BMW’s R Series has long been one of the most popular platforms for moto customization, with dozens and dozens of one-off airheads being churned out each year. As such, it’s extremely difficult for a builder to bring something truly novel to the table when working with one of these commonly-utilized donors, yet that’s exactly what Slovenian outfit Gas&Retro has managed to do with its latest bespoke R80RT build — which has fittingly been dubbed “DIFFERENT.”
Putting a decidedly modern spin on the platform, Gas&Retro has treated the BMW to a modified Honda FT500 Ascot tank, a low-profile tail section fitted with a bespoke luggage rack and a Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 LED taillight, and Öhlins suspension fore and aft — with a Brembo brakes-equipped inverted front-end borrowed from a Ducati 900SS and an electronically-adjusted mono-shock plucked from a late model Multistrada. The build’s pièce de résistance, however, is undoubtedly its aero-enhanced front-end. Generating down-force at the font of the bike, this unit is comprised of a bespoke headlight nacelle that houses a KOSO Thunderbolt LED headlight and is fitted with a quad-aero-bolstering winglet setup that packs a cleverly-integrated set of micro-LED indicators.
Gas&Retro has also completely replaced the BMW donor’s respiratory bits, with the “DIFFERENT” R Series now boasting a set of DNA pod filters in place of the stock airbox, along with a custom two-into-one exhaust culminating in an Italian-built, GP-style reverse cone muffler from Spark. Other noteworthy additions to the project include a new set of Tarozzi rear sets, TRW Moto handlebars, a Domino throttle, a custom swingarm-mounted license plate and rear indicator bracket, a relocated battery, and digital instrumentation, switchgear, and a mo.unit control box from Motogadget.
Located in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Gas&Retro’s 1989 BMW R80RT “DIFFERENT” build is currently for sale on the Bike Shed’s Classified pages, with an asking price of €17,499 (~$19,050).
