Considering R65

[Bob_Roller]

Rob, if you put the last 7 characters in the search box on RealOem.com, your month and year of manufacture will come up just above and to the left of the browse search box along with a few manfacturing codes. Mine comes up as 19800900, which is the 9 th month of 1980.

[Justin B.]

John, his sig indicates an '06 R1200RT...  JD, I'll trade you TWO R65s for your RT.  You'll be getting a total of 1300 cc for 1200cc !    Someday, if I ever get rich, I will buy another new motorcycle and right now it would be a new RT.  Gotta find a "drooling" smiley...

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

That must be what I was thinking of.

I am at work right now, but to answer some of JD's questions briefly, the early years of the R65s ('78-'80) were not the absolute best, but I wouldn't hesitate to own another.

Whether it is worth a premium price is a whole nuther (subjective) question.

What you get:

• A 120 MPH speedo that is less accurate than the 85 MPH ones
• A nicer looking airbox (IMO)
• A brown seat cover

What you don't get:

• nikasil cylinders
• larger valves - but more important - stronger valve stems
  
• a nicer underseat storage box (IMO)

I have about 80,000 miles on my bike.  I just had the heads redone.  They are now as good, or better than any of the later models.   If the bike you are looking at has low miles, you will not want to invest that kind of money (~$500) for the security of not dropping a valve.  This was considered to be a weak area in the early models.  I have never actually heard of one happening in the 7 years I have been on the internet (although you might check The R65 Registry if you can't sleep.)

Pull the rear wheel and look at the final drive splines.  That can cost some money to replace if there are some miles on it, or if it has been ignored.  
I don't remember if you said you did a compression test, but that, and even better (I hear) is a leakdown test to check for engine health.

Anyone want to add to this?  I have to get back to work.  

[Justin B.]

Joan's munched a valve (lost it's head!!!  [smiley=behead.gif] ), but her's was a later model so maybe it's not that big a deal.

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

I think Joan's was a different circumstance.  Maybe over-use...?
(How many miles DO you have on Blueberry, Joan?)


But I know, Justin, you just wanted to use the guillotine thingie!

[nhmaf]

Hmmm, $3500 smackaroos sounds a might high for anything less than a pristine example,
though if it were also coming from a dealer that included some sort of warranty I'd consider it.   I have
seen some very clean and mostly fully original/restored R65LS models for sale for that
price range.  Since it seems to have been repainted, and perhaps it was taken good care of,
it would probably be in the high $2K range in my part of the country.  But, without actually seeing
the bike, it is hard to be accurate.

Someone once mentioned that the pre-monoshock R65s were like more modernized R75/5s - similar chassis
dimensions and quick turn-ability but with snappier throttle response, better brakes and clutch.   I think that you'll
find an R65 fun to ride around town or for a quick spin when you don't feel like wheelin out the big rig.   And, they
are much more user-serviceable (though definitely not maintenance free) !

See if you can get some pictures to post up, and see if the seller has any other data to share to corroborate such
an asking price and we'll try to help you sort it out.

Welcome to the board !

[considering_r65]

Rob,

Great tips, Thanks!

I was leaning against not buying this bike, price seems high to me.  But, i think i will check out the things you guys have suggested.  If things look good and I like it after the test ride I'll make an offer.

Below is a link to the bike, please check it out and let me know if you can point anything out that should or shouldnt be there

http://www.irvseaverbmw.com/moredetails.html?20700020893&sitecode=irvseaverbmw&icc_ind=CYCLE

Thanks

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

Here is a better photo for all to see:
http://www.pbase.com/tomfarr/image/75070535/large

You can enlarge it further on the pBase site by clicking on "Original" below the picture, and really see the details.  It is a nice, hi-res photo.  But look out for the cop!
The fairing is nice.  It was an accessory offered by BMW.  What is the sticker on the front?

The seat has been lowered.  Good if you need it.  Ugly (IMO) if you don't.  Easily swappable to someone that might need it...

Original rear shocks.  Plan on replacing them.  I really like my Hagons for $180.  It took those and new foam in my seat before I could ride all day again.  I can't wait to do the forks.

The gaiters on the forks are good, but you should ask to have the bottoms loosened so you can inspect the fork seals.  The gaiters will make your seals and fork legs last MUCH longer, but they also hide leaking seals.  They also might be a little too long.  If they compress completely before the forks reach full compression, you are not getting the full travel available.

Brown sidestand - a good accessory, worth over $100.

The paint looks original!  At least, that is the same red/white stripe that I seem to remember on some black R65s...  And it is correct, too.  A lot of folks pinstripe the front fender when they have them repainted.  R65s had no striped front fenders.

Check for rust on the underside of the mufflers.

You will find that the rear wheel/tire will be hard to remove, especially with the luggage mounts.  But even without them, I think I would have to let the air out of my tire just to get it between the swingarm and final drive.  Std. procedure on my bike.

For the price, I would ask for some verification on the "new tires".  At the least, you can check the date moulded into the sidewall.  I don't remember how the coding goes.  It is NOT plain English, though.
Also check the size.  I don't recommend anything over a 100/90 on the front.  On the rear, as long as you have a reasonable space between the sidewall and driveshaft housing, you can put anything back there that won't detract from handling.  120-130? comes to mind.

