BMW AG Motorcycle (F 650 GS). Manual - part 7

00.32

Replacing primary sealing boot, rear 
brake master cylinder

(Inspection III, every 40,000 km/24,000 miles for 
motorcycles with ABS)

–

Place the motorcycle on its main (centre) stand.

e

 Caution:

Do not allow brake fluid to come into contact with 
painted parts of the motorcycle, because brake fluid 
destroys paint.

•

Drain the rear brake system.

•

Disengage piston thrust rod (1).

•

Remove the piston thrust rod complete with 
sealing boot (2).

•

Carefully force back the brake piston.

•

Remove the circlip.

•

Use pliers to remove the brake piston.

•

Remove spring (4) with insert (3).

e

 Caution:

Note the washer between the brake piston and the 
boot.

•

Remove front boot (5).

•

Installation is the reverse of the removal proce-
dure: pay particular attention to the following.

e

 Caution:

Sealing lip of the boot toward the pressure cham-
ber.

L

 Note:

Replace O-ring (6) prior to installation.

•

Install new front boot.

•

Prior to installation, coat the brake piston and the 
boots with the assembly fluid supplied.

•

Lightly grease the thrust rod with 
Shell Retinax A.

•

Fill and bleed the brake system.

E340250

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E340290

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5

6

00.33

Inspecting front and rear wheel 
bearings, replacing if necessary

(Inspection III)

L

 Note:

Check play when bearings are cold.

•

Lift front/rear wheel of the ground.

•

Tilt the front/rear wheel to and fro on the axle.

–

No play should be detected.

•

Replace the bearings if play is detected.

Checking chain, chainwheel and 
chain sprocket, replacing if neces-
sary

(Inspections II and III)
–

Remove the sprocket cover.

•

Check chainwheel and chain sprocket for distor-
tion.

–

good (1) 

–

replace  (2) 

–

replace  (3) 

e

 Caution:

Always replace the chain, chainwheel and sprocket 
as a set.

27 71 005 

Checking chain tension, 

adjusting if necessary

(Inspections I, II, III and IV)

27 71 005 

Checking chain tension

–

Place the unloaded motorcycle on its main (cen-
tre) stand.

e

 Caution:

Check and adjust the chain tension only when the 
motorcycle is unloaded.

•

Chains stretch unevenly, so turn the rear wheel 
to find the point at which chain deflection midway 
along the run between chainwheel and rear 
sprocket is least.

•

At this point, push the chain up as far at it will go 
and measure chain deflection.

Chain deflection ............ 35...45 mm (1.38...1.77 in)

1

2

3

F000230

E000100

00.34

27 71 005 

Adjusting chain tension

•

Loosen quick-release axle nut (2).

e

 Caution:

When tensioning the chain, make sure that wheel 
alignment is correct. Check that the same number of 
notch marks are visible in window (3) on each side 
of the swinging fork.

•

Adjust chain slack with chain tensioning 
screws (1).

•

Firmly tighten quick-release axle nut (2).

•

Check chain tension.

•

Tighten chain tensioning screws (1).

Chain slack ................... 35...45 mm (1.38...1.78 in)

L

 Note:

Allow time for chain spray to take effect after spray-
ing on. Avoid contamination of rider’s clothing. 

X 

Tightening torques:

Quick-release shaft nut .............................. 100 Nm
Chain tensioning screws .............................. 10 Nm

61 20 029 

Checking battery acid level, 

adding distilled water if necessary

(Inspections II, III and IV)

d

 Warning:

Battery acid is highly caustic.
Protect your eyes, face, hands, clothing and the 
paintwork.

61 20 029 

Checking battery acid level

–

Remove left, right and centre covers.

•

Check the battery fluid level.

–

The battery fluid level must be between 
maximum “UPPER LEVEL” and
minimum “LOWER LEVEL”.

61 20 029 

Adding distilled water

•

Open the battery caps.

e

 Caution:

Use only distilled water to top up the acid level in the 
battery. Never top up with diluted sulphuric acid.

