Description
H&H Classic Auction @ National Motorcycle Museum | Solihull, West Midlands
30th Oct, 2024 11:00
1981 BMW R65
No Reserve
Registration No: KPM 156W
Frame No: 6311356
MOT: Exempt
Presented in standard and original condition
Fitted with a fairing and BMW QD panniers
Being offered at 'no reserve' with a current V5C
BMW was established in the early 1900s as a manufacturer of aircraft engines producing their first motorcycle in 1923, the R23, already sporting the flat twin boxer configuration they have now become synonymous with. In 1955 BMW created its 'R' series of R50, R60, and R69 models with similar engines and the same shaft-drive as earlier models but fitted with swinging fork rear suspension for the first time and most distinctively, 'Earles' type front forks. BMW have always built expensive motorcycles, but you got what you paid for and they quickly gained an enviable reputation for long lasting reliability and quality. The R50 probably cost twice as much as a British 500 twin in the day making them an exclusive machine in the late 1950s and early 1960s. By the 1970s they had become the most popular bike for long-distance touring due to the torquey engine and shaft drive transmission. With their solid design and legendary reliability, mid 1970s ‘Airheads’ have become the most popular bike for modifying into ‘Brat Bikes’ or ‘Cafe Racers’ in recent years, so it's rare to find one in standard original condition.
This BMW R65, being offered at 'no reserve', has formed part of a private collection that is now being sold to make way for other projects. It is fitted with a pair of genuine BMW quick-release panniers, Keihan stainless steel silencers and an aftermarket touring fairing. It comes supplied with a number of old MOTs, an owner's manual and a V5 Registration Document. It has been stood for a while, so will need recommissioning before use, but will make a good reliable and simple to maintain bike for club runs and rallies.
