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Roadside
Repair
Information

The GS is designed for travel and there are some things which can make roadside repairs easier and some things worth learning to recover from break downs far from everywhere.

The information below is not the definitive list, there are many places the common information can be found. The info here is what is not covered elsewhere and is intended as a guide to improve understanding. There are some things which can be done to make life easier out on the road.
Spares
Work out the spares needed, spark plug, tubes, fuses, nuts and bolts etc.
f650.com has info from many owners which is worth reading. Include wire and jumper leads
Tools
Ensure the right tools are in the kit. Check they are there from time to time.
f650.com has tool lists prepared by many owners. Many lists leave out a multimeter
Air Filter
Use a washable filter, Unifilter and K&N are the most common.
Being able to do service work without needing parts is far easier.
Oil Filter
Use a washable filter, K & P stainless steel filters are the best around.
Being able to do service work without needing parts is far easier.
Electrics
Fit Voltmeter in the Dash. Learn to use a voltmeter to test for voltage and resistance.
Being able to do work around the electrical system can be a life saver.
Side Stand
The side stand switch can be bypassed in an emergency.
Details are in Repairs/Starter Circuits.
Accessories
When wiring accessories, using the same type of relay as used by BMW is a wise idea.
It gives both a working spare and a non critical test circuit to use when fault finding.
Relays
Relays can be replaced with a loop of wire between the incoming and outgoing voltage pins of relay sockets. It is a common way mechanics test for faulty relays. The GS makes it difficult as the electrical box is under the cowlings and access is difficult. A variation to "limp" home would be a wire loop from switched power to output on a relay socket or a wire out to the accessory socket. Learning to read the diagrams on the relays is critical to loop the correct pins.
Jump Starting
In general terms it is better to remove the battery and charge it rather than attempt jump starting. We dont always have that luxury so there are times out on the road where jump starting is needed. With care it can be done safely.

1/ Check the voltage on the dead battery to confirm there is some chance of success.

2/ Check for the best connection locations for the jumper leads and confirm they fit.

3/ Connect the + lead to the positive of the recipient vehicle then connect to the + of the donor vehicle.

4/ Connect the - lead to the negative of the donor vehicle.

5/ Start the donor vehicle.

6/ Connect the - lead to the recipient vehicle. Let the dead battery charge for a short time.

7/ Attempt to start the recipient vehicle.

8/ Once the vehicle with the dead battery has been started run it a little above idle to start charging.

9/ Remove the earth lead from the recipient then the donor vehicle and repeat with the positive lead.

The process above ensures minimum risk to both vehicles and ensures the maximum voltage to the recipient during the starting process. There are many misconceptions with regard to whether to start the donor vehicle which simply do not adddress the risks or address the realities of road side repairs.
Lead Acid Batteries
Lead acid batteries can at times be resucitated sufficiently to continue on to where a replacement battery can be obtained. The basics are that the battery can either go high resistance or low resistance preventing it holding a charge or maintaining a reasonable voltage. The science of it is not a subject for discussion here and eye protection is required. The basic procedure is to attach a lead to the positive lead and tap the negative lead with the other end of the lead. The process should be repeated and the battery placed on a charger to charge it periodically. It wont always work but is worth a try in an emergency.