The New And Improved Unofficial R65 Forum V2
General Category => General Announcements => Topic started by: Dizerens5 on August 22, 2010, 01:41:35 PM
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Why an R65? Tell you why I got one:
In 1971 I bought an R60/5 - my first brand-new bike and as it turned out, to this day the worst motorcycle I have ever owned. I will not waste half a page on it but I did resolve at the time, never another BMW, whether on 2 wheels or 4.
But last year I bought a 1979 R65. Well, I thought maybe I should forget my prejudice, after nearly 40 years. But also, being retired an oilhead was out of my budget. Could have bought a used one, but a) a matter of personal taste, I think oilheads are disgusting-looking bikes, a load of components thrown together with no sense of style and producing something suitable for riding by Judge Dredd, or maybe Terminator. Not my scene at all.
Also b) from reading up I know that the oilheads have a long lasting reputation for failures in the electronics: engines will not start, alarms triggered by filling-station security systems, and so on. Not so good.
But the R65 is of great interest in part because in this country anyway, it is still a cause of controversy although it is many years since the last was made. Some say it is a really good all-round bike, ok for anything except high-speed crazy riding, others say it is the worst bike ever made by BMW. Also, and like most airheads, it is beautiful to look at, well styled by a designer who knew his business. And in Britain, anyway, it is not well regarded as a classic, which means a good one will not cost much to buy. My lovely 79 came in at £1,500 which I believe is a little under $2,000.
My R65 is pretty close to the perfect bike for a grandpa! Too bad I didn’t investigate them earlier...
Would anyone else like to give their reasons for riding R65?
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My R65s provide sporty handling, ease of maintenance, and parts prices are mostly reasonable. For a lightweight rider such as myownself, it's the perfect BMW motorcycle. I own two of 'em.
Monte
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I bought my '81 in January, 1981, I wanted a bike that I could count on keeping for 20-30 years .
The reputation for being a reliable and easy to work on machine was a major factor in the decision .
I was told that I was crazy for paying so much for a 650 bike, when you could get a Yamaha 650 for about half the price, this was when they were 'dumping' bikes on the North American market .
If you had gone for an oilhead bike, I don't think you would have been disappointed with it .
Now, there's no comparing a 30 year old airhead to a recent model oilhead, with 30 years of technology between them, you can't make a fair comparison between them .
The airhead has 'character' the oilhead is more 'sanitized' in the way it operates on the lines of Asian bikes .
I have three airheads, one oilhead and one BMW 'cage', I'm quite satisfied with the products that I have of theirs .
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My brother has rebuilt 2 Airheads a R100 and a R65 i was seriously ill a couple of years ago which meant i was facing a long period of rehab and as i have my own business i didn't know how many customers i would hold on to as i recovered i was going stir crazy and needed something to fill my time not letting me dwell too much on my situation.
I decided to find a project bike and as i had the support and help of my brother bmw was first choice.
I had looked at a few Airheads when "Gertie " appeared on eBay i had given my self a price limit and when the bike went well beyond it and i was looking at others the thing i found attractive about this bike was it only had 2 owners..brothers both deceased and was being sold by the son of the later owner having stood for 10 years it was dilapidated but i could see the potential with only 30k miles on it, i was surprised some weeks after the auction had finished to be contacted by the seller the two bidders who had gone head to head had let him down and did i want it for my last bid price......the rest is history and what a great bike it has become.
Lou
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It was free.
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The price, at the time, was Right! ($600)
I've liked it so much I see no reason to get another BMW. It does everything I want it too do. It goes long distances without much fuss. It carries everything but the kitchen sink.
Happy since 1993 and working on the second hundred thousand miles. 8-)
(If I make a 100,000 on one of the BSA's, will it be a miracle?)
TTFN,
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Simplicity,ease of working on,and availability of parts - easier to get parts for than any Japanese bike,new or used.And certainly much more reliable for it's age than anything else.
