panniers from BMW come in two volumes (35 and 15 litre), topcase (22 l). Hepco & Becker has a pair of panniers in 30/40 litre combination (practically with the high exhaust pipe) or two cases of 38 litres. The H&B cases have a more realistic price than the ones form BMW. The H&B mounting can also be used for aluminium cases from Touratech. Hein Gericke also has a good pair of these lightweight cases.

Autumn 1997 BMW presented a tankbag for the F650, which looks like the Wüdo-bag: a small bulb on the tank and two larger bags on the sides. Altogether not that much storage capacity. The BMW tankbag is very expensive, about DFL 400. The DiFi-Motoline tankbag (20 - 25 litres) fits very well (with two straps) and costs at the Motoport store DFL 70. The bag looks traditional: one big compartment with a roadmap-transparent top. The Motoline tankbag is rather rainproof. For a few bucks you have to make something of foam to put between the bag and the tank. Other tankbags come from Wüdo and Götz.

Falling-guards come from BMW (you need to adapt your skidplate), Wüdo and Hepco & Becker. They cost something between DFL 200 (H&B) and DFL 260 (BMW). The guard from Hepco & Becker is the only one that effective protects the radiator of your F650.

Higher windscreens are available from BMW, Mdi (Peperstraat 4, 5368 AE Haren - Oss, The Netherlands, tel 00.31. 412.46.31.74, fax 00.31.421.46.30.69), Wüdo and Hein Gericke. BMW put a higher windscreen on the Funduro in 1997. The mentioned screens no longer fit on the newest models.

Handguards can be obtained from BMW. Acerbis fits well, but the integral guards that protect hands and handles are too big in combination with the larger windscreens. The Acerbis-like guards can also be obtained from Touratech. The stabilisers at the ends of the handlebars become redundant .

BMW doesn't have a radiator-guard for the Funduro. Especially on dirt roads this is a necessary piece of equipment. Making some minor adjustments a very reliable guard can be made out of Kawasaki-part 14037-1171. The do-it-your-self manual to make a radiator-guard is on a separate page.

The F650 comes with Michelin T66 tyres. On paved ways and dirt roads a good choice, especially for its durability - I did 16.500 km with a rear tyre, front more than 25.000
Fundurists who like to play in sand or mud will benefit from the Continental TKC80 knobbly tyres. These twinduro-tyres were developed in cooperation with Richard Schalber and are aimed for use on the R1100GS and F650. The Contis are used in the BMW Enduropark Hechtlingen and at the Spain-tours organised by Schalber. The TKC80 is a good choice for use in the sand and on the road. The rubber-compound is softer than on real MX-tyres, but somewhat harder than the T66. For the F650 the following sizes should be used:

• front: Continental TKC80 110/80 - 19 (costs 111,- Euro)
• rear: Continental TKC80 130/80 - 17 (costs 127,- Euro)

The front tyre is broader and less high than the original front-T66 (watch this when you order these tyres!). According to Schalber these tyres are very good - this I fully agree to!. Riding them for the first time you will notice that they need to be pushed into the curve. In the curve they appear to fall faster than you like. After a few bends you'll get used to this and the real fun starts. Taking a track trough the forest goes much better now.

Among others German F650 riders should have a certificate that permits them to ride with these Contis (Reifenfreigabe). A document (Mustergutachten) to persuade the officials can be ordered at the Continental website. Thanks to Thomas I can also send you a copy if you need it.

Because the F650 has a 19" front rim there are only a few suitable knobbly tyres available. Besides the Continental TKC80 the Metzeler Karoo comes in the right sizes (front 100/90 - 19, rear 130/80 - 17).

