Build 01 — Café racer
Cendana
A 1983 BMW R80 reduced to the parts that matter, then rebuilt around a single seat and a copper tank. Built to be ridden early, before the city wakes.
Specification
- Donor
- BMW R80, 1983
- Engine
- 797 cc air-cooled flat twin
- Frame
- Original twin-cradle, de-tabbed, braced pivot
- Front end
- 38 mm forks, rebuilt
- Wheels
- 18" front / 17" rear, spoked alloy
- Bodywork
- Hand-formed alloy tank, one-off seat
- Finish
- Copper paint, brushed alloy, black chrome
- Weight
- 187 kg wet
The brief was a time of day.
The owner did not ask for a style. He asked for a bike that made the first hour of the morning feel like his. That ruled out anything loud — no chrome, no graphics, no exhaust that announced the street before the rider did.
The R80 is a good donor because nothing about it is precious. The airhead engine is honest, the frame is simple, and there is room to move the weight back. We de-tabbed the frame, braced the swingarm pivot and rebuilt the forks around an 18-inch front wheel.
The copper tank was the last decision, not the first. It was mixed against the colour of sand at first light, then finished matte so it changes with the weather. The single seat is trimmed in black leather with no stitching on the top surface.
Build notes
The same finish standard applies to parts nobody photographs: the underside of the tank, the back of the brackets, the loom inside the frame.
- 01ElectricalMotogadget loom, keyless start, battery hidden under the swingarm pivot.
- 02ExhaustStainless two-into-two, ceramic coated, headers wrapped.
- 03SuspensionRebuilt forks, YSS rear units, 20 mm lift.
- 04DetailsMachined triple clamp, leather seat, alloy fenders.
Journal Reading