R65 Project Going Back Together

[flybot]

Here is a little photo update. Im pretty psyched because Ill soon be able to start it. The carbs are completely rigged up and I have the left exhaust pipe back on. Im going to have to get an adapter piece made for the petcock valve to the tank. Sort of a pain, but I have an uncle that is a machinist that can help.

Seeing it fully completed (on one side) is very inspiring. I received the bike last August. And started actually working on it this July. So, four months into it now. If it were not for a busy work schedule the next few weeks, Id probably have it done in a few more days. Anyway, here are the pics.

[flybot]

I started it up last sunday after changing all the fluids. Fired up after about the third crank after sitting for over 25 years. Awesome! I still need to come up with an adapter for the fuel tank to petcock. I need to visit my machinist uncle. Just havnt had the time yet. I couldnt take it any longer and I rigged up a "test fuel tank" and took it for a few miles around the block. It ran pretty good with the initial carb settings. But after getting it warmed up I readjusted the idle settings and its very smooth now. Love it. I cant wait to really ride it.

Initial impressions: More torque and acceleration than I was expecting. I love how when you rev the bike at a stop it torque leans to the right. Ive always had v-twins and they dont do that.
I have the single front caliper. After a caliper rebuild, new master cylinder and hose my initial impression is the front brake is very weak. Almost scary. I need to bed the pads in more. Im sure that will help a little.
But I love it. Its been a great project.

[flybot]

A few more

[georgesgiralt]

Hello Flybot !
Very nice work !
A couple of questions :
1) what are the tyres ? (make and model , please)
2) what are the drippings on the rear wheel on the drive side ? If it's oil, you should check for leaks it could be dangerous ...

[vestandpants]

A fantastic job flybot

[flybot]

Hello Flybot !
Very nice work !
A couple of questions :
1) what are the tyres ? (make and model , please)
2) what are the drippings on the rear wheel on the drive side ? If it's oil, you should check for leaks it could be dangerous ...

Thanks!

The tires are the original rubber. They are Continental's. 3.25 x H18 in front and 4.0 x H18  in the rear. I didnt see any model type name on them. Although the rear had large "K112" and the front had a similar but different number.

Good catch on the drips. However, I went right out to the garage to check it out. It is some mess I didnt see when I filled the rear drive. No leaks though.

[montmil]

I have the single front caliper. After a caliper rebuild, new master cylinder and hose my initial impression is the front brake is very weak. Almost scary.

What brand pads did you install when you reworked the Brembo caliper? Are you positive that all the air has been purged from the brake system?

A close study of your front disc reveals the grooved pattern worn into the disc itself. The cause is often attributed to the disc's holes being located in concentric circles. Later discs were drilled with the holes staggered to prevent this unwanted wear pattern.

If all else is good with the brake system, you're going to need to use the front brakes frequently and firmly enough to wear matching grooves in the pads. Front brake performance on the R65 with the single Brembo can be quite strong.

[Barry]

It depends what you are comparing with but for their time I agree with Monte that the brake are not that bad when they are working well.

Compared with modern brakes they are going to feel rubbish and one thing that doesn't help is that BMW were excessively cautious with the master cylinder/caliper piston ratio. This means you get a very firm lever but you have to pull excessively hard to achieve the performance the brake is capable of. One mod that many people have done is to fit a master cylinder with a smaller piston which improves power and feel without the lever coming all the way back to the bars under heavy braking. It's generally accepted that you can go down at least one size. What master cylinder size do you have ?  Stock should be 12mm. There have been cases where the master cylinder for a twin disk model has been fitted to a single disk set up and that will make the brakes feel really awful.

[Bob_Roller]

From the pictures, it looks like you have an OEM rubber brake hose .

If it is, I would suggest replacing it with an aftermarket braided stainless hose .

It won't make a miraculous change in braking performance, but it will be better .

[flybot]

Ill give the front brake a chance to redeem its self. It has a very firm feel. I guess I was expecting it to be really grabby because of that. When I gave it a pull like I normally would on my HD it felt like the caliper was made of ice. But, in fairness there are a few factors that may be affecting that. First, I had a bit of overspray on the disk from painting the edge of the disk black, like it originally was. Second, during the rebuild I may have swapped the sides the pads came out of. I dont remember if they only go in one way. So they probably need to bed in. Also, my mechanic friend says I should sand them down a bit because they would be somewhat glazed after sitting for so long. Im not sure if I believe that, but it cant hurt to sand them down a little anyway. Lastly, I very well could have gotten a larger master cylinder. I was getting a bit desperate to source a new one and I relied on the parts guy to get the right one. I think it was Capitol Cycle. Seems BMW sort of gave up making parts for the single front brake system.  A single brake line from the master to the caliper is non-existent from what I can tell. I had a custom one made from a local hydraulic and brake supply shop.

So, Im not bashing the front brake. Ive only logged about 3 miles going around and around my block (I think some neighbors were wondering what the heck I was doing). It just wasnt what I was expecting is all.  

[Bob_Roller]

As Barry has said, the brakes on the R65, are not it's strongest point, compared to later year bikes .

[Red_Hen]

Nice restoration!  Very nice!

[montmil]

Suggest you also try new EBC FA-18 organic brake pads.

[VaSteve]

Nice job flybot, looks like we have the same taste in cars.   First test for me was to see if I could cram it all in there during a long winter's "restoration".

[flybot]

Yep, Bimmer's and Porsche's. Gotta love 'em