how many miles until engine

[slickster]

How many miles until the r65 will a overhaul of the heads and piston rings?

[montmil]

Good question. How about sharing your R65's vintage and where you are located?

Valve train component materials and designs changed during the production run of the R65. Gasoline blends also enter into the equation. Maintenance records from POs?

Now where's my ouija board and tarot cards...  

Monte

[suecanada]

I remember that Oak the BMW guru used to say that the airhead components generally are fit for about 80,000 miles with regular maintenance and care. After that one needs to keep a close eye out for more major renewal of components and bigger jobs. But ya never know of course. The signs to watch out for??? Metal bits in fluids seen during changes. Wobbles in wheels while in motion or sideways lateral checks. The weird sounds. The diagnostic valve checks that become adjustments way too often. These are just 'a few of my favourite things'...to watch for!

[slickster]

Mine is a 84 r65 owned since 87 bought with 2600 miles on. Now 70,000.
Still doing 4 to 500 mile days no problems. With regular oil changes,every 4 to 5,000 miles. starting use some oil.

[slickster]

I live to Maryland southern Baltimore county. I own 05 lt and 68 triumph bonneville. Can't hook up with anyone who wants to ride and not stop in bars all the time.

[nhmaf]

How well is it holding the valve clearances between oil changes?

These don't have oil seals in the valve guides, so it is possible your guides are wearing some and that is causing some oil consumption.  

I've seen guys with 150K miles on their nikasil bored engines that still look like new - new rings and valves and their good to go again, assuming that nothing disasterous occured, like valve head separation, etc.

[Bob_Roller]

Do a compression check, under 110-115 psi is about time for rings .

An '84 shouldn't have the valve recession that the '81-'82 bikes had .

Next time you have the exhaust system off, take a look at the valve faces, you'll know then for sure if valves are in need of replacement .

[slickster]

No problems with valve adjustments yet. Looking for hard bags and double front disc brake parts that don"t cost a ton.

[DeeG]

My R45 has about 36,000 km's on it and is burning some serious oil.  I've stopped riding it until I can scrape up the $$ to order the parts.    

[Semper Gumby]

About 60,000 to 80,000 miles.  But the real answer is when the exhaust valves start recessing you had better put in fresh ones in because you are going to have a really noisy expansive bang.

How do you know if the valves are recessing?  Before you adjust the valves measure the lash.  Then adjust the exhaust valves to .008".  In a thousand miles measure the valve lash again.  If the exhaust valves are tightening up then they are recessing into the head (the lip of the valve is getting thinner).  Overhaul the heads.  Black diamond valves seem to work pretty well.

Always measure the lash before adjusting the valves and write it down so you can see what is going on over time with your bike.

Mine were sharp enough to shave by at 67,000 miles which means I was really close to disaster (broken valve head destroying piston, head chamber, and cylinder walls like angry woodpecker on too much energy drink with vodka).  

Your results may vary.