BMW R65LS

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Following a long production run of the R65 as standard production model, with high handlebars and no fairing, in 1983 BMW unveiled a special sport version with futuristic styling cues that it called the “Flash Bike.”

Designed by Hans Muth (also credited with the R90S, the Suzuki Katana, and the R100RS) the R65LS hit dealer showrooms at that definitive 1980’s moment when David Hasslehoff was chasing down baddies in his anthropomorphic Pontiac Trans Am. The LS (Luxus Sport: German for Luxury Sport) came in two colors—Henna Red and a Polaris metallic gray.

Its ambitiously futuristic front fairing, dual Brembo brakes and sculpted rear seat cowl made this bantam weight sport-tourer one of the quirkiest and most distinctive Airheads ever made.

To help distinguish the bike it came fitted with stiffer suspension, and a different carb and valve spec to give it an extra 5HP over the standard model. It proved popular for its short, three-year run, with some 6,400 produced.

Owner: Howard Krieger, 1985 R65LS