SG MOTO BUILDS A 1986 K75s CAFE RACER
The BMW bikes we’ve featured throughout the years have had a variety of styles ranging from classic restorations to stripped-down customs. The inspiration for each has also been interesting. John Price, who uses his shop name, SG Moto, pulled from an interest in Moto GP to style his 1986 K75S featured here. The popular BMW K models have earned a reputation as sporty and reliable bikes, serving as a great cafe racer platform for cruising around Pittsburgh. We met up with John in the busy SouthSide Works to learn more about his vision for the bike.
How did you come across the bike?
John Price: I believe it was a Craigslist find. Potentially, Facebook Marketplace, but I was scanning all of the online selling platforms at the time.
John Price: I believe it was a Craigslist find. Potentially, Facebook Marketplace, but I was scanning all of the online selling platforms at the time.
Did you have a vision for how you wanted the BMW to look or was it something that just happened over time?
JP: Once I found the Twisted Brothers rear cowl for it, the design centered around that primarily and I wanted to keep it slim and minimalistic. Originally, I planned for a Moto GP look with circle number decals, a center stripe, and tire letters. Unfortunately, the final finish of the wheels came out to be a color I would not be able to match, so I omitted the decals and abandoned the full-race look.
JP: Once I found the Twisted Brothers rear cowl for it, the design centered around that primarily and I wanted to keep it slim and minimalistic. Originally, I planned for a Moto GP look with circle number decals, a center stripe, and tire letters. Unfortunately, the final finish of the wheels came out to be a color I would not be able to match, so I omitted the decals and abandoned the full-race look.
Is there something that draws you to this bike style?
JP: My build style has always been inspired by vintage racing or Moto GP. My first custom bike was a bobber built on a platform that was too fast to be a bobber. I wanted the speed and power on a platform that made sense, so I started building cafe racer and Moto GP style bikes.
The BMW was the perfect next step for me, as I am a German sports car enthusiast. The platform itself is very bare-bones in terms of necessary working parts. Being fuel-injected, the K75 had tons of power for its size, and with the modifications, it now makes even more.
JP: My build style has always been inspired by vintage racing or Moto GP. My first custom bike was a bobber built on a platform that was too fast to be a bobber. I wanted the speed and power on a platform that made sense, so I started building cafe racer and Moto GP style bikes.
The BMW was the perfect next step for me, as I am a German sports car enthusiast. The platform itself is very bare-bones in terms of necessary working parts. Being fuel-injected, the K75 had tons of power for its size, and with the modifications, it now makes even more.
What is it about Moto GP that you enjoy?
JP: Primarily it’s just the hyper-race style configurations of the bikes that pull my attention. The fairings, cowls, and windscreens, all purpose-built with speed in mind and dressed in number plates and motosport decals. The races they compete in are the pinnacle of the sport. Isle of Man TT? Top-tier Moto GP series? That’s the peak of road race performance.
JP: Primarily it’s just the hyper-race style configurations of the bikes that pull my attention. The fairings, cowls, and windscreens, all purpose-built with speed in mind and dressed in number plates and motosport decals. The races they compete in are the pinnacle of the sport. Isle of Man TT? Top-tier Moto GP series? That’s the peak of road race performance.
How does this bike compare to your other builds?
JP: I knew this build would cost more and be more of a challenge than the Japanese inline four-cylinder platforms I was used to, but I thought it was time for something different. It was fun to build despite taking a lot longer and costing a lot more than expected, and I am pleased with the results. I didn’t know what to expect from the custom exhaust system, and the resulting tone is what I’m most pleased with. The majority of the compliments I get are for the sound of the exhaust system.
I would absolutely build another K bike in the future–the distant future, as I need some recovery time after this one.
JP: I knew this build would cost more and be more of a challenge than the Japanese inline four-cylinder platforms I was used to, but I thought it was time for something different. It was fun to build despite taking a lot longer and costing a lot more than expected, and I am pleased with the results. I didn’t know what to expect from the custom exhaust system, and the resulting tone is what I’m most pleased with. The majority of the compliments I get are for the sound of the exhaust system.
I would absolutely build another K bike in the future–the distant future, as I need some recovery time after this one.
What similarities do you see between German sports cars and their motorcycle counterparts?
JP: The first bike was an opposed piston engine model designated R65. This would remind you more of the vehicles BMW produced in the 1940s and ‘50s when air-cooled engines were more prevalent. It takes some getting used to on a motorcycle. Those engines create forces that act on the bike in a way no other engine does. It’s a different kind of ride.