It also met my requirement for a good handling 650 twin....that it was a flat twin is a bit of a surprise,but I don't notice until I get off.I grew up on 650 twins,and it just seems to be the perfect engine size for me.
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Unlike modern stuff I like a bike where you can actually see the engine. They don't come more visible than a flat twin or easier to work on or with better spares support.
Quality and value for money is an other reason for choosing BMW. Back in the 70's I remember drooling over the quality of an R90s in the showrooms but the prices were ridiculously high perhaps more so than in North America. You could buy a Triumph Bonneville for less than half the price or a Z900 for not much more than half so I bought the Bonneville and then the Z900 an then I got married so....
These days a nice Bonneville or Z900 is 2 or 3 times the price of a BMW so I bought a BMW.
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For me it was ease of maintenance.
Which means I can do it myself, mostly.
I had a jap inline 4 previously, it was an ar*e to work on.
When I decided to build my cafe Racer it was important that the drivetrain be rugged and easy to work on. I am also aware that with a 4 cylinder, there is a minmum of 4 of everthing - when it needs a rebuild...4 pistons, 4 carbs, 4 sets of valves, it all adds up.
I have other hobbies, but to do them all I must keep the costs down on all of them.
I recently read that the motor cycle journalist Dave Minton, reckoned that the R65 was one of the best middleweight bikes of its era. Thats good enough for me.
Cheers
Steve Hawkins
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The 1962 Valiant was giving an economy of 17mpg from the old slant 6 pushing a torqueflite automatic.
So I decided I needed something a little more economical and enjoyable.
I looked at scooters and asked if they'd reach 80kmh but at 6'3" and 20stone (130kgs) I was told a fat bastard like me would be lucky to get 60 kmh. So I looked for a road bike. Lots of rubbish in Darwin at expensive prices, and nothing decent. A friend mentioned she had a MW R65 but thought I wouldn't be interested. I took a look and said PERFECT. 36 years of riding bikes, it's the first road bike I've owned but it's fantastic for the daily commute.
I've gotten the valiant up to 21mpg, but still ride the bike every day to work, unless I need to carry something to work in the mdddle of the wet season (think tropical monsoons).
AND I am so glad I didn't venture to a scooter, as I pass them in the 100kmh zone and see them doing 70kmh and hugging the emergency lane with cars sneaking past creating extra lanes I am amazed there hasn't been more accidents, especially when half the scooter riders do not understand motorbike riding techniques.
John
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When I first saw my R65LS it was love at first sight.
Remember the test ride I took in the twisties and how easy it was to turn.
The "little" 650 reminded me so much of my earlier 75/5, but lighter and quicker in the turns, and it fitted my figure live a glove.
With time and the experience got on the earlier R75 I've learned that the R65 it's much more fun to ride, lighter, flickable and more economical than my previous ride, it still return close to 50 miles per gallon.
The engine is smaller, but it still does what I neeed from a bike, and from 5000 rpm to redline it's a crescendo of emotions!
I use it as a pleasure vehichle, can take it anywhere I want to go from 50 to 500 miles a day and I still enjoy every moment on it.
Just finished the Valve Gapping yesterday after 5 thousand miles, and it felt like it was my first time doing it, ever so much fun and amazingly simple to work on; feels like you are in control of your machine!
Could not ask for more!
Sadly my K75 "Long Range Two Up Tourer Wife Bike" is seeing little to no action next to the R65LS, and it doesn't even look as good as the latter.
