Dirt Tires on an R65

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bbelk
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Re: Mixed Feelings

Post by bbelk »

Native /5 wrote: Careful with those Shinkos on the street, Brad. I had a set on my GS that were fine off road, but de-laminated from hiway speeds of ~80mph.
R65s at altitude don't go 80. A couple years ago we rode from the valley up to Telluride (me colleen and the dog) and for most of the uphill trip I couldn't get over 35 at WOT.

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1975 R90/6
1979 R65
Major Softie
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Re: Mixed Feelings

Post by Major Softie »

bbelk wrote:R65s at altitude don't go 80. A couple years ago we rode from the valley up to Telluride (me colleen and the dog) and for most of the uphill trip I couldn't get over 35 at WOT.
Telluride is pretty F'ing high, but there's still something wrong if you couldn't go over 35. 50 would be perfectly believable.
MS - out
Deleted User 287

Re: Mixed Feelings

Post by Deleted User 287 »

Major Softie wrote:
bbelk wrote:R65s at altitude don't go 80. A couple years ago we rode from the valley up to Telluride (me colleen and the dog) and for most of the uphill trip I couldn't get over 35 at WOT.
Telluride is pretty F'ing high, but there's still something wrong if you couldn't go over 35. 50 would be perfectly believable.
Yeah, I'd be looking at the diaphragms.

How was it on the flat? Did it pull well?
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bbelk
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Re: Mixed Feelings

Post by bbelk »

justoneoftheguys wrote: How was it on the flat? Did it pull well?
As well as it ever has. It ran fine then and now, the roads were just steep and the air was thin.

But while we are on the subject - I will be spending awhile at high altitude. What do I do to the carburators to make them happy. The bike was very hard to start cold above 8,000 foot
1975 R90/6
1979 R65
Deleted User 72

Re: Dirt Tires on an R65

Post by Deleted User 72 »

Samatter? You can't find any flat places around where you live?

I was just telling you my experience with those Shinkos. They could be fine off road, just don't trust them at speed.
Deleted User 287

Re: Mixed Feelings

Post by Deleted User 287 »

bbelk wrote:
justoneoftheguys wrote: How was it on the flat? Did it pull well?
As well as it ever has. It ran fine then and now, the roads were just steep and the air was thin.

But while we are on the subject - I will be spending awhile at high altitude. What do I do to the carburators to make them happy. The bike was very hard to start cold above 8,000 foot
You will need to get good at removing the tops of your carburetors and adjusting needle position.
That or swapping out main jets.

When the air gets thin, you need less gasoline to keep the ratio the same.

And while the R65's lesser performance is acceptable in many situations, two-up for touring in the high altitudes is not one of them - even when jetted correctly.

An R60/6 might be the superior motorcycle here.

Experiment with your enrichment circuit control (choke).
Try not using any at all, to just enough to get the engine to catch and then backing it off quickly - but not all the way!
Because of the thinner air, you don't need to be adding any extra fuel to the already rich mix.

I've only had my R65 out to Colorado once, and that was in 1984. I don't remember any real issues.
Major Softie
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Re: Dirt Tires on an R65

Post by Major Softie »

And don't be afraid to shift down and spin it up.
MS - out
ME 109
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Re: Mixed Feelings

Post by ME 109 »

justoneoftheguys wrote:Experiment with your enrichment circuit control (choke)
Were you typing with your mouth full again Rob?
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enigmaT120
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Re: Mixed Feelings

Post by enigmaT120 »

justoneoftheguys wrote:An R60/6 might be the superior motorcycle here.
How do you figure that?

I would do what the Major said, 3rd gear and 6 grand and it would go up the hill.

That is a lot to haul on an R65 though.
Ed Miller
'81 R65
'70 Bonneville
Falls City, OR

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the quinner
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Re: Mixed Feelings

Post by the quinner »

bbelk wrote:But while we are on the subject - I will be spending awhile at high altitude. What do I do to the carburators to make them happy. The bike was very hard to start cold above 8,000 foot
Here is a start:

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