We’ve featured some wild customs through the years, and fact be advised, we’ve come to anticipate the surprising. Within the final 12 months alone, we’ve seen automobile engines shoehorned into motorbike chassis, electrical choppers masquerading as air-cooled V-twins, and even scooters transformed into correct off-road machines.
So when this glossy little 1983 BMW R80ST got here our approach, we had been virtually shocked to listen to that the variety of customized elements featured within the construct may very well be counted on a single hand.
Dubbed ‘The Greenster,’ it’s the work of Estonia-based Renard Bikes, who intentionally got down to nail that traditional OEM vibe. “The idea was to construct a greater bike than got here out of the manufacturing facility, with solely BMW authentic elements.” says William Sarevet, who handles all issues media for Renard.
We’re no strangers to Renard’s creations; roughly a dozen of their uber-clean customs have graced our pages prior to now. Renard builds every thing from Hondas to hogs when known as upon, however classic Beemers like this are undeniably their bread and butter.
At a look, The Greenster may simply move for a top-down restomod, as all of the tell-tale indicators of a manufacturing facility BMW R80ST are intact. There’s the distinctive fuel tank, that lengthy angled rear fender, and even the unique BMW switchgear. And who may miss the upswept two-into-one exhaust that blends so seamlessly into the traces of the bike?
Reality be advised, Renard’s new customized isn’t truly too far off from a manufacturing facility restoration, and nothing on the bike has been chopped, shaved, or welded. We will’t say we’re disillusioned, contemplating that fewer than 6,000 of those beauties had been ever constructed throughout their quick manufacturing run between 1982 and 1984.
The angle of the subframe is tweaked barely, solely to permit for the brand new flip alerts and the customized Alcantara seat. However apart from that, the body is fully unmolested. The identical goes for the engine, which stays totally inventory—save for a minor overhaul whereas The Greenster was aside within the store.
In step with their aim of constructing a greater bike from manufacturing facility elements, the crew at Renard sourced a bigger 38 mm diameter entrance finish from a 90s-era R100RT. William tells us that the fork improves the ST’s dealing with, but in addition comes with the good thing about a Brembo dual-disk entrance brake setup—a becoming manufacturing facility improve that also appears the half.
Sadly these 90s mannequin RTs all got here with forged aluminum ‘snowflake’ wheels, and abandoning the ST’s traditional spoked look was merely out of the query. A customized answer was wanted, and Renard discovered their repair by lacing an R80R hub to the ST’s wheel—permitting for a twin disk setup with out trying misplaced.
The remaining modifications adopted the identical ‘tread evenly’ method. The unique clocks had been swapped for a smaller and extra elegant sprint from a regular R mannequin of the identical era, a much less conspicuous set of alerts changed the massive blocky OEM indicators, and a taller Lucas touring handlebar was bolted on to enhance ergonomics.
Imagine it or not, that good-looking metallic inexperienced paint that the Greenster takes its title from can also be a purely OEM inspiration. Renard’s shopper needed the bike painted in “essentially the most radical authentic BMW colour” they might discover. After some intensive analysis, this practice colour, dubbed ‘Nürburgring Inexperienced,’ was modeled after the uncommon metallic flake inexperienced BMWs of the early Seventies.
Paint, decals, and pin-striping had been all laid down by Jarmo Nuutre of One Eyed Morse customs, whose title you might acknowledge from earlier Renard builds. Jarmo is thought for his impressively intricate kustom kulture-influenced designs. For those who’ve seen the completely bonkers paint on the ‘Anaconda Honda’ we featured some time again, you’ll know that is only a tad extra subdued than his typical fare.
The construct was completed off with a set of Dunlop’s new Path Mission tires. It’s one other becoming improve for the ST, which BMW at all times supposed as a street-focused cousin of the GS that also knew its approach round a dust street.
Renard’s clear tackle this uncommon airhead will not be the wildest customized we see this 12 months, however we’d wager the farm that BMW would have bought much more STs if they’d come from the manufacturing facility trying half as clear as this.
Renard Bikes | Fb | Instagram | Pictures by Kalle Veesaar
