1981 R65 image source: utahcaferacer.com
(first posted 2/10/2014) For my first motorcycle, I made the wise decision to search for an air-cooled boxer BMW. Having heard from experienced motorcyclists for years about the virtues of these conservative but high quality machines, I started to hunt for a good used example soon after taking the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) beginning rider course and adding a motorcycle qualification to my driver’s license at the age of 24. Luckily, I hit a home run in my first experience of motorcycle ownership; but then the odds of doing so are decidedly better than average when it comes to one of the classic BMW “Airheads”.
image: bmwdean.com
To give some background on the R65, the last generation of classic air-cooled BMWs endured from 1970 to 1995, and in its quarter century run it established BMW as a major player in the world motorcycle market. It all started in 1923 with BMW’s first motorcycle, the R32 (above), which introduced the horizontally-opposed twin engine, shaft drive layout that became BMW’s signature style. BMW boxer twins were among the most advanced motorcycles in the world in their first two decades, including a supercharged streamliner that set a motorcycle speed record of 173.51 miles per hour in 1937, and the R75 military sidecar machine with two wheel drive and hydraulic power brakes, both motorcycle firsts.
R69S image credit: wikimedia commons user R69S
After World War II, BMW developed a reputation as a producer of well-made but quirky motorcycles that were primarily touring and sidecar machines, known for the smoothness and high quality of their horizontally opposed twin engines but also for their stodginess, with unusual features like Earles forks.
In 1970 a new generation of BMW motorcycles, the /5 series, introduced a completely revised engine that displaced up to 750cc with further expansion potential, a new frame inspired by the famous Norton Featherbed, telescopic forks, electric start, and other modern features.
The R75/5 (750cc), R60/5 (600cc), and R50/5 (500cc) were far more sporting than previous BMWs, with a frame designed more for handling than sidecar hauling. BMW also designed them for higher volume production with less skilled labor, necessary because BMW was moving motorcycle production from its existing factory with an experienced work force in Munich, whose capacity was needed for BMW’s rapidly expanding automobile business, to a new factory in Berlin with a less-skilled work force.
R90S image source: bmwbikes.co.uk
BMW rapidly made improvements to its new design, increased engine displacement, and introduced innovative new models. In 1974 the revised /6 series appeared, with a front disc brake and other improvements. The top model was now the 900cc R90/6, while the R50 was dropped at the low end. The R90S sports model added a dash of style never before seen on BMWs, with a small bikini fairing and special misted paintwork. It became a legend, as well as a turning point for BMW in offering overtly sporty models.
The 1977 /7 series increased engine displacements to 800cc in the R80 and 1000cc in the R100 and introduced the first aerodynamic full fairing on a non-race bike, the R100RS sport-tourer (shown). The full dress tourer R100RT followed in 1978, then the dual-sport on/off-road R80G/S in 1980. By the end of the 1970s, BMW had a very wide model range in the 1000cc and 800cc size classes covering everything from weekend canyon carving to long distance touring to off-road riding, all built on the same frame and engine, differing only in cylinder bore diameter.
While its main motorcycle line adopted larger engine displacements and moved upmarket, BMW introduced a second line with a smaller frame and engine, re-entering the smaller displacement classes. The R65 and R45 debuted in 1979 as simple, straightforward machines at a lower price point than the full size models. Perhaps to underscore their modest status, BMW offered them only in the dull colors Champagne (gold) and Bronco (brown), which are best described as color #1 and color #2.
1981 saw significant refinements to the engines of all BMW boxer twins, including electronic ignition, Nikasil cylinder liners, and a new airbox with a “pulse air” system designed to reduce emissions. The new black plastic airbox looked far less elegant than the neatly integrated aluminum air cleaner cover of the original design, but it made air filter changes much easier.
There were other changes as well, such as a lighter flywheel for easier shifting, Brembo front brake calipers replacing the former ATE units, and the choke control lever moved from the side of the engine under the rider’s left leg to the right handlebar, at the rider’s thumb. Happily, decent colors also became available, including red in 1981 and black in 1983.