Domenico
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I had owned a BMW R100RT back in the 90s, and foolishly sold it - simplicity, reliability and style kept drawing me back to BMW airhead twins whenever I would see them for sale in the papers. At the time I didn't care what airhead I bought, I just wanted one that wasn't horribly abused or missing lots of parts and was original. After looking at a number of distressed frankenbeemers, I came across the 1982 R65LS which had been sitting in a storage lockup for ~12 years, but which had all of its original parts, still ran and looked very cool. I haggled a bit on the price, got it down to $2350 and bought it. There have been one or two not so happy moments with it but for the most part I've enjoyed fixing her up and riding her all over the place for recreational trips, rallies, etc. My Kawasaki Concours get most of the commuting work, and occasional trips with the wife. The R65 frame and geometry give it much quicker handling on twisty roads than the other airheads of the same vintage - I am always smiling when riding it - it feel like a motorcycle ought to.
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but at 6'3" and 20stone (130kgs) I was told a fat bastard like me would be lucky to get 60 kmh. John
Trust an Aussie salesman to tell it as it is the PC brigade would have strung him up here, i think the correct term is big boned!!
Lou
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LOVE, love the look, love the 'workability', love the ride.
It can still keep up with all the big bikes on club rides.
It is so much fun watching the envy in the eyes of the new bike brigade when I can fix a fault at the side of the road, they have to call roadside assist ;D .
These have to be the most fun Bikes in the world.
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I had been drooling over the newer BMWs for the past few years but knew I probably would never afford one. I didn't really know too much about older BMWs to be honest. When I met my fiance (soon to be wife in 32 days!) I found out her father was a BMW motorcycle fanatic. He had a r69s in parts, as well as a 1981 r65 which was "his baby." I started taking more of an interest in older BMWs.
Then, in an unfortunate turn of events, my father in law passed away from a heart attack. My fiance inherited all of his possessions and projects, including the r65. Knowing the bike was just too intimidating for her (she has her moto license but rides a 150cc scooter) she basically just gave the r65 to me, saying her dad would want someone to take care of it and enjoy it. I still really consider it HER bike and will gladly hand it over to her the moment she wants it. Of course, if she does then I'm sure I will immediately turn around and start shopping for another airhead of some sort.
The r65 just IS her father, in her eyes and she says she never wants to get rid of it. So I'm sure no matter how much work it may need in the future, it will be with us for a long time, and I'd love to hand it down to one of OUR kids.
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I wanted something small enough to be reasonably economical, but big enough and powerful enough to hold its own in the asphalt jungle out there. I wanted something simple enough for me to work on that wouldn’t be a basket-case when any little thing goes wrong or require a computer hook-up to diagnose a problem. With a wife, a house, pets and kids, one in college, I needed something affordable, which pointed me to an older bike, making longevity and reliability extremely important. (I do like to wrench and fix problems, but I like riding a lot more.) All of those factors winnowed out the good ol’ R65 and when and ’82 popped up here at an embarrassingly low price, I had to go for it. Besides, BMW’s were in my mind the ultimate cycle when I sold my last one as a teenager in the 70’s. The hours I have spent trying to absorb some of the experience and enjoying the good cheer on this forum were totally unexpected and just icing on the cake. [smiley=thumbsup.gif] [smiley=bmw_smiley.gif]
John McC
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I have always want a BMW since I first saw one. In 1981 I went to CA. on my 79 Honda CX500 custom. After I got back I want a biger bike. I rode a Goldwing and found that it was heavier than I wanted. Looked a the Honda V45's but found what it would take to do the maintenance on them. I was with one of the members in the club I was in at that time. Found out he was going to a BMW Dealer 100 miles from us that just opened to look at a R100RT. I looked also and felt the R65 was enough for me. I has been and still is. Even though I bought a 75 R90 a few years after the R65 the R90 makes a better two up and long distance ride. But the R65 is a good bike the same. I have close to 90,000 mile on mine and still have it.
Don
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The R65 was my first 'big' bike after riding around on a 250cc while on my learners.
My father owned the R65, he rode it for many yrs & then rebuilt it & he then stored it under the house until one day i offered to buy it off him, $3000 bucks later & its all mine [smiley=bmw_smiley.gif].
