Calling Robert Sabel a purist can be lacking the purpose. His Los Angeles-based store, Roughchild Bikes, works completely on BMWs, with out ever straying too removed from their unique appears to be like. However their builds are extra than simply restoration jobs; they may look classic on the floor, however they’re loaded with stealthy fashionable upgrades.
“We sympathetically mix the most recent know-how with basic aesthetics,” explains Robert. Now Roughchild has pushed that philosophy to the restrict, by taking their signature RSWB (Reisesport Quick Wheel Base) design and kitting it with each improve of their arsenal. The construct combines a 1970 BMW R75/5 chassis with a 1993 BMW R100R engine, and it’s an absolute stunner.
“This bike is a love letter to the airhead,” says Robert. “Sure, it’s {custom}, however finished in such a manner that it honors the unique design in a refined method. We’re not on the lookout for excessive, we’re aiming for terribly refined, with a deal with security, compliance and reliability.”
“On this occasion, we’ve taken the earliest body and put the most recent engine in it, a cool 23 years aside. Then integrated prime of the road suspension and brake elements to make the additional energy usable all the time. Trendy electronics on a wholly rebuilt and upgraded drivetrain optimize the expertise.”
One have a look at this construct’s spec sheet proves that Robert isn’t overstating issues. There isn’t an inch of this airhead that hasn’t been improved in a roundabout way—beginning with its engine. Roughchild rebuilt it with lengthy connecting rods and quick skirt excessive compression pistons, provided by Moorespeed within the UK.
Additionally they carried out a twin-spark ignition conversion, added basic peanut valve covers and put in a racing clutch with sintered plates. The carbs are Dell’Orto PHM40s, hooked as much as the unique airbox. And the exhaust system is a mix of stainless-steel headers, and Cone Engineering mufflers.
Transferring to the suspension, Roughchild upgraded the entrance finish with a set of Öhlins FGRT forks, held in place by a set of custom-machined yokes. A pair of Öhlins Blackline shocks prop up the rear.
For the wheels, the crew laced 18” Solar rims to {custom} aluminum hubs with stainless-steel spokes, then wrapped them in Metzler RaceTec tires. The rear wheel is offset to accommodate the three.5” broad rim, and now sports activities a disc brake meeting. Nickel-plated Brembo GP4 calipers do obligation at each ends.
Most of this construct’s key physique components had been scalped from numerous basic R-series BMWs. The headlight bucket is a /5 half, full with its unique gentle swap and its recessed speedometer and tachometer. Roughchild transformed the tacho from mechanical to digital, because the newer R100R motor doesn’t have a tach drive.
The headlight brackets look interval right, however they’re truly {custom} items. The crew designed them particularly to slide over the broader Öhlins fork tubes.
The gasoline tank comes from a /6 BMW, and has been repainted in Avus black with conventional white pinstripes. It’s adorned with a standard gasoline cap and classic BMW roundels. Tucked beneath it’s the entrance brake grasp cylinder, and a Lithium-ion battery in a hand-made field.
Sitting additional again is a {custom} seat, completed in Alcantara and vinyl, with a tidy café racer-style hump. It’s perched on a {custom} bolt-on subframe, with an LED taillight and switch sign strip Frenched into the again.
There’s extra slick stuff taking place within the cockpit, the place Roughchild matched a set of custom-built handlebars to black anodized risers. Micro-switches are embedded into the perimeters of the grips, and the throttle runs internally. The brake and clutch levers are welded on to the bars.
All of the wiring’s been run contained in the bars to maintain every little thing tremendous sano. Roughchild rewired the bike too, round Motogadget’s ubiquitous mo.unit management field.
Decrease down you’ll discover a pair of Marchal fog lights, mounted to a set of basic BMW crash bars. They’ve been wired to function at 60 p.c brightness when on, and to flash brighter on the suitable aspect when engaged, successfully working as flip indicators.
Rounding out the road authorized bits is a swingarm-mounted license plate bracket on the again.
Robert’s obsessive consideration to element could be discovered all through this RSWB construct. The basic BMW paint job is enticing sufficient by itself, however the best way the gold suspension components are complemented by the tank roundels and {custom} engine badges is past tasteful.
Each final fastener was swapped out for a high-end ARP half too, with refined Roughchild logos sprinkled all through the bike.
This model of the LA store’s RSWB collection will not be solely an efficient showcase of what they’re able to, however a testomony to how timeless and iconic the BMW boxer is. It’s finished so effectively, it’d even make purists smile.
Roughchild Bikes | Fb | Instagram | Photos by Webb Bland | Video by Carousel NYC
