Most of the bikes we feature here on Men’s Gear are built in professional custom shops by teams of experienced grease monkeys. The BMW R80 Street Tracker is different. It’s the work of art of 26-year-old Sander Ilves, and best of all – this is his first ever build!
Based on a wrecked 1984 BMW R80 ‘Boxer’, this motorcycle shines now as brand new, as a result of 2 years of working after hours and in the weekends. First, Sander stripped down the bike, strengthened and smoothed out the frame, and made to size a new subframe which he welded in place. A tracker-style single seat has been added, together with a lowered set of KTM Supermoto forks and a Yamaha R6 shock and spring, while the engine has been cleaned and its air heads rebuilt and then torqued back down onto new gaskets.
There’s also a set of custom-made 2-1 stainless pipes that end in a raw metal muffler, and a new wiring with LED indicators to round up the overall clean look. The tank and rear fender boast a copper tone, contrasting beautifully with the tracker’s black hue – a perfect finish for a sharp&mean bike! Not bad for a first job, Mr. Ilves.