Touratech has a 4 mm thick skidplate, it costs DM 129. If you are skilful you can make something like it yourself.At first sight a aluminium skidplate seems better than the synthetic 'spoiler' that comes standard.
After some study I let the original skidplate in its place. It is broad and made of a tough kind of plastic. Altogether it gives good protection to the front of the crank-case, the oil-hoses and the front part of the exhaust pipe. Making a plate that protects this much should be at least 5 mm thick with vertical rims. The Touratech skidplate does not have this for sure! Compared to the original an optimal skidplate as described above weights like lead on a nearly 200 kg heavyish Funduro. After all most enduro motorbikes don't have a skidplate at all...

Arrow makes a brutal sounding Parigi-Dakar Replica exhaust pipe. Because this exhaust lets out the burnt gasses more easily the intake side of the engine should also be taken care of. To do this properly the bike should see the testbench. It is questionable to be if all this is worth the few extra horses. Big advantage of the Arrow exhaust is its very low weight compared to the original.
A 2-in-2-exhaust can also be ordered at Richard Schalber (Am Auwald 12, D-87541 Hindelang BRD, tel. 00.49.83.24.28.76, fax 00.49.83.24.87.42).

uitlaat. Volgens de catalogus levert deze iets extra vermogen. Doordat deze pijp de verbrandingsgassen makkelijker laat wegstromen moet eigenlijk ook de inlaatkant van het motorblok worden aangepast. Om dit echt goed te doen moet de motor wel even op de testbank. Of dat allemaal de moeite waard is voor een paar extra pk's? In ieder geval is de Arrow uitlaat wel veel lichter dan de oorspronkelijke.

The Hein Gericke catalogue is a source of inspiration to adapt your F650 as you like. I replaced the mirrors with a pair of round ones like on the old R80GS (#24000542) and mounted a enduro-bag (#21002002) on the luggage carrier. For a good fit I removed the straps and fixed the bag with four bolts - the ones to hold the topcase-mounting. Mirrors and enduro-bag are also on the Römer F650.

Rally-specialist Schek-Tuning (Südring 2, 88239 Wangen im Allgäu) not only rides the Dakar at the age of 65, but also potters on Funduros. For DM 3.500 you can get a 45 mm Marzocchi-fork, including fork bridges, mudguard and protectors. A suitable White-Power rear shock comes at DM 1.800 and gives 80 mm more travel. The 21" front wheel costs DM 1.150. Of course these parts can be obtained from other firms, like Hans-Jürgen Knoth in Freudenstadt (tel. 00.49.74.41.65.41). Knoth also supplies a longer aluminium rear swing arm. Schalber also supplies a Showa front fork.

Tuning the Funduro engine seems hardly be done. Knoth in Freudenstadt seems to enlarge power up to 60hp. Costs and what is done to your bike are yet unknown. In the USA Ron Wood Performance Parts makes great stuff to increase power of the first type F650 engine. More informations can be obtained at Wood-Rotax - Ron Wood Racing Products, 755 W. 17th St., Unit D, Costa Mesa, CA 92627, tel. USA-(949) 645-0393.

Stahlflex brake hoses give extra stopping power. M.A.P. Engineering from the USA sells a large floating brake diskfor the F650. With this part you'll certainly stop! The Motorcycle Consumer News magazine reported a phenomenal increase in braking capabilities.

If you want to do maintenance yourself and you can understand German the Reparaturanleitungfrom Bucheli Verlag (ISBN 3-7168-1898-4), or of Hans König van Editions Schneider Text (ISBN 2-911870-02-6) comes handy. Both manuals complete each other very well. The Hans König manual is the better one. Unfortunately I did not find other than German manuals yet.

In the end there are numerous gadgets as a meter for oil temperature (through Wunderlich, Hein Gericke or Louis) and a 27 litre fuel tank from Acerbis. In 1995 I got a postcard of a F650 from Sparo Cards, but I couldn't find it anymore later on. At motorcycle shows they sometimes sell F650-pins. They can be obtained from Louis, Polo or BMW. Scale models of 1:18 of the F650 are avaliable at the BMW dealers. They are very beautiful but rather expensive. Kits to construct yourself do not exist but you can always park your own Funduro in the living room.

Additional equipment will be mentioned in future.