A special variant of the R65 was the R65LS, restyled by Hans Muth, the influential motorcycle designer who developed the milestone R100RS fairing for BMW during the 1970s and styled the Katana sportbike for Suzuki in the 1980s. It had a wedge-shaped fairing, lower handlebars, new wheels, a new seat with grab handles, and black mufflers and exhaust pipes. Although the engine was not modified, it had upgraded brakes with twin discs in front instead of the R65’s single disc. 6,389 were produced from 1982 to 1984.
The final version of the R65 ran from 1985 to 1987. It was different from the previous R45/65s in that instead of having its own smaller frame, it now shared the same frame as the “full sized” R80 and R100. Its rear suspension system was the Monolever that BMW had introduced on the R80G/S dual-sport bike, with a single-sided rear swing arm and single hidden spring/shock. With BMW moving away from its traditional boxer twins and shifting to production of its new inline cylinder, fuel-injected K100 and K75 machines, it discontinued the R65 in 1987.
In 1994, my entry into the world of BMW motorcycles was through a now quaint, old-fashioned path, the newspaper classified ads. After a summer of research on the limited, then-embryonic motorcycle enthusiast pages available on the internet, I decided that this 1970s generation of BMWs was right for me and regularly checked the used motorcycle classified ads of the Washington Post, oddly located in the sports section along with classified ads for RVs and boats–internet car and motorcycle marketplaces did not yet exist 20 years ago. I looked at several local machines, of which I remember only an R75/5 with a stylish chrome “toaster” fuel tank but also alarming nosedive on braking.
1981 R65 image source: utahcaferacer.com
The right bike ended up being a 1983 R65, which I had read was especially good for beginners with its lighter weight and lower seat height. This particular example had only 18,000 miles, barely broken in for a BMW, and its first owner needed to sell it before buying a new Triumph sportbike in order to satisfy his wife’s demand not to have multiple motorcycles at the same time. Its black paint gleamed, and its red and white pinstripes were immaculate, clearly showing the brushstrokes from being painted by hand. His asking price of $2000 seemed high, but it was in excellent condition with low mileage, so I agreed to the deal a day before he would have had to accept the lowball trade-in offer from the Triumph dealer.
Several days later, I went to the first owner’s house with a certified check and my helmet to pick up the R65. Never having taken a motorcycle onto a highway, and probably never having exceeded 40 miles per hour on one before, I was a bit nervous about riding through the Beltway’s notoriously dense and careless traffic on an unfamiliar motorcycle. Within seconds, though, everything felt natural and the trip home passed completely uneventfully. It was the start of two great years with the R65 as my predominant means of transportation.
A 650cc machine weighing approximately 450 pounds wet is larger than many would recommend as a first motorcycle, but the R65 proved to be so easy to handle that I would not hesitate to recommend one to any beginner. The R65 was my first riding experience other than the Honda Nighthawk 250s used in the MSF course, and it was instantly a breeze to handle in any situation–city, suburban, highway. The horizontally opposed engine was the source of the machine’s virtues. The layout placed most of the bike’s mass very low, making it exceptionally easy to handle at low speeds. Tuned for low end torque and with a heavy flywheel, typical of air-cooled BMWs, the engine had a gradual and steady power delivery that was no problem for a beginner to handle and ideal for slogging through city traffic, yet capable of out-accelerating almost any car and maintaining any reasonable highway speed easily.
The R65 was so well balanced that I could perform a trick with it that I would not attempt on any other motorcycle that I have owned since: staying upright for extended periods while standing still, without putting my feet down. I found over time that when slowed gradually, using only the rear brake, the R65 was so stable that a long time would pass after coming to a dead stop before it started to lean over. Timing it with a watch, I found that staying upright for 12 seconds without putting either foot down could be done easily and consistently. Once a rider behind me in traffic clapped when he saw it, probably having seen me do it several times at stoplights. To this day, I laugh when I see riders of chrome-laden new motorcycles needing to duck-walk in low speed situations.
