A good looking special.

[Sibbo]

https://www.daddymotors.com/c68/blog/1/534/

Except for the strange fixture on the tank, it's pretty neat .

[Zombie Master]

Looks like it would work too!

[Sibbo]

Except for the thousands involved I'd be tempted to emulate it !

[Zombie Master]

Is it a Mystic?

[Sibbo]

R80 ST..... much modded.

[Garnet]

Is that some form of hand shifter on the tank?

[Sibbo]

I think so , it's the only thing that looks strange .

[Major Softie]

I agree with your first impression, Sibbo: my initial reaction was "what the hell it that thing on the side of that incredibly beautiful motorcycle?

And, I don't know what the heck it is, but I doubt it's a shifter.

[dwerbil]

Since it looks like the left foot shifter is missing, it must be a shifter...

http://www.pbase.com/dwerbil/image/1574 ... iginal.jpg

May be for an amputee.

[Jeff in W.C.]

Since it looks like the left foot shifter is missing, it must be a shifter...

It's hard to tell from that photo due to the low quality, but it looks like the shifter is there. The shifter looks like the ones on the R100 GS's.

I found the answer here (http://www.bikeexif.com/bmw-r80st). From the site
The tank is from a Kawasaki KZ750, with an ingenious addition to one side: A vintage Ural suicide shift has been converted to a choke mechanism for warming up the engine when cold.