1986 BMW R80 Bobber/Tracker Build

Holy hell it has been a busy week. Tonnes of smaller jobs have been tackled.

It's been unbelievably difficult to keep this part of the build documented, but I've done my best to do so. I've just put together a "catch up" post of sorts to keep everyone who may be interested up to date. Possibly my most "photo heavy" post thus far:
http://findyourexit.com/light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel/

I've included a couple of pictures below as a "preview" of the content in my post (linked above). The tank is half-way complete; I am not sticking with the black that's pictured below, this is merely the base coat.
 

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are those factory wheels? i love them. this bike looks amazing. I've recently realized that I will end up building my bike out twice. The "mock up" then the tear down and rebuild. I could never do a straight build like you've done. There is way too much that I just don't know about yet, and in the mean time I want a rideable street legal bike =)

I can't wait to see it finished man.
 
Cursh said:
are those factory wheels? i love them. this bike looks amazing. I've recently realized that I will end up building my bike out twice. The "mock up" then the tear down and rebuild. I could never do a straight build like you've done. There is way too much that I just don't know about yet, and in the mean time I want a rideable street legal bike =)

I can't wait to see it finished man.
Click to expand...

Thanks a million Cursh! ;D They are indeed the factory wheels (I've included a front wheel before/after image for comparison). They come up quite nice when updated with some satin paint!

Fortunately I own a few bikes, so I've not been stranded at any stage of this build! I think I'd go insane if I wasn't able to ride everyday.

As with most of my builds, I spend a bit of time forming an idea in my head and work to that plan wherever possible. With your build you might find that you can develop a strategy to keep her on-road for the maximum amount of time possible while progressing the project to completion :) (obviously depends how deep into the build you want to go!
 

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Some cheeky progress shots of last night's paint and muffler positioning.

Welding header collars into place today and sanding back/distressing tank paint tonight before clear-coating to preserve the "abused" look.
 

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(again, looks great as always)

The weird paradox here (in Arizona) is that I can't ride this time of year. Its too hot, and I live too close to the middle of this whole mess of a city (north tempe) so fun roads are a 30 min ride through hell (literally). This would be the ideal time to tear into the bike (maybe next year) but if I don't get nocturnal, I can't stay outside for more than 20-30 min at a time before my body revolts (heat stroke I guess.) I'm from Alabama, so I have a pretty high tolerance for it, and have a pretty good gauge for when its time to sit down inside. (spent 5 summers running sandwich deliveries on my single speed bicycle.)

The short of all that mess is that I've got a bike that feels really close to running (esp with the wife buying me replacement ignition coils for my birthday) and I'm about to have the best 7 months to ride, so I'm sticking to half day projects for now. Maybe next summer I'll have a better shade scenario worked out and can pull it apart to the frame. I "think" my new job comes with a free pass to tech shop so i'll have the means to do some of the more invasive mods I've been looking towards doing.)
 
Cursh said:
(again, looks great as always)

The weird paradox here (in Arizona) is that I can't ride this time of year. Its too hot, and I live too close to the middle of this whole mess of a city (north tempe) so fun roads are a 30 min ride through hell (literally). This would be the ideal time to tear into the bike (maybe next year) but if I don't get nocturnal, I can't stay outside for more than 20-30 min at a time before my body revolts (heat stroke I guess.) I'm from Alabama, so I have a pretty high tolerance for it, and have a pretty good gauge for when its time to sit down inside. (spent 5 summers running sandwich deliveries on my single speed bicycle.)

The short of all that mess is that I've got a bike that feels really close to running (esp with the wife buying me replacement ignition coils for my birthday) and I'm about to have the best 7 months to ride, so I'm sticking to half day projects for now. Maybe next summer I'll have a better shade scenario worked out and can pull it apart to the frame. I "think" my new job comes with a free pass to tech shop so i'll have the means to do some of the more invasive mods I've been looking towards doing.)
Click to expand...

Oh wow! Quite a different climate to Sydney, Australia where I reside! Our summers are warm, but not typically inferno-level and our winters are cold but not glacial. I ride all year round here (commuting mainly and spirited rides when I'm able to spring the spare time). That sun in Arizona sounds insane :eek:

It sounds like you have the right idea about making use of the riding months and the potential for access to a tech shop in coming months would be epic!

(Thanks again for the positive feedback hahaa!)
 
A quick photo-dump showing some of the process behind my tank paint layout:
http://findyourexit.com/the-bundesadler-tank/
 

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This build is rapidly drawing closer to its completion! I've put together a quick post with videos of her first test run as well as a cheeky vid showing how rich the left barrel is running:
http://findyourexit.com/let-the-shakedown-begin/

Still got a bit to do in the way of rear/front guards to meet registration requirements... But otherwise damn close. So ridiculously keen to take her out for a proper ride!
 

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Love the weathered look. I may have to bite that style a bit. I have an elaborate paint scheme in mind for mine, but I'm too clumsy to keep anything looking "nice"

this feels like the best of both worlds.
 
Cheers lads!

Proper professional photographs to come very soon, but for now she's undergoing test rides and tuning.
 

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New2meCB said:
Holy shit is that ever nice.

Awesome job.
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Thanks buddy! I'm still trying to get some time to have a few proper photos done, but I'll post them up here the moment I have them.
 
Reading through this build, I was thinking the whole time "I hope he puts a rear fender on it, then itd be near perfect!" And with the last couple of pics I was like "Yes!!!!!"

Well done sir!

Joey
 
Aircoolin said:
Reading through this build, I was thinking the whole time "I hope he puts a rear fender on it, then itd be near perfect!" And with the last couple of pics I was like "Yes!!!!!"

Well done sir!
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Hahaa! Thanks Joey!

Yeahhhh it was a rather tricky one to work out logistically, but the solution seems to work pretty well. I feel bad for kind of skipping over it in this build thread, but things have been THAT frantic lately that I'll let the pictures do the talking when I eventually get them done.

Thanks again bud! ;D
 
I leave for a few months and come back to find this! fricking slick. those turnout mufflers add to that machoism the bikes built itself up to ;)
 
cant believe I have missed this thread over and over again...just went through it and wow! what an amazing machine.

the transformation from the bring home pictures to the last "professional" pictures are amazing!
Love the tank and love the wheels...Simply insane how the black paint on the rims totally changed the look of the bike!

well done and thanks for the inspiration to strive towards building something remotely similar to the level of cool this bike achieved!
8)
 
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