Temperamental 650 instrument cluster
My 2001 F650GS's instrument cluster is misbehaving. I have sent it to a company that apparently works on instrument clusters sent to them by the dealership, but they've stated that my cluster is "beyond repair." I have yet to find out the exact details behind this diagnosis (the guy who worked on my cluster is away at the moment).
Does anyone have suggestions as to someone who does repairs to instrument clusters?
The problem seems to be damp-related, as it only shows up on start-up in the morning or on start-up any time of the day if it is a rainy day and/or the bike has been standing a long time, e.g. the problem generally never surfaces on afternoon trips, unless I have not ridden my bike in the morning. My indicators also refuse to work properly for a day after a decent wash.
Typical symptoms:
After I start my bike in the morning, the instrument cluster buzzes and ticks, the speedometer and rev counter needles vibrate, the clock and odometer readings flicker on and off, with the odometer sometimes showing only -----.
The duration of this bike "heart attack" depends on the dampness of the day. Sometimes it only last for the first km of my commute, but in the rare worst case (on a wet day) it lasted for my entire 13km commute.
If I ride during this "heart attack," the speedometer and rev counter needles bounce around on the lower end of their ranges and my odometer (and trip meter) and clock do not tick over. According to my calculations (based on recorded fuel use and where my fuel use should actually be based on past readings) my odometer is now roughly 300km short of where it should be. Eventually the needles will drop to zero and then jump to where they should be. Everything then ticks over and works as normal.
On the worst case days, the speedometer needle gradually works its way around the entire face, until it is standing solid at the vertical, past the 200-odd km/h mark. When it "resets" from this point (i.e. when the needles drop down to zero and resume "normal" working), the speedometer, for some reason, will show my speed as 30-odd km/h faster than actual. I then have to do sums for the rest of the trip to calculate the speed where I won't get a speeding fine! Switching the bike off and on will not solve the problem, but everything will work normally on my afternoon commute.
On the very worst days, the buzzing and ticking starts when I turn my ignition on (before even starting the bike). If at this point I were to switch the bike off completely (i.e. steering locked and everything), the buzzing / ticking / needle vibrating will continue even overnight, which does affect my poor, long-suffering battery.
All my warning lights (fuel, oil, temperature, etc.) still work and my indicators only give issue after the bike's had a wash.
Has anyone else had / solved these symptoms? Any advice? I realise instrument clusters are a weak point for the 650's. I know of two other cases: one where the odo reset completely (to zero) and another where none of the warning lights (fuel gauge, temperature, etc.) could truly be trusted.
I have a vague feeling that the electronics company that had a look at my cluster did not try everything. The feedback I got from my mechanic went something along the lines of "they could not get new software loaded," but if it's a damp-related problem, how would new software help? It would be like switching your PC from Windows to Linux in order to solve a non-working power supply...
Hi Zanie
Are you sure it's damp-related, and not perhaps temperature-related? I'm thinking a dodgy solder joint or connection that expands when it is warm to complete the contact.
Generally, when electronics fail for no reason, the cause is a mechanical break. And the vibrations on a bike are not great for electronics.
You can maybe try spraying "Spanjaard" Lectro Kleen ? it is a Electronic contact cleaner.If you dont want to buy a can you are welcome to use mine (not all of it !! lol )
Had an almost similar issue, but not as bad as yours. Mainly the odo counting at the wrong rate. I took the pcb out, gave it a good clean and scrub, applied conformal coating and the problem was solved. In my case I could see contamination between adjacent tracks which most likely caused my problem.
Good luck
I just repaired one with a similar issue. was corrosion on the cluster connectors, cleaned them up and it's 100% now.
It was these connectors
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v67/tundragriz/F650GS/instrumentcluster_zps879a6570.jpg
Hi Zanie
Mine the same as you know, odo did start measuring again, after displaying ---------, so my bike now has only 2300kms on it HAHAHAHA - brand new!!! Odo and speedo readings accurate, confirmed with gps. No other issues.
Honestly have not yet gathered enough patience and small enough fingers to take whole speedo apart again, and elektrocleen to see if it fixes it perhaps 2nd time around. Pretty sure mine is (also?) damp/water/washing related.
