79. R 650

[Hut van]

Hi guys

I have been offered a 79 R 650 it has been laid up in a garage for 13 years but has only had 2 owners ,19500 miles and looks to be in very good condition. My mate who has restored some jap bikes has agreed to help me recommision the bike. Is there anything specific to these bikes that I should be looking for and is all the parts still available. The engine does turn over by the way. Thanks

 

[the civil one]

I cant remember if the one i had worked on recently was a 78 or 79.
Everything is available .
A lot of Stuff is interchangeable .
I have some stuff for her laying about here ..
Nothing that i can think of problematic , specific to a R65

It is Woefully underpowered ! ..............

 

[Steptoe]

Hi guys

I have been offered a 79 R 650 it has been laid up in a garage for 13 years but has only had 2 owners ,19500 miles and looks to be in very good condition. My mate who has restored some jap bikes has agreed to help me recommision the bike. Is there anything specific to these bikes that I should be looking for and is all the parts still available. The engine does turn over by the way. Thanks

Fit a new clutch thrust piston bearing.
A small taper roller bearing that disintegrates and then causes the clutch pushrod to snap at it's thin section.

Ignore what civil has said, there's not that much interchangable with the bigger 800/1000 models.
I've owned one for 33 years so know all there is to know about R65 models.

 

[Hut van]

R650

Fit a new clutch thrust piston bearing.
A small taper roller bearing that disintegrates and then causes the clutch pushrod to snap at it's thin section.

Ignore what civil has said, there's not that much interchangable with the bigger 800/1000 models.
I've owned one for 33 years so know all there is to know about R65 models.

Thanks for that,who would you recommend for parts?
I have been reading through some of the threads on here for the last week or so trying to soak up some background to these bikes. In your opinion are they underpowered and if so could it be upgraded to 800/1000 easily ?

Thanks Brian

 

[the civil one]

Ignore what civil has said, there's not that much interchangable with the bigger 800/1000 models.
I've owned one for 33 years so know all there is to know about R65 models.

Yeah , Fanks Cornelious , China plate , Yeah go on diss me , yeah !.

 

[Steptoe]

. In your opinion are they underpowered and if so could it be upgraded to 800/1000 easily ?

Thanks Brian

I don't find them underpowered. It is what it is, a 30+ year old 650cc twin. Light compact and simple.
I used to tour europe two up with all the camping gear on my R65.

The bottom end is different to the 80/100 models, so upgrading them isn't a simple job of just bolting on bigger cylinders.

It makes me laugh when people complain about the little R45 being underpowered.

It's a 40 year old designed 450cc twin. What do they expect. Just ride it and enjoy.

 

[Hut van]

R65

I don't find them underpowered. It is what it is, a 30+ year old 650cc twin. Light compact and simple.
I used to tour europe two up with all the camping gear on my R65.

The bottom end is different to the 80/100 models, so upgrading them isn't a simple job of just bolting on bigger cylinders.

It makes me laugh when people complain about the little R45 being underpowered.

It's a 40 year old designed 450cc twin. What do they expect. Just ride it and enjoy.

Well we stripped it down to just the engine and mono lever in the frame then decided to take the pots of for a look at the bores and pistons, clean as whistle. So you suggested replacing the clutch thrust bearing is that right ,as we were not originally going to separate the box from the engine what do you think?

 

[Steptoe]

Well we stripped it down to just the engine and mono lever in the frame


So you suggested replacing the clutch thrust bearing is that right ,as we were not originally going to separate the box from the engine what do you think?

Monolever bikes didn't appear until 1984.... you said your bike is a 1979 model ???


The clutch thrust bearing is in the BACK of the gearbox.

 

[Hut van]

R65

Monolever bikes didn't appear until 1984.... you said your bike is a 1979 model ???


The clutch thrust bearing is in the BACK of the gearbox.

My mistake it is a 89,I'm looking for a bmw workshop manual do you know where I could pick up the right one I did try motobins when I ordered a full gasket set but they have every other one bar mine?

Cheers Brian

 

[Steptoe]

My mistake it is a 89,I'm looking for a bmw workshop manual do you know where I could pick up the right one I did try motobins when I ordered a full gasket set but they have every other one bar mine?

Cheers Brian

If your's is an 1989 model forget everything i've said previously -

An 1989 R65 could have the R80/100 bottom end. They did a few at the end of the run that had tiny little barrels with just a couple of cooling fins and with the same stroke as the 80/100 engines.