The New And Improved Unofficial R65 Forum V2
Technical Discussion => BMW Technical Q&A, Primarily R65 => Topic started by: Ringo on March 15, 2007, 07:51:55 AM
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I am now an owner of an R65LS that I picked up last summer. Finally got it put together and on the road in the fall only to discover that the cornering was quite compromised by a rather bent front wheel. I just brought it to a guy in New Hampshire who straightened the wheel, but have heard others recommend against this. Any experience with this? It is a very soft wheel, by the way.
Also, the tire was shot and I need to order a new one. I thought it was the same size as my R75/6, but I guess it is an 18" wheel, not 19". Is this correct? What size tire should I run? The rear is a 110/90 - 18 Bridgestone S11.
Thanks all.
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You are correct, unlike the larger bikes the R65s used an 18" front wheel. I think the correct size is somewhere between a 90/90-18 and 100/90-18, with 90/90 being the closest. I run a 90/90-18 Macadam 50e on front and Macadam 110/90-18 Macadam 50 on the rear on one R65 and the other has 100/90-18 and 110/90-18 Dunlop Elite II on the other. The bike with the 90/90 on front definately feels quicker handling...
As far as your wheel, if you take it to a shop that knows what they are doing, and it's not bent real bad, then you will probably be OK. I remember jumping a curb with my '78 R100/7, bending the bead part of the rime pretty bad, and I straightened that out with a large rawhide mallet! Worked like a champ...
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As Justin said, the alloys wheels can be safely unbent if they aren't too far out of wack.
The LS wheels are a bit different than the snowflake wheels I believe in that the spokes
are made of a softer, more flexy alloy than the rim. this was presumably to give more of
a "spoke wheel" feel to the handling, but I think mostly just manages to cause an annoying
paint crack all around the wheel where the joint of the two alloys is formed...
Whereabouts are you located ? I'm in the middle of NH - after I get my clutch & splines
repaired maybe we can meet for a ride this spring ?
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See http://www.webbikeworld.com/Motorcycle-tires/sizes.htm for some info on tire sizes.
greetings from a windy and grey north
trolle
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They no longer make the macadams, the replacement is the pilot road.
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Thanks for the feedback. The guy who did the wheel seemed cool and said they have done over 10,000 and stand behind every one. He said he had never seen an LS wheel before mine. Check them out at:
http://www.mcwheel.com/
Lowen, the online catalogs I checked still list the Macadam, and I was considering it. Are you sure it isn't available? I was also considering the BT45.
nhmaf, I am in beautiful Greenfield, Ma. and have great roads in all directions. I am interested in doing more riding up in New Hampshire, as there is a lot I don't know up there. I was up in Pittsburg, (NH) in October, having crossed the border from Quebec at the Connecticut Lakes. Pretty sweet country. I also did a trip a couple years back riding up the Connecticut River from here, then crossing over to the Kankamangus. I loved that ride, but hated the Kank. It is an awesome road, but CLOGGED with cages, hogs, and Winnebagos. I much prefer the empty roads. So, yeah, I'd love to check out some more of NH with a "native guide." Same goes for here, if anyone else is nearby or wants to make a journey, we got really outstanding roads. I am happy to guide, as long as we end up at the People's Pint for refreshments!
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WHAT???? No more Macadams??? Oh S*&T! >:(
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Some places still have Macadams in stock but I've been told when they are gone thats it. I've been running the pilot road on the back of my R1150R for a couple of months and it seems to be wearing very well while still being sticky in the corners.