1980 BMW reviews

My first road bike: bought R65 in 2008 in good condition. Rear brakes were bad though, cost a bundle to get right. I've done mostly short trips of 140km on highways and it behaved very well. Very solid at 120km/h. A bit unstable at 160km/h (100 mph), though, so watch out. Bad points: Wish it had a bit more power, and was lighter in weight. Not for inner city commuting. Would be perfect for medium-distance touring and commuting. Good points: Starts easily in winter. After 28 years, still happy to run at 140km/h (87mph). Show less

I have owned and ridden this bike for the past 12 years. It came to me with 18k and it now has just under sixty. Aside from replacing the clutch it has been a work horse. It's light and nimble and now at almost 29 years old it's a real head turner. I use it as a daily commuter as well as for weekend warrior fun. Show less

After riding on the dirt for 10+ years I got away from riding. In February, my wife bought me a 1980 BMW R65 for a almost nothing. After getting the bike in shape to ride, I have put over 2000 miles on it in the last 3 months. Although it is not a hot rod (reason it gets 4 stars), it has plenty of power to out accelerate most cars and two up doesn't seem to hurt it any. My bike had the original Krauser hard bags that are very roomy and tough. The R65 has a short wheelbase which makes it a blast in the twisties. Handling is predictable and smooth and the boxer engine gets lots of attention when I stop at local bike shops. I had originally planned to upgrade soon, but the unique style and easy availability of parts has made me decide to keep it even if I do upgrade in the future. I plan to do lots of motorcycle camping with this bike and the stock seat is fairly comfortable for long rides. Just keep it on the back roads. The windblast on the highway will keep you bouncing in the lane. Show less

This 20 year old bike still eats up the miles. With Luftmeister half fairing and factory hard bags and standard seat - a 600 mile day is very do-able. Low speed handling is not its strong suit but is still not bad. Easy on tires and 42mpg fully loaded (one-up). Quality plus good maintenance equals great longevity and value. Show less