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I just have this thing about air heads.....like the way they look, handle, the reliability.....the new ones look like chit You can take a old air head...bought for a reasonable price..put a little money into and have a really hot looking cycle.....that runs as good as it looks. Anyway I looked at all the airheads decided I like the R65 best. Started looking....found a nice one. Only problem with it is I keep adding stuff.......like a windshield..... sidecar.... powder coated valve covers. I will never get my money back out of it. But it doesn’t matter.......going to keep it till I am dead....and have a daughter who might just bump me off to get her hands on it. I have a fantastic ride!
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I dumbed into one. I needed a bike in a hurry. An old friend and I had rode Rt1 on the east coast from NY up to Maine stopping on the islands off Cape Cod back in the 80's. The plan was to make a run up the California coast these many years later on...Rt1. After looking at everything on craigslist for under 5K I settled on this R65LS having no Idea what it was. It was told that a preacher in Sidonia who was the original owner traded it for a van for his church. The van trader then used it to pay a debt to the seller, who let it live under a tarpaulin for a couple of years. I tuned it, changed the fluids and roared off on a long ride without ever checking it out completely. Heck, it said BMW on the tank and that's all I needed to know. Now a bit wiser I realize it was divine guidence that brought me to the R65. Can I have an Amen! ;)
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AMEN, Brother Rich !!!!!!!
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[size=18]Hallelujah, Brother ![/size]
[size=18]Do you see the Light?!?!?!?[/size]
[smiley=clap.gif]
(waitin to see you do a series of flips down the aisle like Joliet Jake)
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My first motorcycle was a '69 MZ Trophy which I bought from a friend, who needed money. I used if for daily commuting for three or four years before I moved in with the girl who later became my wife. Having very little money at the time I could only wish for a big bike and when the Danish army sold out their R65 GS bikes in 2004 I was on the verge of buying one but was adviced against it.
Prone to acting upon an impulse as I am, I one late evening answered an add for a '84 R65. The add had a very small and rather smudged photo of the bike in question, but the seller was very willing to part with the bike and agreed to lower the price with $500 from the original $2600 asked. Before I knew it, I had bought the bike and it took my wife four years to forgive me not having spoken to her about it before buying.
The bike looked a little derelict but the only parts missing were the sidecovers and with it was an invoice of work done on the bike on the PO's behalf.
The bike drove exactly one mile before the engine died!
The following winter was spent taking the bike apart and putting it together again and in May 2005 I was ready to launch. Well, almost, there was just the small matter of the engine which was very unwilling to run and after studying my Clymer very carefully I found out that the beancan was the culprit.
The new beancan was just the first of a very long list of aquisitions for the WH8LA2 as she was dubbed and till now she has cost me as much as a much newer and 100% OK bike would have costed.
It doesn't matter because I have a bike that is fun to ride and I have been having fun taking it apart and putting it together again.
And yes, my wife has forgiven me :-)
greetings from a sunny, windy and cold north
(https://bmwr65.org/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Flh6.ggpht.com%2F_IG1zYdpfI5U%2FTHkTZPk85jI%2FAAAAAAAAPVk%2FRNY5pJm6ECk%2F28082010.jpg&hash=a03a32db1ef96610addd48db8ac2ca0e68529086)
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My dad set off to buy a dirt bike and came home hauling an R65. The seat is chewed off, that had to be replaced. The Ignition coil was broken, that had to be replaced. No oil was leaking because there was no oil in the engine. There was no head light, so a replacement was ordered. The list went on and on. After working on it for more than 2 years(my dad ain't retired back then), hearing it roar for the first time, my dad got bitten by the boxer engine bug and sold his beloved K100 to buy a R100 GS PD. I would just complain that my room, nearest to the garage would smell like exhaust and have the deafening sound of boxer engine every saturday and sunday morning.
That was more than 10 years ago.
