On the move with the BMW R 65 LS

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On the move with the BMW R 65 LS
bilski-fotografie.de

On the move with the BMW R 65 LS

On the move with the BMW R 65 LS

On the move with the BMW R 65 LS

On the move with the BMW R 65 LS

14th photos

On the move with the BMW R 65 LS
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BMW R 65 LS.

On the move with the BMW R 65 LS
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Love it or leave it – the idiosyncratic R 65 LS has always polarized people

On the move with the BMW R 65 LS
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The black cockpit cover of the two-part cladding integrates the two instruments that display calmly and clearly. It has not been available for a long time!

On the move with the BMW R 65 LS
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On the move with the BMW R 65 LS
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The rear of the BMW R 65 LS.

On the move with the BMW R 65 LS
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Technically, the BMW R 65 LS hardly differs from the standard R 65. The only thing that gives the sporty 650s its independence is the flowing lines that extend from the small cockpit fairing over the tank to the slightly stepped bench with the flatter rump. Likewise the black exhaust system without conical end pieces.

On the move with the BMW R 65 LS
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The mid-range models also have enough space under the seat for utensils and the on-board tools, which were still very extensive at the time. The inspection slip of the final acceptance in the factory is still stuck to the fender, above that for the color code 562 “Henna-Red”.

On the move with the BMW R 65 LS
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The first owner paid a surcharge of 89 marks for the Kickstarter in 1982.

On the move with the BMW R 65 LS
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The BMW R 65 LS is the only one in the 248 series to have a double disc brake at the front and characteristic compound wheels, in which the die-cast hub and spokes are positively cast with the hardened aluminum rim.

On the move with the BMW R 65 LS
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BMW R 65 LS

On the move with the BMW R 65 LS
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The little boxers are really big on winding routes

On the move with the BMW R 65 LS
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BMW R 45: The 860 kit gives the phlegmatic boxer plenty of legs. The only thing missing is a longer translation…

On the move with the BMW R 65 LS
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BMW R 65 LS

On the move with the BMW R 65 LS
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BMW R 65: With the 860 kit, the 650 becomes a powerful slacker, you can feel the 12 HP more everywhere

On the move with the BMW R 65 LS

Exit with the 650 BMW

Content of

The lightness of being is a constant companion for the little boxers. So far, however, they have been driving in the shadow of the large-displacement models. A 650 BMW with its playful handling is an appealing alternative. This is shown by the trip with the BMW R 65 LS, the polarizing splash of color in the short-stroke series.

It’s enough – in a nutshell, Hans Gunther from the Marwitz press representatives who dared to present the new mid-range models in 1978, ironed out the performance of the BMW R. 65 to be questioned critically. The new development was still ten percent short of the class standard of those years, the insurance limit of 50 hp. A fact that the then BMW development manager tried to cover up with arrogance. And thus made this a central topic in reporting on the 248 series. In the first test of the R 65 (MOTORRAD 15/1978), Schermer-Franz was also angry with the “elitist view of Bavarian motorcycle manufacturers about the power output of their boxer engines”, which “is always at the lowest class limit”. Which is why, right at the beginning of his text, he criticized the rather modest price-performance ratio of the BMW R 65 compared to the competition. Otherwise, however, there was a lot of praise from the tester who, in addition to the elegant appearance of the relatively petite-looking machine, liked the comfortable seating position, the good comfort, the decent brakes and above all the handling with the outstanding handiness.