•

Top up with distilled water until the fluid level 
reaches the “UPPER LEVEL” mark.

•

Replace the battery caps securely.

•

Installation is the reverse of the removal proce-
dure.

E270010

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1

00.35

61 21 520 

Cleaning and greasing the 

battery terminals, if necessary

(Inspections III and IV)

L

 Note:

Disconnecting the battery clears all entries (such as 
errors, adaptations) from the BMS control unit mem-
ory.

–

Remove left, right and centre covers.

e

 Caution:

Disconnect the battery only with the ignition 
switched off.
Disconnect the negative battery cable first, then the 
positive cable.

•

Disconnect ground cable (2) from the battery.

•

Disconnect positive cable (1) from the battery.

•

Clean the battery terminals and grease them with 
acid-proof battery grease.

Acid-proof battery terminal grease

................................................e.g. Bosch Ft 40 V1

•

Installation is the reverse of the removal proce-
dure: pay particular attention to the following.

e

 Caution:

Connect the positive battery cable first, then the 
negative cable.

•

Route the positive cable vertically (arrow) to the 
battery post. Make sure that all battery cells are 
visible through the inspection port in the cover.

32 00 454 

Checking and adjusting 

steering head bearing play, 
replacing if necessary

(Inspections II and III)

Checking steering head bearing play

•

Lift front wheel clear of the ground.

•

Move fixed fork tubes forward (arrows).

•

Adjust the steering head bearing if play is per-
ceptible.

E610020

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2

E360010

00.36

32 00 454 

Checking and adjusting 

steering head bearing play, 
replacing if necessary

(Inspections II and III)

32 00 454 

Adjusting steering head 

bearing play

e

 Caution:

Cover or mask off the instrument cluster and trim to 
prevent scratches.

•

Remove impact pad (2).

•

Remove clamp blocks (1).

•

Remove the handlebar and place it in front of the 
instrument cluster.

•

Unscrew hex nut (5).

•

Release clamping screws (3) at upper fork 
bridge.

•

Remove the upper fork bridge complete with the 
ignition lock.

•

Remove counter-tube (4).

•

Slacken round nut (6) with pin-wrench adapter, 
BMW No. 31 6 521, then tighten to 25 Nm.

•

Turn forks back and forth twice from lock to lock, 
and leave the forks at the full left lock position.

•

Mark a 40 mm (1.58 in) arc with adhesive tape or 
similar (arrow) around the circumference of the 
locking plate at the steering head.

•

Align the mark on pin-wrench adapter, 
BMW No. 31 6 521, with the right-hand end of 
the marked arc.

L

 Note:

40 mm (1.58 in) around the circumference of the 
locking plate corresponds to an angle of rotation 
of 60 °.

•

Turn the round nut clockwise until the pointer on 
pin-wrench adapter, BMW No. 31 6 521, reach-
es the left-hand end of the marked arc.

•

Remove the mark/adhesive tape from the locking 
plate.

e

 Caution:

Check the mating faces of the fork bridge and 
knurled nut, rub down with an oilstone if necessary 
and clean.

•

Tighten counter-tube (4).

•

Install fork bridge.

•

Tighten locknut (5).

•

Tighten the clamping screws at fork bridge (3).

•

Check play and freedom of movement.

E320010

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2

E320020

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5

4

E000220

6

31 6 521

00.37

L

 

Note:

Use the punch marks (arrow) to align the handlebars 
as shown.

d

 Warning:

Begin by tightening the front securing screws (as 
viewed in the forward direction of travel) of the clamp 
blocks, then tighten the rear securing screws.

•

Install handlebars and impact pad.

•

Take the load off the front wheel and perform fi-
nal check.

–

With the front wheel off the ground, the weight of 
the forks must be enough to turn the steering all 
the way to the left and right full lock positions as 
soon as the steering is moved away from the 
straight-ahead position.

–

If local points of stiffness are detected when the 
handlebar is moved to and fro, renew the steer-
ing head bearings.

