BMW R 65 GS

The BMW R 65 GS is an off-road capable travel enduro with a single-sided Monolever swingarm, built from 1987 to 1992 in only 1,727 units, the smallest BMW travel enduro and the bottom of the GS range under the R 80 GS and R 100 GS. It was created after Germany introduced tiered licences on 1 April 1986, which limited new riders to 27 PS for two years: BMW fitted the earlier R 80 G/S with the smaller 20 kW (27 PS) engine of the R 65 type 247 E. That engine has a much shorter piston stroke of 61.5 mm, smaller valves and carburettors, its own camshaft timing and a higher rear axle ratio. Without the Paralever suspension of its larger siblings it was less comfortable, and at 9,450 marks it was costly beside Japanese 27 PS single-cylinder enduros and only 1,400 marks under the R 80 GS. Many served as driving school and authority vehicles, and in tests between 1990 and 1992 the German army chose the Hercules K 180 BW instead. It was dropped in 1992 and replaced by a 27 PS version of the R 80 GS.