When Shiro Nakajima isn’t honing his considerable talent in his home workshop at the foot of the Yatsugatake Mountains, you’ll find him racing at Tsukuba Raceway, a few hours away. Those contrasting environments are reflected in Nakajima-san’s custom bicycles; tastefully restored cars, aesthetically restrained but also built to be driven hard.
The man was called 46 Works also has a passion for European motorcycles, passed down from his days as founder of the powerhouse motorcycle restoration workshop, Ritmo Sereno. This explains why his latest creation – a 1986 BMW R80 – is superbly prepared. fix—looks amazing.
The bike was built in a partnership between 46Works and Japanese leather racing suit manufacturer Kushitani. Founded in the late 1940s in Hamamatsu, Kushitani has produced leather for such great Grand Prix drivers as Randy Mamola, Wayne Gardner, Kevin Magee and Kevin Schwantz. They are also Shira’s regular racing apparel supplier and they have collaborated on many 46Works clothing collections.
Hiro’s goal was to build a lithe machine that could run as comfortably on the track as it does on B-roads. His second priority was to ensure that when the bike was parked, it would deliver loads of detailed information for the driver.
As Hiro was looking to gain performance by reducing weight and improving handling, the decision was made to rebuild the car. BMW R80 boxer engine to OEM specs, instead of boring. The overhauled engine and transmission are both roughly finished, and the front end is fitted with a classic peanut shell. The Bing carburetor was replaced with a premium Keihin FCR carburetor, equipped with a K&N filter.
A custom-designed battery tray now sits where the airbox used to be, connected to a revised electrical system. Hiro threw a lot of Euro MotoElectrics electronic parts into the old Beemer, including a new electrical hub, digital ignition system, starter, charging system, etc.
A hallmark of Hiro’s work is his ability to bend titanium tubes. True to form, this BMW has a set of sand-bent titanium exhaust pipes that flow into a stainless steel two-into-one-into-two receiver, then exit through a pair of aftermarket stainless steel mufflers . (The carbs have been adjusted to ensure the car runs optimally with new cans and housing filters.)
As usual, the man’s attention to detail was on another level. Check out the exquisitely machined exhaust housing; it also works as a foot control stand, heel guard, center stand stopper, and grab handle to lift the bike onto the stand. The foot controls are also custom, as is the corresponding mounting plate on the other side of the bike.
Next, Shira turned his attention to the suspension, swapping out the OEM forks for a set of Ceriani replicas. They are combined with the BMW chassis via a separate steering stem and yoke. The Öhlins shock is located at the rear, with a remote reservoir hidden inside the frame rails.
The wheels and rear drum brakes are stock, but the front calipers have been swapped out for Brembo brakes, fitted with custom calipers and new Sunstar disc calipers. Hiro has equipped the R80 with Dunlop TT100 GP tires, giving it a classic look with modern rubber.
This classic roadster also features all-new aluminum bodywork—from the front fenders to the teardrop fuel tank, perfectly proportioned tail section, and inner rear fender. Although the fuel tank and rear end are two separate parts, they fit together so well that at first glance it looks like one monocoque. The subframe is another custom piece, as are the headlight bracket and seat pan.
The cockpit has a luxurious chrome-plated low handlebar set, new throttle equipment, Brembo gear lever and Motogadget handlebar turn signals. The Motogadget speedo is front and center, above the chrome Bates-style headlight.
Hiro’s judicious use of chrome and raw metallic finishes is the perfect match for the R80’s elegant paint scheme. Drops Design Works handled the paint, accenting the car with an elegant blue tone that perfectly matches Hiro’s specially ordered Kushitani racing leather.
With everything set up, Shira did the only logical thing—he took the car to Tsukuba Circuit for a quick test drive. “I made some carburetor and suspension adjustments and drove it on the track,” he told us. “As I hoped, it offers light and agile handling, strong engine characteristics and a comfortable ride.”
Hiro calls this bike “a roadster that combines desirability with riding fun,” and we can’t fault that assessment. From the svelte bodywork to the well-judged chassis modifications and intricate hardware, there’s not an inch of this BMW R80 that we don’t love.
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