The other key feature of the R65 was its cargo capacity. The same saddlebag system used on full size BMWs also fit the R65, and buyers of new BMWs practically always ordered it. The hard-sided plastic cases were each large enough to hold a full face helmet with space to spare, and their bracket and latch system allowed them to be fitted or removed in seconds. Built-in handles allowed them to be carried conveniently like suitcases when off the bike. Commuting to the office with stacks of books and documents and a suit to change into, grocery shopping, and packing for a weekend trip were all easily accomplished. The R65 with its saddlebag system could handle the 90+% of trips that did not involve carrying other people or large boxes.
The R65’s ease of handling and load-carrying ability remind me in retrospect of the Honda Super Cub motorbikes that I saw in Vietnam. Like them, it could handle any traffic situation that it might encounter in its environment, was easy for beginners to use, and had an ability to carry things far exceeding what most people would expect of a motorcycle.
These attributes made this view one that I would not have minded having for a lifetime. Keeping an R65 or any other airhead BMW running well for a lifetime is easy with the machine’s well thought out service layout and standard toolkit, which included every tool necessary for any maintenance and repairs short of a bottom-end engine rebuild. With the cylinders sticking straight out and nothing blocked by a fairing or the frame, anything associated with regular maintenance was exposed and easy to reach, and even a cylinder barrel replacement can be done with little difficulty with the included tools. Not that one would likely be necessary, as these engines are known for covering enormous mileages before needing rebuilds.
Unfortunately, I kept the R65 for only two years. I had to move to Chicago for graduate school during the fall of 1996, and I expected that it would be several years before I would be riding regularly again, since the riding season in Chicago would be very short and where I would be living during summers was not certain. I sold the R65 to an architect who wanted to return to riding after a long layoff, for $500 more than I had paid for it, and both of us were happy with the deal.
I would not start riding again until 2003, and when I did, my search for a similar airhead BMW was unsuccessful. The last BMW using the basic design from 1970 was the R100R nostalgia bike of 1992-95. By 2003, fewer airheads were available for sale and prices had climbed significantly higher than during the mid-1990s, since they had now become collectibles instead of just old bikes. Not liking the oil-cooled, fuel-injected boxer twins that had taken their place, I ended up losing interest in BMWs and looked at the Harley-Davidson Sportster and Triumph Bonneville instead. I did own an R100RS for a while, but it was as an occasionally ridden garage queen rather than a regular rider.
Now the once unpopular and unfashionable R65 has become a popular platform for custom café racer builds, such as the one shown above. With more foresight, I would have kept and stored mine, and it would now be as stylish as this machine… but with the original BMW saddlebags retained and incorporated into the build, of course. Why give up all of a BMW’s inherent practicality?
I have a airhead sitting in my living room. It is the 1980 R100S exclusive sport. I’ve never ridden a motorcycle before and I fear it is too large a bike for a beginner. It sure is beautiful though, although the tape stripes are somewhat tacky.
I like the odd stripes that BMW used in that era, because they were so different from BMW’s normal look. They looked especially right on the R80GS.
That R100S is rare and quite beautiful. Whether to ride it or not is a tough dilemma. My R100RS ended up being a display item, in my case in the garage but otherwise essentially like yours, because I didn’t like the idea of it getting exposed to stone chips, rain, vandalism, and my own occasional clumsiness. The only tip-over that I have ever experienced was on it, of course.
If you start riding, I would strongly advise buying something small, used and cheap to learn on first, so that you get your initial jitters and first tip-over or two out of the way before getting on a machine that will make you nervous about putting so much as a scratch on it.
Thank you. I peruse craigslist daily and this bike popped up in Green Bay,WI last fall, original owner.. I couldn’t turn it down. I’m considering starting with the Suzuki tu250x and I’ll be taking the MSF course this spring.