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On the move with the BMW R 65 LS

On the move with the BMW R 65 LS
Exit with the 650 BMW

Short-stroke crankshaft made the difference

Facts that made you forget the unfortunate remark of the BMW superior just as quickly as the missing five horses. The little boxers were in demand and brought the hoped-for boost to sales figures at BMW. Above all, the BMW R 45 in the 27 hp class, which even made it to the top of the best-selling motorcycles in Germany in 1979! And that although the technology of the new R 45 and R 65 was not as innovative as the advertising brochures would have us believe. Conceptually, the drive of the small boxer largely corresponded to that of the larger-displacement models. The only difference was the short-stroke crankshaft, which moved the cylinder heads 56 millimeters closer together. In addition to the increase in speed, it is precisely the greater freedom from lean angles that significantly shapes the agile character of a BMW R 65, which in combination with the shorter spring travel with tighter damping, 18-inch wheels and the also shortened swing arm can be enjoyed wonderfully on winding roads leaves.

Little boxers hardly cheaper to produce

However, both the R 45 pilots and the BMW controllers felt the disadvantage of the modular system. The former because the only 27 hp BMW R 45 was not much lighter than a bare R 100. And the latter because the small boxers were hardly cheaper to produce than the large-displacement models. In particular, the R 45 – from which 15,905 units were built up to the major model upgrade in mid-1980 – should not have brought too much profit into the coffers despite the price of 5,880 marks (1978). The balance sheet for the BMW R 65, which was produced 11,975 times in the same period and which was initially sold for 7,290 marks, looked a little more favorable.


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Love it or leave it – the idiosyncratic R 65 LS has always polarized people.

Of course, in 1978, when I was 13, I cycled to the nearest BMW dealer to dust off the brochure for the BMW R 45 and R 65 shown above. Although at the end of the 1970s I was of course primarily fascinated by the machines that pushed the limits of what was possible in the unbridled competition for performance, I have always liked the timeless elegance of a BMW R 65.

However, it was more of a silent admiration, after all, a commitment to these “old man motorcycles” would have caused great astonishment and – even worse – unpleasant questions among the buddies. But I secretly stayed on the topic, delved into the thorough model maintenance for the 1981 model year and continued to collect brochures for the small BMW R 65s.

A real bargain

However, I would never have thought that I would actually screw a license plate onto my own little boxer, there were simply too many other dream machines with much more power that wanted to be “worked off” first. But it actually happened five years ago. The BMW R 65 LS shown here has been in my garage ever since. And with that, of all things, the R 65 variant that I had actually always been a bit suspicious of until then. When I debuted in mid-1981, I found the appearance of the little sports boxer with his bright red, white wheels and the katana-style front mask rather shrill. And the matt black painted exhaust system just ugly. But a neat R 65 from first hand with only 12,000 km that could be covered was already very rare five years ago. In addition, the price is a real bargain. That made the 1982 LS – at that time still with Pichler full fairing – not prettier for me at first, but very attractive.

Prices for original BMW R 65 LS are increasing

Since then she has changed a lot. The excruciatingly long search for the black cockpit cover, which is no longer available at BMW, to restore it to its original condition, some disrespectful comments from some petty people and above all the – unfortunately not too frequent, but always enjoyable – trips have welded us together. Of course, my view of the BMW R 65 LS is also different. I haven’t found it shrill for a long time. Today I rather like her idiosyncratic style because it has a special and unmistakable charisma that most other boxers lack. It’s nice that collectors now also recognize the attraction of this BMW, which has only been built 6,389 times – also in silver metallic – the prices for the original R 65 LS are definitely increasing. So it should now be good with outward appearances, taste is known to be in the eye of the beholder.

What is the LS technically capable of?

Let’s take a look at what technically differentiates the BMW R 65 LS from the standard 650 in addition to cockpit fairing, paintwork, seat and exhaust system. It’s not really a lot. The most striking are certainly the white aluminum compound wheels from Alusuisse. In a special process, the die-cast hub including the spokes with the outer rim made of hardened aluminum were positively cast. BMW promised a higher rigidity with a lower weight for the complex wheels, whereby the wider 2.15 x 18 compound front wheel should be 750 grams lighter than the standard wheel (1.85 x 18), with the rear wheel of the LS the weight advantage should even be 1.35 Kilograms.

