Another newbie!

[Rich J]

Well, to the Forum anyway!

Hi everyone! I'm returning to biking after a 20 year break (call it a late-life crisis!) and have a 1988 BMW R80RT that has sat mouldering in my garage for all that time. I want to get it up and running again but not in RT form (too heavy for an old man and other-half no longer interested in tagging along) so am looking to do a more 'minimal' conversion/restoration.

I was an engineering fitter back in the day so should be able to manage the mechanical side alright and these old airheads do seem reasonably straightforward to work on. I would like some advice, if possible and wondered if anyone on here has carried out such a conversion and could help with that?

Many thanks in advance, keep safe,

Rich

[dynax]

Hello and welcome

It may be more prudent to leave it original and get it running and move it on and buy something more suitable for your needs, but good luck with it either way

[Guest Swagman]

Welcome Rich

I’m sure someone will have some input for you.

[caveman]

Greetings

[rennie]

Hello and Welcome

[Bender]

Welcome

https://www.bikeexif.com/custom-bmw-r80rt

[skyrider]

Hi Rich

[Six30]

welcome

[Guest]

Hi!

As said, leave it standard and move it on......you could well get decent money for that.

[Marino]

[JRH]

Hi and welcome

[Rich J]

Hi All and thank you for the welcome!

As for moving the bike on as-is, I'm afraid that ship has sailed..... As stated, the bike has been lying fallow for some 20-odd years and has suffered as a result. Seized front brakes, rusting to the frame and general scruffiness around the motor and running gear. (The RT bodywork is in excellent condition, however). It owes me nothing but I felt it would be worth more as a restored machine rather than as a 'barn find'. Also, some years back, I began stripping down with a view to a full return to RT spec but in my ignorance, ruined the thread on the r/h exhaust stub - so even less attractive to a potential purchaser. So, some work required and I'm old school - I prefer to fix rather than discard. There's no incentive any more to go touring 2-up so I thought a conversion to a single-seat bobber would be a fun thing to get into and would make a nice winter project, as well as making the bike lighter and more manageable for an old man! And I fancy returning to biking as an occasional summer activity, as long as it doesn't rain! (I think I've been watching too many Henry Cole re-runs...... )

So far I've pulled everything out of the frame and am looking at which parts to send off for painting/powder coating and whether to paint the engine casings or polish them. I will be stripping/rebuilding everything except the bottom-end (I hope) and renewing gaskets, seals and bearings as required. Probably a new clutch too, although there was nothing wrong with it when laid up but time may have taken it's toll. I found a work around conversion to take care of the exhaust stubs that, though not cheap, saves a lot of work and removes the problem of regular maintenance of the threads and finned nuts. I plan on keeping the bike as stock (minus the bodywork) and will use as much of the original equipment as possible.

Any thoughts or advice would be most welcome as would any recommendations as to parts suppliers/engineering and good quality materials etc.

Thanks for reading, keep safe.

Rich

[dynax]

good luck with the build, and please start a thread in the old,projects and restorations section of the forum, post plenty of pics and videos, as we like things like this

[TimR]

Plenty of ideas out there as the RT has been widely been adapted / bobbed etc just do a google search for Rt bobbers

Might pay you yo find a cheap winter hack etc to get you mobile , that way time pressures don't interfere with the build quality .

[Rich J]

@dynax - thanks for the heads-up! Will do!

@TimR - Thanks also. Mate, my 'winter hack' has got 4 doors and a roof with full climate I'm long retired so no time pressures for me