Why did you go for an R65?

[Dizerens5]

Why an R65? Tell you why I got one:
In 1971 I bought an R60/5 - my first brand-new bike and as it turned out, to this day the worst motorcycle I have ever owned. I will not waste half a page on it but I did resolve at the time, never another BMW, whether on 2 wheels or 4.
But last year I bought a 1979 R65. Well, I thought maybe I should forget my prejudice, after nearly 40 years. But also, being retired an oilhead was out of my budget. Could have bought a used one, but a) a matter of personal taste, I think oilheads are disgusting-looking bikes, a load of components thrown together with no sense of style and producing something suitable for riding by Judge Dredd, or maybe Terminator. Not my scene at all.
Also b) from reading up I know that the oilheads have a long lasting reputation for failures in the electronics: engines will not start, alarms triggered by filling-station security systems, and so on. Not so good.
But the R65 is of great interest in part because in this country anyway, it is still a cause of controversy although it is many years since the last was made. Some say it is a really good all-round bike, ok for anything except high-speed crazy riding, others say it is the worst bike ever made by BMW. Also, and like most airheads, it is beautiful to look at, well styled by a designer who knew his business. And in Britain, anyway, it is not well regarded as a classic, which means a good one will not cost much to buy. My lovely 79 came in at £1,500 which I believe is a little under $2,000.
My R65 is pretty close to the perfect bike for a grandpa! Too bad I didn’t investigate them earlier...
Would anyone else like to give their reasons for riding R65?

[montmil]

My R65s provide sporty handling, ease of maintenance, and parts prices are mostly reasonable. For a lightweight rider such as myownself, it's the perfect BMW motorcycle. I own two of 'em.

Monte

[Bob_Roller]

I bought my '81 in January, 1981, I wanted a bike that I could count on keeping for 20-30 years .

The reputation for being a reliable and easy to work on machine was a major factor in the decision .

I was told that I was crazy for paying so much for a 650 bike, when you could get a Yamaha 650 for about half the price, this was when they were 'dumping' bikes on the North American market .

If you had gone for an oilhead bike, I don't think you would have been disappointed with it .

Now, there's no comparing a 30 year old airhead to a recent model oilhead, with 30 years of technology between them, you can't make a fair comparison between them .

The airhead has 'character' the oilhead is more 'sanitized' in the way it operates on the lines of Asian bikes .

I have three airheads, one oilhead and one BMW 'cage', I'm quite satisfied with the products that I have of theirs .

[Lucky_Lou]

My brother has rebuilt 2 Airheads a R100 and a R65 i was seriously ill a couple of years ago which meant i was facing a long period of rehab and as i have my own business i didn't know how many customers i would hold on to as i recovered i was going stir crazy and needed something to fill my time not letting me dwell too much on my situation.
I decided to find a project bike and as i had the support and help of my brother bmw was first choice.
I had looked at a few Airheads when "Gertie " appeared on eBay i had given my self a price limit and when the bike went well beyond it and i was looking at others the thing i found attractive about this bike was it only had 2 owners..brothers both deceased and was being sold by the son of the later owner having stood for 10 years it was dilapidated but i could see the potential with only 30k miles on it, i was surprised some weeks after the auction had finished to be contacted by the seller the two bidders who had gone head to head had let him down and did i want it for my last bid price......the rest is history and what a great bike it has become.
Lou

[darrylri]

It was free.

[Semper Gumby]

The price, at the time, was Right!  ($600)

I've liked it so much I see no reason to get another BMW.  It does everything I want it too do.  It goes long distances without much fuss.  It carries everything but the kitchen sink.

Happy since 1993 and working on the second hundred thousand miles.   8-)

(If I make a 100,000 on one of the BSA's, will it be a miracle?)

TTFN,

[Motu]

Simplicity,ease of working on,and availability of parts - easier to get parts for than any Japanese bike,new or used.And certainly much more reliable for it's age than anything else.

It also met my requirement for a good handling 650 twin....that it was a flat twin is a bit of a surprise,but I don't notice until I get off.I grew up on 650 twins,and it just seems to be the perfect engine size for me.

[Barry]

Unlike modern stuff I like a bike where you can actually see the engine.  They don't come more visible than a flat twin or easier to work on or with better spares support.  

Quality and value for money is an other reason for choosing BMW. Back in the 70's I remember drooling over the quality of an R90s in the showrooms but the prices were ridiculously high perhaps more so than in North America. You could buy a Triumph Bonneville for less than half the price or a Z900 for not much more than half so I bought the Bonneville and then the Z900 an then I got married so....

These days a  nice Bonneville or  Z900 is 2 or 3 times the price of a BMW so I bought a BMW.

[steve hawkins]

For me it was ease of maintenance.

Which means I can do it myself, mostly.

I had a jap inline 4 previously, it was an ar*e to work on.

When I decided to build my cafe Racer it was important that the drivetrain be rugged and easy to work on.  I am also aware that with a 4 cylinder, there is a minmum of 4 of everthing - when it needs a rebuild...4 pistons, 4 carbs, 4 sets of valves, it all adds up.