Nice bike the unusual leading link type front forks were also used by Greeves on everything from their trials bike to their Silverstone factory racer.
I did not know that any British bikes used Earles forks, even though Earnest Earles was British. Their main advantage, I thought, was their resistance to sidecar stresses. Did Greeves also find them better in off road trials use?
Quite a few,the Douglas a chain driven flat twin used them and several Villiers powered bikes the Panther, DOT & DMW were just a few. Greeves went on to telescopic forks for the remainder of their life,I think telescopic forks had become more developed by the late 60s.
Very interesting – I had no idea about any of this. It sounds like Douglas and BMW were VERY similar at one point. I believe that BMW designer Max Friz was imitating an existing Douglas design when he designed the first BMW with a boxer engine and shaft drive in 1923, so it was an ongoing use of similar ideas.
I have a Royal Enfield story that I was going to work on, but it sounds like you may be far better equipped to write it!
A BMW,Bonnie & Sportster,great taste in bikes Robert.I really like these bikes though when new I paid no attention to them,my then boyfriend had a Triumph Bonneville Special and my brother had a 75 Sportster.That classic black and white paint looks great on any BMW twin.
When I had my apartment before I married, my room mate – a friend at work at the time – owned a BMW bike. Not sure of the year, but it was 1976 when I had the apartment, I’m guessing his bike was a 1975 model, give-or-take a year.
A mutual friend and I used to rip him about that bike because he always seemed to have to take it to a “technician” for service.
Apparently it was reliable enough, because he loved it.
In any event, he really rode it as much as he could. He was even a member of the local BMW club and traveled a lot on weekends.
Although I don’t like bikes, I admit his BMW was a real nice one that got my attention.
A friend of mine bought an R65 from a woman who purchased it new, quickly crashed with minor damage, and never rode it again. When he told the mechanics at Irv Seaver BMW in Orange, CA what he’d paid for it, they jokingly accused him of GTM (Grand Theft Motorcycle).
I had an R100/7 which I did a COAL on and it was a brilliant machine. It would just eat up the miles. The flywheel was like a manhole cover; you could lug it down to the point you could hear each individual cylinder fire. In most city driving, I’d just put it on third gear and use the throttle. The centre of gravity was low and made for beautiful handling. Wet it was 480 lbs, scarcely more than the R65. At the moment, I am looking for a K75. I found one last year and, like a fool, let it get away.
I’ve had a Daytona Orange R90S, like the one in the photo, for 30 years. It’s probably the last thing I would sell if I needed money. (Just like the OP)
R65’s were nice bikes, about the only disadvantage were all the unique parts it used.
Looking thru the Capital Cycle catalog, something would fit any and all airheads; and then the phrase ” except R65″.
Compared to just about anything made today, airheads don’t go, stop, or handle that well; but there is just something about them that still appeals.
R65 was my first BMW bike…. warm silver with olive green pin striping. I’m still kicking myself for selling it. Always appreciated the title of the owners manuals for BMW’s, “Rider”s Manual”.
It’s been a while since I’ve wanted a bike but this article made me want to get a license!
My first BMW was a monolever ’86 R65 in Azure Blue metallic.
Bought it as a year old leftover at Edgewood Cycles in Maryland.
Over the years I owned a K100 (that we added an EML sidecar to) and an ’82 R100 which was my favorite, keeping it for 20 years till this summer.
Nice write up.
Thank you!
Great story. I think you were quite a bit smarter in your selection and faster in your adaptation than I was. I never liked most german machines but the air cooled VWs and porsches got my attention along with these airhead bikes. Guess I have something for air cooled boxers. The one I got to ride had a kick starter that swung perpendicular to the frame. Seemed very counter-intuitive. Did that change?
You give the R75/5 displacement as 600cc. Isn’t it a 750?
Keep em coming Robert.
Yes, that was a typo. Good catch!
