A sign of a good custom builder, is the ability to create a new spin on a motorcycle that has been customized thousands of times before. By that standard, Žiga Petek was at the top of the class. He took on the classic role BMW R80 refreshingly modern — a sharp one street watchers That maintains very little of the original bike.
Žiga runs her workshop, Gas & Retro, from an old warehouse in the small Slovenian town of Notranje Gorice. He’s been tinkering with bicycles since high school, but has only been riding full-time for the past three years. And he’s developed a signature style — favoring modern designs with cohesive lines.
Žiga actually chose an old boxer for this project because he wanted to prove a point. “I saw a lot of old BMW R models,” he told us, “and I had the vision to do something different from what I had seen.”
“I suggested it to a friend of mine, Ales Peljhan, and he said he was in. So we started looking for a bike and found a 1989 BMW R80RT. We went for a test ride… and after a few beers we bought it.”
After the bike was taken down, Žiga set herself the challenge of altering as much as possible the sponsor’s bike. All that remains now is the BMW engine, main frame, swingarm, wheels and rear brake. Everything else is custom, new, or scaled down from another bike — making this one of the cleanest. bitas we’ve seen.
The first piece is an old Honda FT500 Ascot gas tank that Žiga found. With some creative cutting and soldering, he managed to fit it into the bike.
Next, Žiga turned her attention to the rear of the car. Inspired by Husqvarna’s Vitpilen and Svartpilen designs, he aimed for a tapered silhouette that points slightly forward. So he actually sourced the Vitpilen 401 taillight – then based the rest of the design around it.
Using British-style wheels and mufflers, he crafted a rear end that integrates neatly with the fuel tank and Husqvarna lights. It is supported by a tubular subframe, with a hidden storage space underneath. Mitja Bizjak handles stylish upholstery.
The boxer was also suspended at both ends, due to two very different Ducatis. The front fork and the included Brembo brakes are borrowed from the Ducati 900SS, which Žiga still plans to customize. The fork is fitted with a custom set of spokes.
The rear shock is taken from a newer Ducati Multistrada. And since it’s fitted with Öhlins’ electronic suspension tuning, it has to be ‘programmed’ to fit this particular structure.
Žiga started with cockpit mods by sourcing a set of TRW Moto handlebars—but then the project stalled. “I couldn’t picture any more details,” he said. “The reason is probably because I was so focused on the Husqvarna Vitpilen that I bought for the project that would eventually become ‘Yellow arrow‘,’
“Ales wasn’t happy about it, but I promised him his bike would be even better than a Husky.”
After the Vitpilen was completed, the remaining pieces of the BMW began to fall into place. Žiga sketched out the concept for nacelle headlights with aviation-style ‘wings’, then turned to longtime collaborator, Blaž Šuštaršič of Motorcycles ER, to create a digital 3D model of it. Another friend also brought his 3D scanner to the party to make sure everything would match perfectly.
The final part is 3D printed and features Koso LED headlights and a pair of integrated Kellermann turn signals. Further afield are the Brembo controls, the Domino throttle and the Motogadget switch, with a small digital Speedo Motogadget mounted right in front of the fuel tank.
Moving on to the final touches, Žiga built a new two-in-one exhaust system, fitted with a Spark silencer. The airbox has been replaced for a pair of DNA filters, with a new airbox cover that has traces of the fuel tank. The battery has been moved to a custom box behind the transmission, and the entire bike is wrapped around a Motogadget mo.unit control box.
Žiga also installed new Tarozzi footpegs and made a small luggage rack at the rear. The mounting bracket for the swingarm holds the license plate and the rear turn signal light.
With everything in place, the car was taken apart again for a solid engine refresh, reworked and carb repainted. Iga quipped: “Pain is always a pain in the butt. “Because for me, it can lift the bike, or take it to heaven.”
In the end, he opted for a clean combination of gray and white – done by Matej Mrzlikar and accented with a classic BMW M Power color scheme. The paint job is complemented by a plethora of black finishes, some elegant Gas & Retro branding, and the iconic BMW fuel tank circle.
A small sign on the battery pack says “BE DIFFERENT”; a well-deserved tagline for this cool neo-vintage street tracker. “Finally, Ales sees the difference, and is glad he waited a little longer to get what he got,” Žiga said.
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