The New And Improved Unofficial R65 Forum V2

Technical Discussion => BMW Technical Q&A, Primarily R65 => Topic started by: Hunsta on February 16, 2011, 02:50:11 AM

Title: Better R65 Coil
Post by: Hunsta on February 16, 2011, 02:50:11 AM
Gday all. I have a 1984 R65, and I`d like to put an after market coil on it, as I think the old one is on its way out. Now I know lots of people will say the "Thunder Child" is the way to go. I once ask this question before and someone suggested a coil that seemed good, but for the life of me I cant remember what brand it was. I do remember that they were colour coded for certain bikes.
 Can anyone give me some US sites I can visit to to see whats what.
 Cheers
Craig
Title: Re: Better R65 Coil
Post by: Barry on February 16, 2011, 03:10:07 AM
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someone suggested a coil that seemed good, but for the life of me I cant remember what brand it was. I do remember that they were colour coded for certain bikes.

Your probably thinking dyna coils. Green for points bikes and brown for electronic ignition http://www.motoelekt.com/ignition.htm
Title: Re: Better R65 Coil
Post by: Hunsta on February 16, 2011, 03:24:43 AM
Quote
Quote
someone suggested a coil that seemed good, but for the life of me I cant remember what brand it was. I do remember that they were colour coded for certain bikes.

Your probably thinking dyna coils. Green for points bikes and brown for electronic ignition http://www.motoelekt.com/ignition.htm
Thats the one. Thanks for that. I knew I`d find the right one in here.
 Cheers
Craig
Title: Re: Better R65 Coil
Post by: DgM on February 16, 2011, 02:24:18 PM
Dyna coils good, new stock BMW coil fine.  Original coil gave up ghost - after 20 years - I replaced coil on my 1983 R65 with BMW replacement, works very well, no problems. BMW coil gives basically same performance as Dyna, just shorter life - measured in YEARS.  BMW coil just bolts in, no fabrication required...
Title: Re: Better R65 Coil
Post by: Bob_Roller on February 16, 2011, 02:50:37 PM
My original OEM gray and black coil lasted 13 years .

The OEM replacement coil, red and black, lasted 8 years .

I've got a Dyna 'brown' coil installed now .

I asked Rick Jones, owner of Motorrad Elektrik what kind of service life to expect from the Dyna coil, his answer was 25-30 years .

He has only had one Dyna coil returned to him, that had a confirmed failure, he's been selling them for about 17-18 years now .

Don't know what a Dyna coil costs in your region of the world, but I have seen posts on other sites that state that the dual output ignition coils from the K100 bikes work great in the airhead bikes, you need to fabricate a mounting bracket to use these coils .

Don't know if you have a motorcycle salvage business in your area or not, just an lower cost alternative to OEM and aftermarket parts  .
Title: Re: Better R65 Coil
Post by: Graeme on February 16, 2011, 08:18:26 PM
Mine's got two (ignition) coils; am I confusing this coil with something else?
Title: Re: Better R65 Coil
Post by: Rob Valdez 79 R65 on February 16, 2011, 08:38:39 PM
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Mine's got two (ignition) coils; am I confusing this coil with something else?
'78 - '80 had two individual coils.  '81-on had one double coil.
Graeme, the fact that your '84 has two coils simply means that a PO replaced the OEM coil with two.
The bike runs, right?  I'd go for a ride!

Title: Re: Better R65 Coil
Post by: Hunsta on February 17, 2011, 02:33:16 AM
Just ordered my Dyna Brown coil for my 1984 R65. It also comes with mounting brackets, so it will be good to go when it arrives. Cost AUS$123.00. Thats with insured Global Priority USPS. didnt think that was too bad a deal.
 He now has me thinkin g about one of those digital Bean Can thingies for both my R65 and my R1100GS.
Title: Re: Better R65 Coil
Post by: Bob_Roller on February 17, 2011, 06:59:36 AM
That's a great price, considering how far it's traveling .

