Gear Lever

The BMW gear lever may be too long for use with footpeg relocation kits dependant on your foot size and how far the footpegs are relocated. There are a number of choices in changing the gear lever ranging from aftermarket replacement units through to modification of the existing lever. The gearbox spline is 11mm.

The off road big bore Honda levers have the same spline as the F650. The CRF450 lever is the closest to the shape of the F650 lever and around the length needed for full relocation. These levers are available cheaply and can include a folding tip. A gear lever diagram with detailed information on bending, drilling the lever and gear lever tips is below in PDF file format for those who need to bend or modify a gear lever including the BMW lever.

Gear Lever and Selector Shaft

In a fall the gear lever can bend the selector shaft and the gearbox get stuck in a gear. Take care in after market lever selection or modification of the OEM lever. Repair requires splitting the engine cases which is a complex process.

Drilling the gear lever along the shaft as per the lever below assists in reducing the chance of damage to the selector shaft in a fall. Steel gear levers are relatively easy to bend back to shape unlike expensive alloy levers which may break. 5/6mm holes 10 mm apart is a guide & provides the ability to fit an emergency tip like the one below.

Gear Lever Modification

1/ Remove Lever from machine, cut off the tip.

2/ Mark and drill lever shaft as per image opposite & drilling template.

3/ Re fit Gear Lever after any painting needed.

4/ Prepare lever tip as per alternatives below.

5/ Test fit Gear Lever Tip with 2 x 5mm bolts to determine position needed.

Note - The drilling template shows the lever shaft drilled with alternate 5 & 6 mm holes to enable fitting either the normal tip or the emergency tip.

Gear Lever Tip Alternatives

Folding Tip

Cut Folding tip from any left over after market lever.

Drill 2 x 4.5mm holes 10mm apart & tap to 5mm as per drilling template

Simple or Emergency Tip

Obtain 50mm length of 15mm diameter solid alloy or plastic rod

Drill 30 mm deep 5mm dia hole in one end. Tap hole with 6mm thread

They may not be elegant but they will get you home after a fall.

Assembly & Test Images

After Market Gear Levers

Touratech

Touratech did have at least 3 gear levers suitable for the the 650GS
A short lever for the foot peg relocation kit, a folding tip lever and an adjustable lever but they dont seem to be available any more.

Wunderlich

Wunderlich have 2 levers, an alloy adjustable lever & a steel folding tip lever, at $US220 & $110 both levers are relatively expensive. The folding tip lever could be drilled for adjustment & is listed as fitting the F800 twins.

Other Lever Sources

Neither SW Motech or Hepco and Becker list gear levers for the F/G 650GS or the 650X.

Gear Levers listed on EBay are too often for the F Series twins not the 650GS Single.

IMS have their steel Flightline #12223 lever which fits and could be customised.