This BMW R 80 Cafe Racer Calls Itself The Archer, British Racing Green Suits it Nicely

In fact, this project came as a direct result of a previous Cardsharper build, one which we’ve featured right here on autoevolution some time ago. The said specimen was a rad Honda CB550 cafe racer (aka Friday) commissioned by Michal Cwiek, an eminent graphic designer who knows a great-looking bike when he sees it. Michal is the founder of MOCNO Studio, also residing in Lublin and sharing Jacek’s enthusiasm for two-wheeled artwork.

Their ideas resonated perfectly with one another during Cardsharper’s CB550 project, thus laying the groundwork for more exciting things to come. An official collaboration seemed like the logical way to go, so Michal and Jacek joined forces to see where their combined skills might lead. Together they operate as Morfen, and what we’re about to look at is the very first motorcycle built under that banner.

Cafe racer styling was the name of the game on this transformation once again, but the donor bike had a very different heritage. The Poles based their joint venture on a BMW R 80 RT from 1985, which was dubbed The Archer at some point during the customization process. One thing’s for sure: this breathtaking Beemer gives us high hopes for Morfen’s future endeavors, because they’ve knocked it out of the park!

With the German tourer on their workbench and stripped of all its stock bodywork besides the fuel tank, the duo dug straight in. For starters, they performed some neat structural mods to make the R 80’s posture a lot more aggressive. The OEM forks were kept and lowered a tad, while the rear shock absorber got ditched in favor of a longer aftermarket module.

Up top, the latter meets a handmade subframe shaped out of stainless-steel, with an LED taillight embedded at the back and accompanying turn signals on the sides. The new rear framework supports a cafe racer tail unit and a gorgeous custom seat, both of which were meticulously fabricated from scratch. Two-tone leather upholstery and honeycomb pattern stitching adorn the seat in graceful fashion.

Morfen raised the BMW’s gas tank at the rear, so as to align it with the angle of the subframe and toughen up the overall stance even further. Glancing northward, we come across an aftermarket bikini fairing that’s been modified for tighter proportions and then topped with a yellow-tinted windshield. The fairing surrounds a premium LED headlight, while a small custom fender can be seen a bit lower down.

On the other hand, there is no rear mudguard to speak of. The R 80 RT’s factory hoops are still in play, but their rims are now embraced by retro-looking Shinko rubber fore and aft. You’ll notice white Morfen logos painted on the tire sidewalls, and the wheels have also been refinished for a fresh look. Furthermore, The Archer’s cockpit carries a whole load of aftermarket paraphernalia.

A new top clamp is fronted by a single Daytona Velona dial and flanked by clip-on handlebars, which bear Highsider switches, brown leather grips, and bar-end turn signals. Underslung mirrors are also present, while a pair of groovy fuel tank roundels have replaced the stock items from Motorrad. The R 80’s boxer-twin engine hasn’t been overlooked, either, receiving a comprehensive makeover inside out.

Its airbox was swapped with some high-grade pod filters, and the space it had once occupied got filled with a tailor-made electronics box. The outer covers are finned to echo the look of the cylinders, but a similar engravement can also be seen above and below some custom emblems further ahead. Exhaust gases are routed through ceramic-coated headers and dual aftermarket silencers, finishing right ahead of the rear wheel.

With the powertrain side of things sorted out, it was time for The Archer to receive the paintwork and start turning heads on public roads and across the web. For the front fender, fuel tank, and tail section, a British Racing Green hue was chosen as the primary color and done in a metal flake finish. White pinstripes and bits of black adorn the tank, as well, along with subtle graphics depicting the bike’s nickname.

Items such as the main frame, forks, and engine were also painted black, while pinches of polished metal make an appearance here and there. If you found this R 80 cafe racer as thrilling as we did, then you’ll be stoked to learn that Jacek and Michal plan on building many more bespoke gems together as Morfen. We can’t wait to see their next build, because it’ll definitely be a treat!