The New And Improved Unofficial R65 Forum V2
General Category => General Announcements => Topic started by: BPT on October 08, 2015, 05:32:23 PM
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Hello - I always forget the introduction parts on these forums so thought I'd try to start out properly this time. Just got an R65 with a sidecar attached. New to BMW bikes but rode a HD years ago and have driven Volkswagens (aircooled and newer) for many years. It's been a while since I've had to get my hands dirty but it's time to get my brain back into grease mode.
I'll probably be asking a lot of questions, need to learn to do things myself. I'll try and contribute as I learn.
Cheers - BPT
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Hello, Fort Worth, from Denton TX.
Lots of chat recently regarding R65 sidecar combos. if you've been visiting, you know all us asylum inmates love photos. Post up your new ride.
BTW, The Blue Hangar Cafe onboard NW regional Airport is a great Saturday breakfast gathering. I believe I'll be that this weekend. With this nice October weather, the bike show should be Texas-sized.
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Well, it's so new to me that I haven't even taken any pics yet. I'll try to remember to post some if I get a few decent ones.
I haven't done a ton of looking on here yet so I haven't seen any of the sidecar posts. I'm definitely looking for info. Mine was complete, clean and finished when I bought it. Since I'm new to the BMW's I'm hoping there isn't anything hidden that I missed. Overall it looks to be in good shape, just need to start learning how everything works. And there are a few things (some cosmetic, some minor maintenance/mechanical things) that I want to do and change.
My work schedule won't allow me to make any Saturday gatherings, thanks for the info though. I agree that the weather we've had the last week is just about perfect for riding.
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Welcome to the forum. A great place for info from very helpful members from all over the world. Looking forward to following the side car project.
Einar. Paris, France.
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I look forward to putting an eyeball on your 'hack as I am probably going to need to do one as soon as I find an old Vetter Terraplane close enough to go drag home...
What part of Ft. Worth do you hang out in? I'm on the south edge in Crowley...
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As soon as I can get some decent pics I will put them up here. I can't take credit for putting it together, I bought it complete. It came from Perry Bushong. It was one that he had done for someone a few years back. It was sold once and then the last person decided they wanted him to build something else and needed to sell this one. It is a 1983 R65 with a Velorex sidecar, I believe the car is a 2001. Everything is basic and mostly stock except for Perry's custom triple trees and fittings.
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I am in the middle of Ft. Worth, close to downtown, near Arlington Heights. I have an odd work schedule so don't get to do much hanging out. My friends hate me for becoming a hermit in my old age but this might give me an excuse to get out and about more often now.
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Hmmm... What would be the odds that BPT's new R65 rig could be the ride of former forum member Scotty In Texas?
I was with Scotty, a resident of Marble Falls TX, when he cut a deal with Perry to trade in his R65 combo plus a chunka cash for a larger Airhead rig.
This look familiar, BPT? Couldn't be that many R65 combos in Tejas nor from Perry's in CowTown.
(https://bmwr65.org/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi196.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa1%2Fmontmil%2FBMW%2520pics%2FScotty02.jpg&hash=ed4a34bc7dae1631e82d75bac8f1560d3005bae8) (http://s196.photobucket.com/user/montmil/media/BMW%20pics/Scotty02.jpg.html)
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Oooooo, pretty!
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No, it's not that one. The sidecar is completely different. I don't personally know who owned it but the two previous to me were from this area and a little further north. Mine is painted burnt orange - and had the UT logo to match. I've just recently found a way to cover those.
Eventually, I would like it to be all black, just like in that picture. But too broke now to think about that, I'll have to put that off for a bit.
Speaking of Perry and the R65, he loves them, solo and with sidecars. Those and the R80's are two of his favorites and he thinks the R65 makes a great sidecar bike. I was worried about the lack of power but he said "That's all you need" (I figure it will be OK to learn on and then I can go bigger later if I need).
I have barely had time to ride and haven't gotten any good pics yet but will post as soon as I do.
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A number of the forum members, like me, are beginning to consider sidecars to help us as we find the balance and weight issues of our bikes begin to "weigh" on us as we age...and then again it would just be a hoot to travel that way and maybe with a canine pal!!
We will be watching with interest!
Hi Joan from the NW!
