BMW made a cardinal sin when they created the cafe racer variation of the R Nine T. They down-graded its...
BMW Cafe Racer
The German company BMW Motorrad built its first motorcycle, the R32, in 1923. Powered by a 494cc flat-twin boxer the R32’s horizontally opposed engine configuration became an iconic feature of BMW motorcycles throughout their history. In later years they also developed the flat-four engine used in models like the K100. This engine was coined the ‘flying brick’ due to its bulky appearance. Despite its unfortunate nickname the flat-four still the level of performance that earned BMW their well-respected reputation.
Older BMW “airhead” boxer twins and R series models are popular choices for BMW cafe racer projects. With some models featuring bolt-on subframes and others sporting aluminum fuel tanks, choosing a BMW as the donor for your project has its benefits. In more recent years BMW has embraced the custom scene by creating the R Nine T. The BMW R9T was designed and built specifically with customization in mind.
In our archives, you’ll find countless BMW cafe racer features that are a great source of inspiration and tips for anyone hoping to build their own.
The Kustom Moto team has transformed this 1992 BMW K1100 into a modern cafe racer, complete with a powerful 100+...
Bill Costello crafted this custom café racer out of a 1981 BMW R100RT, intending to create a sleek urban ride...
The BMW K1100LT motorcycle, despite being heavy and expensive, had a powerful engine and high-quality components, making it a popular...
If you’re into custom motorcycles (which I will assume you are since you’re here) the name Kaichiroh Kurosu and his...
Located in New York City, The Suited Racer considers himself a ‘living piece of conceptual art’. The multidisciplinary artist creates...
It makes perfect sense that one of the world’s top custom BMW motorcycle builders is based in Germany. Under the...
At first glance, you could be forgiven for assuming this custom motorcycle is based on a model from BMW Motorrad’s...
Building 50 custom motorcycles is no mean feat. Adrián Campos and the crew at the Valencia workshop of Bolt Motor...
One of the hardest parts of a custom bike build is deciding when it’s done. This same problem applies to...
The bar has definitely been raised in the custom motorcycle scene. If you’re planning on impressing anyone a bolt-on seat,...
Trust is one of the biggest hurdles for any business. But once it is achieved, success will follow. After amassing...
I bet the last thing Edgar Heinrich and the BMW Motorrad Design team ever expected to see was their behemoth...
After the success of his first custom bike series, Fran Manen of Lord Drake Kustoms knew he was on to...
The latest instalment of the Batman movie series directed by Matt Reeves is due to hit US cinema screens in...
Sometimes it’s a single detail that defines a build. Just one modification or handmade part that takes a custom motorcycle...
Building 2 identical motorcycles probably wouldn’t sound all that appealing to most builders. But for Antoine Meister who runs the...
During its impressive 20-year run, there were 81 different model variations of the BMW R100. The iconic boxer has been...
When it comes to building custom bikes, taking the path less travelled is never the easy option. Sure, cafe racers...
Even in the motorcycle world, trends, like all things in life, come and go. The cafe racer scene has seen...
Are you a dreamer or a doer? Prior to 2018 Marcel Galuszka would have labelled himself a dreamer. But when...
What better way to celebrate a motorcycle workshop’s 10 year anniversary than with a build that showcases everything they’re capable...
Not all custom builds have to completely transform a motorcycle to catch our attention. Fresh on the heels of BMW...
High in the northeastern reaches of Italy, you’ll find the Friuli Venezia Giulia region. Bordered by Slovenia and Austria it’s...
BMW’s stalwart R100 was offered in various guises from 1976 to 1996. The 980cc boxer twins made adequate power, had...
Custom bikes often opt for a shock and awe approach to make an impact in this modern, social media-saturated world....
Last week we featured a very tidy BMW K1100 LT cafe racer by Anthony LoGalbo of New York based workshop...
New York City is arguably the planets most influential style and culture mecca. Whatever you’re into you’re sure to find...
Unless you’re buying a Harley-Davidson most dealerships don’t offer much in the way of customisation at the time of sale....
Repeat customers are the bread and butter of every business. Unfortunately, for some businesses, such as custom motorcycle builders, most...
The fine vólk at BMW Motorrad have a motorcycle for every occasion – just meander into a dealership and look...
This isn’t the first time we’ve featured a BMW cafe racer that’s been put together by a BMW car enthusiast....
Working with clients can be both challenging and rewarding. When Ønix Design’s latest customer, a doctor from Valencia, brought his...
Back in 2017, French builder Ortolani Customs wowed us with his metalworking prowess. His polished Ducati 1199 S earned him...
Melbourne is arguably the creative hub of Australia. If you’re looking for great food or a cultural experience the city...
If you’re customising motorcycles in Bavaria it seems only right said motorcycles should be those built by BMW Motorrad. Ralf...
Well, that wraps up yet another year of amazing cafe racer builds from custom workshops and backyard builders around the...
When he’s not fabricating parts for submarines (Yes, you read that right) David Manchester is building bespoke furniture or helping...
Adrián Campos and the team at Valencia’s Bolt Motor Co. are set to finish their 50th build sometime during 2021....
We’ve all had a gut full of 2020 and I’m sure most people would agree they’ll be glad to see...
BMW Motorrad has just lifted the covers off their upcoming 2021 R nineT range. This is of course great news...
From building show cars to display at the hallowed halls of the Las Vegas Sema show to tinkering on Honda...
Christian Boosen runs 86 Gear Motorcycles, a custom motorcycle shop in Warsaw, Poland. Growing up alongside the Dutch border in...
We have a serious soft spot for BMW cafe racers but we’re also big fans of Scrambler styled Beemers. There’s...
The year is 1973 and Bavarian Motor Works has just celebrated their 50th anniversary. In addition, they’ve also just completed...
