New Exhaust System R65LS

[Red_Hen]

Greetings everyone,

Not sure where the time goes but it goes - glad to be back!  My R65LS came with a Luftmeister exhaust - it's been a royal PIA much of the time.  Besides loud after stuffing exhaust with fiberglass it's tough to seal between the headers ad pipe as the 2-in-1 doesn't leave much room to attach the muffler clamps.

In the event I purchase an aftermarket exhaust, wondering if this pair of Zeuna's off an '86 will fit - I didn't see the mounting tab on the pipes and asked seller to send me another picture - now that I posted picture I think I see the mounting tab -  I realize I can buy a new set from MAC but not crazy about throwing another 5 Ben Franklins into her.

Is the correct header diameter 35 or 38 mm for my year?  Many thanks!

If pictures post, first picture is existing set up currently on bike.  Wish I could get black but from what I've see it's NLA.

[Barry]

Original header pipes would have been 35 mm.

I guess after 85 they went to 38mm which was the standard size for most other airheads

[John M]

the monoshock muffler takes a 38 mm inlet from the collector box. the header pipes are still 35mm at the engine end but they are expanded to 38 mm where they enter the collector box. the collecter box and mufflers are the same for r65 , r80 and r100

[nhmaf]

The placement for the mounting tabs on the mufflers for the monolevers, is a bit different, I think.  I am not sure if it is different enough that it won't fit, but I believe that the frame size and location of the tabs won't line up with the mufflers for the shorter frame/swingarm dual shock bikes.  The inlet pipe diameter could be made to work with some sort of an adapter, if you are handy with tube bending/flaring equipment or have access to such.  

Personally, I'd probably save up and go for a stainless system - you'll never have to buy another.

[Red_Hen]

Thanks for your replies - in looking at a new system, I'm aware of MAC exhaust and Motobins - I don't believe  MAC are stainless - who, besides BMW sells exhaust systems?  

The LS only has  the single cross pipe and not a collector box, is that right?

[nhmaf]

No collector box, but 2 crossovers (near head and under gearbox) on my 82.

Staintune I think still makes a SS system for the airheads (most expensive option).  Keihan (UK) makes SS systems for the R65, still, I think.    EMGO makes some copy mufflers (not SS) for the larger diameter (38mm) pipes, not sure about the R65.  MAC of course makes replacement 2-2 exhaust systems and I think still offer their 2-1 system for the R65 - also not stainless though.  Motobins sells SITO (Italian) brand exhaust pipes and muffler systems that are also stainless and can fit the R65 - also not cheap.   This about covers all the options I know of without getting into the "universal fit" category...

[Tony Smith]

If I can slip in a plug for Staintunes.

My R100 has been wearing Staintunes since the OEM system rotted out in about 1981 or thereabouts.

The wife's R65/80 is wearing the staintunes fitted in 1984 (ish) when the R80 engine went in a section of the headers was cut off and the larger diameter tube grafted in place.

My 1984 R65 came with Staintunes (and they were about the best feature of it) and whilst the R65 may have had a 20 year "sleep"  it is now up and running and the staintunes, like the other ones above, are still as good as the day they were made, knocks, dings and scratches excluded.

From the above I deduce that stainless steel exhaust systems are a good thing providing that they are made of the correct grade stainless steel (I had a car once where the stainless steel exhaust system rotted away in around 5 years). From experience I reckon that staintune systems fit and work properly - the R65/80 has a bit of a bark to it but the R65 and R100 make only a trivial amount of noise over and above stock (and sound better for it in my opinion).

If you are planning to keep the bike a long time - take a deep breath and buy staintunes.

[Red_Hen]

Below is a picture of my "new" exhaust system on my R65LS. Besides the great feedback from this forum, I'd discussed my challenges with the Luftmeister with my friend Mike Valenti - we met on this forum and by coincidence were both restoring our R65's at the same time - Mike's restoration, without a doubt, puts mine to shame but I'm very happy with mine, especially since I've had so many challenges figuring out different sets of problems that have arisen with this beast of a bike  

Mike said something to me that made a lot of sense - something to the effect that he's tried several times to improve upon with the BMW engineers had designed and almost always came back to going with what they'd designed in the first place.  The almost comment has to do with the crappy side stands they made for our bikes :-/

I hunted around and found a nice set of header pipes and 2 Zeuna mufflers in very nice shape - I dreaded putting chrome on my Red LS but it really looks a lot better than I thought it would. She now is super quiet and as I said to Mike, finally I'm legit!

The next accouterment will be a decent side stand.

[Barry]

I hunted around and found a nice set of header pipes and 2 Zeuna mufflers in very nice shape  

You were very fortunate finding good Zeuna's. I have one and I'm still on the look out for the other. I agree that they are the best and most efficient if not the most durable. When I put good Zeuna's on, to make them last I'd fill them full of oil or rust prevention fluid of some sort and then drain off the surplus. I used waxoyl and they didn't smoke for long.