Az, thanks for the pics - have cleaned mine up there too, no luck.
Also done:
Classic battery disconnect remedy
Battery connecting points are always superclean and vaseline'd, good earth, battery cables all good, never (touch wood) had a flat or poor battery, so can eliminate that completely
(All) the wiring that can scuff covered with hosepipe - done way back, 5 yrs plus
Compressed air blow-out
Perhaps we should look at aftermarket speedo and upgrade to rally cockpit ;-)
Good luck and will keep you posted.
Jean
Eish Jean, that's not a good outlook for me then. At least my odo is still counting (I just passed 76,000 km recently), but it does not count while in "heart attack" state, so I'm recording fewer km as a result. It's a small margin, but starting to add up. The pain is having to reset my clock every couple of days, as it loses time dramatically.
Classic battery disconnect remedy? I suppose having an instrument cluster sent off to reside with some electronics company for two weeks counts.
You mention (along with touching wood) something about dead batteries. Now there I've had very bad luck: two very, very dead batteries (one measured at 6 volts on its dying day) and another battery that boiled and decided to leak acid all over my bike's innards. In less than 3 years, I'm on battery number 4... My issue started somewhere between dead battery 1 and dead battery 2, but it pre-dates the acid bonanza. I don't think it would be linked?
From the responses, it seems that the consensus is a good clean and checking on all the wires. I would have thought that the electronics company would do this, but I'm doubtful (I'll check with a follow-up call on Monday, when the guy is back in the office).
Given that I'm not very electrically savvy, is there anywhere / anyone that can have a look at my bike for me?
What about a 2nd hand unit from ACME?
Charles: I phoned the electronics company today. The damage is definitely damp-related. I finally found out why they couldn't fix my cluster: they did not attempt it. Apparently the water damage is so bad that they don't want to run the risk of fixing up something that may not last a year (they guarantee all their work for a year).
JPHamman: Thanks for the offer, but it sounds like my instrument cluster may need more than a spray?
SilverFox: This may be the route I'll have to go. I really don't want to, because I'm obsessive compulsive with fuel-up stats and it will mess with my psyche and spreadsheets (and my "scientific experiment" of seeing how many km's I can rack up on my bike before it implodes). I've heard from two people now that you cannot transfer the odo reading on the old 650s (unlike, say, the 800s).
General: Ok, so one last-ditch effort: Is there anyone (or can anyone recommend someone) that is willing to try their hand at cleaning an instrument cluster? No guarantee required. I'll pay for labour (just please don't keep it for 2 weeks as the other people did - I go stir-crazy minus my bike - it is my commuter and 4x4). Or is this the case of no doctor wants to operate on a patient that might die?
I have not read the entire post so with that in mind have you considered a bicycle type speedo, these modern day units can give you a lot of info. I di know that the chopper guys use them. Could be a cheaper option???
I have had to replace Mr.Badgers speedo twice. The one currently in is about 70 000 km lower than his actual mileage. I just need to remember that. Zanie - biking is about pleasure: perhaps you need to relax a bit about the mileage readings and just enjoy the riding.
On that note though - there are electronic speedos you can buy for enduro bikes that will record mileage etc (and the odo can be set to a particular value). Like this: http://www.motosport.com/Trail-Tech-Striker-Computer-Kit
Zanie you wont know unless you have tried ??
Amazing symptoms! 
The sensitivity to dampness and temperature/riding time indicates a poor connection or semi-short circuit (eg moisture inside a cable harness). I really hope you can fix it soon!
I like your comment: "...but if it's a damp-related problem, how would new software help? It would be like switching your PC from Windows to Linux in order to solve a non-working power supply..." 
I would really not be worried about the loss of odo distance recorded until your cluster is fixed. As long as you keep to service intervals (calculate approximate odo distance by recording fuel used. Service interval of 10000km is 500liters of fuel apart @ 20km/l)
I once had to ride with a non-working speedo. My temporary solution was a speedo app on the cell phone.
The modern electronics work on very low current, low voltage and high resistance/impedance. The result is that very small deviation in signal strength has greater effect than in the old days with primitive electronics.
Rene: I have a contact who can source the innards of the cluster for less than 2k, which is not bad, so I may go that route.
