Hi folks, I bought my first bike this weekend, a 1980 R65 with 60k on the clock and a halfway decent set of Krauser bags. It's got Work performance shocks I've never heard of, one is leaking. An aftermarket oil cooler which is nice. Horrid sofa seat I'll sell off soon. Great fork seals, faded paint, nice clean oil and no oil on the plugs but it does smoke quite a bit which makes me think it runs rich. I did observe the original crosshatching on the cylinders when it was initially blueprinted, worn, but there. I'd give it another 20-40k and some minor rebuilding will have to be done. I tend to be mechanically inclined (which airhead owner isn't?) so I feel like taking on an older bike won't be much of a problem. It has a pushrod seal leak I wanted to ask about. I don't know if I have to replace the whole tube or just a seal. There isn't much oil leaking but it does seep out of there. The R65 came with the original owners manual...and the kicker....a BMW issued service manual. It is almost the reason I bought the bike. I'll post some pictures later once I take them with something other than a phone. I've been lurking for a long time so thanks for providing me with an enormous amount of information as this is currently my go-to airhead site.
It's funny, while at a dealership today I was looking at a neglected r65 parked by the service entrance & thought it would make a nice little project. I hope you enjoy yours! The service manual is always a nice bonus. Pushrod tube seals are just that, a seal where the tube meets the case-good way to get acquainted...
Matty, Good luck with the anticipated projects. Replacing the pushrod tube seals is not complicated but some attention to detail is needed. I highly recommend Oak's Top End Manual to take you through this process if you want a step by step guide with sketches. The tubes normally will not need to be replaced, only the tube seals unless there is damage or press fitment problems with the tubes. Keep us in the loop with your project - you'll get good help here by many experienced wrenches. Here's a few picture links to my 650 restoration project to let you know what to expect. The 650's are a fun little bike! Top End Disassembly: http://tinyurl.com/8xrq5ss Top End Assembly Lt.: http://tinyurl.com/4qsgq62 Top End assembly Rt.: http://tinyurl.com/3e6t87j
Welcome to the Asylum. Do fill out your profile so we'll know more about you. Back then I always considered the R65 as a "BMW Lite", not for serious consumption. But they are fun bikes... that first misimpression was from the stodgy era that also considered the Toaster tacky. We've since mellowed a bit. :)
Bill, good points about the 650. I feel like there's been a resurgence of the R65 and a new appreciation lately. I see a lot of them on the road these days, just yesterday at the La Mesa Tech Session there were 3 or 4 among their larger siblings with smiling owners operating them. I happen to be a very happy owner of one. I originally purchased mine for my wife but after the total restoration and some spirited miles in the saddle I'm not giving it up (the bike) to her. At least until she is endorsed and properly trained by someone other than myself. These bikes are fun to ride, quick, nimble, and responsive with their short wheel base and oversquare engine design. The motors love to spin and seem to come alive at around 5300 rpm and will cruise all day at 70mph speeds and above. The dual disc ATE's work amazingly well, wish I had the same braking abilities for my /7. Matty, I think you're going to love this bike!
My experience was similar - got my first R65 to fix up and re-sell, but fell in love. Once I finally did sell it, missed it, and a couple years later replaced it. Glad to have another 650 owner aboard! Welcome! If the pushrod seal is only weeping a little, just ride it for now. It's even possible it'll stop after a bit - if the bike sat for very long it's common for little leaks to develop that go away with use.
Mike V, thanks for the tip on pushrod seals. I'll eventually get to some engine work. I'd hate to disappoint the airhead forums but this bike will probably be done in a mild cafe style. Clip-ons, minimalistic gauge, rear sets, cafe type seat, maybe new louder mufflers. That is probably the extent of modifications I don't intend to strip it of everything like a cafe racer is supposed to be but instead keep the engine mostly stock, battery in stock place, side covers on and I do intend to keep most of the rear fender in place. I'd like to think of it as a spiced up BMW instead of stripped down. I often see cafe racer airheads on here and find that the amount of open space leave me feeling like too much was done. Anyway I'll keep you folks posted on any progress. Thanks for all the advice and warm welcomes.
Works performance are good shocks, basic but solid.... send 'em back to works for a re-build and have 'e, spring to your weight http://www.worksperformance.com/html/repair_and_services.html
(stodgy old look) As best you can, try to recycle the original, OEM parts back into R65 restorations so that the old parts can breathe life into old bikes. And keep us advised om the progress... :)
I love my R65LS, low and sleek enough to plant both feet flat at lights. Best looking BMW tank too IMO. Wish it was faster though.
Absolutely, There isn't many true R65 parts I'd take off other than the cluster, bars and stainless exhaust. I sourced a seat I really like, It is sleek but not a cafe seat which is fine in my book. When emailing the guy says it does hold 2 people so I imagine it is as long as a stock seat. http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-Airhead...Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item5d30061141 Anyone in the market for a lay-z-boy R65 seat?
Ugh, I bought an R65 seat from that seller. Cheapest vinyl ever that ripped apart the first time I tried to install it. For the same price, I found a local upholsterer who will do the job with quality material.
Welcome to the R-65... Their is something that compells one to buy it, fix it up, and resell it.. The you find out it's just a hoot to ride.....No, It's not fast.. But something about it makes it fun... So you wind up keeping it.... As far as the pushrod seal goes.. You have to basically pull the head and slide the cylinder far enough out to get the new seal in there.. Then just slide it all back together, Reinstall and GENTLY torque the head, Reset the valves and off you go.. I can't stress enough how important it is to have a good torque wrench and gently bring the studs up to almost the recommend value... Almost... Many have pulled a stud by being less than extreeeeeeeeeeemly careful.... Have fun... John
You know from working on cars I wouldn't even have thought the block is aluminum. It certainly looks aluminum but I just didn't process that thought yet haha. Well that would make torquing a very careful practice indeed. Don't want to have to retap a block if I can avoid it.:eek1
Most of us torque them to 25ft pounds, but do remember that if a fastener is oily, you'll need to reduce that figure by about a third.
If you read the feedback for the seller, that should be enough reason to stay away. That's what the feedback is for. In this case it explains alot about this fellows "quality".
I've always assumed and/or read that the torque value is for an oiled thread. 17 ft-lbs oiled seems way low. Back in the day when I was a young buck, I took the book value of 28 literally and retorqued the heads frequently, even before valve adjustments. Ended up stripping 6 of the 8 studs, and 30 years later re-repairing those threads because I used a poor state-of-the-art insert at the time. Nowadays I retorque the heads infrequently, usually only when the rocker arms need to be removed ot adjusted. Live'n'learn...
Funny, I always figured torque values were for clean, dry threads. Just checked, and neither the Haynes or Clymer says anything about this. The 90S shop manual doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me on this point. It says: Tightening torques and preload forces Applicable only to bolts in accordance with DIN (a bunch of different ones follow) and nuts with a nut height of 0.8 X d in accordance with DIN 934 and exclusively for u ges = 0.14 (Bolts phosphate treated, nuts without aftertreatment or galvanized. Lubricated condition: either non-lubricated or oiled.) For cad plated bolts or nuts (u ges is roughly = 0.08 to 0.09) the tightening torque must be roughly = 30% less than in the table with the same utilization factor of the bolt material. Not applicable when another surface or lubricated condition of the thread is used or if there is a variation in the nut height. In such cases it is necessary to determine the values separately. When it says "either non-lubricated or oiled." is it referring to the nut? And under the Not applicable section is states "when...lubricated condition of the thread is used..." Seems something was lost in translation.