Project · EICMA 2016 · one month
Daga
BMW R80ST 1984. A black and mean café racer, like a pirate laughing in your face and showing his gold teeth.
ScrollChapter 01 — The wait
A line that
stands out
- Base
- BMW R80ST, 1984
- Occasion
- EICMA 2016
- Time
- One month
- Frame
- No cuts · reversible
I waited a long time before trying my hand at a special version of this model and brand.
There are hundreds of special BMW Rs out there, many of them well done, but only a few have an original line able to stand out.
This bike was born for EICMA 2016, with just one month to build it.
I wanted a café racer like I had not built in a long time, aggressive and fast, black and mean, like a pirate laughing in your face and showing his gold teeth.
Chapter 02 — The line
Essential,
but complete
It has an essential line, yet complete with all the elements of a true sports bike.
Reduced lines and dimensions for the mini fairing (made from a Harman Kardon subwoofer), a mini tank as wide as the engine, creating a unique footprint, and a barely hinted tail with the rear light built into it.
Chapter 03 — The subframe
A single
brushstroke
of steel
The whole rear subframe is in hand-bent stainless steel, a simple line like a painter's brushstroke that gives the bike shape and style, and it also holds a small rear support cushion in suspension.
Chapter 04 — Leather and scars
The work
of hands
Precious upholstery work, expertly done by Marozzi Interni, who covered the front fairing, the seat and the aluminium tail side panels in leather.
An essential contribution comes from the tracktoo: engravings and tattoos on leather by Sconcio, made by hand to give the bike those scars that reinforce its uniqueness.
Chapter 05 — What it needs
Nothing
more
The instruments are essential too, with a mini speedo and motogadget double-sided bar-end indicators.
In place of the original air filter, a shelf was built to house its original tool kit.
Chapter 06 — The colour
Two blacks
and a gold
The colour scheme was the result of many tests: a matt black that goes with the leather, a gloss black to highlight the mini tank and an olive gold with pearl reflections that comes alive in the sunlight, adding shine in a discreet and elegant way.
Chapter 07 — Mechanics
Now it
really brakes
The cone air filters are also handmade, with a more modern design, as is the exhaust with its short twin-barrel silencer.
A front end with Marzocchi upside-down forks and a Brembo gold series braking system finally give it unique handling by lowering the centre of gravity. And that is not all: now it really brakes, with a capital B!
Fork
Marzocchi upside-down
Brakes
Brembo gold series
Exhaust
Short twin barrel
Chapter 08 — Reversible
It can go
back to the origin
Despite the obvious differences from the original model, this BMW can still go back to how it was, being fully reversible to the previous version since no cut was made to the frame.
Ready to lean and able to dare with extreme lightness, Daga slips through the bends just like a small sharp sword.
Specifications
See the other bikes- Model
- BMW R80ST · 1984
- Fairing
- From a Harman Kardon subwoofer, covered in leather
- Subframe
- Hand-bent stainless steel
- Upholstery
- Marozzi Interni
- Leather engraving
- Leather engravings
- Instruments
- Mini speedo, motogadget double-sided indicators
- Front end
- Marzocchi upside-down forks
- Brakes
- Brembo gold series
- Intake and exhaust
- Handmade cone filters, short twin-barrel silencer
- Reversibility
- Total · no cuts to the frame