LS handlebars are narrower

With these wheels, however, BMW got into a lot of trouble, as there was (harmless) contact corrosion between the two aluminum alloys during operation, which led to all-round cracks in the rim paint. Stickers covering this area should once provide a remedy. There are also two special features related to the LS wheels. On the one hand, the drum brake measures 220 millimeters, which is 20 more than the standard models. On the other hand, the BMW R 65 LS was equipped with a double disc brake at the front, the discs of which have the deeper wheel arches of the R 100 models. You should also know that the lower LS handlebar is also narrower. And the steering angle has been reduced from 42 to 35 degrees because of the cockpit fairing. That’s it with the technical differences between the LS and the standard R 65, the engine and chassis are otherwise identical.

The starter starts with a loud shak

On the BMW R 65 LS, however, you sit more together because of the flatter handlebars. Pull the choke lever on the handlebars, open the petrol taps, press the button – with a loud chak, the starter on the flywheel tears, then the 650 with the typical boxer chatter shakes into the driver‘s mind. The first gear engages silently as smooth as butter, and the clutch grips just as gently. At the rear, the shock absorbers pull slightly out of their springs when starting, and the red one slowly picks up speed. After a few hundred meters, the choke has done its job and the boxer pulls ahead neatly. I don’t know any other way. But I still remember exactly how the LS surprised me with her good manners on our first trip. Great throttle response, perfectly controllable clutch without chattering, cardan shaft without play and running noises and on top of that an unexpectedly precise gearbox that only protests noisily at sloppy downshifts – somehow at the time I had the feeling that little red one wanted to show me how beautiful it was thinks that she can drive out again after all these years of stagnation.

Fork and shock absorber in perfect condition even after 35 years

Since we have only been able to ride together sporadically in recent years, I experience this feeling over and over again on the first few kilometers – strange, isn’t it? But also appealing because even the 650 with its boxer concept offers that certain something that sets it apart from all the other motorcycles in my garage in terms of technology – and thus also in terms of experience. This includes in particular the striking handiness. The BMW tilts almost seamlessly and seems almost over-motivated when turning. It’s a matter of habit. Anyone who adjusts to this playful steering behavior and always keeps the BMW R 65 LS – like all boxer BMWs – under tension, whizzes through the radius with a clean line. It helps newcomers that the load change reactions in the small boxers are significantly lower than in the larger-displacement models thanks to shorter spring travel and tighter damping. With this LS, both the fork and the struts still work perfectly after 35 years, which is certainly due to the low total mileage. So far, there has been no reason for me to rummage through the wide range of accessories. The BMW is still in its original condition, small changes only affect the steel braided brake lines and the EBC sintered metal pads. The latter give the double disc noticeably more bite, and the ability to adjust it benefits from this inexpensive conversion, especially when doing sport.

At a speed of 120, there are already 5,000 tours

So let’s let the boxer off the leash. How does the short stroke perform when challenged? Quite passable if you squeeze him out. Without revs, however, little goes, below 4,000 tours the 650er lacks the thud. He hangs on the gas and pulls steadily, but life only comes into the boxer booth after 4,500 tours – accompanied by tingling vibrations. From the 5,000 mark, the two-valve engine then cranks enthusiastically and powerfully into the red area, acoustically accompanied by the loud rattling and rattling from the antiquated valve train. However, I rarely expose my BMW R 65 LS to full throttle stress. Whereby it does not stumble at high speed despite the chassis geometry designed for handiness, up to 170 km / h it runs cleanly in a straight line. Nevertheless, the fast highway chase is not one of the parade disciplines of the short-geared R 65, at a speed of 120 there are already 5,000 tours. The little boxers come out really big, especially on undulating corners.

BMW R 45: Driving pleasure only with 860 cm³

You shouldn’t expect anything else from a BMW R 45 anyway. As a 27 hp variant – the one with 35 hp was extremely rare in this country – the smallest boxer has a hard time struggling with its weight. Even the even shorter gear ratio only elicits a mild temperament, but in return ensures a permanently high speed and noise level. With unpleasant consequences, because valve tears with correspondingly costly consequences were and are not uncommon for the R 45. Logically, after the end of the 27-hp insurance class, the R 45 was only a wallflower.


