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Author Topic: Finally finished (sort of :-)  (Read 1615 times)

Offline marcmax

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Finally finished (sort of :-)
« on: March 10, 2010, 05:54:54 PM »
I finally got my 82 R65LS completed and on the road again. The sort of is getting the rearset linkage back from the powdercoater. Still not sure if I am going to install them or not. I rode it to Daytona for Bike Week and even had a number of the V twin brethren stop me and want to take a pic of it. That felt good. It ran like a dream down and back (approx 400 miles). So what do you all think?
Keep your bike in good repair: motorcycle boots are not comfortable for walking.

1982 R65ls    1984 R65ls

Offline Bob_Roller

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Re: Finally finished (sort of :-)
« Reply #1 on: March 10, 2010, 06:19:27 PM »
Definitely looks a lot better than the photos on Craigslist, when the bike was up for sale last year for about 6 months or so !!

If I remember correctly, it was painted in a Mazda gray .

It all came together quite nicely !!!!

About the only thing I see that may need attention, is getting the mufflers a flat black paint job, to match the pipes .
« Last Edit: March 10, 2010, 06:21:03 PM by Bob_Roller »
'81 R65
'82 R65 LS
'84 R65 LS
'87 Moto Guzzi V65 Lario
'02 R1150R
Riding all year long since 1993 .
I'll give up my R65, when they pry my cold dead hands from the handlebars !!!!!

Offline marcmax

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Re: Finally finished (sort of :-)
« Reply #2 on: March 10, 2010, 06:41:54 PM »
Thanks Bob. The fellow that sold it to me did a lot of work including getting the frame and wheels powdered coated but cut some corners that I couldn't live with. It is still gray but when I went to get the new fairing, cut down front fender and tailcone painted he couldn't get an exact match so it has all been repainted. Still close to the original gray but with a lot more pearlescence in the finish.

As for the exhaust I have two sets of black mufflers but like the shiny finish on these. Besides they are stainless and should last a lifetime. I was planning on wrapping the headpipes. I love to see all the BMW sticklers in the local club roll their eyes when they see someone with a "non-factory" modification.
Keep your bike in good repair: motorcycle boots are not comfortable for walking.

1982 R65ls    1984 R65ls

Offline Rob Valdez 79 R65

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Re: Finally finished (sort of :-)
« Reply #3 on: March 10, 2010, 09:45:38 PM »
I absolutely love that color!  If I had seen these pictures last December, I might have been tempted to go a different route!

The rest - is clean and pretty, if you like it, that's all that matters.

I'll eventually be cutting down the fenders on my little Honda CB200, as well, so I know who you are! :)

But my R65 is my all-weather machine!  I like my big fenders!




caci

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Re: Finally finished (sort of :-)
« Reply #4 on: March 10, 2010, 09:48:12 PM »
Marc,

That looks really sharp.  

Tell us about your handlebars, mirrors, turn signals and fairing.
What did you do to trim the instruments - just use the stock LS "dashboard"?

What kind of rearsets did you get?  Is your debate over riding position?

The reason I ask, is that I'm curious about the relationship of what appear to be low bars to the (more or less) slightly lowered seat - to peg/gear/brake.

The top picture really shows off the seat modification.

I'd like to see more pics of the bike.

Good job!

Chris




Offline marcmax

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Re: Finally finished (sort of :-)
« Reply #5 on: March 11, 2010, 12:02:04 PM »
Rob,

I love the look of your bike also. I have a second LS (84) that was going to be a parts bike for this one and I didn't have to 'borrow' enough for the first one. I still have big fenders and think I am going to return that one to its original state and hang a sidecar on it. The 'cafe' project has been fun and I am sure I will never really be finished. I do have a set of 250 Ninja mufflers that fit the head pipes perfectly and the mounting brackets are even in the right place, just a couple of well placed holes on the muffler tab. Hmmm?

Chris, the handlebars are 7/8 drag bars that took a lot of grinding, filing and smoothing to get the controls to fit over. They fit but I had to mount them slightly to the right so the master cylinder would fit and use a set of handlebar risers. They are not perfectly centered but about 1/2 inch longer on the right. The mirrors are Napolean bar end mirrors, common on older airheads and popular with the cafe crowd. The turn signals are Lockhart aftermarket units bought at a local bike shop. They are the smallest, real bulb signals I could find. I didn't want to go to led lights and the associated electrical modifications to have them flash properly. The fairing was is a Piranha fairing from the 70's that was bought off eBay as new old stock and has been in my garage for about 7 years looking for the right home. It is close to the BMW S fairing in shape just smaller and lower. Believe it or not the instruments are trimmed with a piece of black polypropylene from an old 3 ring binder. The kind that are made of plastic like a milk jug, just thicker. Its held on by the ignition trim ring and velcro on the sides of the instruments.

The rearsets are R65 Raask rearsets and the problem I am having is the handlebars. I am not sure they will be staying on it as I don't like the fact that they are not centered. Doesn't affect handling but I know they are not centered and it bugs me. Changing the bars changes my riding position.
Keep your bike in good repair: motorcycle boots are not comfortable for walking.

1982 R65ls    1984 R65ls

Offline Barry

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Re: Finally finished (sort of :-)
« Reply #6 on: March 11, 2010, 02:17:51 PM »
Love the colour and different treatment of the pin stripes on the tank. Maybe that's how BMW should have done it.
Barry Cheshire, England 79 R45

Offline nhmaf

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Re: Finally finished (sort of :-)
« Reply #7 on: March 11, 2010, 10:19:04 PM »
Very Unique !

Where did you get the tiny rondel for the nose of the faring ?   A keychain?
Airhead #12178 ? BMWMOA #123173 ?BMWRA #33525 ?GSBMWR #563 ?1982 BMW R65LS ?1978 BMW R100/7 1998 Kawasaki Concours

Offline marcmax

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Re: Finally finished (sort of :-)
« Reply #8 on: March 12, 2010, 08:14:30 AM »
I actually bought the rondel on the fairing from the BMW dealer in Ft Lauderdale. In the display case at the parts department they had a whole assortment of rondels in different sizes. They are for various locations on airheads, oilheads and K bikes. I just picked several sizes that I thought could be used somewhere. I think the most expensive one was about $10 for a nice enameled brass one with an adhesive back.
Keep your bike in good repair: motorcycle boots are not comfortable for walking.

1982 R65ls    1984 R65ls

Offline Semper Gumby

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Re: Finally finished (sort of :-)
« Reply #9 on: March 13, 2010, 02:40:23 PM »
Nice job Marc.  I love the pinstiping detals.  Looks like a "Comfee Chair" on the back.  

Excellent!  Ride it Don't Hide it!
« Last Edit: March 13, 2010, 02:41:29 PM by Semper_Gumby »
Bill Gould ?1980/03 R65 When at first you don't succeed....Moo!