BMW introduced the R 65 in 1978 as a smaller, more approachable boxer twin positioned below the company’s larger touring models. It was part of BMW’s mid-sized R-series expansion alongside the R 45, and it stood out for combining a 650 cc flat-twin with a lighter chassis aimed at everyday usability and nimble handling rather than outright touring size. For the 1981 model year, BMW updated the original R 65 and raised output, while the related R 65 LS added a more distinctive sporting look and became one of the better-known variants of the era. That first R 65 family ran until 1985, when BMW discontinued the small-series models during a broader model-range streamlining.
BMW then revived the R 65 nameplate for a second production period beginning in 1985. This later R 65 was not just a carryover of the earlier bike; it used the then-new single-sided swingarm chassis concept and kept the 650 cc short-stroke boxer architecture, creating a different machine with the same model name. BMW offered it in both lower- and higher-output forms, and the R 65 went on to serve as BMW’s entry model through the end of production in 1993. Because the nameplate was discontinued and later returned in a distinct second run, the R 65 is best understood as a BMW motorcycle with two separate eras rather than one continuous production history.