Swingarm Interchangeability and spoke wheels

[Mjolinar]

Have been doing some searches but not finding what I'm looking for. Does anyone have the quick and easy on which swing arms are interchangeable with the R65 and what is the best solution for putting spoked wheels on my R65.

Thanks

[nhmaf]

The R65 swingarm on the dual shock bikes is unique to the R45/R65 model line - it is  shorter anyway than the R80/R100.  I *think* that the pivot pins & bearings are the same as on the R80/R100 but I am not sure.  The bolt patterns for attaching the final drives are compatible, so one can swap final drives etc with the larger displacement bikes, though they are generally too tall geared to work well with the R65, unless maybe you use the 3.36:1 or 3.2:1 final drives.

The spoked wheels thing is another kettle of fish.  IT can be done, but the tricky spot is the front wheel - which is 18" on the R65, and 19" on the R80/R100.   The usual solution is to find an R80ST front hub and use that to lace up an 18" rim.  OR, you could modify a regular spoked R80 or R100 front hub and use different rotor carriers with some custom made spacers, assuming you match up the axle diameters.   All it takes is money - there are some folks on the forum who are going through this process, or trying to, now.

Or, you could just put a 19" front spoked wheel on, and make some adjustments to your fender bracket, if necessary, and slide the fork tubes up in the triple tree a little bit to offset the change in rake from the larger front wheel - there are some that have done that too.

Somewhere I've got a pic of an R65LS in California painted bright yellow with wire spoke wheels - cannot find it at the  moment..

[tvrla]

Why would you want to go to a longer swingarm? They are interchangeable, but the short R65 swingarm is one of the things that makes these bikes so cool.

A rear wire wheel will mount right up. No Problemo!

nhmaf told it to you straight. But I've heard the R80ST front wheel will mount right up with no mods and work fine. I talked to a guy at a rally who did it - there was even enough clearance under the fender.

[Mjolinar]

Didn't want to lengthen the swing arm, just thought I'd need to change the final drive to get a rear spoke to mount up. I take it the hub/drum is the same on the R65/R80/R100?

I was more worried about the rear wheel. I can make a front spoke wheel fit with necessary spacers to make the brakes work.

There are some pics on in a recent issue of BMW Motorcycle Magazine (Spring 2011). tried to scan a picture but it's not cooperating right now. Here, got one off their site. I like this one but like the fat GS spoke wheels/tires more.

[nhmaf]

I like this one but like the fat GS spoke wheels/tires more.

Wait just a sec - if you are thinking about the modern 'tubeless' type spoked wheels on the oilhead bikes (R1100GS, R1150GS, R1200GSA, etc) that is ANOTHER matter entirely - those wheels are much wider and with a completely different hub & axle and would require ALOT of customization (I'm not sure if it could be done for anything less than a ridiculous amount of effort/$$).

The shorter swingarm on the R65/R45 is substantially "stiffer"  (a good thing) than the longer swingarms on the R80/R100, and, combined with its beefier steering head design, gives it the quicker handling that we prize (at least, quicker than the larger framed airheads).

[steve hawkins]

And you do not want to be monting an 'Olde ATE sliding caliper' front wheel neither.  You need a slim 2 rib front hub, not a 3 rib front hub

[tvrla]

I was more worried about the rear wheel. I can make a front spoke wheel fit with necessary spacers to make the brakes work.
 

That's directly opposite to my experience since a standard rear wire wheel will mount right up. But the front...now, that's an entirely different proposition!

Get back to us with pix and the write-up. We're all ears!!!

[Mjolinar]

Will do. In the planning/research stage right now. Once I figure out what I want to do I'll start looking for parts.

I'm attending MMI (Motorcycle Mechanics Institute) to learn my new profession. At least that's what I'll be pursuing in retirement from the military. I laced and trued my first wheel yesterday and it was much easier than I thought it would be. So I just need to find the right hub for the front wheel and find a corresponding rim and I can lace it up custom.

Got the scanner working so here's what I was talking about with the GS spokes. Granted this bike has the single sided swing arm. That's why I asked about the swing arm compatibility. There's barely room for the rear tire against the swing arm as it is so some modification would be necessary to accommodate the fatter tires.

I guess I could start with a different bike that would make this all easier but this is the one I have right now. Anybody with a R100 willing to work a trade with my R65?  

[Julio A.]

I think that only a monoshock R65 would be possible for modification into something like that. And it also looks like the front fork assembly and gas tank on that one belongs to a R100GS due to the single sided front brake, thin upper triple clamp and contour of the gas tank.
The Things that are R65 on that are the Frame and engine.

