Beschreibung
1979 BMW R80/ 7
Das ist ein atemberaubendes Exemplar mit geringer Laufleistung und einer großartigen Historie.
A MOTOPRINCE of Leicester - Ltd Edition, all black, model believed to be one of only 400 bikes. It was originally owned by Peter Westerhouse, who sold it to the last owner Doug Barnet. Who, after 30 years of ownership decided to have the bike restored by expert restorer Peter Davis, Lord Mayor of Barton upon Humber, who also just happened to be his brother-in-law and famed organiser of Barton Bike night. Sadly, Peter died not long after the bike was completed and more latterly Doug lost an eye to cancer which then turned into a terminal condition, and he was forced to admit his biking days were finally over and that it was now time to find a new home for his treasured R80/ 7.
The following is Doug’s own account of the bike’s history.
I first encountered her in the early eighties through a Peter Westerman who ran a welding supply company in Leicester where I used to buy a few bits at this time my marriage had broken down and was living back at my parents council house in Glenfield on speaking to Peter I found he also lived in Glenfield but in the Manor house complete with fishing lake when he knew I saw my children aged 7 and 9 every Saturday he invited me to let them go fishing in his lake which we did most Saturday's on one occasion the bike was in his drive and Peter who was an Arthur Daley type character loved kids an suggest I take my son for a ride I borrowed the bike and he said no rush to bring it back.
Peter also loaned me his Rolls Royce to give my dad a treat on his sixtieth birthday. Peter had bought the bike from MotoPrince the Leicester BMW Dealer and legendary TT racer Kel Princ. He said it was one of 400 limited edition all black sports tourers. Each Saturday I would take my children a ride round but soon they asked if their friends could get a ride. Although the council estate was not a sink estate it had its share of urchins all of which wanted a ride and so Saturday's outside my parents’ house would see an orderly queue of something resembling the Bash Street kids all wanting a ride around the estate for which I obliged not sure how much of a nuisance this was to the locals but since many of them had kids out for the ride they didn't object. Clearly something you couldn't do now days. I often wonder how many kids having had their first ride on a motor bike ever caught the bug and turned into bikers. The weeks turned in to months and years and Peter showed no inclination to have the bike back until one day he called me in a panic needing to raise cash as quickly as possible, not sure if the mob was after him but since he had been great to me and by now had had full custody of my children had moved back into my house, which is where I still live, I was able to raise the money and help him and become the official owner. Fast forward around 30 years during which time it went on the occasional trip around Rutland Water and the annual trip to the MOT station I decided to have it restored not that it was in bad condition it was just a bit tired. My brother-in-law Peter Davis was a genius perfectionist at restoration having restored a 100-year-old clinker-built fishing trawler even to the point of restoring a vintage wood sawing machine to the new timbers he also had restored an Armstrong Sidley Tornado renewing the Ash wood chassis and 10 coats of paint to the original spec. This car was on the front cover of the Concourse del Elegance magazine.
He was asked by the Armstrong club not to exhibit at shows because members were upset at never winning. He also restored many motorcycles up to the same standard and agreed to restore mine even though by now he was quite poorly with lung cancer and the restoration took almost a year. He was also the Lord Mayor of Barton Upon Humber and organised the Barton bike night which if you have never been to you must it happens annually in July when 40, 000 bikers’ turn up to enjoy hog roasts and biker talk. The completions of my bike coincided with the biker night and although I was working in India at the time I flew back to attend however due to a miss understanding when Pete was interviewed by the Hull local radio station, they mistakenly announced on radio that as well as bikers from all over the country were attending, I was riding my back from India to be there. Although my bike was on show at the event, I spent the entire evening dodging the Hull radio reporters Pete sadly died not long after my bike was the last project he carried out and the World lost a truly talented restoration perfectionist. I never really did get around to enjoying the bike but did in Pete’s honour attend several bike nights since. I did keep it warm and dry and of course with the loss of my eye and the diagnosis a year ago that the cancer had gone on walkabout I realised that sadly my Biker days were over. Which is why I sold her.
During my ownership I have subsequently had the engine rebuilt by renowned engineer Pat Seager, of Seager Engineering. Debenham Suffolk.
Along with numerous bills and paperwork. I have included an old picture of legendary Kel Prince, owner of Moto Prince and renowned TT racer,
Along with two original BWW sales brochures.