Back in 2013 BMW Motorrad celebrated the 40th anniversary of the legendary BMW R 90 S with the unveiling of...
Sometimes techniques for overcoming adversity are found in unexpected places. Scott Campbell found the solution to his battling his demons...
When it comes to customising older BMW motorcycles the R series airheads are the most popular weapon of choice. Fuss-free...
For many years the United States was the biggest source of inspiration for custom motorcycle builders around the world. Then...
More and more motorcycle workshops are utilising advanced manufacturing technologies to realise their custom creations. 10 years ago three-dimensional computer-aided...
Here’s a little something to get you through another night glued to the couch. Our latest instalment of the Sunday...
Kyohey Sugimoto, owner of Berrybads Motorcycles works out of a modest space in Ōtsu, the capital of Japan’s Shiga Prefecture....
It’s been less than 6 months since we featured the Le Bouterollier BMW R60/7 and Jean-Pierre is back with yet...
Hugo Eccles and the Untitled Motorcycles team are capable of building pretty much whatever they can dream up. Their custom...
Nostalgia can be a powerful motivator. For Joe Loss of Fremantle, Western Australia it started in his teenage years when...
Tucked away in the southeastern forests of Bavaria is the small town of Viechtach. If you look it up on...
Experiences from our youth can have a profound effect on what we do later in life. For Jean-Pierre, it was...
Customer requests and customer needs are two very different things. UK’s Sinroja Motorcycles are always happy to oblige with customer...
Brazillian workshop Retrorides is the result of forty years of hard work by two generations of the Lourenço family. Nestled...
Of all the boxers the BMW R75/5 models with the “toaster” tank are a firm favourite. They are less angular...
Twin Shock Division (TSD) Motorcycles is a tiny shop located in the Ukranian capital of Kiev. Headed by the talented...
If you’re considering attempting to turn any kind of tourer into a cafe racer you’re going to have your work...
Two motorcycle obsessed friends building bikes for a living. It sounds like the perfect life to be living. This is...
Our friends over at Cognito Moto have been toiling away on their latest custom BMW R75 project. The project was...
In full dress, the BMW R1200RT tips the scales at hefty 259kg. This is by no means an ideal starting...
Perth’s Kaylan Galloway is a guy who likes to do things the hard way. Probably because he can. A welder...
The Katze is finally out of the Tasche. BMW Motorrad has unveiled its highly anticipated R18 concept. As we all...
Mentioning Grand Tourer and cafe racer in the same sentence isn’t something you’ll see me do often. That’s because bikes...
One of the many amazing bikes on display at this year’s Handbuilt show in Austin was Dustin Kott’s BMW R80....
The cafe racer in BMW’s R nineT heritage series won hearts with its sleek styling. However, motorcycle journalists brought a...
For more than a decade I’ve stayed true to this websites cafe racer theme. I can assure you this was...
I’ve seen enough BMW cafe racer builds to last a lifetime. That doesn’t mean I don’t want to see any...
When a builder chooses to convert a tourer into a cafe racer it’s always a bit of a surprise to...
It’s not every day you find yourself handing out an award at one of the world’s most prestigious custom automotive...
Building one-off projects for individual customers has its benefits, but it isn’t the most reliable income model for a custom...
The custom motorcycle world has been full of collaborations in the past few years. Manufacturers have recognised the influence custom...
I am Nigel Petrie from Engineered To Slide and I want to share with you my new BMW R Nine...
I once said that the 1934 BMW R7 was one of the most beautiful motorcycles ever made, and I still...
Is there such a thing as a factory built cafe racer? If you ask a purist they’ll tell you no...
Building custom motorcycles is all about solving problems. This could be working around a modern electrical system, extracting additional horsepower...
There are few motorcycle engines as iconic as BMW Motorrad’s flat twin ‘Boxer’. Renowned for their bulletproof reliability the Boxer...
We’re big fans of the work of Californian motorcycle builder Samuel Kao and his workshop JSK Moto Co. JSK motorcycles...
BMW struck a chord in the custom motorcycle scene when they released the R Nine T. Powered by a bulletproof...
“I thought to myself, if I can fix and maintain a 40 million dollar yacht, then I can build a...
“This project kicked off with a stock 1982 BMW R45 that had laid dormant in our client’s garage for almost...
Tank Machine was established by Clement Molina back in 2015 following his 18 years of experience working in the motorcycle...
37-year-old Degano developed an interest in BMWs from a young age. His father was a member of the French police...
Back in 2012 four like-minded friends decided enough was enough. Driven by their desire to build and ride custom bikes...
If there’s one thing every builder should strive to achieve when they customise a motorcycle it’s to improve upon its...
Years later I managed to scrape together enough to buy my first road bike, get my license sorted and I...
“I had been looking to build a clean, minimalistic BMW cafe racer for a couple of years. The less on...
Looking back over the last 11 years of running this website the thing I’ve enjoyed the most is seeing workshops...
Imagine this scenario: A bike magazine hands you a box-fresh 1978 BMW R100RS and the concept rendering for a fantastic,...
One of the biggest decisions you’ll make when building your own Cafe Racer, or any style of custom motorcycle for...
“As the story goes my first word was ‘car’ rather than ‘mummy’. I’m not so sure whether this is the...
Early this year Hammer received an invitation to work on the project direct from BMW Motorrad and gladly took up...
Giorgio De Angelis of ‘De Angelis Elaborazioni’ prides himself in turning old BMWs into performance focused customs. Throughout his childhood,...
As BMW Motorrad put it, the R9T Racer is “Style in the fast lane.” It’s a fitting statement for this...
“The most elaborate and beautiful K100 we have ever built” For this unique collaboration, VTR Customs ironically chose a...
