Marcus Walz is a bike expert who used to make extreme choppers in the 90s. Now, he focuses on making about 100 motorcycles every year at WalzWerk Motorcycles, and most of them are classic BMW boxers, like the R80. To build these bikes, Marcus and his team need old ones. They find around 120 BMW R80 and R100 Monolever models each year. Most of these bikes come from family members or friends, and each one has a unique and often sad story.
This time, Marcus got his hands on a 1987 BMW R80 with a special history. The previous owner, known as ‘Mr. H,’ bought it in 1987 in Hamburg, Germany. Mr. H used the bike a lot, traveling with his wife across Europe and covering more than 186,000 miles. When Mr. H passed away, his wife kept the bike in the garage, only taking it out once for an inspection. Last year, after Mrs. H also passed away, their daughter sold the bike to WalzWerk.
The daughter had a hard time letting go of the bike, shedding tears as she handed it over. She gave the WalzWerk team a folder filled with paperwork, including receipts for every bit of work done on the bike.
Marcus decided to keep this particular bike for himself and wanted to customize it while keeping its original worn look, called “patina.” The goal was to create something new but still honor the history of the BMW R80.
Normally, WalzWerk completely rebuilds their bikes from the ground up, but this time, Marcus wanted to keep the worn-out look. They modified the frame without repainting it and added a Schizzo subframe to the back, making sure it looked like it belonged to the old bike. They also built a new slim saddle.
The front forks were shortened and rebuilt, a new front fender was added, and a second disc brake was put on the front. At the back, a new YSS shock was installed, and Firestone Deluxe Champions tires were added to the original BMW rims.
The handlebars and switchgear were kept original, but new grips and a Motogadget speedometer were added. The headlight and fork sleeves with tiny LED turn signals were also new additions.
For the back, three-in-one LEDs took care of the taillight and turn signals, and a WalzWerk license plate bracket was added. They created a new wiring system with a Motogadget controller, installed a Lithium-ion battery under the transmission, and added custom headers and slightly worn SC-Project cans.
One thing Marcus couldn’t save was the rusty fuel tank, so he used one from another BMW, painting it to match his 1959 Porsche 356 survivor. This old car also has a special history and is still in its original color, just like the bike.
