Robert Sabel’s title is synonymous with ultra-clean BMW boxer restomods. His tasks prove so tidy, that it’s virtually ironic that his California-based store is named Roughchild. But they’re not simply visually neat; Robert likes to imbue them with trendy efficiency and reliability too.
This explicit BMW boxer restomod was constructed for Randy Garver—a landscaper that counts the who’s who of Hollywood amongst his shoppers. “Now in his 60s, Randy had reached a point in his life where many of his friends had passed on,” Robert tells us. “He wanted the opportunity to ride the best motorcycle of his life now… before it’s too late.”
Robert sourced a 1985 BMW R80RT regionally as a donor for the construct. ”It belonged to the proprietor’s lately deceased father,” he explains, “who rode it sparingly, given the documented very low mileage. It just needed, well, everything, to get it roadworthy.”
“We bought the bike at roughly the same time we were moving into our new facility in Glendale, California, an existing motorcycle service shop. With existing orders on the books, I was keen to snap it up and get our first build underway in the new premises. With that we set about our mission—the R80 was stripped to the bones and thoroughly inspected for wear and tear before modifications commenced.”
A inventory BMW R80 makes round 50 hp, however Randy and Robert needed extra from the classic boxer. So Roughchild rebuilt the engine with a 1,070 cc package from the BMW big-bore specialist, Siebenrock. Along with the bump in displacement, they added an upgraded cam and a twin spark ignition system.
The Nineteen Eighties boxer motor now pushes out 75 hp (as verified on a dyno), and nonetheless makes use of its authentic airbox for reliability’s sake. It additionally seems model new on the skin, completed in black with contrasting fins in all the best locations, and adorned in customized Roughchild branding.
Take a peek beneath the motor, and also you’ll spot an extended and low oil pan. “That’s a special piece, made out of magnesium,” says Robert. “It has all the benefits of a deep sump pan without visually looking deep.”
“Extra oil cooling capacity becomes a vital piece of the puzzle when increasing the displacement as significantly as we did. This explains why we used an upgraded oil cooler in addition to the larger oil pan.”
For the suspension, Roughchild specced the BMW boxer with Öhlins elements at each ends. The OEM wheels have been redone in satin black, and now sport trendy Metzeler tires. Twin Brembo disc brakes gradual the bike down up entrance, with the refurbished BMW drum brake doing obligation on the again.
Custom yokes maintain the upside-down forks in place, with OEM-style headlight brackets wrapped across the thicker fork uppers. They grip a JW Speaker adaptive LED headlight, equipped by Motodemic.
A digital Motogadget sprint sits up high, adopted by a set of handlebars that had been fabricated particularly for this construct. Robert needed to maintain the cockpit as uncluttered as potential, so the lever mounts are welded on to the bars. Other concerns embrace tiny switches which can be built-in into the left grip, inside wiring, and an inside throttle.
“The throttle now rides on a bearing,” says Robert. “It makes the motion of actuation incredibly smooth and, dare we say, dreamy.”
The bodywork is generally normal Roughchild fare. The OEM gasoline tank takes heart stage, with a stubby fender up entrance, and a bobber seat for one out again. There’s no actual subframe beneath the seat—only a tubular seat help that additionally homes an LED taillight.
Finishing off the lighting are stealthy Motogadget flip indicators, and a pair of Denali spotlights. “Randy could light up a field and land a small aircraft, should he need to,” quips Robert.
As we’ve come to anticipate from Roughchild, the boxer’s paint job is as elegant as they arrive. It’s a principally black affair, save for a couple of pops of chrome and god pinstripes that match the Öhlins components. Custom Roughchild roundels add an additional contact.
Compact and classy, Roughchild’s latest BMW boxer restomod additionally seems prefer it’d be a enjoyable experience too. “Randy is based in Ojai, California, and blessed with some of the state’s greatest riding roads,” says Robert.
“His favorite route, he told us, is a well-rehearsed 60-mile loop. He wanted a fast, reliable vintage motorcycle that had all the handling and stopping power of a modern machine. It’s a simple-looking machine, marrying high-end modern components and BMW parts from the airhead lineage.”
“Our best to you, Randy. May you ride the bike to the very last mile.”
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Source: www.bikeexif.com