The digital 'bean can' will only work on the airhead, your GS is an oilhead, they don't have 'bean cans', just a plate with two Hall Effect sensors .
Title: Re: Better R65 Coil
Post by: montmil on February 17, 2011, 06:46:32 PM
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Quote
Mine's got two (ignition) coils; am I confusing this coil with something else?
'78 - '80 had two individual coils.  '81-on had one double coil.
Graeme, the fact that your '84 has two coils simply means that a PO replaced the OEM coil with two.
The bike runs, right?  I'd go for a ride!

When I purchased my 1983 R65, I discovered it has two Bosch coils wired up and hose clamped to the center frame spine. Way outta standard and done up by a PO. The bike ran fine but I just could not stand looking at the lash up.

Swapped in a Dyna Brown, new plug wires, NGK caps and NGK spark plugs as on my '81 R65. Basically, the same performance as I bought the bike but so much of an aesthetic improvement... to my eyes.

Monte
Title: Re: Better R65 Coil
Post by: Rob Valdez 79 R65 on February 17, 2011, 07:41:48 PM
And if you still have your factory wires, they have WONDERFUL soldered-on ends that go into the coil contacts.  MUCH superior to the kind that have a tooth that pushes into the end of the wire, with two arms that bite into the insulation.

Simply de-solder the old tips, and solder them onto your new wires.  Much mo betta.

NOT these!

(https://bmwr65.org/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mgcycle.com%2Fimages%2Fatrex%2F0558248.jpg&hash=76bcf97a62201c027509b6e053c27965fb129958)

There doesn't seem to be a picture of any of the solder-ables on the internet.  I guess I will have to take my own.
I would even go so far as to say it would be worthwhile to buy some old OEM cables off of eBay or such, just for the tips.  The older & nastier, the better.
Like these (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1975-BMW-R90-R90-6-Ignition-Coils-wires-No-Reserve-/390287865414?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item5adef83646); or these (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-R75-5-R60-5-original-Bosch-ignition-coils-wires-/200577068152?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2eb3532c78).
Don't buy new ones, I doubt they would have what I am talking about.  
I have no idea what BMW/Bosch was putting on after 1990, or so.

Every three years or so, I replace my caps & wires with parts from this guy:
http://www.mikesxs.net/products-27.html#products
Mikes ships to the US, Australia and New Zealand.  He has links for (English-speaking) Germany & The Netherlands in you are in the U.K., according to his home page.
Title: Re: Better R65 Coil
Post by: Hunsta on February 18, 2011, 02:47:20 AM
Quote

The digital 'bean can' will only work on the airhead, your GS is an oilhead, they don't have 'bean cans', just a plate with two Hall Effect sensors .
Yeah I understand that. I was just pre-empting the future models as per this off the site.

"NOTE: These specifications are intended for a stock, single spark plug per cylinder engine. A new module that provides control optimized for a twin-plug ignition will be offered in the near future."

Even though my 1100GS is a single spark I assumed he meant a model to fit newer bikes.
Title: Re: Better R65 Coil
Post by: Rob Valdez 79 R65 on February 18, 2011, 03:02:22 AM
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Quote

The digital 'bean can' will only work on the airhead, your GS is an oilhead, they don't have 'bean cans', just a plate with two Hall Effect sensors .
Yeah I understand that. I was just pre-empting the future models as per this off the site.

"NOTE: These specifications are intended for a stock, single spark plug per cylinder engine. A new module that provides control optimized for a twin-plug ignition will be offered in the near future."

Even though my 1100GS is a single spark I assumed he meant a model to fit newer bikes.
I think they are talking about twin-plugged Type-247s and 248s.  (R45s & 65s are Type-248)
Title: Re: Better R65 Coil
Post by: Hunsta on February 18, 2011, 03:26:48 AM
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Quote
Quote

The digital 'bean can' will only work on the airhead, your GS is an oilhead, they don't have 'bean cans', just a plate with two Hall Effect sensors .
Yeah I understand that. I was just pre-empting the future models as per this off the site.

"NOTE: These specifications are intended for a stock, single spark plug per cylinder engine. A new module that provides control optimized for a twin-plug ignition will be offered in the near future."

Even though my 1100GS is a single spark I assumed he meant a model to fit newer bikes.
I think they are talking about twin-plugged Type-247s and 248s.  (R45s & 65s are Type-248)
OIC Still a babe in the woods after 4 years. LOL