The New And Improved Unofficial R65 Forum V2

Technical Discussion => BMW Technical Q&A, Primarily R65 => Topic started by: Jharpe on September 12, 2007, 01:57:45 AM

Title: Those with an 82 r65 please read
Post by: Jharpe on September 12, 2007, 01:57:45 AM

Hey from Georgia!  ;D

Just got back to riding by purchasing an 82 r65 from Ebay.

Bike was in good shape, but I am finding some strange parts on it that appear to come from different years.

1) The engine serial is not above the dipstick
2) The idiot lights are between the instruments, not in the tach

These are the main things I have found so far that are not as they should be.

Haynes says the engine serial was over the dipstick up to 1983. Could the engine have been replaced, or is Haynes wrong?

Could this be as the bike came off the line? Or has a previous owner Frankenstein it a bit?  :question

At least one inquiring mind wants to know.

Title: Re: Those with an 82 r65 please read
Post by: Bob_Roller on September 12, 2007, 09:29:11 AM

First thing to do, is to get the VIN off of the steering head, and then go to  RealOEM.com and put the last 7 characters of the VIN into the search box. That will tell you the month and year the frame was manufactured. On the engine case , on the left side at the front, there should be a machined area, and it has a serial number, and it usually is the same as the frame number. But after 25 years and who knows how many owners, it's impossible to know for sure what's been done to the bike, as to whether the bike came out of the factory that way, or has had the engine changed. If you really wanted to do some research, you can call the BMW customer service number, and see what, if any information they may have on the bike.

Title: Re: Those with an 82 r65 please read
Post by: SCJJR65 on September 12, 2007, 10:33:35 AM

Just curious.... Are the speedo and tach on your bike made by VDO?

Title: Re: Those with an 82 r65 please read
Post by: NC Steve on September 12, 2007, 10:43:49 AM

J, sound like your R65 has a gauge cluster off of a /6 or later series Airhead...

Title: Re: Those with an 82 r65 please read
Post by: Jharpe on September 12, 2007, 11:18:45 AM

Instruments are all BMW, is VDO the maker of non-US pods?

Found the engine pad spot!! It was hidden very well under some grim.

36 850151
Followed by a number most say is internal BMW identification.

It appears from the sites I have been on that this is an 85 engine made in the 36th week.

Still looking though.

Title: Re: Those with an 82 r65 please read
Post by: Jharpe on September 12, 2007, 11:22:20 AM

Quote

J, sound like your R65 has a gauge cluster off of a /6 or later series Airhead...

Yes, looks like it.

I have the correct cluster ready for install. The current one has the slipping gear odometer and now the tach needle just jumps every now and then.

The plan is to repair the existing and sell it to supplement the r65 budget for a Russell day-long seat.  ;D