Battle Runner: BMW F650 Funduro Rally Bike

‘99 BMW F650 Funduro “Battle Runner” by BCK Motorcycles…  

In the 1990s, some 50,000 BMW F650 Funduros were produced in partnership with Aprilia and Rotax before BMW brought production in-house in 2000. A bike with an Austrian engine, designed in Germany, and built in Italy may not sound like the most auspicious pedigree, but the single-cylinder “Baby GS” proved itself a bulletproof workhorse for commuters, two-wheeled adventurers, and multiple Paris-Dakar Rally champions.

One of our favorite owner reviews comes from “Possum” of the MCN forum.

“VERY reliable and built tough. I have no crash bars, use and abuse the bike off-road, and ride for up to 18 hours a day. It has had a couple of solid crashes, yet suffered only minor damage, always been ridden home. The total of parts failures in 109,000km: the original rear shock began failing around 90,000km, but made it to 100,000km… Water pump replaced at 100,000km due to weeping shaft seals. Both of these things are well-documented inherent things (I won’t call them ‘faults’ given the mileage they achieved). I’m now setting my sights on the 200,000km roll-over, and intend to continue riding this wonderfully comfortable steed well beyond 300,000km…” -Possum, F650 owner

Of course, most of these Bavarian dual-purpose thumpers are now over 25 years old. In stock trim, the Funduro could never be construed as a very attractive motorcycle, and these bikes benefit from modifications and updates for the modern adventurer. That’s where our old buddy Yann from BCK Motorcycles comes in — a man who jokes he should rename his workshop “The Funduro Clinic” given the number of F650 builds he’s completed in recent years. 

This ’99 Funduro was built for Cedric, a veteran rider of the TET (Trans-Euro-Trails) who wanted a machine to accompany his daughter on a two-wheeled trip through the mountains of Eastern Europe.

“To do so, he needs a fully equipped machine, and it turns out that BCK Motorcycles is the only workshop to offer the complete restoration of your F650 and the manufacture of specific accessories dedicated to off-road practice.” -Yann

Yann has become something of a Funduro whisperer over the years, gradually perfecting the modifications and fabrication work to transform the Bavarian trailie into the perfect single-cylinder adventure bike…tweaked to each owner’s needs and style, of course. 

This build, nicknamed the “Battle Runner” for its intended home near Verdun — site of the deadliest battle of World War One — has been completely disassembled and built back from the ground up. Nearly every part has been inspected, restored, modified, or replaced. 

The frame, wheels, and engine were sand-blasted, the bodywork repainted, and Yann fabricated most of the custom accessories in-house. There’s a bashguard that integrates with the center-stand, custom wraparound crashbars, and a side luggage rack designed to hold a Mosko Moto BackCountry 35L semi-rigid pannier kit. Importantly, this rack doesn’t interfere with the passenger pegs or seating, and also stores a pair of fuel bottles. 

The standard rear luggage rack was restored, intended to hold Cedric’s top case, and just about every other accessory imaginable has been added: larger pegs, beefier handlebar, shorter levers, articulating mirrors, handguards, USB power socket + voltmeter, heated grips, LED lighting (including auxiliary lights), and more. 

Up front, Yann blacked-out the original windscreen and added a fully adjustable windshield. Behind that, there’s an adjustable rally tower that can accommodate both Cedric’s normal phone and a GPS or secondary phone running the DMD² navigation app. A secondary dashboard contains controllers for the heated grips, automatic chain lubrication system, and various indicator lights for standard operation of the bike. A vinyl wrap in BMW Motorsport colors gives the bike a much updated look.

All in all, this is one incredibly thought-out and well-constructed Funduro, sporting the lean look of a single-cylinder BMW rally bike but fully kitted-out for a long adventure through the mountains of central and eastern Europe…or any other “battle” that may arise. 

Kudos to Yann for another highly functional, aesthetically reborn machine. We wish Cedric the trip of a lifetime with his daughter, and we can’t wait to see what rolls out of the BCK Motorcycles workshop in 2026.

F650 Funduro Adventure Bike: Builder Interview

• Please tell us a bit about yourself, your history with motorcycles, and your workshop.

Yann, a young teenager of +50 years, I have been presiding over the destinies of the BCK Motorcycles workshop since 2010. Everything related to the motorcycle interests me as long as it is not necessary to connect the motorcycle to the mains regularly. Even the new low-quality battery charging devices should not be mentioned in my workshop.

Dezert Runner: BMW F650 GS Funduro by BCKustoms

Since 2020, the workshop’s activity has undergone a serious shift and, following the off-road projects already out of the workshop before the lockdown, is now almost completely focused on motorcycle preparation for off-road travel. Looking a little closer at the machines released in recent months from the workshop, I realize some omissions. Indeed, since the workshop could be renamed The Funduro Clinic or Workshop, there is another achievement missing to the BikeBound publications list.

• What’s the make, model, and year of the bike?

This time, it’s a model ’99 that has entered my workshop. Compared to previous versions approved for restoration and improvement, the post-1996 versions of the BMW F650 Funduro are aesthetically different with a front end and redesigned side panels. To this are added a main switch offering in addition a plug for heated grips and the replacement of the engine oil thermometer by a clock on the dashboard.

Attention: Even if overall the machine does not undergo major modifications, it should also be noted that the tank cap no longer has 5 but 6 screws, which means that the tanks are different as well as the PVC casing.

