Having just moved to a new house that has the luxury of a garage, distinctly my garage, the missus has no interest of venturing into it on any account!

Currently in there is my work horse BMW F800GS, but I have this itch I feel I need to scratch, namely of the old boxer engined variety.

So, it’s come to the stage where I’m thinking of getting an old R80/7 and making it into a cafe racer/bobber/flat tracker/trailie mix, along the line of this…however the missus isn’t so happy with me riding bikes nevermind buying another. So what would you do, and any inspiration for the finished article would be great…

[img]http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m92it5r2Pk1qbabg3o1_1280.jpg[/img][img]http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m144kfdI6X1qbabg3o2_1280.jpg[/img]

Looks shit

Looks cool

Thanks both, I’m aware old BMWs are a very marmite in the looks stake. For me it’s a chance to build myself a motorbike how I want it, and to learn a lot more than I know now about how they work. Also, it’s a chance to drag my dad into working on it with me!

this is also along the lines of what I’d want the finished article to look like…

Like the bike rack 🙂 I saw a bmw a while back with a rack on wonder if I could get one for my tl1000r as I don’t have a car

Want one myself

more in the dirtracer style though
love Brendogs
http://blog.derestricted.com/photography/s4pmc1/

This one looks pretty mean though

is that a kevil speed shop bike freeridenick? I had a look at his stuff and thought I can do that, the reality may be much much different 😀

Awesome. Do it

Ural cafe r

This is a nice alternative.

Yes a Kevil, how much would you think something like that cost out of interest?

It’ll have crap brakes, be uncomfortable, slow and due to its unreliability you’ll never ride it.

Unless you’ve cash to waste, don’t do it – and if you’ve cash to waste, just get yourself a decent m/c instead.

And the fact that none of the m/c’s pictured have number plates…

br = missing the point

BikeExif is a good place for droolworthy stuff if you don’t know it already.

Ural

Try again

Want…

Do it…

Make it the same colour as your current bike ad shell never know

Always fancied a Guzzi Cafe racer myself.

But Really like the Beemer as well. Got a touch of an Aga about it ?

teddy, good idea and I fly to Russia in one week…worthwhile riding it back?

freeridenick, base bike price is circa £1k. I think if you get one that’s a runner, then a full strip done by myself, a repaint of everything and a smattering of parts made by the engineering shop down the road, the lads at work and myself then I think I’d manage it with £2k.

br = missing the point

Nope, I’m a biker and have been for 30 years – old bikes are mostly crap compared to the bikes you can buy now.

If I wanted an ornament, I’d buy a picture and stick it on the wall.

Beautiful. Do it.

Looks shit

You have no taste. 😕

+1

Do it.

I actually meant how much does a Kevil cost ?

around the £6-8k mark I think

I think what you mean is “you and I don’t share the same taste in retro motorcycles”.

Lank45 top idea. Some old BP pals bought them in Baku and rode them at weekends into the mountains. Good fun with the locals taking pot shots At them.
They rode them back to the uk.

The finish ain’t brilliant, but cheap as chips – circa 4k new I think.

a garage with only one m/c..a wife who never visits.. that wont last .. currently 9 in mine with a 75 400/4 added this week for a cafe project..

googling bmw r80 flat tracker throws up loads of good stuff.. kevils have made some tough looking bikes.. 😯

who would have thought so many folk would want to attempt to polish a turd..!!
this one is pretty eff off

All nice – always wanted to cafe racer a Honda 400/4.

Love some of those old Bimmers. The utilitarian look that they and Ural have is something not many can compete with in my opinion.

I think what you mean is “you and I don’t share the same taste in retro motorcycles”.

Is it just bimmers you dont like or old bikes in general? Don’t get me wrong I don’t like all the classics. Im buying an 08/09 r6 in a month or so.

Old Beeemers are Ace, fact.
It needs to be done and tell your Mrs to shut up.

before you start, you need to decide how tough you want to go..

cafebeemers blogspot

This is the one freeridenick was talking about – lovely looking thing.

It’ll have crap brakes, be uncomfortable, slow and due to its unreliability you’ll never ride it.

Ugggh I bet you ride an sv or a gtr1400 or some boring piece of overpriced commuter junk like that.

I bloody love that BMW, I want one now even tho I cant ride. I prefer them with the high bars. Are they designed as road bikes or for dirt trails, I ask as a few of them have nobbly tyres.

Long live the Kings
https://vimeo.com/49445992

so cool…

It’ll have crap brakes, be uncomfortable, slow and due to its unreliability you’ll never ride it.

But yet people keep building their niche mountainbikes 😀

Horses for courses, I love old BMW’s, not sure why, they just look right.

Don’t know where you are, but there’s this guy in Devon who custom builds bikes based around BMW’s

http://www.kevilsspeedshop.com/

this thread is either good or bad timing for me. i’ve had motorbikes on my mind for months now and i just sold a classic car and i’m planning on having a break from that particular hobby. maybe it’s time to get something with 2 wheels that i don’t have to pedal. i know very little about bikes other that i want one that looks like the ones in this thread!

already checked out loads of local BMW’s and really like the look of them.

if you need any more inspiration have a look at this;

http://vimeo.com/49920522

Is the top picture an r80 boxer by the way? I want one… really bad.

this thread is either good or bad timing for me. i’ve had motorbikes on my mind for months now

Me too man. I’ve been planning my purchase of an r6 in a month or so but I’m getting drawn to doing up cafe racer or something. I’m assured by a friend that if I find one that is essentially mechanically sound, then all the work you need to do to make a decent looking cafe is not
hugely difficult.

Anyone here ripped the plastic off a retro bike and turned it into a cafe before?

Ai it’s a r80/7, I love it!