Now my dad riding a R1150 GS Adventure, my cousin who used to ride the R65 bought a honda super four 5 years back, the R65 had a lot of time to sit in a corner of our garage, under a dirty cover to rot itself slowly.
When late third year high school came, I started studying riding with my 200cc dirt bike. My dad, now retired, with some of my help, slowly put back the R65. Before fourth year high school ended, I was riding the R65 as commuter, a time when my batch mates, who were bragging about their cars; beetles, vans and the occasional sports cars would suddenly lose their popularity and attention when people were wondering who rode that big engined, blue BMW parked just outside the gate.
Now, I ride it to the 2 hour daily journey to college. I couldn't count how many times it has been put apart and reassembled. Every saturday and sunday morning, I would wake up to the invigorating smell of exhaust and music of a boxer engine running.
That's my story on how I ended up on an R65 :)
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I purchased my 1982 R65 in August 1982. It was my first motorcycle, and I had just gotten my motorcycle endorsement. I was looking for a bike that would last a number of years before I would out grow it, yet one that was not too powerful for a beginner. I figured 650 cc would about as much as I could handle as newbie. The R65, with its relatively light weight and low center of gravity, was an easy bike to handle. Finally, with favorable change in the foreign exchange rate over the prior year, there was good drop on price in terms of $US which just made it too good deal to pass up. No regrets.
k_enn
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Mine came from an abused home, under an overhang outside arse end to the weather for the last 10 years rust bubbles on the rear metal cowling surface rust on most of the frame, almost never ridden by a very large man it was funny to see him with his knees in his ears.
Rode it home at the loss of a 1000 from my pocket and I really disliked the orange pumpkin color so 2 pints of tremclad from the recycle place and it's now a light metal flake blue lots of comments on the unique color will redo the paint when I quit riding for this year if I quite this year, started in FEB, living 90 miles from ALASKA first 1000 miler in years 24th of March very cool but a good ride great in the twisties.
Cost less than 200 CDN to make road worthy, fixed the exhaust crossover with a piece of a C-band satellite dish button hook and really like that there is no electronnics at all and can be fixed on the side of the road with a rock and a nail file (I'M VERY OLD SCHOOL). Condensor fron a 73 Torino includes the wire to the coil and fits the beancan, points from NAPA it came with everthing but the tire irons and the hand pump
My 43rd ride since I was 15 a long long long time ago now and is proving to be one of the best I've ever owned. Makes me wonder why I didn't buy that /2 in 1968 from Philliip Funnels in Vancouver, also missed an old R50/2 at auction in 1970 went for 860 CDN all I had was 800 on me. The only bike I've ever seen with pristine looking paint and the rear fender gone from the rear hinge joint to the front mount bolt missing under the seat and it still looked great.
Sure beats helllll out of the 58 A-10 BSA Road Rocket with wiring by LUCAS prince of darkness or my old 42 WLA devil sled or the 3 NSU super max's they came as a set.
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It was free.
Yours too?
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It was free.
Yours too?
And mine!
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It was free.
Yours too?
And mine!
Well, ok, it was free, but really, it was because my first new bike was an R65. I had a blast on that bike and because I was a newbie, I didn't know I wasn't supposed to be able to do stuff with it, or that it wasn't a "real" BMW. And now I get to do that again.
In fact, I was out tearing up the Santa Cruz mountains a couple days ago with a friend from Germany. She was riding my R1200ST and I rode the R65 around. It was fun and I was able to finish removing the angst nippeln from the newish Avon Road Runner front tire.
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Love. Back in 1981 I visited Percy McBride's motorcycle shop in Toronto with my brother Rich who had a 75/5 at the time and had had a few basket BMW basket cases before that. I saw a silver R65LS there and it was instant love!!! I was then determined to get one but decided to wait till some money was spare. Got the catalogue that day too from the shop and it showed the henna red model with the white wheels. Well, that really did it. In 1984, having never forgotten my lust for the red bike, I happened to see an ad in the Ottawa paper. R65LS for sale. I phoned immediately and confirmed it was red with white wheels. Seller was German and had brought the bike over with him. Now he needed cash to go home again. I went to see it and simply paid what he wanted...$5900.00!!!!!!! Back in 1984!!! I sold that bike in 1988 which was a huge mistake for $5200.00. That is the bike that Jim Rillie has in Halifax today.