I work with a guy who has a beautiful ’73 R75, complete with factory saddlebags, drum brakes, and over 93K on the clock. “Toaster Tank” Beemers are cool…
A very attractive bike,rarely seen in the UK.I may be wrong on this but I think it was a special US version.They were very expensive when new and the British and Japanese bikes were cheaper and faster,The price was close to exotic Italian bikes but still less than a Harley Davidson big twin
Great story Robert, our paths have similarities yet again – I took the MSF course in college and while I never got a BMW, did look at them over and over again…I haven’t ridden in years but when I moved to CO made sure that the MC endorsement carried over to the new license, I think it was a $5 fee.
I rode /5 BMW’s for decades , the first one I ever bought was the LWB ’73 R75/5 William Shatner bought , didn’t like then abandoned in his garage with less than 900 miles on it .
In time I collected 6 /5’s and best loved my SWB ‘ Toaster ‘ ’72 along with several /2’s , notably two R69S’s .
I recently sold them all to a L.A. based AirHead restorer who will hopefully restore the Shatner bike to it’s original Irish Green scheme .
If I heal enough to ride again , I’ll keep on riding my Air Head Ural Solos , much slower than BMW’s but nearly as well built .
Sturdy well designed and amazingly long lived BMW Boxer twins are terrific Motos , truly ” life time ” .
-Nate
Owned an identical black ’83 R65 in ’86-89. Bought it before I learned to ride, from a guy in Beverly Hills. Sold it when I transferred from Southern California, and just missed a chance to buy it back from a salvage yard when the flake I sold it to managed to get it towed within a couple of months of buying it. I didn’t know much about bikes then (still don’t), but it was a simple, comfortable, and beautiful machine I’d love to own today.
I’ve had two- Beemers in my lifetime, a R90/6 with the six gallon tank, and a K75C. If you can’t find another R65, go with a three-cylinder Brick. They’re wonderfully comfortable, competent, also use the same bags (the only motorcycle luggage I’ve ever liked more than Givi), and can also do the ‘track stand’ (its actually a velodrome bicycle term, but applies equally to a motorcycle that can do it) trick just as easily.
It’s also the best winter bike ever, because the finish is either stainless steel (exhaust) or industrial (everything else). There’s absolutely nothing to rust after riding in the winter slush.
Thanks for the thorough rundown on these bikes Robert, I did not know much about them. I had wondered why the engine case extends so high above what would be needed for the crankcase, it seems to be to hide the starter.
The staying upright trick is interesting, I wonder if it is related to a gyroscopic effect of the longitudinally-mounted engine? I have previously heard that Honda Goldwings can stay upright if the engine is revved because of this.
What a great read. I’m buying a 1983 r65ls tomorrow. I have only owned Ducati Monster’s. I’m looking forward to owning this beautiful classic.
I just bought one today. 1982 R65 8,900 miles on it. I am stoke it was so easy to ride..pick it up tomorrow, totally stoked.
I bought my first ever motorcycle as an adult in 1984 while living in NC. It was a blue 1983 BMW R65! I loved that bike and rode it to work every day for a couple of years.
Then between my wife who hated it and the fact I lost my job, forced me to sell it.
I quit riding for 30 years until about 3 months ago. I decided I wanted to get back into riding again and touring now that I’m 60.
I started researching bikes and ended u p with the BMW R1200RT pictured below. It is as easy to ride as I remember my 65, albeit with a little more wight, but still only 590 with fuel.
I am now looking at getting another R65 for local fun since the R1200RT is a handful for just playing around.
Great article and thanks for the memories!
Here is my 1986 R65 with 16K. These are great bikes. Highly recommend.
Nice write up on the R65. I currently have 2 ’82’s in my garage, awesome riding bikes.
Just bought 1982 blue R65 with 8,900 miles, totally stoked!!
Thank you for sharing. I had one for several years and in 2008 ended up selling it back to the shop when the Bings went bad. Losing that bike broke my heart. It was perfect for my commuting needs and I miss it every single day.
