BMW R65
Encyclopedia
The BMW R65 was a light touring motorcycle
introduced by BMW
in 1978 to add a mid-size motorcycle to its product line. The original R65 was made up until 1984 with a smaller frame than larger R series motorcycles, but in 1985 the R65’s engine was put into the new (and larger) R80 frame which featured a single rear shock absorber (mono-shock). Between 1981 and 1984 the R65LS was also made, this R65 variant had a small triangular fairing that was designed by Hans Muth.
. The engine is an 648 cc, OHV
, two valve
s per cylinder
, air-cooled flat-twin
(i.e., horizontally-opposed cylinders) or "boxer" engine. The R65 weighs 205 kg (455 lb) with a full tank of fuel and has a five speed gearbox connected to a shaft final drive. From 1981 on, the R65 was fitted with breaker-less electronic ignition. This further improved the already good reliability of the bike.
Following standard BMW practice of the time, two 32 mm Bing CV carburettors were used and the R65 used a single dry plate clutch. An additional lower powered version was also produced for the German market and was fitted with 26 mm Bing CV carburettors.
The R65 features a smaller fuel tank than other larger BMW airheads, with a 22 litres (46.5 US pt) capacity which includes a 0.5 gallon reserve.
The monolever version of the bike was produced from 1985 until 1993.
chassis with a monolever combined drive/swingarm and single shock absorber.
Tools and owner servicing were well thought out. The R65 came standard with a full tool kit, as well as a hand-operated tyre pump. Owner maintenance is standard practice with these machines. Valve lash was adjusted by a simple set screw-and-locknut arrangement, and timing was taken care of by adjustment of the points' housing. On later models (i.e., model year 1981 onward), the points were no longer used and a Hall sensor was placed inside the housing, this housing behind the front engine cover is colloquially known as the 'bean can'. Most other maintenance tasks were easily achieved due to easy access to most mechanicals.
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
introduced by BMW
BMW Motorrad
BMW Motorrad is the motorcycle brand of the German company BMW, part of its Corporate and Brand Development division. The current General Director of the unit is Hendrik von Kuenheim....
in 1978 to add a mid-size motorcycle to its product line. The original R65 was made up until 1984 with a smaller frame than larger R series motorcycles, but in 1985 the R65’s engine was put into the new (and larger) R80 frame which featured a single rear shock absorber (mono-shock). Between 1981 and 1984 the R65LS was also made, this R65 variant had a small triangular fairing that was designed by Hans Muth.
Technical overview
The R65 is fitted with a type 248/1 engine, a different version of the well known BMW type 247, also known as an airheadAirhead (motorcycle)
Airheads are the traditional BMW motorcycles with a flat-twin air-cooled engine that were built from 1923 to 1995...
. The engine is an 648 cc, OHV
Overhead valve
An overhead valve engine, also informally called pushrod engine or I-head engine, is a type of piston engine that places the camshaft within the cylinder block , and uses pushrods or rods to actuate rocker arms above the cylinder...
, two valve
Valve
A valve is a device that regulates, directs or controls the flow of a fluid by opening, closing, or partially obstructing various passageways. Valves are technically pipe fittings, but are usually discussed as a separate category...
s per cylinder
Cylinder (engine)
A cylinder is the central working part of a reciprocating engine or pump, the space in which a piston travels. Multiple cylinders are commonly arranged side by side in a bank, or engine block, which is typically cast from aluminum or cast iron before receiving precision machine work...
, air-cooled flat-twin
Flat-twin
A flat-twin is a two cylinder internal combustion engine with the cylinders arranged on opposite sides of the crankshaft. It is part of the class of flat engines, sub-type "boxer", and shares most characteristics of those engines.-Motorcycle use:...
(i.e., horizontally-opposed cylinders) or "boxer" engine. The R65 weighs 205 kg (455 lb) with a full tank of fuel and has a five speed gearbox connected to a shaft final drive. From 1981 on, the R65 was fitted with breaker-less electronic ignition. This further improved the already good reliability of the bike.
Following standard BMW practice of the time, two 32 mm Bing CV carburettors were used and the R65 used a single dry plate clutch. An additional lower powered version was also produced for the German market and was fitted with 26 mm Bing CV carburettors.
The R65 features a smaller fuel tank than other larger BMW airheads, with a 22 litres (46.5 US pt) capacity which includes a 0.5 gallon reserve.
The monolever version of the bike was produced from 1985 until 1993.
R65LS
In 1982 in an effort to enhance the R65’s image the Hans Muth designed R65LS was introduced. 6,389 R65LS bikes were produced, which featured a triangular shaped pod fairing and instrument housing versus the standard naked front end of the R65. Furthermore a different rear seat featured pillion grab handles similar in style to the soon-to-be-introduced K Series BMWs. Different model transfers were used and the only colours were hennarot (red) and polaris (silver). Much of the chrome work of the R65 was replaced by black painted or black chrome features (exhaust piping, mufflers). Other features included:- Twin disc front brakes in-lieu of single disc
- Lower front handlebars for a slightly more sporty seating position
- Different alloy wheel pattern - on red models painted white
- Different rear drum brake size
- Black chrome mufflers and black painted exhaust pipes
R65GS
In 1987, the R65GS was released, to become a member of the GS family of dual-sport bikes. The R65GS, of which 1,727 were produced, featured the R65 engine fitted into a R80G/SBMW R80G/S
The BMW R80G/S is a motorcycle manufactured in Berlin, Germany, by BMW Motorrad from 1980 to 1987. Production totalled 21,864 bikes.It was the first in the BMW GS family of specialised dual-sport bikes, of which over 500,000 have been produced....
chassis with a monolever combined drive/swingarm and single shock absorber.
Performance
The power output of early R65 models was 33 kW but from 1981 this increased to 37 kW at 7,250 rpm Similarly in 1981 torque rose from 50 newton metre at 5,500 rpm to 52.3 newton metre at 6,500 rpm. This propelled both variants from 0–100 km/h (0–62 mph) in 5.8 seconds. The R65 could do the standing 400 metres (quarter mile) in 14.3 seconds and the standing kilometre (0.6 mile) in 28.1 seconds. The top speed of both variants was 175 km/h (108.7 mph). The lower powered version for the German market produced 27 hp.Tools and owner servicing were well thought out. The R65 came standard with a full tool kit, as well as a hand-operated tyre pump. Owner maintenance is standard practice with these machines. Valve lash was adjusted by a simple set screw-and-locknut arrangement, and timing was taken care of by adjustment of the points' housing. On later models (i.e., model year 1981 onward), the points were no longer used and a Hall sensor was placed inside the housing, this housing behind the front engine cover is colloquially known as the 'bean can'. Most other maintenance tasks were easily achieved due to easy access to most mechanicals.