The R90S was based on BMW’s proletarian slash-5-series introduced in the 1971 model year. It’s no surprise that San Jose BMW owner Chris Hodgson with BMW experience going back to the mid-‘70s was aware of the fun factor that was part and parcel of the old Slash-5 DNA. “I had one just after I got out of college, a Slash-5 that I put dual disc brakes on, low bars, and a flamed gas tank. It was pretty funky,” said Chris. “A few years ago I noticed there was a lot of interest in café racers. Most of the guys that build BMW café racers end up with really ugly bikes. I thought it would be cool to have one that was correct and had a nice flowing line. We were eBaying a bunch of stuff at the shop and I’m like, ‘Man, there’s enough stuff here to build a bike.” The end result is what you see here.

Starting with a ’73 R75/5 frame, fork, and swingarm, Chris rebuilt a later R75/7 engine with Bonneville in mind. “I took the counterweights off the crank, lightened it up a bit, and polished it. It’s got Carrillo rods, CP 12:1 pistons, and the only thing I haven’t done is a really good set of heads,” he said. “They’re ported with bigger valves, dual plugs, but they’re not anything fancy ― yet.” With a set of Mikunis replacing the stock Bings, Chris fabbed up a new upswept exhaust starting with pair of mufflers made for a 250/350 Honda. “I couldn’t find anything else. I cut ‘em back until they fit the stainless header pipes. With all the exhaust systems I’ve made over the years, this was no big deal,” said Chris. “They’re baffled, but they’re as loud as you can possibly imagine [laughs].”

A stock R75/7 made a claimed 50hp at the crank and I was curious if Chris knew what his made. “I know exactly what it’s putting out, 62hp at the rear wheel,” he said. That’s a whole lot more than 50-flywheel horsepower after you take in the stocker’s parasitic losses to the rear wheel (especially with a driveshaft) and Bonneville-bound Chris is aiming for 70rwhp eventually.

Chris wanted the bike to sit lower, so he cut the fork springs down two-inches and firmed things up a bit. Out back a set of used Works Performance stock-length piggy-back shocks are angled forward to lower the rear end to match the dropped fork. “Some kid had ‘em, I did a deal and ended up with them. They work great, but I need to rebuild them,” said Chris. “Since I just ride it around it’s something that’s not critical.”

You can’t help but notice the huge front drum brake, a rare one-year-only 1972 Suzuki GT750 four-shoe unit. “I wanted to buy something like a Fontana replica, but they’re expensive [$1,200- $2,500]. The Suzuki brake popped up on eBay and I paid about $400 delivered,” said Chris. “Buchanan’s laced up the wheels with 18” Akront-replica rims that are reasonably priced. I sent them both hubs and they laced and trued them with stainless spokes for about $500.”

Slapping on some stock bodywork just wouldn’t do as Chris had “a vision of a long tank and short seat.” The stunning aluminum tank by Evan Wilcox deserves a story of its own so check out the Up Close sidebar. For the seat, Chris began with a Ducati repro, but it just didn’t cut it for him. “Visually the bike was a little too front heavy and I wanted it more balanced. A friend, Bob Grauer, and I built the aluminum seat and we put the number plates on it to kind of fill it out,” he said. Moonlight Customs finished it off with a deerskin-covered seat and back pad.

Don’t go looking for those tidy fenders in some catalog. Chris explained, “Originally I went without fenders. I actually went to a Triumph store and bought a couple of fenders, but nothing fit or looked right. Bob took a piece of sheetmetal and rolled it one way and somehow got the curvature of the fender the other way without it going flat again. I made the brackets and riveted it together and I think it looks cool.”

What’s it like to ride? Chris said, “It runs great, it only weighs 360 pounds and has really good pickup. I don’t take it out and see how fast I can go on it, I don’t do that anymore. I think it handles great. It’s just a really cool bike, everybody loves it.” BM