It looks somewhat like the old school European "scramblers" on steroids with an airhead engine.

[steve hawkins]

This bike might well have started life as a ST as they had the same tank as an R65 and the rear sub frame looks like an ST.  The fork top yoke is from the larger road bikes.  As I was sure that the ST had a proper top yoke like a 65. - could be wrong though.

It must be remember that the R65 has a lot in common with the GS and ST with regard to cycle parts.

My advice is:

1.  Do your homework.  Some parts are easily interchangeable between models, some are not.  You do not want to be buying anything you do not need.
2.  Do not write off the R65...it has enough power as a road bike and you can still lose your licence on it in the UK in one hit.....Just keep it light......More weight, less speed.

Top: R65 Cafe racer

Bottom: 1982 R100.

Both retro fitted with wire wheels

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[Milo_357]

This bike might well have started life as a ST as they had the same tank as an R65 and the rear sub frame looks like an ST.  The fork top yoke is from the larger road bikes.  As I was sure that the ST had a proper top yoke like a 65. - could be wrong though.

It must be remember that the R65 has a lot in common with the GS and ST with regard to cycle parts.

My advice is:

1.  Do your homework.  Some parts are easily interchangeable between models, some are not.  You do not want to be buying anything you do not need.
2.  Do not write off the R65...it has enough power as a road bike and you can still lose your licence on it in the UK in one hit.....Just keep it light......More weight, less speed.

Top: R65 Cafe racer

Bottom: 1982 R100.

Both retro fitted with wire wheels

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Oh sweetness!!!  Did you do the engine conversion on the R65?  You removed the airbox completely and installed filters straight to the carbs?  How did that work out? IWANNADOTHATTOO!!!!!  

Give me a holler on the details, willya Light? What a great winter project that would be!

Dell

[Matt Chapter]

I think that only a monoshock R65 would be possible for modification into something like that. And it also looks like the front fork assembly and gas tank on that one belongs to a R100GS due to the single sided front brake, thin upper triple clamp and contour of the gas tank.
The Things that are R65 on that are the Frame and engine.  

I dunno, looks like the single rotor caliper and gas tank on my monoshock '86 R65.  I'm not 100% about the rear frame - could be the angle though, and the rear fender is different for sure.

[nhmaf]

I'm willing to bet a fiver that the rear subframe on that monolever has been extensively modified/chopped/welded to look like that.

The fork lowers and brake are definitely a monolever bike setup too.

I expect that those bar end signals are pattern copies of Hellas, but they look cool too!

[Mjolinar]

OK, didn't mean to mislead anyone. I do believe that bike started out as a GS. I'll have to read the article again. Never intended anyone to believe that was a modified R65. What I like about it is the wheels. I want wheels like that on my R65.

That's what I'm trying to figure out; how to do that on my bike. Sounds like it might be more trouble than it's worth.

'steve hawkins' I could live with regular spokes like the red bike. Is that your bike? How did you do the rear set? Are those parts custom made or pulled from something else?

[steve hawkins]

The red one is my bike - its an R65 (1979 with a few lbs lost off the heavy flywheel and post 81 heads fitted).  The wire wheels are from an ST, the front is a 19 incher, and the back is a standard 18 incher.  The pod filters do nothing for the performance - a standard airbox is better.   The rear sets are 'cheap and cheerful' RAASKs, for the R65.

The key with the R65 set-up is that you need a 2 rib front hub.  Nothing else will do.  They can be got from a GS or ST or any Brembo equiped (post 81) R bike that was specified with wire wheels by the first owner - an optional extra - to be paid.  However they were often fitted to police bikes- but the Police were moving to K bikes at this time so they are not that common.  

Some, but very few, R65's were specified with wire wheels - again a very few Police bikes.   But they are as rare as hens teeth.  However, apparently they are more common in Australia.....Who knows?

In general wire wheels are quite sought after in the UK and in the US of A.  But you should be able to source them more easily in Germany.  In the UK they are come up occasionally on ebay and when they do, you will have plenty of competion in the bidding.  

But beware - a rear wheel can be worn out to the point of being useless.  The brake lining is cast into the hub and is not normally replaceable - I did hear a rumour once that it had been successfully achieved but I have never had it confirmed.  It is very difficult to do - and you will know why when you look on the inside.  Whatever it is unlikely you will be able to fit a set of second hand wires without a rebuild.  I have also had to replace a rear hub because the brake lining had cracked.  I have enclose a picture of me truing the rear wheel on the R65 whilst it was fitted to the bike.....

I have retro fitted the orange 1982 R100 with wires as well.  

In the UK it will probably cost you £100 per wheel from ebay, plus whatever the rebuild costs are...

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