In 2018 I bought 4 BMW “Airheads” in a package to sell them as singles and make a profit. This R45 from 1979 was the least valuable and sought after, and I needed a daily driver for the commute to my office, so I used it almost every day for two years. After I moved to my new building and had a proper workshop, I decided to give it a small service to keep riding it regularly. “A quick service” evolved into around 130 hours of taking everything apart and updating it with bits that make it more reliable, handle better, and give it a coherent look. As it was already slightly modified, I could use several parts like the seat and already shortened front fender. The engine was updated to 860 cc — so it was now an R86 instead of an R45 (450 cc), giving it around 50 horsepower. The goal was not to create another flashy, brand-new-looking cafe racer, but a bike that looks like it came from the factory like this in 1979. I left signs of wear on purpose, to let the original patina a bike has after being ridden so many years shine. All parts were properly cleaned to give it a refreshed look without destroying the original feel. The graphics on the gas tank are made of motocross decal material, not painted. It is still my favourite bike to take for a spin on a weekday afternoon 🙂
