Le French Atelier R80

Words by Ross Sharp · Bike by Le French Atelier · Posted on 09/10/2015

Being British is great, we have an awful lot going for us. As a nation our legacy of engineering prowess is perhaps unmatched and we can proudly hold our heads high as having played a pivotal role in spawning two wheeled transportation and driving it’s development through the decades. But, one thing we are not renowned for is style. Smart maybe, but stylish, no.
Being an island we don’t benefit from the style nutrient that runs down from glacial meltwaters of The Alps and into the rivers of mainland Europe. OK, so in some countries these appear to be mere tributaries (and certainly in certain regions dams ensure thirst isn’t quenched at all) but in France for instance an entire population drinks water packed full of style minerals. Clever biochemistry then causes the molecules within to proliferate to create the Cool Gene. This is scientific fact, we carried out a proper experimentilisation called Bike Shed Paris 2015. The results were conclusive – French dudes are more stylish and cooler than British ones. 

Vincent Amar, Thomas & Anthony Letourneur and Denis Pereira from Le French Atelier quietly turned up at said Parisenne experiment with 3 stunning bikes, luckily the cleaners at Le Carreau du Temple were on hand with spill-kits to soak up the style that kept falling off the plinths and dribbling all over the expensive parquet floor. Alright, enough lyrical waxing already, you get the picture, I’m rather partial to this motorcycle. Fellow purveyors of achingly handsome customs, Blitz Motorcycles inspired the LFA guys with their rather splendid Black Pearl, which was built by Blitz co-founder Hugo as his personal city steed.
LFA’s Anthony wanted to create a bike with near drag strip proportions and stance so set wheels in motion with a less structurally fussy mono-levered R80RT from 1987. Having been an ex-Gendarme bike it was in pretty good condition, probably having only been put into service on occasion to apprehend fashion criminals around the capital. The subframe was re-fabricated and kept as svelte and low profile as possible, so much so that the Alcantara seat pad sits within the frame rails. The single shock on these later R80s allows for an acute mounting angle and creates a super-clean rear end. To mirror the single sided swing arm the opposing disc on the front wheel and caliper mount were removed providing a considered visual balance.


The narrow fuel tank was liberated from a seventies Yamaha DTE125 and modified to fit the Beemer’s spine before receiving copious coats of gun metal grey metallic paint. We’ve meddled with these photos a bit for your viewing pleasure, but trust me, if you like a mean looking bike then this grey is for you.
The scoop and the front of the tank previously allowed movement of the clumsy yoke clamp on the Yamaha but on this application the void offered the perfect hiding place for the all-in-one speedo, idiot lights and of course the power button. Who doesn’t like a back-lit button to get the party started, especially when mounted in a machined aluminium housing.
With the subframe out of bounds for electricity storage the original airbox was utilised for housing the tiny lithium battery, ignition coil and regulator. An airscoop reminiscent of that on a 1970s F1 car was rolled from stainless and powder coated, providing a cooling flow to the tightly packed electrics.
Minimalism of near Nordic standards continues throughout the rest of the build with only the business critical items being refitted after the painter and powder coated had played their part. Rizoma’s thick catalogue was thumbed to find lighting solutions and the fellow stylistas from the Italian side of The Alps we’re only too happy too help out. And yes, the headlight looks like the perfect tool for illuminating bridges but note the refraction, some lumens do in fact make it down onto the road ahead.

I’m sure the keyboard jockeys on social media will have a field day with their proclamations about practicality, and although everyone is entitled to their own opinion, on this occasion that right is rescinded. Coolmax lined Rohan zip-off trousers with 17 pockets, ripstop knees and an integrated Leatherman pouch are unquestionably functional, but crimes to style are taken seriously across the water and such sartorial abominations are banned within the Périphérique.

Sadly good things must come to an end, although whoever made up that rule is a bit of a prick, and after six months of thorough enjoyment this R80 is being sold to fund future projects. We had a jolly good poke around this bike and can attest to the more than decent fit and finish but unfortunately the contents of my pockets and the key to my Cagiva didn’t convert very well into Euros so it’s still up for grabs. Probably for the best, as a stylistically deficient Brit I simply wouldn’t do such a bike justice.

Watch out for LFA’s next moves on
First published by thebikeshed