I must have really, really wanted a red R65LS because in 1982 I worked for 18 days as a salesman in a Honda motorcycle shop but was not stirred to pull the trigger on a honda.
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Luck. I've just returned to riding after a 25 yr layoff, completed a course on riding & went in search of a bike, deciding on a Bandit but saw an R65 advertised, realised that I had always fancied them & I pick it up this week after some work has been done on the Bings. It's in excellent condition, supposed to be a 1985 but suspect earlier (dual shocks), doesn't matter. ::)
I'll post some pictures in a week or so.
Looking forward to interaction (which means sucking people's brains) here. :D
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I was on the look out for a bike lighter and easier than my other airheads when it came to local trips, and just general transport duties. I was thinking a F650 or something along those lines would do the job when I spotted a R65g/s for sale,it's got me hooked. It shouldn't feel that much lighter and convenient than its stable mates but somehow it does.It has the 50 b.h.p engine so it's quick enough for motorways if needed, but comes in to it's own on country lanes and such. I wished I'd discoverd these lighter weight BMs years ago.
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Saw my first airhead (/ series) whilst at uni in the late 70's. They were always so expensive, so went the Jap and brit bike route.
Now returning to biking and heard through a friend of an "old" black BMW motorcycle the owner was thinking of selling. Contacted the owner and went to see the bike. It was sat under a tarp where it had remained unmoved and unloved for 10 years.
Totally original and with just 33k miles, I bought it for £600 there and then.
Lucky Lou came to see it soon after I bought it. Can't wait to join him and others when I have finished restoring it. [smiley=bmw_smiley.gif]
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Like Graeme I got back into bikes after 35 years, back in the day I had Norton, RE and BSA but always wanted an Airhead but could'nt afford them. I recently bought a BSA A10 to restore more as a hobby but then the bike bug bit me. I don't have a full motorbike license so I'm starting from scratch on my "L'"plates and wanted a 650 that was learner legal so went on the hunt for an R65, looked at one or two LS's but did'nt want to spend too much as the BSA was draining the wallet and then I came across this R65 with a weird looking fairing and at the right price so I bought it and have'nt looked back, next bike R1200GS to travel the world before I push up the daisies.
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(https://bmwr65.org/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi474.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Frr105%2Ftribsaray%2Fthepup004.jpg&hash=3438279af413c34a75cb041401e7c4d2f77cb169) My R65g/s
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Nice one, Boxertricks.
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Definitely a whole dfferent animal !!!!!
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I was in school in the 1970s when the /6 and /7 BMWs were new. I started riding in January 1981 and in 1987, after a Honda CB125, (4 months), a CB250 (almost a year) and a Suzuki GS450 (5 years and worn out), I wanted a bike that could pull out and overtake two up at 100kph, and which would last 10 years. Basically I wanted an BMW boxer.
I ended up with a short list of the expensive option - a BMW, or the cheap options, a Honda CX650 or a Yamaha XZ550.
I have a friend who bought a new CX650 around 1985 and having seen most of the more inaccessible parts, I'm familiar with many of their, ahh, features. Most of them have long ago gone to god here. And I couldn't tell you the last time I saw an XZ550. So I figure I bought the right bike.
I missed an R80ST with 3500km on it for a very good price and a week or two later a red 1984 R65 with 4200km came up. I probably paid too much for it, but 23 years later the original purchase price probably works out to about 30% of what I've spent on registration and insurance over the years! Add in fuel and maintenance and a few hundred dollars too much on the purchase price of my 10 year bike is long forgotten.