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BMW R 45: The 860 kit gives the phlegmatic boxer plenty of legs.

Thanks to the power kit from Jochen Siebenrock, that could change in the future. Because after the relatively simple conversion to 860 cm³, the smallest boxer is no longer recognizable. The paralyzing lethargy is over, the doped engine goes gently but emphatically to the point under 2,000 rpm, shovels a few more coal in the middle and does not seem constricted even beyond the 6,000 mark on the rev counter, although the performance curve is falling since it falls off again. The drilled-out short-stroke does this so harmoniously without jerking or hanging that it seems emotionally more powerful than the measured 44 hp suggest. It’s just a shame that this relaxed casualness of the converted R 45 is counteracted by the short serial translation. The conversion with the power kit on the BMW R 45 only becomes really smooth with a longer gear ratio. However, both together mean a huge upgrade of the smallest boxer – and not just in terms of driving pleasure!

BMW R 65: Boxer bull with 860 cm³

The Siebenrock kit conjures an even wider grin on the face of R 65 pilots. As with the BMW R 45, the basis of the 650 conversion was also a first-generation model. This then put a whopping 57 hp on the roller instead of the standard 45 horses. No less impressive is the beautiful torque curve, measured 66 Newton meters mean a plus of 16 Newton meters in comparison to the original. You can feel it, and quite violently! The boxer bull pushes forward in the lower gears from 1,500 rpm with such power that it almost seems violent to me. At least in comparison to my standard BMW R 65 LS, which shakes a little undecided in this speed range. As with the conversion of the smallest boxer, the harmonious power delivery is also convincing. No jerking or swallowing interrupts the energetic propulsion, which in fifth gear extends from 2,000 tours into the red area. Even with the 860 kit, the R 65 does not lose any of its turning ability.


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BMW R 65: With the 860 kit, the 650 becomes a powerful slacker, you can feel the 12 HP more everywhere.

With the small difference that there is really something tasty across the entire rev range. Especially between 4,000 and 5,500 tours. In this speed range, which is very often used for brisk country road surfing, you can feel most clearly how the R 65 tenses its strengthened muscles. It is also great that the 860 boxer vibrates less than a standard BMW R 65 despite its larger forged pistons. Apparently, in Wendlingen one has a better grip on series variations than at the BMW plant in Spandau.

So the 860-R 65 made me wonder. I find it very tempting that you can have so much more driving fun with relatively little effort and still reasonably moderate costs without straining the mechanics. Especially since the R 65 models with standard 50 HP should be even better in the juice thanks to larger valves. It is quite possible that thanks to the 860 kit, the shadowy existence of the little boxers will soon be history. Because what the former BMW development manager Hans Gunther von der Marwitz said almost 40 years ago about the performance of the BMW R 65 is now true: Now that’s really enough!

Technical data BMW R 65 LS

Technical data (BMW R 65 LS, Type 248)

Engine: Air-cooled two-cylinder four-stroke boxer engine, an underneath camshaft, two valves per cylinder, operated via bumpers and rocker arms, displacement 649.6 cm³, output 37 kW (50 hp) at 7,250 rpm
Power transmission: Single-disc dry clutch, five-speed gearbox, cardan drive
Landing gear: Double loop frame made of tubular steel, telescopic fork at the front, Ø 36 mm, two-arm swing arm with two spring struts, compound cast aluminum wheels, tires 3.25 H 18 at the front, 4.00 H 18 at the rear, double disc brake at the front, Ø 260 mm, two-piston fixed calliper, simplex drum brake at the rear, Ø 220 mm
Mass and weight:  Wheelbase 1,400 mm, weight with a full tank of 208 kg
0-100 km / h: 6.6 s
Top speed: 175 km / h

