850cc - R65 upgrade - Bonneville racer

[MR.E]

Hello all

Hope you're all well rested.

Has anyone, or know of anyone who's, fit the Michel 850 kit to the R65?
It's supposed to boost the R65 BHP to 70+ from 50.

I know some may think why, but a friend and I were talking and have both decided to build a race bike to take to Bonneville before we're 40 (10 yrs to get there).
I've been looking at lots of classic British bikes to do as a racer, but couldn't decide on one i liked or wanted to do that hadn't been done to death.

As the R65 is the loveliest bike i've ridden and the one i'm contempt with, most other bikes last about 3 - 4 months before i'm bored, but the R65 is different i've had it 18monhs now (only done 2500 miles on it) but i love it all the same!!

Anyway you may have guessed i'm going to build an R65 racer, not just for bonneville, i like track racing too, it'll be a bit of an all rounder - tracks, hillclimbs, and Bonneville!!

I'm not too up on tuning engines, but i'll be looking into/ working on drilling conrods, fly wheels etc.

Really the bike will only have the engine and frame of an R65, the other parts will be adapted to fit, R6 upside down forks, BMW adventure wheels & final drive etc

It's all in the imagination stages so far, i might go so far as drawings but i'm no good a that!!

Well if anyone has any advice on the Michel setup i'd appreciate some info.

Many thanks

Elliott

[wilcom]

There is some good chatter about the kit here
http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3118625

[MR.E]

thanks
I post as GS-Ell on there.
I found this thread the other day, i've emailed Michel's website but no answer as yet.

I know the basic idea, R80 piston and the rest can be run on R65 gear.

Thanks

[steve hawkins]

Difazio Engineering in Frome used to big bore conversions for the R65.

I am also aware that a tuner called Andrew Sexton used to tune up the R65 as he

And then there is Jim Cray.

None of them are cheap, and I am not even sure if Difazio are still in operation as I cannt pick up hios website easily - just a load of 'business sites quoting his address'

Steve Hawkins

[Motu]

If I ever felt like I needed more power from the R65, I think I'd rather use the 850 kit than drop an R80 or R100 into it.   The R65 reminds me of the Triumphs I used to ride in my younger days, and just loves revs and some rough house flagellation. An R80 or R100 is more like the Norton Commando, all about bottom end grunt.

[decorn33]

Is the 850 kit still a marketed package, or is it something that only a custom shop can put together?

[MR.E]

I can't seem to find it as a kit anywhere.
I've emailed Michel, but have had nothing back.

The idea is to bore the R65, as it loves to rev, rather than a torquey r80/100.

I've looked into the upgrade, a company i know can bore it and use a nikaseal(??) shim
I need to cut down the length of the bigger piston to match the R65's but am confident in doing it all.

Elliott

[MR.E]

Well i've looked into this further.

I've bought a frame, i'll be using for a base to start the project, although i'm going to bonneville it, i've decided to build it as a superbike.
As i want to 'lean' it in, i'm tempted to raise the engine (i've not worked out by how much yet) I'm gonna use it for hillclimbing & the odd classic race, tempted for the TT too.

i'm gonna start with the stock engine been cleaned up & dyno'd so i've a start base for modifications (hopefully the work i do won't reduce power.

My only problem for bonneville is i'm tempted to go for the 650 pushrod record, it's about 127mph,  so i'd need a spare engine to do the 850 mod.

I'm not sure how much work i'll have to do to push 127mph out of a 650 engine but without any work the R65 i'm running has done 104mph so i'm optimistic.

Elliott

[trips]

Sounds interesting. By the way, I finally got my dual discs you sent fitted, everything was there, they work like a charm, thanks.

[oz_johnno]

I would love to perform this sort of mod to Beryl, my dads R65.  wether there is a kit available or not I dont know but there is a Guy here in Melbourne australia Graham 'gyro' Carless who has been bestowed the honour of 'friend of the marque' by BMW.

Graham has been racing boxers for nearly lthe last 30 years (he gave up last year to get married) But word on the street is he can get 10,000 rpm out of pre-war BMW motors!!

I think I will leave Beryl in his capable hands when it comes time for the upgrade.

OZ

[bruce_launceston]

I didn't know there was a record for 650 push rod bikes, 205 kph, that's a big ask but I wouldn't have thought it impossible.

My R65LS has shown 180 on the speedo, but that's over 20 years ago, gravity assisted, with me flat to the tank and it takes a while to get there!

It will still do 150kmh without too much trouble, even strayed there briefly on the weekend.

[MR.E]

Sounds interesting. By the way, I finally got my dual discs you sent fitted, everything was there, they work like a charm, thanks.

Glad to hear you put them to use!!

[MR.E]

Looking at running an 1100gs swigarm to run as a monoshock.
Because of the welding required to the frame i'm tempted to build a 'space frame' for the bike might help reducing the weight too.

Elliott

[Semper Gumby]

When you go to Bing and put in Michel R65 photos you get some wild stuff.

The best is the chain drive R65 mono with the rear brake between the counter shaft sprocket and and the gear box ala E-type Jaguar.  You gotta see to believe it.

[MR.E]

but if you google R65 superbike, track bike etc theres nothing but cafe racers!

The swingarm arrived today, just waiting for the frame before i start modifying, decided to run R1100s wheels too - http://www.superbwallpapers.com/motorcycles/bmw-r1100s-6197/.
Got a pair of R1 forks and rear shock ordered.
I think the tricky bit will be centering the wheel in the frame & having the gearbox line up with the shaft.