Graham in Melbourne
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For me, after 15 years on a 250cc R25/2 - with a Steib LS 200 sidecar, I just wanted something that did not require adopting gymnastic rider positions when cornering - My R 65 was the only thing available and after some serious rehab, I discovered the joys of riding this little jewel. I'm probably going to run out of superlatives , but:
Reliability
Ease of maintenance
Torque
Handling
Riding position
Comfort
Uniqueness ( here on the Island of the dogs anyway!)
Nuff said!
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It was sitting there all alone and cold in a shed, after 20 years it looked like it needed a new home. Haven't tore into it yet, we'll see what kind of condition it's in.
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I didn't want to even look and I didn't have the money and then I worked for a TV network at a car show and wore a gorilla suit at a convention and that paid for the cleanest r 65 I ever saw.
am I the run on sentence champion?
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I was looking for a bike I could learn to work on myself. Needed to be in pretty good shape as I was not looking for a basket case. Picked my bike up for $1800 USD. Still uncovering it's issues as it sat for a while. No regrets so far.
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I knew pretty much nothing about bikes having just got my Learners permit. I was pretty much set on buying a 250 Honda tried a few and was getting closer to buying one....and then my R65 popped up on the local trading website and it looked amazing. After checking to see if it was learner legal, I made a call to the seller, jumped in the car and rode it. Very flick-able, plenty of torque. Love at first ride. She just fitted me well and looks awesome. So I bought her on the spot.
A Few months found this invaluable forum just for R65's
A Few years on and I still enjoy riding her and checking back in here when time permits.
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I knew pretty much nothing about bikes having just got my Learners permit. I was pretty much set on buying a 250 Honda tried a few and was getting closer to buying one....and then my R65 popped up on the local trading website and it looked amazing. After checking to see if it was learner legal, I made a call to the seller, jumped in the car and rode it. Very flick-able, plenty of torque. Love at first ride. She just fitted me well and looks awesome. So I bought her on the spot.
A Few months found this invaluable forum just for R65's
A Few years on and I still enjoy riding her and checking back in here when time permits.
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There were several reasons why I bought a R65:
1. I had just gotten my motorcycle endorsement, and had very little real experience riding. I did not want to start out on too small a bike (learned on a Honda Rebel 250) only to trade up in a year or two. The R65 was the largest bike that I felt comfortable handling its dead weight. The low center of gravity contributed a lot to the ability for a newvbie like me to handle the bike at slow speed and dead stops.
2. I bought mine new in 1982. At that time, the US dollar had just strengthened considerably against the German mark, and the price of the R65 had jsut dropped considerably. With the BMW reputation for longevity, it was too good a deal to pass up.
3. I am slightly vertically challenged. My inseam is 29 inches. The R65 had one of the lower seat heights for a bike of its engine size at the time. The also helped my confidence in my ability to handle the bike as a newbie.
4. It was just a well built bike.
k_enn
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There were several reasons why I bought a R65:
1. I had just gotten my motorcycle endorsement, and had very little real experience riding. I did not want to start out on too small a bike (learned on a Honda Rebel 250) only to trade up in a year or two. The R65 was the largest bike that I felt comfortable handling its dead weight. The low center of gravity contributed a lot to the ability for a newvbie like me to handle the bike at slow speed and dead stops.
2. I bought mine new in 1982. At that time, the US dollar had just strengthened considerably against the German mark, and the price of the R65 had jsut dropped considerably. With the BMW reputation for longevity, it was too good a deal to pass up.
3. I am slightly vertically challenged. My inseam is 29 inches. The R65 had one of the lower seat heights for a bike of its engine size at the time. The also helped my confidence in my ability to handle the bike as a newbie.
4. It was just a well built bike.
k_enn
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It looked cold and lonely after 20 years in a shed, I figured it needed a new home.
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Posted twice before, not showing up????
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Will this posting ever show up ?
