Single Seat & Rack

[Tony_T]

Apologies if this has been covered before. A search didn't turn anything up.
I just saw this picture that Rob Valdez posted which I think is his bike with a single seat and rack.

Can you (Rob) or anyone else give me info on what the seat/rack is off and where to get it?
I know I'm jumping the gun a bit when I haven't even got my carby bits as yet to get it running good, but I'd be keen on a set up like that.

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

link to the picture of my bike.

Not a problem.  I bought the seat & rack from S. Meyer in Germany.  They gladly ship worldwide, at fair prices (In my opinion.).

This is their list of seats: http://www.meyer-bikes.com/ersatz3.php?cat=32

And this is what I bought: http://www.meyer-bikes.com/ersatz_detail.php?id=2005

It is made for the R65&R80G/S.  There was a R65G/S for the European market.

Since ours is not a G/S, there are major differences in the subframe.  
The rack has to have a few bits cut off, and then welded onto a sacrificial sub-frame.

If you click on the WWW at the bottom of my post, it will take you to my photo website.  
[size=12]Here is the link![/size]
From there, look for "My R65 Stuff", and then go to "Accessories".  You should find a gallery with lots of pictures of the process, including one of my bike being lifted into the bed of a truck by the rack and handlebars.  Good welding, I would say!  (I didn't do it!)


The biggest problem with this solo seat is the hinges.  It doesn't really jive with our sub-frame.  I was able to buy a special BMW hinge that fits the forward-right-hand mounting hole on the '81-'84 bikes (a tapered fastener), but I'll be damned if I can't find it on the microfiche.  I'll have to wait until I get home and find the part #.   With that, and making up some kind of rear hinge (the pin is already on the sub-frame), and adding a latch pin, one should be able to make up a nicely pivoting seat.

Or - you could say screw it, and just make it a "lift-off" seat.
http://w6rec.com/duane/bmw/seatmod/index.htm

[Tony_T]

Thanks heaps for all that info, Rob.
I never knew there was an R65GS. I kinda thought the seat looked like an R80GS item, though.
Not sure why I love the look of your bike so much. But with the fork boots and seat/rack set up, it looks like a really practical bike. And so different to my last road bike........ a GSX-R1100.......  
Any idea whether an R80GS seat is the same? I might be able to get one of those over here.  8-)
Best get my finger out and get it running so I can start on the more fun stuff like this!
Thanks again

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

The G/S and GS's came with a bench seat as standard.

The solo seat and additional rack were options.


I really love my bike.  I just hate having to put on all the protective gear - now that I can afford it (mainly the pants).
I bought Kevlar mesh from Motoport.  It is good quality, and I'm much less afraid of falling off, but wow, are those pants stiff & bulky.  At least the paramedics didn't have to cut them off me 2 1/2 years ago, like they did my (non-Kevlar) coat.  They butchered that!  My pinkie finger was crushed.  
Gear did it's job, as well as could be expected.  I think I'm going to find armored gloves, though.

And keep my eyes looking in front of me.  

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

Nuther view:

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

The biggest problem with this solo seat is the hinges.It doesn't really jive with our sub-frame.I was able to buy a special BMW hinge that fits the forward-right-hand mounting hole on the '81-'84 bikes (a tapered fastener), but I'll be damned if I can't find it on the microfiche.I'll have to wait until I get home and find the part #. With that, and making up some kind of rear hinge (the pin is already on the sub-frame), and adding a latch pin, one should be able to make up a nicely pivoting seat.

I found this information (I am am finally able to (legally) access my PBase account at work!!!).



#13 is the special tapered nut that goes with the hinge:



That seat looks like a MUCH easier install than the one from the G/S!  I would definitely go with that one!  

And it appears that it MAY be still available:
http://www.maxbmwmotorcycles.com/fiche/DiagramsMain.aspx?vid=51897&MG=52&Diagram=52_0987&parts=52+53+1+236+940
At least it doesn't show up as NA on MAX BMW's site.

I have also been struggling with attaching a seat pin to mine.  This is what I have, so far:



I got the seat pin from Corbin, but I understand Motobins sells them, as well.

I think Motobins also sells just the rack, with no seat.  I'm not sure about that, though, as Motobins is one of the few BMW sites that comes up at work blocked for "Shopping".

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

I just received word from S. Meyer that they can supply the "official" (police) solo seat!

"yes, I can supply seat like picture for US$ 336,-- plus shipping fee US$ 38,--. Total amount US$ 374,--"

Hot damn!

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

I just wanted to link to this 2-year old thread, for the record.  Is shows DeeG's Official's (police) seat:

http://www.bmwr65.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1233177675

I believe this is what the replica that S. Meyer is selling, will look like.
Since it is not shown on their website, I am going to send them Dee's picture for identification.

S. Meyer confirmed that this is the seat they are selling!
(Common' tax refund!)

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

Tax refund came and is quickly going!

I ordered my seat like DeeG's, today:

 [smiley=happy.gif]


And I ordered a new set of OEM headers from Chicago BMW.  I called them, rather than placing the order online.  
That usually helps keep the wait time to less than 6 months.

I'll be looking good for the national!

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

My new seat arrived today!  (Less than 1 month!)
It looks great!  It has a built-in rear hinge and seat post, too.  Along with all of the rubber bits for support.
All I need to do is fasten the special hinge (see above) to the already drilled & tapped holes.
The microfiche calls for Fillister head screws, and after looking them up on Google, I decided to order a couple from Max BMW, figuring the odds of me finding a couple of M6x12s would be slim to none.  I needed new rubbers for my carb to head joint anyway.  I'm sure they will arrive quickly - the screws were in stock along with the rubbers.  According to Drew at Max, everything shipped today and I should receive it by Wed!

So this weekend, I am going to fire up the heater in the garage and cut off the tabs I had welded on to the sub frame in order to support the G/S seat.  Then a little touch up with the paint.