Interesting and informative article Bob.
Four years ago, I got back on two wheels in Ontario, Canada, after a fifty year hiatus.
Enjoyed the wrenching and riding but as a Canadian Snow Bird six months a year in Florida I missed the bike and started surfing.
Lucked into a 82 r65LS (the last machine I expected to own) and never looked back, a bullet proof reliable bike, wonderful to work too.
Ontario or Florida I have the best o f both worlds……..
Is that white paint factory original? As far as I remember the LS models were only sold in silver, and a very orangey red.
Howdy Folks,
Purchased a trusted friends 1984 R65 with 32,000 for the princely sum of 500.00$
Clean, with the nice black paint scheme, dent free, no scuffs, with crash bars & pegs.
The tires were nearly brand new.
After about two grand invested in rebuilding the carbs, head gear bearing, struts, and
a bit of a gremlin chase with the ignition’s electronics… This one runs nice and strong.
Just picked up a Renalds 268 rear rack & set of side rack frames on e bay fairly priced.
Bit of custom wood working additions, and work up a set of custom oldy saddle bags.
Looking to go touring up in Maritime Canada, camp out and a visit around peacefully.
Tigger
I still rate my 1979 R65 as the best real-world motorcycle I ever owned. I wish mine had the dual front discs; very few in Australia did — not that it lacked braking power.
Everything on the R65 is simple and accessible. My R100RS has much bigger specification but it’s more difficult to live with given the wonderful full fairing is also an obstruction. My R65 had a Guzzi 1000SP replica fairing that blended in perfectly and worked really well. Over a thousand kilometres travelled in a day many times on that bike. The rotor failed once, as did the diode board. Otherwise so reliable.
Right now I am eyeing off a very low km 1983 R65 in Europe. These things fit the “motorcycle for life” category. Interestingly in Australia back in the day these were very much regarded as the junior to the Type 247. In Germany the R65 and even the R45 always seemed to be better appreciated.
You keep repeating the myth that BMW invented sidecar wheel drive. It did not. Soviet designer Mokharov together with English designer Baugham independently developed the concept of driving the sidecar wheel in 1928.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyotr_Mozharov
Several companies had military motorcycles with sidecar driven wheels prior to BMW. The R75 system is essentially a copy of the Zündapp KS750 system which was far superior to the BMW R72 system.
I do agree with you that the R65/R65LS are excellent all rounders and perfect first bikes. I still have a R65LS and a homemade R65Gs, as well as a K75RT. The LS is perfect for around town and motorway travel. The Gs for trails that are plentiful in SE QLD, and the RT is ideal for interstate trips. The perfect BMW stable in my opinion.
Thank you! I had a 1979 gold R45 in 1994 and sold it because of money issues the same year after riding 3000km through France one month after getting the license. Always thought the same thing, shoulda kept it forever! Then a 1981 black R45 Fallert upgrade from 95-97, sold because new Brembo brakes had cost a fortune 🙁
Since then dreaming to get another one!
My name is Joe Bowman I live in southern California I acquired a 1983 r65 BMW it was gifted to me by some good friends of mine set out in the weather for 6 or 7 years when I acquired it tank was full of water carburetors with water was pretty felt up I drained it all changing fluids fresh battery fresh gas started right up it’s pretty beat up looking but I ride it all the time refilled the carburetors check the valves it runs like a train I’m very proud of it. J.BOWMAN
As the owner of an 80,000 mile ’78 R80/7 that awaits renewal as a retirement project I can refer anyone interested to the Airheads Beemer Club (airheads.org) where hundreds of airhead owners in North America and other countries share their time and knowledge with others to keep these old and wonderful machines running and in good use. Meet-ups, campouts, and tech days happen often and are listed in the website.
