these F650's going through the water and it will wreck the suspension bushes but even with rubber seals the water would get in there. That is why we have to maintain them.

Ton
 
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