I have other hobbies, but to do them all I must keep the costs down on all of them.

I recently read that the motor cycle journalist Dave Minton, reckoned that the R65 was one of the best middleweight bikes of its era.  Thats good enough for me.

Cheers

Steve Hawkins

[Darwin_R65]

The 1962 Valiant was giving an economy of 17mpg from the old slant 6 pushing a torqueflite automatic.

So I decided I needed something a little more economical and enjoyable.

I looked at scooters and asked if they'd reach 80kmh but at 6'3" and 20stone (130kgs) I was told a fat bastard like me would be lucky to get 60 kmh. So I looked for a road bike. Lots of rubbish in Darwin at expensive prices, and nothing decent. A friend mentioned she had a MW R65 but thought I wouldn't be interested. I took a look and said PERFECT. 36 years of riding bikes, it's the first road bike I've owned but it's fantastic for the daily commute.

I've gotten the valiant up to 21mpg, but still ride the bike every day to work, unless I need to carry something to work in the mdddle of the wet season (think tropical monsoons).

AND I am so glad I didn't venture to a scooter, as I pass them in the 100kmh zone and see them doing 70kmh and hugging the emergency lane with cars sneaking past creating extra lanes I am amazed there hasn't been more accidents, especially when half the scooter riders do not understand motorbike riding techniques.

John

[mimmo66]

When I first saw my R65LS it was love at first sight.
Remember the test ride I took in the twisties and how easy it was to turn.

The "little" 650 reminded me so much of my earlier 75/5, but lighter and quicker in the turns, and it fitted my figure live a glove.

With time and the experience got on the earlier  R75 I've learned that the R65 it's much more fun to ride, lighter, flickable  and more economical than my previous ride, it still return close to 50 miles per gallon.

The engine is smaller, but it still does what I neeed from a bike, and from 5000 rpm to redline it's a crescendo of emotions!

I use it as a pleasure vehichle, can take it anywhere I want to go from 50 to 500 miles a day and I still enjoy every moment on it.

Just finished the Valve Gapping yesterday after 5 thousand miles, and it felt like it was my first time doing it, ever so much fun and amazingly simple to work on; feels like you are in control of your machine!

Could not ask for more!

Sadly my K75 "Long Range Two Up Tourer Wife Bike" is seeing little to no action next to the R65LS, and it doesn't even look as good as the latter.

Domenico

[nhmaf]

I had owned a BMW R100RT back in the 90s, and foolishly sold it - simplicity, reliability and style kept drawing me back to BMW airhead twins whenever I would see them for sale in the papers.   At the time I didn't care what airhead I bought, I just wanted one that wasn't horribly abused or missing lots of parts and was original.   After looking at a number of distressed frankenbeemers, I came across the 1982 R65LS which had been sitting in a storage lockup for ~12 years, but which had all of its original parts, still ran and looked very cool.   I haggled a bit on the price, got it down to $2350 and bought it.  There have been one or two not so happy moments with it but for the most part I've enjoyed fixing her up and riding her all over the place for recreational trips, rallies, etc.   My Kawasaki Concours get most of the commuting work, and occasional trips with the wife.  The R65 frame and geometry give it much quicker handling on twisty roads than the other airheads of the same vintage - I am always smiling when riding it - it feel like a motorcycle ought to.

[Lucky_Lou]

but at 6'3" and 20stone (130kgs) I was told a fat bastard like me would be lucky to get 60 kmh. John

Trust an Aussie salesman to tell it as it is the PC brigade would have strung him up here, i think the correct term is big boned!!
Lou

[Sergeant_Joe]

LOVE, love the look, love the 'workability', love the ride.
It can still keep up with all the big bikes on club rides.
It is so much fun watching the envy in the eyes of the new bike brigade when I can fix a fault at the side of the road, they have to call roadside assist .
These have to be the most fun Bikes in the world.

[azcycle]

I had been drooling over the newer BMWs for the past few years but knew I probably would never afford one.  I didn't really know too much about older BMWs to be honest. When I met my fiance (soon to be wife in 32 days!) I found out her father was a BMW motorcycle fanatic. He had a r69s in parts, as well as a 1981 r65 which was "his baby."  I started taking more of an interest in older BMWs.

Then, in an unfortunate turn of events, my father in law passed away from a heart attack.  My fiance inherited all of his possessions and projects, including the r65.  Knowing the bike was just too intimidating for her (she has her moto license but rides a 150cc scooter) she basically just gave the r65 to me, saying her dad would want someone to take care of it and enjoy it. I still really consider it HER bike and will gladly hand it over to her the moment she wants it. Of course, if she does then I'm sure I will immediately turn around and start shopping for another airhead of some sort.

The r65 just IS her father, in her eyes and she says she never wants to get rid of it. So I'm sure no matter how much work it may need in the future, it will be with us for a long time, and I'd love to hand it down to one of OUR kids.