Visually, for my taste, the new design of the front panel certainly limited the number of pieces but did not improve the aesthetics for the time. While the Funduro started its career with a rectangular lens block identical to its direct competitors, the 1996 evolution kept this element in a simplified packaging with a questionable taste while the Tenere and other Africa Twin had caught up to the double optical trend inherited from endurance and rally machines.

• Why was this bike built? 

The simplicity, robustness and legendary reliability of this model caught the eye of Cedric, an accomplished biker and frequent user of TET (Trans-Euro-Trails) tracks with his fully equipped KTM 690.

However, this machine completely excludes any rear-seat company. The Austrian firm is not recognized for its GT models actually — Ah ah — but well for its extreme off-road motorcycles, sacrificing a lot of appearance for performance alone.

Outside, Cedric also aims to embark on an adventure accompanied by his daughter through the mountain ranges of the East and the center of Europe. To do so, he needs a fully equipped machine, and it turns out that BCK Motorcycles is the only workshop to offer the complete restoration of your F650 and the manufacture of specific accessories dedicated to off-road practice.

• What was the design concept and what influenced the build?

The inspiration remains identical and brings back to the Dezert Runner, which left my garage at the same time as we did after a well-felt pandemic. My machine proposed to achieve what many Funduro owners desired, the ultimate fully equipped machine ready for adventure.

• What custom work was done to the bike?

Complete disassembly and reassembly, after inspection and restoration or change of each part. Sandblasting of the complete chassis including the rims and engine, bodywork painting, and manufacturing of all custom accessories by hand at the workshop.

In anticipation of the scheduled outings, Cedric chose the complete package including integral engine skidplate with extension under the central kickstand, new crash-bars offering optimal protection, and a high adjustable bubble.

Wishing to keep his top-case for storing camera equipment or a pair of helmets, he added to his list a Mosko Moto BackCountry 35L semi-rigid luggage support system. This system obviously does not exist for the Funduro, so it is completely designed and built in the workshop and custom-made.

Always with the goal of long-distance travel, it was almost inevitable to use the free space behind these new supports, and on the opposite side to the exhaust, to store fuel bottles.

If you add to this project the complete reconstruction with all the consumables and all the basic equipment, you should initially have nothing more to add on this motorcycle: Wide footrests, ‘oversize’ handlebar with risers, short levers, hand protections, USB power socket that also acts as a voltmeter, a pair of articulating mirrors, and the integral LED lighting including the addition of auxiliary spotlights.

This time, the rear light has remained original, although equipped with an LED bulb, as well as the luggage rack which, also restored, has recovered its top case. Last detail to add, the complete removal of the original dashboard and the addition of heated grips.

• Does the bike have a nickname?

Like all BCK Motorcycles projects, of course! And like all machines intended to go far by the small paths, the nickname “Runner” is paired with another term more related to the project itself.

Island Runner: BMW F650 Funduro

From the Dezert Runner, the original F650 that recalled the Dakar races, to the DR650RS Nomad Runner built in connection with the Mosko Moto blog writers, through the Island Runner ridden on the island of La Reunion, or even the Baja Runner DR650RS, this new project happened to be based not far from the historic region of Verdun, which saw the deadliest battle in the history of France. Thus the nickname “Battle Runner” found its justification.

• Can you tell us what it’s like to ride this bike?

Not much except to repeat what I have already said before about other F650 projects, which have kept their original chassis design, including wheel size, revised suspension, and improved braking via adding aircraft-type hoses.

Despite the years, and even if the engineers were not great stylists, they had the experience from the history of the brand to design this hyper harmonious and neutral machine powered by an incredible engine whose reliability today leaves us dreaming.

• Was there anything done during this build that you are particularly proud of?

To take full advantage of this too smooth front panel, the game of drawing and contrasts was required to add style and relief to the whole. A matte black front face that hides this outdated design, coupled with a vinyl decoration featuring the colors of the Munich racing service, and the machine regains its true character if not an undeniable makeover. I find that it is a reluctance in this sense.

Another point that comforts me on this project is the side luggage rack assembly. Avoiding drilling new anchor points or cutting anything, I managed to get this tubular mesh outside the passenger space, including the foot pegs, without obstructing any of the mandatory elements at the rear. Add to that the need for space to remove and replace the fully-loaded Mosko Moto Back Country bags, and the specification was complete.

Finally, there was the design and realization of the new dashboard. The bottom panel receives the USB power supply, control of the heated grips, as well as the automatic lubrication system of the chain and the various indicators useful for the normal use of the machine.

In front of this panel stands now an adjustable and modular instrumentation tower that allows it to receive two different screens simultaneously using the DMD2 application or to replace one of the spaces with a complete GPS while keeping the phone connected for the rest.

• Is there anyone you’d like to thank?

Special Thanks to all locals helpers and craftsmen who I’m working with:

• Upholstery by Nikau at @NCW_Workshop
• Stainless welding master @jefracfrac at @t2xc.creation
• Sandblasting and powder-coating by Patrick at SARL LE PAGE

And big thanks to the companies collaborating all year long:

• Best motorcycle luggages from @moskomoto with use of black Back Country 35L set including two pair of Auxiliairy Pouches (Aux-Pox) to offer the maximum storage.
• All lubricants by @iponelube
• Restoration products issued by @wd40_france
• All finishing products from @noline.france
• Enduro LED headlights from @doenduro
• Chains and sprockets from @supersproxusa

Follow the Builder

Website: www.bckustoms.com
Instagram: @bckustoms
Facebook: facebook.com/breizhcoastkustoms/

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