A 'new' R65 owner

[raymr]

Wow. Are airheads and Goldwings a popular combination? What years are your bikes? Are you keeping them both? My dad was a German with a capital "D". He did a lot of clever stuff, but his fixes are wearing out and I'd rather get the original type stuff where possible.

Your dad sounds to be a lot like my late father-in-law. I also inherited his r65 (AND an old Goldwing) when he passed away two years ago. He too just built his own solutions when something broke.    I'm in the middle of getting his (my) r65 back on the road after a year-long layover.

These bikes are fun to work on, and very EASY to work on. That's coming from a newbie shadetree mechanic. And if I can do it, you can.  There is lots of knowledge and great people on this site. Don't be afraid to ask questions.

Welcome! Looking forward to seeing some photos of your r65!

[azcycle]

Wow. Are airheads and Goldwings a popular combination? What years are your bikes? Are you keeping them both? My dad was a German with a capital "D". He did a lot of clever stuff, but his fixes are wearing out and I'd rather get the original type stuff where possible.

My FIL actually built a hybrid Goldwing/BMW sidecar rig that was shown in several motorcycling magazines in the late 1990's. I have the article posted around here somewhere if you're interested.

I believe my father-in-law was of German ancestry, with quite a bit of Scottish in there, too. I'm definitely keeping the r65 (it's a 1981). You can see my transmission/clutch rebuild thread here. As to the Goldwing: It is a complete basketcase 1976 "naked" (stripped of all the fairings and bags, etc). It's too far gone for me to save and I've been trying to sell it.  Unfortunately, my bro-in-law, who is taking care of my father-in-law's property, left the 'wing out in the rain and rain got down into the engine, so it's frozen solid. Might be salvageable but *I* am not going to do it.

[raymr]

My FIL actually built a hybrid Goldwing/BMW sidecar rig that was shown in several motorcycling magazines in the late 1990's. I have the article posted around here somewhere if you're interested.

I believe my father-in-law was of German ancestry, with quite a bit of Scottish in there, too. I'm definitely keeping the r65 (it's a 1981). You can see my transmission/clutch rebuild thread here. As to the Goldwing: It is a complete basketcase 1976 "naked" (stripped of all the fairings and bags, etc). It's too far gone for me to save and I've been trying to sell it.  Unfortunately, my bro-in-law, who is taking care of my father-in-law's property, left the 'wing out in the rain and rain got down into the engine, so it's frozen solid. Might be salvageable but *I* am not going to do it.

Its a shame about the Goldwing. Mine is a 1989 in pristine condition. To me it looks like a big blob of fiberglass and plastic. I don't even know where it opens to find the battery!   I'm torn about selling it because its so nice, but I can't have it just sitting in the garage.

I am getting more excited about the BMW. I'm looking at replacement windscreens, since the NC one is old and cracking. The Givi A32 I've seen somewhere on here looks pretty nice. Good luck with yours!

[Barry]

I have a fondness for the original goldwing having almost bought one in the mid 70'S but there  were a few things not to like such as weight and the black painted  exhaust and overall quality of finish compared to european bikes.

I think a very early one would appreciate in value as there is no doubt it was a landmark motorcycle of it's type with an astonishingly sophisticated engine by the standards of it's time.

[badbmwbrad]

I too have an R65LS and a 1996 Gold Wing.  These two bikes couldn't be more different but they both have endearing features.  

Whereas the R65LS is small, light and nimble, the GL1500 Gold Wing is very large and heavy.  The 6-cylinder Gold Wing engine runs like a sewing machine.  It has no vibration and pulls like a freight train.  I can set the cruise control and ride one-handed (left hand!) on the highway.  

Servicing the two bikes is very different as well.  You'll find the Gold Wing is a pain when it comes to removing the Tupperware to change oil and filter.  Air filter replacement is also painful.  Fortunately, the machine will go 7,500 miles between oil changes and air cleaner change intervals are much longer.  There's no valves to adjust and the rear drive unit is solidly reliable.

The BMW boxer is probably the easiest motorcycle around to self-service.

Its a shame about the Goldwing. Mine is a 1989 in pristine condition. To me it looks like a big blob of fiberglass and plastic. I don't even know where it opens to find the battery!   I'm torn about selling it because its so nice, but I can't have it just sitting in the garage.

I am getting more excited about the BMW. I'm looking at replacement windscreens, since the NC one is old and cracking. The Givi A32 I've seen somewhere on here looks pretty nice. Good luck with yours!

[jg928s4]

Pictures?

[azcycle]

Here is a photo of my basketcase 1976:

[raymr]

IT LIVES!!

Fuel hoses arrived today and I spent the afternoon putting them on in addition to other little tidbits.

It fired up after 3 tries. I kept it on the center stand and ran it in gear for a few minutes as suggested. It sounds great, just a mild ticking on the left side.

I also managed to take apart and repair the light switch. I filed down the contact plates until they were shiny copper again. It seems like a sturdy unit since it took some twisting and bending to get it back together. And that little ball bearing was a bugger to get back in. After seeing the price of new switches I figured it was worth a shot.

So now I have a question. How do you route the front brake line and speedo cable so they don't interfere with the steering lock? After some more cleaning and inspecting, I found the brake line worn through to the inner braiding in that area. I guess I won't be going anywhere past my driveway until I replace it.

Are there any closeup pics showing how cables and wires should be routed and fastened?

[raymr]

It was a nice day out, so I gave it a quick wash and snapped some pics.

[Olliepup]

Ray, what a nice bike! Mine is a 1986 R65 also, same color (Azure Blue). I'm sure you will enjoy riding it as much as I do as it's a perfect all around cruiser.  I bought it in March of 2010 with 32,000 miles and in very clean condition. One thing to check is speedo accuracy. Mine was reading about 8 mph too fast and I was a hazard on the road. The kind folks on this site turned me onto Foreign Speedo in San Diego. They repaired it for under $100.
Wavy Dave - Northern Michigan

[raymr]

Dave,
I think I have the same speedo situation. An indicated "60" MPH feels much slower (by 8-10 MPH as you say), but since this is the first time on a bike in many years, I wasn't sure. What had to be done to get it fixed? Did you have to send it to their shop? Is there a DIY remedy?

Your R65 looks pretty fine too!

[Sergeant_Joe]

Nice bike mate, make sure you check the front and rear brakes for good strong opperation and feel. swap out the old fluid as that stuff would have sucked up a lot of water over the years, brakes may feel good cold but if water in them they will fade out when warm.

and yes keep the Beemer and sell the Jap thing to buy parts.

[Olliepup]

I took a hand held GPS (Garmin Nuvi) along for a ride and that told me the real speed. I sent just the speedo head to Foreign Speedo, after taking it out of the instrument pod. They had to reglue a gear to a shaft. While some guys may want to try to fix it themselves, there are many many tiny parts in there... and a new head is around $400.
Good Luck!

[montmil]

A free speedo check involves a safe driving buddy in a late model vehicle with a digi speedo and you on the R65. Use a lightly traveled multi-lane road and let car guy roll at a steady 60 mph -or whatever speed you may choose. Ride in the adjoining lane and pace him. Ta Da!

There's a calculation on this site somewhere that provides rate of speed at specific revs in each gear. That could be helpful, too.

Here's a tip... If you're passing everyone on the road, you may be exceeding the posted limit. Ride safe - arrive safely.

[Lucky_Lou]

Nice bike... on the speedo issue i did some research in the interests of science and found that in top gear you do 15mph / 1000 revs depending on final drive, i did have some pictures of the cable routing which i posted on another thread but i cannot find them ?? i will post them if they turn up.
Lou