For more than a decade I’ve stayed true to this websites cafe racer theme. I can assure you this was...
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.
Everyone has their favorite things in life but only a few of us get to enjoy a career working with them....
This is 1980 BMW R100 was modified by Boxer Metal in California, in the style of a drag bike. drag...
Well, that wraps up yet another year of amazing cafe racer builds from custom workshops and backyard builders around the...
After months of hard work and seemingly endless nights of writing, issue 2 of Tank Moto is ! Just like...
What better way to celebrate a motorcycle workshop’s 10 year anniversary than with a build that showcases everything they’re capable...
Building custom motorcycles is all about solving problems. This could be working around a modern electrical system, extracting additional horsepower...
More and more motorcycle workshops are utilising advanced manufacturing technologies to realise their custom creations. 10 years ago three-dimensional computer-aided...
BMW Boxers have been all the rage in the custom motorcycle scene for years. Renowned for their bulletproof reliability and...
At first glance, you could be forgiven for assuming this custom motorcycle is based on a model from BMW Motorrad’s...
“The most elaborate and beautiful K100 we have ever built” For this unique collaboration, VTR Customs ironically chose a...
“As the story goes my first word was ‘car’ rather than ‘mummy’. I’m not so sure whether this is the...
This isn’t the first time we’ve featured a BMW cafe racer that’s been put together by a BMW car enthusiast....
The fine vólk at BMW Motorrad have a motorcycle for every occasion – just meander into a dealership and look...
Early this year Hammer received an invitation to work on the project direct from BMW Motorrad and gladly took up...
Building one-off projects for individual customers has its benefits, but it isn’t the most reliable income model for a custom...
Growing up in India the Sinroja brothers, Rahul and Birju, developed an out of the ordinary love for motorcycles. In...
If you’re into custom motorcycles (which I will assume you are since you’re here) the name Kaichiroh Kurosu and his...
We’ve all had a gut full of 2020 and I’m sure most people would agree they’ll be glad to see...
“The Diva project was inspired by BMW motorcycles of twenties, taking their class and elegance and blending it with modern...
It all began when Hieronymus spotted an MC club member’s BMW boxer parked on a sidewalk in Paris. Sitting in...
We’re big fans of the work of Californian motorcycle builder Samuel Kao and his workshop JSK Moto Co. JSK motorcycles...
As 2014 comes to an end I thought I’d take a (close up) look at some of the incredible work...
“A gentleman from Missouri contacted me through my H Garage website inquiring about a build using either a newer model...
You may remember the somewhat controversial Buell Norton Manx I featured a couple of months ago? Well it’s back and it’s...
Sometimes techniques for overcoming adversity are found in unexpected places. Scott Campbell found the solution to his battling his demons...
Back in 2013 BMW Motorrad celebrated the 40th anniversary of the legendary BMW R 90 S with the unveiling of...
BMW’s stalwart R100 was offered in various guises from 1976 to 1996. The 980cc boxer twins made adequate power, had...
This 1975 BMW R75/6 underwent a three-year transformation into a cafe racer. The bike is finished in metallic silver with...
Imagine this scenario: A bike magazine hands you a box-fresh 1978 BMW R100RS and the concept rendering for a fantastic,...
Lord Drake Kustoms, a motorcycle customization workshop in Malaga, transformed a 1984 BMW R65 into a cafe racer style for...
Hugo Eccles and the Untitled Motorcycles team are capable of building pretty much whatever they can dream up. Their custom...
This BMW R100R underwent an extensive modification process to enhance its performance and aesthetics. The modifications included refinishing the wire-spoke...
New York City is arguably the planets most influential style and culture mecca. Whatever you’re into you’re sure to find...
Perth’s Kaylan Galloway is a guy who likes to do things the hard way. Probably because he can. A welder...
This happens when one of the world’s most creative custom workshops decides that they need to customise their shop bike....
Stumbled across this 1961 BMW R69s Cafe Racer named “The Bull” today. It’s a strange combination of parts but it...
Building a custom motorcycle means owning a one-of-a-kind machine. A unique, personal expression that merges your individual style with performance...
Experiences from our youth can have a profound effect on what we do later in life. For Jean-Pierre, it was...
During its impressive 20-year run, there were 81 different model variations of the BMW R100. The iconic boxer has been...
This 1978 BMW R80/7 was modified by Upcycle Motor Garage into a bobber and fitted it with military-spec Firestone tractor...
If you’re customising motorcycles in Bavaria it seems only right said motorcycles should be those built by BMW Motorrad. Ralf...
The BMW R nineT, part of BMW’s Heritage line, is a classically styled café racer that seamlessly combines vintage and...
The owner of the BMW came to the OSE workshop in search of a cafe racer conversion for his 2016...
Christian Boosen runs 86 Gear Motorcycles, a custom motorcycle shop in Warsaw, Poland. Growing up alongside the Dutch border in...
After the success of his first custom bike series, Fran Manen of Lord Drake Kustoms knew he was on to...
Nostalgia can be a powerful motivator. For Joe Loss of Fremantle, Western Australia it started in his teenage years when...
One of the biggest decisions you’ll make when building your own Cafe Racer, or any style of custom motorcycle for...
HellGate Moto in New York City has transformed this 1995 BMW K1100 into a stunning cafe racer. The bike features...
This 1982 BMW R100RT has been customized in the cafe racer style. The fuel tank, front fender, and custom fiberglass...
