BMW R 80 ST (1983-1984) Specs, Performance & Photos

In 1983, the German motorcycle maker released the BMW R 80 ST, a road-oriented motorcycle in its second production year. The model came in the same shape and form as the previous model, without any modifications.

The bike had several technical road-use adjustments, including a 19-inch front wheel, road tires, and a shorter suspension travel, significantly increasing ground clearance.

The bike was manufactured from 1982 until 1984 in just 5,953 units. It was not to the taste of BMW buyers and remained a niche model with no direct successor. It was later followed by the BMW R 80 Monolever and BMW R 100 R with a paralever system.

Visually, the bike had standard features, such as a round headlight on the front, a one-piece dual seat, a passenger grab handle, a side stand, a single-sided swingarm, and wire-spoke wheels with road tires.

In the performance department, the 1983 BMW R 80 ST had its soul brought to life by a 797cc four-stroke air-cooled twin-cylinder boxer engine that delivered an output power of 50 hp at 6,500 rpm and 58 Nm (43 lb-ft) torque at 5,000 rpm.

The power generated by the engine was handled by a five-speed manual transmission with a dry single-plate clutch that redirected the power to the rear wheel via a final shaft drive, launching the bike to a top speed of 171 kph (106 mph).