It’s been two years since my last project, the 1984 R100RS that I converted into and RT configuration which I named Cookie Monster. I name most of my bikes after Muppet characters based on their color agreeing with the color of a Muppet. I do that because I love Jim Hensen’s genius and I don’t like to take things too seriously. 🙂
Over the last dozen years I have rebuilt four BMW airheads so this will be my fifth project.
1973 R75/5, my wedding present to my wife (Grover)
1975 R75/6, my first BMW that I later converted to the “R90S” style (Silver Ghost)
1983 R100RS, converted to an “RT” configuration (Cookie Monster)
I purchased this “project bike” in November 2021. It is a 1983 R80ST which is the first year the ST model was available. The ST model is a street version of the R80 G/S that was developed with input from a long time airhead mechanic, Tom Cutter, of the Rubber Chicken Racing Garage.
It is a “project bike” with 64,137 miles on the odometer that was acquired by Clem Cykowski in 1997, so it’s not run for almost 25 years. Clem was the former owner of BMW of Denver, and a friend of mine ever since I bought my first BMW, a 1975 R75/6, from him. Clem died in July 2021 and the bike was in his estate. His daughter agreed to sell it to me. My plan is to rebuild it as close to original as I can and then auction the bike with all proceeds going to the Motorcycle Relief Project.
The ST model was built as a street version of the R80 G/S. The ST was introduced in 1983 model year (October 1982) and discontinued at the end of the 1984 model year. Consequently there weren’t many of them built and only approximately 1,000 were imported into the US (First VIN# 6207001, Last VIN# 6207980). Nonetheless, they have not skyrocketed in price, so rebuilding an R80ST for a charity auction provides me some experience working on a “G/S like” model but at a cost I can afford.
The genesis of the ST model was influenced by Tom Cutter who now owns Rubber Chicken Racing Garage. Back in the early 80’s, he had a dealership in Staten Island, New York. The R80 G/S was selling very well in large part due to the rough condition of the streets in NYC. Tom built lightly-modified R80G/S with street tires, handlebars and an R65 front fender, then the body shop at BMW of Staten Island painted the bodywork in whatever BMW car color the customer requested. Tom was invited to meet with BMW marketing and engineering people who were proposing a similar model, the soon-to-come R80ST.
I contacted Norman Schwab at Euro MotoElectrics about this project as we had talked this idea for a project several years ago. I told him I had pulled the trigger and acquired a “project bike” and he said EME would donate parts they had at no cost to support my project, and that they have supported the Motorcycle Relief Project in the past. That is awesome generosity for a worthy cause.
This is what it looked like when I got it to Brook’s Airhead garage.
1983 R80ST As Delivered To Brook’s Airhead Garage
Clem had several storage facilities and after rummaging around in the biggest one I found a number of the missing parts. Clem had acquire some new parts for the bike according to invoices in the bike file folder in preparation for starting work on this project bike, and I found them.
One of Clem’s Store Rooms Full Of Parts And Surprises
Some Of The Part’s I Found In Clem’s Storage Room
The parts I found included:
Gas tank,
Seat,
Left side battery cover,
Useable 32 mm carburetors from an R100/7
New front headlight bracket, headlight assembly, and turn signals
Handlebar controls
Handlebar combination switches
Instrument housing
Original speedometer
Tachometer (likely a new one)
Original ignition switch with keys
Right crash bar
Mirrors
Airbox cover and clamps
Original tool box and tools (missing rear wheel 17 mm lug nut wrench)
The ST was offered in two colors, Metallic Silver and Red Metallic. The rear fender paint code decal, as well as the body parts, confirm this bike was painted in Metallic Silver.
Original Gas Tank
Rear Fender With Paint Code 545-Metallic Silver
Here is the target for what I want the bike to look like when I’m done.
The Target For My Rebuild, R80ST In Metallic Silver Livery
I have completed a pre-build inspection and project plan and also setup a Project Index page where I will add links to documented work as I complete it. And, of course, I’ll be posting blog updates to alert subscribers as I post new documentation throughout the project.
And, I posted a YouTube video on my channel showing the condition I started with. I’ll add videos as part of the documentation of the work as I complete it.
I’ve published several documents about the airhead electrical systems including the /5, 1975-76 /6 along with information about how the electrical components work. You can find links to all these electrical system documents here:
I’ve been working on these over the winter on days that I don’t feel like going into the shop. This winter, I completed the electrical circuits document for the /7 series, 1977 R100RS. This wiring system configuration was used only on the 1977 R100RS.
The word “farkles” refers to add-ons and upgrades. I’m adding the following to the electrical system.
Eastern Beaver PC-8 Auxiliary Fuse Box And Circuits. I installed the Eastern Beaver PC-8 Auxiliary Fuse Box. This provides eight independent circuits, six fused and two non-fused direct to the battery. This eliminates a nest of wires, fuses and relays when I add the various electrical accessories. All the fuses are in one box and one relay switches power on to the six fused circuits.
Eastern Beaver Wiring Harness
Eastern Beaver PC-8 Auxiliary Fuse Box Components
Heated Grips With 1988+ Wiring. I have the pre-1988 heated grips. The switch for them is no longer available so I will install the later (1988+) two position switch and new wiring between the switch and the heated grip pigtails. The wiring sub-harness contains a resistor inside that provides LOW/HIGH heating in the grips.
61 31 1 459 234
SWITCH, HEATED HANDLEBAR GRIPS L=700MM
61 12 1 459 263
WIRING HEATED HANDLES (Sub-harness)
The switch is smaller than the rectangular holes in the dashboard so I fabricated an adapter to hold the switch out of the plug used to fill the empty hole (part# 32 71 1 236 886).
Dashboard Rectangular Blank Hole Plug
High-Off-Low Switch Installed In Dash
Auxiliary LED Lights. To increase my visibility I add two spot bean 900 lumen LED auxiliary lights from Super Bright LEDs. I got the 10 degree beam for the left and the 30 degree beam for the right so at night it will help illuminate the side of the road. I mount them to the rear view mirror brackets and wire them into the headlight power so they are on with the low and high beam.
Super Bright LED Spot Beam (900 Lumens @ 10 Watts)
Garmin GPS Handlebar Mount With Power. I have a Garmin zūmo® 396 LMT-S GPS. I ordered a cradle, handlebar mount and electrical harness to power it from Garmin. I will use one of the two non-switch circuits to power the GPS so the it stays on when the engine is off. I like that option so I can select and change routes with the engine off.
GPS Is Getting Power
SAE & USB Power Sockets. I add an SAE plug and a dual USB port so I can charge my cell phone, or power any other accessory. I put the SAE on the other non-switched, direct to battery circuit and the USB on a switched circuit of the Eastern Beaver PC-8 auxiliary fuse box.
USB Socket Water Proof Cover Is Secured To Socket
You can read about how I install these accessories here.
My experience with my builds is that as I break-in the motor I also will find various issues I have to fix and adjustments I need to make. This is the log of what I did for the first 600 miles riding the bike during the break-in and shake down period.