Further information on the BMW R 65 LS

technology

When the R 45 and R 65 came on the market in 1978, they did not come as a surprise. The small boxers also adopted the technical concept of the large models with the traditional valve train via an underneath camshaft, long bumpers and rocker arms. The decisive difference: shorter crank pins and shorter connecting rods, which result in a uniform stroke of 61.5 millimeters for the R 45 and R 65 (70.6 mm for all other / 7 types). With a 70 mm bore, this results in a displacement of 473 cm³ for the BMW R 45, the BMW R 65 with 82 mm pistons comes to 650 cm³. From the / 7 models, the small boxers took over the crankshaft, which was significantly lighter but identical in terms of its bearing dimensions, and the five-speed gearbox with housing. The short-stroke models have their own unique features with the thinner-walled motor housing, the single-row timing chain with lock, the sealing of the cylinder feet with O-rings and the valve shafts that are only seven instead of eight millimeters thick.

The BMW R 45 was available with both 27 hp and 35 hp for foreign markets, while the 650 initially developed 45 hp. The chassis with double-loop tubular frame and the swing arm that is 50 millimeters shorter than the / 7 models are identical for all three performance variants. A fork from Fichtel & Sachs (175 mm suspension travel), 18-inch cast wheels with only nine spokes and disc brakes with fixed calipers from ATE differentiated the 248 series from the larger with the model code 247, as did the instruments. A far-reaching facelift for the 1981 model year also brought the small boxers, among other things, a reinforced engine housing with improved crankshaft lubrication, Nikasil-coated cylinders, modified transmissions with a lighter clutch, transistor ignition, plate air filter and a ten millimeter longer swing arm. Larger valves now elicited 50 hp from the R 65. In mid-1981 the BMW R 65 LS expanded the model range.

Purchase check

Like all BMW boxers, the BMW R 45 and BMW R 65 often suffer from leaks. Oil mist is typical, but not yet critical. However, replacing a leaking crankshaft sealing ring is expensive. Prospective buyers should also take into account the lead-free conversion of the cylinder heads, if not already done. On the other hand, laypeople will find it difficult to judge the condition of the gearbox bearings and the cardan based on the running noises. Consult an expert if in doubt! Worn-out stand mountings and rusted through mufflers are also an annoying topic with the boxers of the 248 series. With higher mileage, elongated timing chains are not uncommon, as are broken ignition coil holders. A thorough function check is also recommended for all electrical components, especially the rev counter. The same applies to the rubber grommets of the universal joint and the neighboring speedometer cable (if there are cracks there is a risk of water entering the gearbox!)

market

Since the market for large two-valve engines has been largely scoured and a growing number of converters have discovered the BMW mid-range for themselves, their prices have been rising – according to the current trend. In the future, BMW enthusiasts will probably also be increasingly on the lookout for small boxers in order to save good specimens in their original condition – which should further stimulate the price spiral. Interest is currently concentrated on the R 65, while an R 45 is (still) available at a reasonable price. Interesting from a collector’s perspective is the BMW R 65 LS, which was only 6,389 times built, and is already quite rare in its original condition. Good copies start at 3,500 euros. But be careful: both the cockpit cover and the black silencers no longer exist!

Specialists

Siebenrock GmbH www.siebenrock.com
Sky lifter & Fruhner www.himmelheber-fruhner.de
WÜDO www.wuedo.de
Wunderlich Classic www.wunderlich.de
BMW parts shop for classics

Internet forum

www.kleine-boxer.de

Classified ads for used BMW R65


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Used BMW R65s are slowly becoming rare on the used market.

Those who still want to feel the middle class of the 1970s today still have a chance on the used market. Well-preserved BMW R65s are rare, which is why you should still buy them when they are still cheap. Here is an up-to-date overview of the used BMW R65 range: used BMW R65 in Germany.

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