Just thought I'd share some pics my BMW ChopR65 I just completed today.
So the story here is that this was my standard R65 BMW that I got nailed on by a hit and run drunk driver a little over a decade ago.
The jerk managed to damage everything on the bike, then fled. Bent forks, dented tank, crumpled the exhaust, trashed the seat, bent shock, smashed the instruments, killed the combination switches, etc... (Didn't do my back or right leg any favors neither).
Now back in 2000 used parts where not as available as today but even now the parts to repair it back to stock would of cost as much as the bike was worth. So it sat for over a decade.
So Just recently I came up with the idea of making a simple chopper/bobber style bike out of it, with possible off road capability (I've always wanted a GS) using as few parts as possible. It was either that or part it out.
So I started with the idea of using a DRZ400 Suzuki fork, and a dual sport monoshock in the rear. I got a good fork off ebay for $110 and purchase a stock WP BMW R1200GS Monoshock fresh off a new bike $39.
I then just worked out the geometry to match shock and fork, and welded up my own swingarm, and extended the drive shaft to fit.
I might as well confess there is something sneaky going on here. The swing arm is very long extended slightly over twelve inches. That makes it look like a cool chopper, but what is not in the pictures is I made an extension for the top shock mount that adds or lowers the shock three inches and can be changed in a minute or two. When in place the frame becomes level, higher like a GS and relatively fully offroad capable, with a slightly elongated wheelbase.
I like the idea of dual sports but most look tall and kinda clunky on the road. With this bike I can ride on the road to the desert as a chopper/bobber then raise it to GS height to ride offroad. It's unique, it's cool, and I did it because.....well.....I could.
So basically only the engine and the core frame around it are original, everything behind it I made myself. The majority is built from either scrap steel from my shop, or modified R65 parts. Like I said the only things added are a tractor seat, the DRZ400 forks, and the R1200GS mono-shock, but none of those components are used in a stock manner and most of the R65 parts have been modified in one way or another.
Rode it today between showers. The bike was ridiculously easy to ride, I felt totally in control instantly. I built it to fit me, and felt right at home with it as soon as I climbed on, so I'm pretty happy with it. One thing that will change is I'm going to a spoked wheel with a respectable dual sport tire on the rear.
That Snowflake and decade plus old Metzler made some interesting cornering today on the wet pavement. Which lead to the comment: "Dude your drifting through corners" to which I responded: "I'm not drifting I'm sliding" ha ha ha
No doubt the BMW purists are writhing in pain about now.
Be not dismayed: Just last week I restored a perfectly respectable dead R75/6 to running condition.
As to that bike well what can I say: Wouldn't run, no oil pressure, no clutch engagement, wires the smoked when I initially hooked up the battery....
Well it's all fixed now. Running, smooth, plenty of power and after trouble shooting everything on it right down to the hardware, the only real issue it had before was an owner who couldn't take care of it, and didn't now how to put things back together right after taking them apart.
Let's just say it's got a good home now.
Jim