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I had no idea what to expect when I added a sidecar to my R65. I bought it on a whim for some temporary balance issues and have kept it ever since. Now that I am accustomed to the quirks of driving a sidecar rig I love it. AND I love to take it places. The NE FL BMW owners have a rally the first weekend in Jan every year. While not cold by northern standards it still gets chilly to camp when the nightly temps get into the teens and twenties. I can pack everything including the kitchen sink now. No more trying to decide whet will fit in the bags and what stays home. Last winter rally I even brought a 100' extension cord, a flat paving stone and a small space heater to aim into my tent. Mid 20's F and I was sleeping on top of my sleeping bag!
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Regarding being able to carry lots of stuff, as Perry told me "You may be the slowest one in the group but nobody's going to leave you behind because you'll be carrying all the beer!". ;D
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I do have some pics, forgot about these. Sorry for the quality and sunlight washout, I had only taken these for my insurance people.
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Another view.
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And the car.......
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Nice looking rig. I have an older (1978) Velorex on mine and it pulls easily. I had been thinking of getting a piece of diamond plate to make a step and now that I see it on yours I think I will pull the trigger and make a step. I am also replacing the sidecar wheel. Mine is attached to an R65LS so the wheels are a little different. I found a good deal on an LS front wheel and am going to swap it so all the wheels are the same. I'll lose the sidecar brake but I never hooked mine up anyway.
This is mine.
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The brake on mine is hooked up but I am having some issues with that. Actually, having issues with the rear brake on the bike. Getting a few different opinions from people but one guy said he wouldn't bother with the sidecar brake at all since the whole set up is pretty light.
Before I took it home, Perry was giving me some instruction and I mentioned that there was no rear brake. Did some adjustments and seemed like everything was OK (he had it with a split between some rear and some sidecar). Later on, I had a guy help me get it to my house when I bought it and he said "You have no rear brake". He had it up to pretty high highway speeds. But even at slow speeds it does feel like I've lost it from the rear again. Perry said that loosening the sidecar brake would add braking to the rear on the bike. I haven't had time to play with this but the sidecar brakes do add complications that I didn't expect. It is cabled and connected to the rear brake pedal, BTW.
I like the windscreen on yours much better than mine and I have been looking into some DIY options of making a shorter one. I think mine makes it comfortable for a passenger but until I have a regular one over there, I think a shorter one will look better and provide less drag.
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As I think that I mentioned, this was all together when I bought it and I have done nothing to it on my own yet except for trying to mount some (already installed but loosely hanging) lights on the bottom/rear of the car. I like the diamond plate step although I might clean up the edges a bit. I am also going to find some different bolts, something more flush or lower profile than what was used.
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And if you are cutting some diamond plate, there is also another step in between the car and the bike. You can barely see it from this view here. They added the steps and also some grip tape and some of the frame tubing.
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I am so impressed with both those rigs!! I usually travel alone so going slow is part of my day anyway and no one else to worry about. LRB the LS and I, when fully loaded, (the bike i.e.! ::) ;)) headed to Oregon in 2013 and Montana last summer and leisurely seemed to cruise naturally around 63 mph most of the time. Anyway, when I looked down periodically at the speedo on the GPS, 63 seemed to be it more times than not, so LRB and I have agreed on something!!
Do you think a rig like those two would be rarer than hen's teeth to find and buy?
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I'm not experienced enough to know about availability but I don't recall see too many in this area during my Craigslist searches. And that's why I decided to get this one. I'd originally gone to check on two-wheelers but this was at Perry's during several of my visits and it kind of grew on me.
About the speed thing, when I mentioned my concern about it being underpowered, he told me that 65 is the sweet spot for any sidecar rig and this could handle that with no problem. I guess that it just takes a little longer to get there though......
Also, I had a guy help me ferry it home when I finally took possession. I was following in my VW and had trouble keeping up with him in traffic. He was doing 75+. Other than the lack of rear brake he said "Great running bike!"
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I haven't had mine over 65 but that is me. There was still plenty of throttle left but it just feels good in the 60-65 mph range. I am no longer in a big hurry to get anywhere.
My biggest thrill is taking it to the grocery store. When the youngster bagging the groceries asks if he can help me out I say sure. When I point out the rig it always gets an ear to ear grin.
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Merry's (Perry's wife) exact words were "It's a chick magnet". Of course, I figured she was just trying to get it out of their shop. I haven't had women throwing themselves at me yet but I will say that, in the few times I've ridden it around town so far, every time I stopped somewhere in public I had people stop and talk to me about it.
Sometimes just random people, sometimes people that were into bikes. But every single time, and always positive remarks.
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As for the speed, I won't be getting it over 65 mph anytime soon for sure. But it was nice to have someone experienced stomp on it and see that it will do that. It feels sluggish to me but now I know for sure that it's just my inexperience with it.