Charles: I do relax on a bike, but all of us have our obsessive-compulsive, weird hobbies. Some people collect licence plate numbers. I collect stats and create graphs, e.g. I have kept track of every last cent spent on my mountain bike, car and motorbike (fuel, insurance, farkles, capital, licensing, etc.), converted everything to 2016 ZAR and divided by km to find the real running cost per km for each vehicle / toy. All run at roughly R4/km. The mountain bike is the most expensive!
JPHamman: I would definitely like to try, but I figured if I open up the bike, maybe take it to someone who'll try clean and spray, unless it's a relatively easy job to get some good juices to all the cluster electronics?
GeelKameel: I'm not that worried about my service intervals. My stats and spreadsheets allow to adjust my km reading until calculated fuel usage equals what it used to be before my cluster went haywire, in order to find out how many km's I am "losing," so I know exactly where it should be. I don't know about "modern electronics." My bike is a 2001 model...
Thanks Zanie - now that you have done it all, I don't need to ;-) This is ammo for me to keep Mr.Badger even though he is expensive to run, he is no more expensive than a small car or a mountain bike!
Hi Zanie i have sent Jandre Koekemoer an E Mail hopefully he can assist.He is welcome to use my can of Electo Kleen
Thanks JPHamman. Have you heard from Jandre? If he can assist, unfortunately I'll only be able to swing by on a weekend and I'll have to have the bike back the same weekend. I'm only anywhere near that area on weekends and organising bike pick-up / drop-off from Noordhoek is a bit tricky (my usual mechanic is Kingtek in Retreat - 2km from my work).
Andrew (Kingtek) may also try to see what he can do on Thursday, when my bike's there for fixing from the Jurg se Kaya trip. Otherwise a second-hand cluster is the way forward.
Jacques mentioned G S Traders somewhere in the Parow/Bellville area, also selling 2nd hand B M W parts. Squizz this page of the forum. or the one before this one.
Hi Zanie,
Maybe the easiest would be to ask Andrew if he has ever used the Product and if not wether he thinks that it could be a solution ? It costs R135.00 @ Brights (i am assuming too much trouble collecting mine ?due to distance.) Might even be worth his while to have it on hand for other similar problems ?
Let me know what transpires
Rene: A bicycle speedo will only work until everything else starts dying, such as my warning lights (oil pressure, temperature) and fuel light (my bike doesn't have a fuel gauge). This is the next step in destruction, given others' experience.
I found GS Traders' Facebook page and phoned the cell number given; only to find that my phone recognised the number. The business owner (Jaco Buys) is the very same guy from whom I bought my bike 3 years ago! Back then, he was trading out of his garage. Unfortunately he cannot help me with a second-hand cluster. I will fall back on my other contact, who knows someone in Jo'burg who quoted a very reasonable price for all the back-end wiring bits.
Andrew (Kingtek) did a clean-up job on the electronics, but the problem is there to stay it seems. Second-hand option it is.
Zanie!
Gathered enough courage to strip mine off and open up for cleaning.
See post # 53 - mine has corrosion (water no doubt) in exact same spot (at the back of 12pin plug at the back of speedo) ran out of curse words for one day so will continue tomorrow with pc board cleaning and clean and service everything else ;-)
http://f650.com/forum/showthread.php?29287-Odometer-and-mileage-keeps-reseting-(F650-GS-Dakar-2005)/page6
Hold thumbs.......
Jean
Hi Jean
Good luck with the cleaning process. Let me know how it goes. I'm going to go the replace-parts route I think. I suspect a crack in the perspecs in front of my speedometer was the culprit that let most of the water into my instrument cluster. That's why my bike would sometimes malfunction after a wash - usually just the indicators not working, but once, spectacularly, the bike wouldn't idle. That was a very interesting ride. I had to rev around corners to stop the bike cutting out. It was a once-off occurrence, so not sure if it is related...
Zanie
Zanie
I was going to say GS Traders but I see you've tried them already.
Silverfox mentioned ACME, but there's another place (unfortunately also in JHB) that sells used BMW spares.
http://www.b-nmotorcycles.co.za/
My boss rides a Dakar and has procured spares from these guys before.