The K75 is interesting, as it shares the same fueling and ignition components as the E30 series cars, which happens to be the generation I owned. It’s an aftermarket upgrade, but the throttle body I have installed on the K75 is from a BMW E30—K&N intake filter directly on the inlet port. This setup paired with a wide open exhaust is sure to produce significant power improvements on a fuel injected inline engine.
JP: The first bike was an opposed piston engine model designated R65. This would remind you more of the vehicles BMW produced in the 1940s and ‘50s when air-cooled engines were more prevalent. It takes some getting used to on a motorcycle. Those engines create forces that act on the bike in a way no other engine does. It’s a different kind of ride.
The K75 is interesting, as it shares the same fueling and ignition components as the E30 series cars, which happens to be the generation I owned. It’s an aftermarket upgrade, but the throttle body I have installed on the K75 is from a BMW E30—K&N intake filter directly on the inlet port. This setup paired with a wide open exhaust is sure to produce significant power improvements on a fuel injected inline engine.
Do you have any favorite roads around the Pittsburgh area?
JP: In my cars, I have the most fun utilizing our complex highway interchange systems, as you can more or less create your own sort of circuits that are easily modified on a whim when traffic or construction gets in the way. The trouble is there’s almost always traffic, so it’s best to wait until the early morning hours to settle your grudge matches or finish your test and tunes.
On a motorcycle, I prefer winding roads with steep elevation changes. I like to pretend I know what I’m doing on a race-built bike and lean into turns riding out a downshift, ready to accelerate through the apex. Don’t be fooled folks, I’m no race rider. Just a custom builder with a death wish I can’t seem to satisfy.
Between my house and my shop, there is Glass Run Road, which has a few fun turns you could push hard through if there’s no traffic. It is dangerous though. Not the best area for this kind of thing. I rarely get to ride to explore new roads. Everything has been utilitarian for as long as I can remember. No fun and certainly no rest. Back to work, dummy.
JP: In my cars, I have the most fun utilizing our complex highway interchange systems, as you can more or less create your own sort of circuits that are easily modified on a whim when traffic or construction gets in the way. The trouble is there’s almost always traffic, so it’s best to wait until the early morning hours to settle your grudge matches or finish your test and tunes.
On a motorcycle, I prefer winding roads with steep elevation changes. I like to pretend I know what I’m doing on a race-built bike and lean into turns riding out a downshift, ready to accelerate through the apex. Don’t be fooled folks, I’m no race rider. Just a custom builder with a death wish I can’t seem to satisfy.
Between my house and my shop, there is Glass Run Road, which has a few fun turns you could push hard through if there’s no traffic. It is dangerous though. Not the best area for this kind of thing. I rarely get to ride to explore new roads. Everything has been utilitarian for as long as I can remember. No fun and certainly no rest. Back to work, dummy.
Describe your dream bike build or something that you would love to try next.
JP: I’ve got to be honest here, I’ve been trying to get out of this hobby. It’s a very taxing lifestyle. I’ve said this before but keep doing things that pull me back in, like buying bikes on a whim or agreeing to help someone with theirs.
If I was still a dreamer, I suppose I’d do another K bike, and just really nail every aspect of it the way I envision it. This would be a larger displacement model despite there being absolutely no need for someone my size to be on a bike that powerful.
It would have a front end conversion from a modern performance bike and would look like a Moto GP series cup winner. I’d integrate as many of the signals and instruments as I could, and create the illusion that they weren’t even there until illuminated. Paint, decal placement, number circles, and raised tire letters would all coordinate to give it an imaginative scheme reminiscent of the best-looking bikes in the fastest circuits. This would take the most planning, I feel, as everything hinges on nailing that look. If I’m not satisfied, it’s not my dream.
JP: I’ve got to be honest here, I’ve been trying to get out of this hobby. It’s a very taxing lifestyle. I’ve said this before but keep doing things that pull me back in, like buying bikes on a whim or agreeing to help someone with theirs.
If I was still a dreamer, I suppose I’d do another K bike, and just really nail every aspect of it the way I envision it. This would be a larger displacement model despite there being absolutely no need for someone my size to be on a bike that powerful.
It would have a front end conversion from a modern performance bike and would look like a Moto GP series cup winner. I’d integrate as many of the signals and instruments as I could, and create the illusion that they weren’t even there until illuminated. Paint, decal placement, number circles, and raised tire letters would all coordinate to give it an imaginative scheme reminiscent of the best-looking bikes in the fastest circuits. This would take the most planning, I feel, as everything hinges on nailing that look. If I’m not satisfied, it’s not my dream.
SG MOTO
