Everything Zen A Charming Bmw R65 Bobber From Sydney

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Located in Sydney, Australia, Zen Motorcycles is as eclectic as the burgeoning motorcycle scene it serves. The shop sells brand new electric motorcycles alongside pre-owned gas guzzlers, and offers services on everything from vintage Harleys to modern sportbikes. Somehow, they still find time to build charming custom bikes—like this 1979 BMW R65 bobber.
Fittingly, finding time was the most challenging aspect of this particular project. That’s because it was the pet project of Zen co-founder Chris Pirola, and often had to sit on the back burner while client projects took precedence.

“I’ve always been a fan of the boxer engine and some of the amazing builds people create all around the world and was inspired to try and create one for myself,” says Chris. “A 1979 R65 finally popped up on Facebook marketplace, which I thought would be a perfect starting point for a build, since it had already been stripped apart.”
“After a lot of contemplation, I decided that I wanted to build something different from the usual café racers, which seem to be everywhere. I decided on the bobber style, but it should look as simple and minimalist as possible.”

With the bike on the bench at Zen Motorcycles’ workshop, Chris tasked then-apprentice technician Joel with taking the lead on the project. Joel is, in Chris’ words, “a passionate Harley guy”—so it’s only natural that some of those sensibilities would trickle through to the BMW.
Joel’s first job was to strip the bike down to its bare frame, de-tab it, and ditch the stock subframe. Next, he had to figure out a mounting system for an off-the-shelf bobber seat from Biltwell Inc. “Joel cleverly came up with the idea of using a fork tube and spring from a Royal Enfield that we had lying around the shop, to create a rather unusual springer seat which is actually very functional,” explains Chris.

The seat is flanked by custom shock mounts that mimic the curve of Joel’s seat bracket. A handmade bracket under the saddle hosts the license plate, plus a pair of Kellermann LEDs that act as taillights and turn signals. A low-mounted fender finishes off the tail end of the R65.
Although the stock BMW R65 fuel tank is iconic, it wasn’t quite right for this build. So Chris and Joel started playing around with various vintage tanks until they settled on a Kawasaki KZ unit. “It’s fairly small and narrow, which gives it the minimalist look I was after,” says Chris.

Once the R65 bobber started taking shape, Chris turned his attention to the exhaust system. “Once we inverted the header pipes I knew we had the look that I wanted, as you don’t see many airheads with the pipes running in the opposite way than intended.”
“The first try was not very successful, as the inside of the rider’s legs would get pretty hot even after installing heat shields. So we enlisted the help of Edi Buffon from the famed Machine1867. He modified the pipes to angle in and under the seat, and the result, in my eyes, was perfect.”

Chris opted to retain the BMW’s original snowflake rims, wrapping them in classic Firestone Deluxe Champion treads. Other mods include an ATE front brake caliper, a new battery box that sits behind the sump, and mesh-covered velocity stacks. The airbox has been replaced by a cover that also houses the ignition, and the fuel lines have been wrapped to keep heat from the exhausts at bay.
Up top, you’ll find a 7.7” headlight, mounted on CNC-machined brackets that also accommodate a pair of Kellermann turn signals. The handlebars wear Purpose Built Moto switches and mirrors, with an Acewell speedo finishing off the cockpit.

Finishing touches include fresh powder-coating on the frame and hard parts, peanut-style valve covers on the boxer motor, and custom Zen badges that replace the OEM front fork reflectors. A tool roll from Zen’s Filthy Leather range sits behind the headlight, just in case.
The Kawasaki tank sports the only splash of color on this BMW R65 bobber; a refreshing green paint job, laid down by Aaron Turner.

“I call the bike Linda,” says Chris. “It translates from Spanish as ‘beautiful, lovely, and cute,’ which I think sums up the bike.”
“Like all custom bike builds, I’m still playing around with some more ideas and changes. But I have recently purchased a 1950s plunger frame BMW—so I am contemplating selling Linda to begin work on my next one.”
Zen Motorcycles | Facebook | Instagram | Images by, and with thanks to, Andrew Jones



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