X 

Tightening torques:

Initial torque, round nut ................................ 25 Nm
Back off through angle of rotation .................... 60 °
Counter-tube to steering head bearing......... 65 Nm
Hexagon nut to counter-tube ....................... 65 Nm
Clamp screws at fork bridge......................... 23 Nm
Handlebar to fork bridge .............................. 23 Nm

Greasing the side and main stands 
and the brake pedal lever

(Inspections II and III)

Side stand

•

Grease bearing bush (arrow) with a grease gun 
until fresh grease emerges at the lubricated fac-
es.

•

If very dirty and stiff to move, remove the side 
stand and grease its pivots.

Main (centre) stand

•

Grease bearing bushes (arrows) with a grease 
gun until fresh grease emerges at the lubricated 
faces.

Lubricant:
for pivot bushing .............. Staburags NBU 30 PTM

•

If very dirty and stiff to move, remove the main 
stand and grease its pivots.

E000230

E460010

E460020

00.38

Brake pedal

•

Remove hexagon fit bolt (2).

•

Remove bushing (1).

•

Grease the bushing and the fit bolt.

•

Installation is the reverse of the removal proce-
dure: pay particular attention to the following.

e

 Caution:

Check operation of brake-light switch (3).

X 

Tightening torques:

Brake pedal to frame .................................... 21 Nm

Lubricant:
for pivot bushing............... Staburags NBU 30 PTM

Checking security of threaded 
fasteners

(Inspections I, II, III and IV)

•

Check the security of the following threaded fas-
teners:

–

Engine mounting bolts and nuts

–

Threaded t frame

–

Main and side stands

–

Exhaust mountings

–

Swinging fork pivots

–

Angled lever

–

Brake pedal

–

Quickrelease axles

X 

Tightening torques:

Engine/crankcase
to main frame at rear .................................... 41 Nm
Engine/cylinder head to main frame at top ... 41 Nm
Engine/crankcase to engine mounting 
at front ......................................................... 41 Nm
Engine mounting to main frame.................... 21 Nm
Footrest plate to main frame......................... 21 Nm
Engine guard to frame.................................... 9 Nm
Rear frame to main frame ............................. 21 Nm
Centre stand to main frame.......................... 41 Nm
Side stand undersection to main frame ........ 21 Nm
Exhaust manifold to cylinder head................ 20 Nm
Silencer to exhaust manifold 
(Torca clamp) ............................................... 55 Nm
Silencer to rear frame................................... 21 Nm
Spring strut to angled lever .......................... 47 Nm
Angled lever to frame ................................... 41 Nm
Strut to angled lever ..................................... 71 Nm
Strut to swinging arm ................................... 41 Nm
Swinging-arm axle...................................... 100 Nm
Footbrake lever to frame .............................. 21 Nm
Clamp of front quick-release axle ................. 23 Nm
Front quick-release axle to fork leg .............. 80 Nm
Rear quick-release axle to swinging arm .... 100 Nm

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00.39

Final inspection with road safety 
and functional check

(Inspections I, II, III and IV)

Road safety check

•

Check wheels and tyres.

•

Check tyre pressures and correct if necessary.

Tyre tread depth (recommended minimum value)

d

 Warning:

It must comply with legal regulations concerning 
minimum tyre tread depth.

Front wheel ...................................... 2 mm (0.08 in)
Rear wheel ....................................... 3 mm (0.12 in)

Tyre pressures (tyres cold)
Solo
Front wheel .................................  1.9 bar (27.0 psi)
Rear wheel  .................................  2.1 bar (30.0 psi)

With full load
Front wheel .................................  2.1 bar (30.0 psi)
Rear wheel  .................................. 2.3 bar (33.0 psi)

Roadworthiness check
–

Clutch, gear shift

–

Steering

–

Handbrake and foot brake

–

Lights and signalling equipment, telltale and 
warning lights, instruments

–

Side-stand switch

–

If necessary, test ride