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1984 R80RT to Cafe

mbellantone

AirandOil In NJ
So, this is kind of a follow up to a previous post a couple of months ago where I wanted to convert my 1984 R80RT to something a little more manageable in the bulk department. I wanted to remove my full fairing and replace it with something smaller.

http://www.grouseguitars.com.au/bmw/index.htm

The link above goes to a site owned by Neil Rote an Australian gent who restores vintage guitars and amps. I didn't think he'd mind me posting his site as I got the link from a "vintage bike a day program" that emails me a different bike every day. That being said, Neil's '77 R100/7 is EXACTLY what i'm looking for. Well, what's in the pictures is what I'm looking for. I'm not sure why it's not designated an "S" but I know the tail is not in form for an "S". Isn't it gorgeous?

I have been trying to look for someone in my area, (Bergen County, NJ) who owns an "S" that I can take a look at in person, take notes and copious pictures to help me along with the project. That didn't turn out well... so now I'm reaching out to the MOA family to see if someone can take some, (many) clear, upclose shots that I can use to help me along with my project. Even better if it were someone who made the conversion from an RT.

I even have an ftp site that the pics can be directly uploaded to should someone be so kind.

thanks guys.

Michael
 
Sure hate to see another RT bite the dust when there are so many naked bikes out there that one could add this fairing to...it's your bike, but...
 
Hey,

If you've decided to build a "S" it's easy to do.

Take off your fairing, install headlight ears, turn signals, a non-fairing headlight assembly, redo the wiring system with shorter non-fairing style leads and turn signal wires, add a color matched and pinstriped "S" fairing along with your current gauges, using the correct factory hardware, "S" bars and you're pretty much there.

I performed a similar feat by taking my old 200K '76' R-90/6:

JUNE-6-06001.jpg


And building my own "S" bike using a modified frame, dual disks, Lester's, custom paint, some polished parts, a bunch of vintage accessories, a few German hotrod parts, etc. It's currently awaiting a new R-100 engine, 40mm BV heads, a CC Products Supertrapp system and a few more custom touches. It's taken a couple of years spare time, three or four doner bikes and a pile of receipts so far.

LATESTFULLFILE065.jpg


LATESTFULLFILE017.jpg


But the difference between me and you is that I'd never screw up a beautiful bike like yours, only to end up with a cheaper and far more common "S" bike.

Why don't you simply sell your current bike and take the $$$$ and buy what you really want? And that of course begs the question: "Why did you buy the bike if you really didn't want to own a bike like the one you bought?" :dunno

As several of us have said before: There are a lot of nice Beemers out there but not very many nice RT's and by comparison, decent "S" bikes are everywhere!

PS: What you're talking about isn't really a "project", It's a parts swap. If you get all of the parts together, you can complete the work in a couple of days but since you don't know what your doing I would suggest that you quit looking for photos and find someone knowledgeable to help you complete the task. That way, you'll have at least a chance of getting things right.

If it ain't right, everyones gonna know as soon as they see your bike! :laugh


[ You know, from here on out I think I'll just :lurk instead of contributing. If mbellantones gonna chop up that pretty RT I ain't gonna help!:banghead
 
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oh Man... Yarddog, Mindsoc... I should have linked to my previous post about this situation where I said i was putting my "flamesuit" on... but to my surprise everyone in the previous post said, "****, it's your bike, do what you want..." but I totally understand your sentiments about removing the fairing. It is a gorgeous bike. One of my requirements is that I don't alter the original bike so that it cannot be returned to it's original condition.

In my previous post i explained why i have the bike and why i don't want to sell it. A quick summation is this: I had the same year and model 15 years ago and have regretted selling it everyday since. I sold it for the first R1100RT that came out in '95 having nothing but oilheads since and have been lusting for another R80 since. So, 2 Mays ago I bought a beautiful specimen from a guy in Mobile AL. The reason I don't want to sell this particular bike is BECAUSE of it's condition. it's beautiful with only 19K on the clock. I would just as soon not change the fairing than sell it. The reason I'd like the change is because I don't remember it being so damn heavy, the wind buffeting even with full face helmet and earplugs is unbearable and with so many panels fitting together to make this fairing what it is, every time I ride over a minor bump it sounds like i'm driving a '74 chevy nova.

