It is finally about time...

[azcycle]

It has been 371 days since I heard the heart-sinking grinding/buzzing sound (accompanied with noticeable lack of GO!) that told me my r65 suffered from stripped input splines (I assume). Buying a new home and the money/rennovations that has needed has put my r65 on the backburner.

Two days ago, I was happy to finally see a check come in the mail from one of my website design freelance projects. That check, along with the SWMBO's "You should use that money to get the bmw fixed..." has now enabled me to have the transmission rebuilt by a local beemer expert who comes highly recommended for old airheads.

I'm also convinced there will be many "while I'm there..." type of side-projects so I've put aside enough cash (I hope!) to cover the list of what I want to do.  I hope to have it all complete and back on the road by November 15th, which will be the 2-year anniversary of my father-in-law passing, from whom I inherited the r65.

For backstory:
http://www.bmwr65.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1285784659/0

Other than the transmission repair, I intend to get my fingers dirty and knuckles skinned by doing the work myself. Here is what I intend to do:

• Have transmission rebuilt fresh.
• Install new clutch (I assume it will be toast from the spline strip?) We'll see...
• Replace Oil Pump cover gasket.
• Replace main seal.
• Replace oil pan gasket and clean/repaint oil pan.
• Clean/rebuild carbs (I'm sure they need it, now).
• Clean/paint valve covers and replace leaking gaskets.
• Replace Oil Pressure sender unit.
• Lube final drive splines.
• Check/Replace Oil Breather Valve with Reed-style if needed. (And figure out why oil is weeping from the starter motor cavity.
• Replace cracking rubber brake lines/replace with stainless steel.
• Replace fuse block with new blade-style fuses.
• Buy/install new speedometer - Vapor probably - along with finding a way to attractively mount the ignition key/cylinder.

So that is where I'm at! I know most of you have done many of these procedures and I think I'm familiar enough to bumble my way through it without too many problems. I have all the specialty tools I may need, downloaded many "how to" articles from here and elsewhere, have the Clymer manual, know the pitfalls to avoid ...
... and just have to START.  

But I hope you'll feel free to chime in as I post up photos, document my progress for the greater good, and ask questions. Photos to come soon... plan on starting teardown this weekend.

[Milo_357]

OK! I an defiantly NOT selling that spare traney I have now!!!! ack!

But I'm really glad you got your bike back and running! 371 day, argh!  

[azcycle]

OK! I an defiantly NOT selling that spare traney I have now!!!! ack!

But I'm really glad you got your bike back and running! 371 day, argh!  

Oh, it ain't running yet.  

[azcycle]

Not much interest in my mini-teardown, huh?  

I was perusing Ebay yesterday, wondering if anything interesting would turn up. I found a set of stock, original mufflers for the r65 and, tempted, clicked through to the auction. To my surprise, the seller lived right here in Tucson, and the auction said he was parting out a 1983 r65 and had many other parts. I emailed him and through a couple back and forth Ebay messages, he invited me out to his place today to take a look at what I wanted.

Drove up there this morning and was blown away. I wish I had taken photos of his home, but didn't want to come across creepy. But the guy knew his BMW and had pretty much any and every make. I saw r50's, r69s's, a couple r90's, and hundreds of parts hanging everywhere. Bikes from basket-case all the way to fully restored. Just gorgeous. It truly was a treasure chest of vintage airheads. Guy was a fount of knowledge and really helped cement my confidence in what I am about to undertake with the r65. Also turns out that the guy knew my father-in-law and said "John was a f**king mad scientist with a welder." Yep, that was my FIL. He invited me to a weekly vintage bike night at one of the local micro-breweries, gave me his business card and said that he'd be glad to help me anytime. So what started out as a possible muffler score turned into much more, including a local mentor.

The mufflers had the same cracks at the mounting tabs as my original set does, so no-go there. But I scored this for $300. Exterior could be in better shape but it will clean up, it shifts through all gears smoothly, no looseness...


... and the splines are in great shape:


So now I have TWO transmissions. I'll drop this new chunk 'o metal in and get her up and riding right away, cheap-like. What funds were going to JUST rebuilding my transmission will now cover everything... including new clutch. In the meantime, I can save up a bit and get the original tranny fixed.

Oh, I also picked this up for $100, in near-perfect condition. I know it wasn't on my original list but my original front rim has a good sized ding in it and is a tiny bit out-of-round, which I think causes the slight wobble/bump at 45mph. Too bad the rubber is dry-rotted/cracked because it has some good tread on it.


So here she sits, awaiting my wrenches. Not sure I'll get to it today, though. Got an emergency freelance project in...

[Bob_Roller]

You got a great deal all around on those parts .

Just in time for the best riding conditions of the year are finally here !!!!

[clonmore1]

Azcycle

I'm interested...

Keep the story going, I'm a loooooong way behind you on my (major) teardown and complete restoration.

Cheers

[welshman]

Graeme,I would get the wheel checked out by someone really familiar with the bikes as it looks like a pre-recall one without the strengthening webs.I'm more than willing to be proved wrong,but I've just checked my '83 RS and '85 R65 and they both have the webs. Glyn.  

[Bob_Roller]

The 18 inch wheels used on the R65, weren't in the recall, only the 19 inch wheels .

[welshman]

Do you know why that is, Bob, as my '85 twinshock has webs on both wheels,and a friend's '81 model also? Glyn.

[Bob_Roller]

I'll say that at least in North America, the recall that was issued for BMW wheels, was for 19 inch wheels only .

I'll see if I can find the recall as it was issued here, but I believe it was for a specific month or months of manufacture, not all wheels produced were involved in the recall, but BMW would replace all wheels of that size and design .

[welshman]

My apologies,I've just done what I should have in the first place and Googled the recall.All is clear.Thank you Bob.

[Bob_Roller]

This is all I could find in a quick search .

http://robfrankham.co.uk/bike/dreaded_bmw_front_wheel_recall.htm

[welshman]

Ha ha! Exactly the same thing I found.Thanks.  

[Bob_Roller]

Even though my '81 R65 isn't effected, I give the wheels a quick inspection every time I check the tire pressures .

Gotta keep in mind the age of the vehicle, most people don't own/operate a motor vehicle approaching 30 years of age, if you are not the original owner, no way to tell how the vehicle was been treated by previous owners.

If you remove my oilhead bike and Z3 from the equation, the average age of my other vehicles is 28 years, I have the oldest 'fleet' in the neighboorhood !!!!!!!!

[Barry]

Here's the original wheel recall document which clarifies which models were affected. Only 19"wheels are mentioned.