Maybe worth a try?
Regards
Trevor
Zanie, this guy stripping in Noordhoek afaik.....
Thanks. I'll follow up, though I suspect this instrument cluster is from the "facelift" model, which Andrew (Kingtek) said won't work on my ancient (2001) bike.
Of course you could always start taking your bike to Donford for service. They will loan you a very nice, late model, low mileage bike while yours is being worked on. Your loyalty to your old bike will be severely tested while you are riding this modern marvel of technology and very soon you will be tempted to buy the loan bike, or one of its siblings, from them. Somehow you will find the means. It worked with me anyway, twice ! :)
There was nothing wrong with my old bike until I drove one of new ones while mine was in for a routine service. I wasn't fully convinced the first time though , so when mine had to go in a few months later for new chain, sprockets and rear tyre, they loaned me the one with all the bells and whistles on and then there was no going back. Being a gadget and gizmo freak, the loan bike had massive appeal for me and from that point on I began to research and find the means to get a machine similar to the loan bike permanently in my garage.
Hope you come right and if I hear of anyone breaking a 650 I'll let you know.
Sometimes that strategy works, sometimes not! I was on Brenda Buttercup at the time, and took her in for a service at Atlantic Motorrad.
Loan bike was an old, clapped out and buggered up 1100 GS called Shrek due to its lime-green colour. That bike made me realise a boxer was not the beast I thought.
So when the new 800GS came out I asked Atlantic to look out for a second hand one for me. Of course, being a new model, there were no second-hand ones. So FreakonaLeash proposed to me an 1150GS now known as Mr.Badger...
Of course you could always start taking your bike to Donford for service. They will loan you a very nice, late model, low mileage bike while yours is being worked on. Your loyalty to your old bike will be severely tested while you are riding this modern marvel of technology and very soon you will be tempted to buy the loan bike, or one of its siblings, from them. Somehow you will find the means. It worked with me anyway, twice ! :)
There was nothing wrong with my old bike until I drove one of new ones while mine was in for a routine service. I wasn't fully convinced the first time though , so when mine had to go in a few months later for new chain, sprockets and rear tyre, they loaned me the one with all the bells and whistles on and then there was no going back. Being a gadget and gizmo freak, the loan bike had massive appeal for me and from that point on I began to research and find the means to get a machine similar to the loan bike permanently in my garage.
Hope you come right and if I hear of anyone breaking a 650 I'll let you know.
The have been trying that trick on me a few years now
they all still feel inferior to my 1150gsa ;-)
Trevor, had a good laugh at your response now HAHAHAHAHA 
!!!
So I put Humpty back together last night and the miracle I was hoping for did not happen so the odo still displays the "new" mileage, everything else functions 100% as per usual. While at it everything stripped to pieces, cleaned, lubed, polished, all bulbs replaced. Used some flexible hose and wrapped around wire shrouding to prevent scuffing, man ze Germans really were selfish with their length of wire during production and assembly ;-) Elektrokleen for cleaning, and a great product from Wurth (non-conducting and silicone based) that lubes electrical rubber, plastic components, prevents corrosion on contact points and no doubt will displace water/moisture too when needed. Zanie if you need speedo taken apart and cleaned you can ask me anytime, am a pro now ;-) Good luck - I have a voltmeter/electrical testing thingie if needed for you to perhaps eliminate all electrical or wiring issues pre-speedo contributing to your gremlins if not already done? Good luck!!
Trevor: And pay double the labour costs I pay now? No thank you. I'll keep supporting my down-the-road mechanic, even if it means I don't get to ride pretty loan bikes. Anyway, I won't switch to another bike just for comfort, because I'm emotionally attached to my bike now. Perhaps girls are wired differently? We don't easily trade in bikes, boyfriends, etc., just to get a newer model. ;)
Jean: You should watch what you say, as you may just find a faulty instrument cluster on your doorstep! From snuffling around on various forums, it does appear that "professionals" often label a cluster non-fixable without even trying to clean it, leaving bike owners to DIY (with, it appears, relatively good results).
