The 1983 R80ST “project bike” came with both front fork legs, although a previous owner had painted the fork sliders blue. One leg is missing the yellow reflector and the black fork seal cover.

Front Fork Sliders Painted Blue By Previous Owner

I had the fork sliders vapor blasted to freshen up the forks and remove the paint.

Vapor Blasted Fork Sliders

Vapor Blasted Fork Sliders

I use a fork rebuild kit from Tom Cutter at Rubber Chicken Racing Garage and obtain the rest of the parts from Euro MotoElectrics who is donating parts in support of my goal to auction this bike with all proceeds going to support the Motorcycle Relief Project. I will install some of the parts in Tom’s fork rebuild kit and the new fork springs when I install the forks in the top plate and triple clamp.

In addition to rebuilding the forks, I replace the large Allen bolt that secures the fork slider to the damper rod (part# 07 11 9 919 778) as they got mangled a bit when I removed them. I replace the fork top cap bolts (part# 31 42 1 241 661) as they are in bad shape. I also replace the yellow side reflectors (part# 63 14 1 244 529) as one was missing and the other was cracked.

Rebuilt, Vapor Blasted Fork Sliders With New Reflectors

Here is a link to the document showing how I do this work and a YouTube summary video of the procedure.

• 31 BMW 1983 R80ST Rebuild Front Forks

VIDEO: 1983 BMW R80ST Rebuild Front Forks

This bike came without any carburetors. I found a set of used 32 mm BING carburetors (64/32/323-324) after searching through a box of used carburetor’s in one of Clem Cykowski’s storage rooms that I can use. These are not the model used on the 1983 R80ST but will work. The date stamps on them indicate the 323 was manufactured in 11/1982 and the 324 was manufactured in 10/1982. I have to replace a lot of missing parts on the carburetors.

Useable Carburetor From Clem’s Used Carburetor Pile; 64/32/323-324

Right Side Carburetor (64/32/324)

Right Carburetor Manufacture Date (October 1982)

Left Side Carburetor Number (64/32/323)

Left Side Carburetor Manufacture Date (November 1982)

Here is how I do this work.

• 13 BMW 1983 R80ST Rebuild, Refinish Carburetors

Here are the before and after pictures.

Parts Before Cleaning & Polishing

Parts Before Cleaning & Polishing

These Carburetors Use The Rubber Tipped Float Needle

I repainted the emblems as the white paint was missing on one carburetor and pretty dull on the other.

Rebuilt & Refinished Carburetors

Finished Carburetor Rebuild-Refinish

Finished Carburetor Rebuild-Refinish

Finished Carburetor Rebuild-Refinish

Finished Carburetor Rebuild-Refinish

The 1983 R80ST top end is the same as the 1983 R100RS with the exception of a smaller cylinder bore, piston and rings. I already thoroughly documented installing the engine top end for the 1983 R100RS, so I reuse a lot of that material, as appropriate, in the documentation and the summary video for the R80ST below.

Here is the document and video links.

• 11 BMW 1983 R80ST Install Engine Top End

VIDEO: 1983 BMW R80ST Install Engine Top End

Here is what I started with and the final result.

The Engine Before I Removed The Top End

The cylinders and heads were vapor blasted and I hand cleaned the engine block. I repainted the inner timing cover and top engine cover and had the frame powder coated.

Here is the engine with the top end installed. I put shop rags in the exhaust and intake ports of the heads to prevent anything from getting inside. I also put red tape on the temporary spark plugs and on the dip stick to alert me that I need to install new plugs and oil before I start the engine.

What All Done Looks Like

What All Done Looks Like

At last, I get to start putting this motorcycle back together. Every time I install an engine in the frame it’s a milestone. Instead of taking things apart, I am starting down the road to getting it all back together again :-).

Here is a link to the documentation and the video I shot.

• 11 BMW 1983 R80ST Install Engine In The Frame

VIDEO: 1983 BMW R80ST Install Engine In Frame

I had the frame powder coated.

Powder Coated Frame

I use some foam packing sheets to wrap the tubes so I won’t ding the powder coat when I put the engine inside the frame.

Frame Protected With Foam Sheets

The top is off the engine so it’s lighter and easier to install in the frame.

Engine Supported With 2×4

Engine Inside Frame

This is the hardware used to mount the engine in the frame.

Engine Mounting Hardware

It’s mounted on my portable motorcycle lift ready to install the top end.

Frame & Engine Mounted On Portable Motorcycle Lift

The R80ST has spoked wheels front and rear. In order to refinish the wheels using vapor blasting, I remove the spokes. This let me assess the condition of the spokes and spoke nipples so I can decide if I can keep most of them, or they need to be replaced.

On the rear wheel only 17 out of 40 spokes weren’t bent or rusted and only 8 spoke nipples were not damaged. On the front wheel every spoke was bent. So I replace all the spokes with stainless steel spokes and install new plated brass nipples.

This documents shows how I do this work.

• 36 BMW 1983 R80ST Refinish, Lace & True Wheels

And this video shows the techniques I use in more detail.

VIDEO: 1983 BMW R80ST Lace The Spokes And True The Wheels

Here is what I started with.

Front Wheel-Before

Front Wheel-Before

Rear Wheel Before

Rear Wheel Before

And here is what the wheels look like after refinishing them and lacing and truing the wheels with new stainless steel spokes.

What All Done Looks Like