I’m surprised I didn’t comment on the original post since I’ve had the same BMW Airhead since 1990.When I first started riding I looked for one of the R65s but none were local and they were beyond my budget. One thing I learned is that the twin shock baby airheads had less aftermarket support. Also an interesting piece of trivia is that the short stroke R65 engine was developed from an enduro racer that was a precursor of the R80GS.
After learning to ride on a Kawasaki KZ 400 I ended up finding an R100S by word of mouth at a dealer. Interestingly the dealer was Amol Motorcycles in New Jersey which was the shop that prepared Reg Pridmore’s R90S Superbike racers. I have ridden that R100S more less consistently ever since, except for two periods of hibernation when I was short of time and money to repair something. I have garaged the bike since 1992 so it’s not really a curbside classic, but that has helped preserve it.
Have recently acquired a 1978 BMW R65. A wet dream comes true
Previously owned Moto Guzzi Mk3 and Mk2, Moto Morini 500cc (two of)
BMW is similiar in philosophy but so much more simple and basic and ridiculously robust.
A 42 year old machine that is capable of travelling round the world right now, just needs petrol.
In 1978 the cash outlay for a R65 would bave bought an 1100 shaft drive Yamaha, a 1000cc honda or a 1000cc ComeAndSuckme….funny, I never see any of these competitors from 40 years ago while R65 riders are planning round the world trips
I had one of these in a lovely dark blue metallic which suited it well. I thrashed it around the highways and byways of Mid-Wales for 4 years. It was the perfect machine for that, a lot quicker and nimbler than you might expect. Many a fond memory of trips across the Quantocks through Coleridge country and dodging suicidal sheep on Exmoor.
Ever so easy to work on until you had to do the inevitable replacement of the swinging arm boot.
It went to my son who managed to terminally blow up the gearbox. Kids eh.
I’ll sell you mine, 1983 r65 in black in victoria bc, original panniers and windscreen 👌🏻
After riding a KZ400 in Mallorca for years I returned to Canada and found it too small for hi-way speeds so moved to a KZ650. Buying parts at the dealer I spotted an /86 Concours so took it for a test ride. 26 years later I sold it and moved to a smaller K75. Meanwhile, after 43 days in hospital I decided to take my “quit smoking” money and buy a dream – a black BMW airhead R65. A great little around town bike. I did the Baja on the K75 with 3 other guys, then bought a retirement project to clean up – a /67 Bonneville. The other bike is a /72 Honda XL250 dirt bike with 5,300 miles and just restored.
I have had my 1978 R65 since 1987 – bought cheap (£680) as an R45 to travel around before I had a car – winter and summer. Would take me non stop from suffolk to Dundee in 8 hours with one fuel stop. Did track days on it (flat out everywhere) and trips two up round UK and Scandinavia. Swapped the R45 engine complete for an R65 motor in 1990 before heading off 2 days later on a 5,000 mile trip to morocco. These bikes have a quality that defies anything made today – the bare alloy casting is in a different league to BMW’s now. Most spare parts are still available next day (Motobins/Motoworks) in the UK and if pushed, a lot of “big” boxer bits will fit – in fact friend back in the day put an R75 engine in his – again a straight swap! They do handle well (with great balance) but dont like worn tyres – looking forward to trying hte new radial continentals being made for these. THe short stroke engine loves revs (more so than the long stroke twins) and is easy to work on. 34 years later and after some 20 years off the road – whilst I have done a couple hundred thousand miles on othe BMW’s Guzzi’s and Ducati’s, now putting it back on the road. This bike has been with me my whole adult life – so many memories and so glad I never sold it – the simple set up and focus on engineering integrity and quality makes more sense than ever in these odd times. Sadly these days lots of these twins are getting chopped about – so that the day to day practicality they offer (rain or shine) is being lost.If you can find a good one – like a failthful dog it will stay with you. All bikes are imperfect – but adjust your view and these old BMW’s offer something unique and worthy.
Anybody have an R65 – R100 they are looking to get rid of? They are hard to find in the northeast and I love them
Looking to buy a low mileage k75 or R65.