The year is 1973 and Bavarian Motor Works has just celebrated their 50th anniversary. In addition, they’ve also just completed...
The transformation of this 1984 BMW K100RT into a cafe racer was a meticulous five-month project. The bike now exudes...
The Bavarian Cafe of Costa Mesa, California, undertook a cafe racer-style modification of this 1983 BMW R100 around 2013. The...
I’ve seen enough BMW cafe racer builds to last a lifetime. That doesn’t mean I don’t want to see any...
The compact, muscular R1200R with it’s classic, flat twin engine and naked design was the perfect starting point, but it...
Working with clients can be both challenging and rewarding. When Ønix Design’s latest customer, a doctor from Valencia, brought his...
On the dawn of a new year there’s plenty to get excited about. You’ve got another year of riding adventures...
The quality of the home built Cafe Racers being submitted by our readers continues to astound us. This exceptional bike...
Kyohey Sugimoto, owner of Berrybads Motorcycles works out of a modest space in Ōtsu, the capital of Japan’s Shiga Prefecture....
Austria’s NCT Motorcycles are this week’s ‘talk of the town’ with 3 of their awesome builds appearing on custom motorcycle...
I love a good concept bike. An open brief and an aim to push the boundaries, breach new territory and...
The Katze is finally out of the Tasche. BMW Motorrad has unveiled its highly anticipated R18 concept. As we all...
“I wanted to create an aggressive cafe racer with a design that separates it from the usual and a line...
“A Scottish businessman reached out to us after seeing our bikes. He asked us to customise his own brand new...
After a 2 year hiatus, the Munich-based custom motorcycle powerhouse Diamond Atelier is back. Despite big changes in the company’s...
This drastically customised BMW R80 is the brainchild of Oaky and JJ from Griffin Spares in Sydney. “Sometimes the best...
When it comes to building custom bikes, taking the path less travelled is never the easy option. Sure, cafe racers...
Of all the boxers the BMW R75/5 models with the “toaster” tank are a firm favourite. They are less angular...
When it comes to customising older BMW motorcycles the R series airheads are the most popular weapon of choice. Fuss-free...
BMW’s K100 Sports Tourer is a motorcycle that few people would consider when planning a custom build. Despite it’s 1000cc,...
This customized motorcycle was created by The Old Boys Motorcycle Workshop using a standard K75 that had been left unused...
Some people profess to being obsessed by a brand because they own 2 or 3 things said brand has made....
If there’s one thing every builder should strive to achieve when they customise a motorcycle it’s to improve upon its...
High in the northeastern reaches of Italy, you’ll find the Friuli Venezia Giulia region. Bordered by Slovenia and Austria it’s...
Don’t get me wrong, the BMW thumper is a great utilitarian machine. The reliability of the simple 650cc Rotax engine...
Ok I know it’s getting ridiculous now. Yet another BMW based Cafe Racer. This is the last one for...
In 2016, C&J Motorrad of Victoria, Minnesota, transformed this 1983 BMW R80ST into a scrambler masterpiece. The modification involved adjusting...
Looking back over the last 11 years of running this website the thing I’ve enjoyed the most is seeing workshops...
“This project kicked off with a stock 1982 BMW R45 that had laid dormant in our client’s garage for almost...
“I had been looking to build a clean, minimalistic BMW cafe racer for a couple of years. The less on...
It makes perfect sense that one of the world’s top custom BMW motorcycle builders is based in Germany. Under the...
Bill Costello crafted this custom café racer out of a 1981 BMW R100RT, intending to create a sleek urban ride...
The Johnnie Wash R Nine T series features 3 different models of which the Brown is the most extensively modified....
Back in 2012 four like-minded friends decided enough was enough. Driven by their desire to build and ride custom bikes...
The custom motorcycle world has been full of collaborations in the past few years. Manufacturers have recognised the influence custom...
Sometimes it’s a single detail that defines a build. Just one modification or handmade part that takes a custom motorcycle...
The 1978 BMW R80/7 showcases a polished fuel tank complementing its black frame. It is equipped with a 797cc boxer...
When someone describes a bike as a clean build you usually expect it to be something pretty special and I...
Located in New York City, The Suited Racer considers himself a ‘living piece of conceptual art’. The multidisciplinary artist creates...
Another cool motorcycling video brought to you by The Selvedge Yard. If you can get past the Bourne Identity-esque erratic...
Two motorcycle obsessed friends building bikes for a living. It sounds like the perfect life to be living. This is...
If you’re considering attempting to turn any kind of tourer into a cafe racer you’re going to have your work...
Building 50 custom motorcycles is no mean feat. Adrián Campos and the crew at the Valencia workshop of Bolt Motor...
BMW struck a chord in the custom motorcycle scene when they released the R Nine T. Powered by a bulletproof...
It’s the start of yet another working week. What better way to get through the day than by drooling over...
“We had never transformed a bike with such complex technology before!” Along with having to deal with the bikes modern...
Are you a dreamer or a doer? Prior to 2018 Marcel Galuszka would have labelled himself a dreamer. But when...
Tucked away in the southeastern forests of Bavaria is the small town of Viechtach. If you look it up on...
Every so often a custom motorcycle appears in my inbox that is so unique it stops me in my tracks....
As the lines blur between the different styles of custom bike building and builders become more adventurous, it’s getting much...