Doug, that flatracer site you posted looks fantastic. I just emailed them earlier... but being in G.B. they might be closed already.

Thanks guys... I'll still be looking for those pics.
 
RT to S

Also, MindSoc... the biggest challenge for me here is WHERE to "get" all those parts that you say get...

LIke I said, I don't have an source of live specimens to compare to and i don't even know if my bike, sans fairing is the same subframe with attachment points as an "S" with it's fairing off... There is ALOT of information out there on this subject but short of stripping the bike and winging it there is not much concrete information as far as sources for non-oem parts is concerned.

I'd like to not make this look like a "frankenbike" if I can avoid it.

By the way. your bike is incredibly gorgeous.

Mike
 
Thanks for the site Shucks... Where did you get your parts? The fairing, the signal stalks, the ingition relocation parts, handlebar etc? did you go strictly O.E.M.? if so, which dealer?

i hope my answer was not in the site itself... I wanted to get back to you before you went off line.

M
 
Front brake lines

I had an 80 RT with the fairing removed and the original brake lines looked ugly.

Brackets route lines around fairing.


You will need to replace the front brake lines to get the correct look.:thumb
 
The frame is the same, generally... the biggest difference will be in the headlight mount and fairing mounts. You will find that your headlight is mounted on a bracket that holds the fairing... but it all unbolts quite easily. (The "S" fairing is mounted on the bars, the RT fairing has a fixed headlight) You will have to find another headlight bucket and the ears that mount it, which is quite easy to do. The "proper" S-fairing mounts use a longer turn signal stalk than the other naked bikes.

A suggestion for parts, knowledge, etc, rather than a dealer is Hucky's Spare Parts. Hucky is a German fellow who grew up wrenching and racing these bikes, and carries a quite-complete line of parts, with a very helpful website where you can look at pictures of the parts, rather than a fiche.

Hucky's Spare Parts...that link is directly to the /6 series bikes, and has a lot of "S" stuff identified...

:thumb
 
Hucky

Yeah, just got off the phone with Hucky... great guy. Very knowledgeable; he's not stocking anything that "new" ha!

Recommended the BMW Internet Marketplace but none to be found... thanks anyway!
 
brake lines are the least of my worries with this...

My R80 started life as an RT. A PO turned it into a nekkid bike. I can tell you that replacing the long, squishy original brake lines with a short stiff stainless line make an enormous difference in the brake performance.

According to my friend Norman from South Carolina, naked means you don't have any clothes on. Nekkid means you don't have any clothes on and you're up to something...
 
hey Anyname... any pics of your R80? My RT already has braided cables... changed them when i did the steering head bearings...

I'm calling the guys from Flatracer.com today... before they close at 12noon today... they're in Great Britain... but with the conversion rate these days i'm looking at 50% over their list.

M
 
Thanks for the site Shucks... Where did you get your parts? The fairing, the signal stalks, the ingition relocation parts, handlebar etc? did you go strictly O.E.M.? if so, which dealer?

i hope my answer was not in the site itself... I wanted to get back to you before you went off line.

M

Sorry, been busy. My stalks were already right for 'S' fairing which I got a 1 piece from Boxercafe.com, mntg hdwe from Capitol cycle and VDO gauges from Bob's speedometer.

I ran 3 wires into headlight bucket in a housing w/ quick disconnect under fairing for removal, only hdwe OEM.

My turn signals aren't right year, neither are fork gaiters, bike will never be a true 'S', but it's close enough for me, lol. Tank had a fairing rub on one side, so it got paint to boot.

Before:
R100001.jpg


After:
newbweemer003.jpg
 
hey Anyname... any pics of your R80? My RT already has braided cables... changed them when i did the steering head bearings...

I'm calling the guys from Flatracer.com today... before they close at 12noon today... they're in Great Britain... but with the conversion rate these days i'm looking at 50% over their list.

M

I don't, but I could take some. Anything in particular your interested in?
 
Wow Mchaven, great link... I'll have to read it more closely... thanks!

Awshucks... Thanks for the pics...

Anyname: I'd love to see some uplose at the mounting points for the fairing, the bars, mirrors and signal stalks.

Thanks Guys!!!

M
 
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