BMW R 65 Monolever (1988-1989) Specs, Performance & Photos

The BMW R 65 was a light touring motorcycle manufactured by BMW in 1978 as a mid-sized motorcycle. The touring bike was manufactured for over five years, from 1978 to 1984. It was produced alongside the BMW R 45, which had a smaller displacement engine.

In 1988, the German motorcycle manufacturer released the BMW R 65 Monolever, one of the smallest displacement motorcycles in BMW's line-up. It came in the same shape and form as the previous one without significant modifications.

The motorcycle packed standard fittings in the visual department, such as a round headlight, a one-piece dual seat with passenger grab rails, a two-into-two exhaust system with a silencer mounted on each side, a center stand, and alloy wheels.

Suspension-wise, the bike was equipped with a hydraulic telescopic fork on the front that provided 175 mm of travel and a monolever swingarm with a right-hand side-mounted shock absorber that offered 120 mm of travel.

As for the braking power, the bike's wheels were fitted with two 260 mm brake discs with dual-piston calipers mounted on the front wheel and a 200 mm drum braking unit on the rear, offering optimum stopping performance.

The 1988 BMW R 65 Monolever had its heartbeat set by a 649cc four-stroke twin-cylinder air-cooled boxer engine boasting 45 hp with a peak force at 7,250 rpm and 45 Nm (33 lb-ft) torque at 6,000 rpm.