You mention your odo is still showing the wrong reading, but does it (and the other instruments) work now? In other words, is it actually counting up km's and not flickering? I would really like to go the clean-the-cluster route first, but it appears no-one is willing to do it, which means DIY (in which case I will definitely contact you).
FYI: I checked with the guy stripping the bike and it is, unfortunately, the facelift version.
Zanie correct kilos on odo counting up and working 100%, only problem was odo that reset to 0kms after doing the ----------- thing a few times after start-up, and started adding up again thereafter with no probs. Everything else was fine, well at least did not notice any other probs. So was trying best luck to somehow get it to go back to original odo reading after cleaning, but that miracle did not happen. So my problems nowhere near what you are experiencing, bring it I'll try best to clean as good as possible, don't have much to loose do we? I am convinced all our probs because of moisture ingress, no doubt in my mind.
And Snoekie it took you all this time to offer your electrical cleaning services to Zanie
Jean: I owe you a huge "Thank you!" Andrew (Kingtek) told me he couldn't say definitely that a facelift model wouldn't work on my bike, so I contacted the guy who was dismembering his bike (the link you sent). He was actually based in Retreat, right down the road from Kingtek! He dropped off his old instrument cluster at Kingtek, where Andrew could check whether it would fit my bike. My bike was in for repairs anyway (leaking fork seal - again!).
Miracle of miracles: The "organ transplant" worked! No fault codes. And everything works! My old instrument cluster had gone from bad to worse, throwing its worst days ever in the two days just before the transplant. Both the rev counter and speedometer worked their way right around their clocks and stayed put at max level for 10-15 km, before even trying to work (at which point the speedometer would without fail show 30 km/h faster than what I was actually going). The clock lost over 2 hours in 3 weeks, which also means that 2 hours of riding was not recorded. My odometer was hardly ticking over.
My bike is becoming a real Frankenstein bike. It's "nose", one fairing and instrument cluster are now from newer models and the mirrors and indicators are cheap and cheerful after-market bits. My seat is also after-market, but much better than the original!
The second-hand-cluster's perspex cover was in bad shape, so I kept mine. Yet mine still has a little crack. I'm awaiting a new one (lucky for me, there was actually one in the country - only one!), because I'm certain that crack was the cause of all my damp-related damage. I noted that there was often damp behind the perspex after a wash or rain.
My bike is also now 40,000 km younger; down from 80 to 40 thousand km (the odo cannot be changed in older GS models).
Old cluster (with cannibalised bike's bashed perspex):
New one (with my original perspex - note the crack at the speedometer - and original silver cover):
Comparison:
Now I just need to find a second-hand indicator switch (new ones have to be bought with the entire LHS combination switch), as that is also on the blink. Ha ha. Pun. At least it's just the switch rather than the "electrickery" that's at fault there.
So...things I have replaced: radiator, coolant hoses, coolant pump and seals, seat, mirrors, indicators, levers (brake and clutch), clutch switch, batteries (too many), and the rear end of bike (licence plate support and tail light support).
I am slowly but surely building a new bike here...
Well, this is awkward. 1st step of troubleshooting - check battery is OK. Mine is almost new Motobatt, starts first time every time, blablabla, so battery as potential problem was eliminated straight off the bat, charging system on bike 100%, all wires checked for chafing, terminals sparkly clean as always. So after doing all of the above, speedo has now been getting progressively worse since stripping and cleaning. Bike standing for 2 weeks, turn the key - dead as a doornail (have never had this happening before). Inner voice - "oh it must be an electric short in the speedo now draining the battery, speedo probably beyond repair, must look at replacing or alternative aftermarket, $$$$$$$, etc, all the speedo's fault". Charge battery, put back, turn starter - dead as a doornail. "Hmmmmm, must be the battery charger - probably faulty". Pull out voltmeter - battery showing 0,2V, hmmmmmmm probably did not charge, hook up to charger, check charging current - no problem with charger. YEP - BATTERY IS FRIED. Charges up to about 5V and keeps it overnight, then almost down to 0V again.
Slightly embarrassed? YES 
My advice is CHECK YOUR BATTERY, EVEN IF IT IS (ALMOST BRAND) NEW!!!! 
Let's hold thumbs that all the problems are in fact 100% due to battery............will report back.
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