For the price, I would check on the battery.  That looks to be a lead-acid.  I love my Odyssey dry cell - I'll never go back.

Check the bottoms of the centerstand legs.  Click here to see a common fix.  If they are worn down, the front tire will not be elevated when parked, and it is a royal pain (read gut-buster) to take off the centerstand.  I don't recommend using the sidestand full time.  When the centerstand is healthy, it no problem.

It looks like it has the original style, if not the original spark plug caps on it.  Replace those your self (along with the wires) for cheap.  I highly recommend NGK.

Check the front turnsignal stalk welds.  Another weak point of any dual-shock R65.  Click here for more info.

It looks like a nice bike, from here.  Do they have any service history on it?

I don't know anything about Irv Seaver.   I wouldn't pay $3500 without some BMW Touring bags, though!

Gotta run.  Have fun!

P.S.  Before you lay out your money, check out my buddy, Randy's '81 in Ventura:
http://suraklyn.com/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1170977005

[considering_r65]

Rob,

Thanks a bunch, great info....My plan is to offer 3k, maybe go up to 3400, but no more.  He already said he'd go 3500, so who knows?

Always cops at that shop, they do all the service for the local cops and CHP in the area.

Irv seaver is a good shop, bought my 06 RT there, and working with the same salesman.  I'm not sure about the service history yet, but that is my next question

[Chris_in_BC]

Price still seems high to me, but second hand prices have moved up so maybe just me , not with the times.  

I would really want a second front disk.

Too me, there is a lot of wear on that front disk, you can see the ridges. All this in 24,000 miles? Sure it isn't 124K?

Never had a 1979.. were those flat top carbs stock for the year?

Centrestand spring missing? seems to be sagging a bit.
Mufflers and exhaust don't look that clean for only 24K miles of use either.
Would also want saddle bags.

On IBMWR site these is an '83 R65 with 29K miles for $3K
                                             '84R65LS with 18K miles for $3400.00
in a recent Airmail for Airheads  there was a '84  R65 with 50K miles for $3200.00
                                                                           '81 R65 with 3.6K miles for $3K

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

Flat-top carbs were standard that year.

My disk rotor has been grooved like that for a long time...  
I wish I had the money to take advantage of the sale right now on the other thread.  Aw screw it!  I have almost $400 in the bank, and I get paid again next week...

You may be right about the centerstand spring.  Only the buyer can tell for sure.  I know mine will stay down sometimes until prodded.  Kind of a center-point in tension.

JD, don't be drawn in like I am so many times.  There are really lots of these out there.  I realize Randy-in-Ventura's doesn't read as nice as this one looks; I also don't know what he is asking.  Give him a call!  And I don't mean that because I consider him to be a friend and want to get his bike sold for him.  I consider everyone on this site a friend.  Randy and I have emailed a few times 'cause he has a son in college near me here in IN.  That's mostly how we got to know each other.  

Price-wise, I think Erv's is high, but he is also a dealer, and the price will always be higher there, I think.  I am amazed at the Craigs List stuff people are linking to out of CA on Boxerworks here lately.
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/mcy/285634862.html
http://slo.craigslist.org/mcy/284113629.html
http://sacramento.craigslist.org/mcy/284623577.html

Of course, you may have a good paying job with little debt load, in which case your perspective might be different from others'.  Give it a ride, but try to maintain your perspective.  And demand some bags!

Oh, and Chris, I have always been satisfied with my single disk.  But that is just me.

[nhmaf]

I also see that Irv's has a 1983 R65LS (Henna Red) for sale with some VERY white wheels -
maybe I am just jealous of those pristine white wheels, but if he is asking the same price
for it as well as the older R65, maybe you want to consider the LS.   It does have some
caveats, though - it isn't as easily customized with various accessories and some parts
(bodywork pieces) are virtually impossible to obtain now, but they have been appreciating in
value a bit faster than the stock R65, also depending on where you live.

Or maybe I am just trying to get another Henna Red Ls owner into the club with me and Sue,
since all the recent LS ownders joining seem to have the silver version...

Rob and the others have pointed out everything on the stock R65 that I can see.  It does have
the bag mounts already, so I'd definitely try to get the dealer to toss in some bags (which aren't cheap)
if you're going to be meeting the $3500 asking price.   If you go for the LS model, see if the dealer
will put the mounts from the R65 onto the LS, as that is (I think) the only version of the several types
of BMW bag mount brackets that actually will work on the Ls model, due to its rear seat cowling.

[considering_r65]

Guys,

Thanks for all your advise!  I've been going back and forth on this thing all week.  I really like the bike, but i feel it is a bit too steep.  Also since i started looking it's the first one I've been really seriously considering.  

I am going to take a step back from this one for now.  I need to do a bit more research so i dont get suckered into the first pretty bike i see.  Basically i'm not in a hurry, i have a bike to ride, just want a 2nd "round town" bike.  If i take my time and learn a bit more the right bike and right deal will happen for me.

Thanks for all your help, but you haven't heard the last of me.  An old airhead is definately in my future

JD