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Will this posting ever show up ?
Not yet. . . [smiley=nopity.gif]
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Will this posting ever show up ?
Not yet. . . [smiley=nopity.gif]
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I've been living in London for the last 7 years, cycling to work most days with a round trip of 28 miles, only stopping to use the underground when the weather gets to bad. Then an epiphany came, Underground strikes, rain and the cold. Being a locum I only get paid when I work, so getting to work is a must.
I had toyed with the idea of getting a motorbike to make my days easier. Two hours to get home on the underground being coughed over is not fun. But you must have all heard it "you will only kill yourself on a motorbike". Being a cyclist it's not the cycling that kills you it's trucks turning left and working in trauma at The London I know its the speed that kills the motorcyclist. So it had to be a motorbike not too fast easy to handle and work on with history!
So after some internet searching and asking around a R65 or an R80 seemed like a good choice also Vespa's were mentioned often. Then a chance encounter on the internet turned up a 84. R65 no history which had been standing for the last 5 years. I changed the batterie and all fluids, flushed the tank and ran through some seafoam. Then thought it wont start on a new tank of petrol. 20 seconds of cranking and off she went !
Thats it I'm hooked !
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I've been living in London for the last 7 years, cycling to work most days with a round trip of 28 miles, only stopping to use the underground when the weather gets to bad. Then an epiphany came, Underground strikes, rain and the cold. Being a locum I only get paid when I work, so getting to work is a must.
I had toyed with the idea of getting a motorbike to make my days easier. Two hours to get home on the underground being coughed over is not fun. But you must have all heard it "you will only kill yourself on a motorbike". Being a cyclist it's not the cycling that kills you it's trucks turning left and working in trauma at The London I know its the speed that kills the motorcyclist. So it had to be a motorbike not too fast easy to handle and work on with history!
So after some internet searching and asking around a R65 or an R80 seemed like a good choice also Vespa's were mentioned often. Then a chance encounter on the internet turned up a 84. R65 no history which had been standing for the last 5 years. I changed the batterie and all fluids, flushed the tank and ran through some seafoam. Then thought it wont start on a new tank of petrol. 20 seconds of cranking and off she went !
Thats it I'm hooked !
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I never set out to buy an R65. I was just looking for a project bike and one came up on eBay not far from me. I'm partial to European bikes and cars (only Mercedes-Benz though ), so it seemed like a good idea.
Also, I'd just sold my SWM to a guy that owns a BMW wrecker in Melbourne and he's been a great help with parts and advice.
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i wanted an older airhead, and a guy i knew had a very well maintained specimen for sale.
i loved the simple, straight-forward styling, the reliability, and that it was a fairly small bike (for a bmw anyway). ease of maintenance seemed like a big plus, although i've had some service performed by people far more knowledgeable than me. i am a little twitchy about screwing up such a nice bike.
i wanted a standard bike that i could tour highways and back roads on in luxurious comfort. the luggage is fabulous. it's comfortable enough to ride until you absolutely have to stop for gas.
i love the sound the engine makes.
and i love the round head lamp.
(https://bmwr65.org/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fsixfifty.smugmug.com%2FMotorcycles%2Fgetting-the-r65%2F1003111%2F547133211_RR6M5-M.jpg&hash=a8077b5e0912e4f5c1c4234c917a11f6d5a9c202)
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Persoonally Im still trying to work it out. ::)
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
LOL seriously. It was my first Airhead after a line of Oilheads. Heard many good reports about them so I took the plunge. Gutsy motor, if not somewhat asmatic under 4000rpm.
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Personally Im still trying to work that out. ::)
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Seriously this is my first Airhead after a line of Oilheads. Had heard good things about them so I took the plunge. Gutsy Motor, but a bit asmatic under 4000rpm
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My father owned a 323i coupe, and I think he liked the idea of having a matching bike parked next to it. So my 21st birthday present came two years early...