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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.

Pin
BikesBMW Cafe Racer

BMW R65 by Jerikan

I’ve never had the urge to eat a motorcycle before but this latest build from Jerikan looks delicious. For some...
PinBMW R nineT Cafe Racer
BikesBMW Cafe Racer

T Minus – Deep Creek BMW R nineT

The cafe racer in BMW’s R nineT heritage series won hearts with its sleek styling. However, motorcycle journalists brought a...
Pin
BikesBMW Cafe Racer

BMW R90S by Sébastien Beaupère

You may remember the somewhat controversial Buell Norton Manx I featured a couple of months ago? Well it’s back and it’s...
Pin
BikesBMW Cafe Racer

Plasma Customs BMW R65

Every so often a custom motorcycle appears in my inbox that is so unique it stops me in my tracks....
PinBMW K1100 cafe racer
BikesBMW Cafe Racer

M-spired – LaDini BMW K1100

Giorgio De Angelis of ‘De Angelis Elaborazioni’ prides himself in turning old BMWs into performance focused customs. Throughout his childhood,...
PinBMW R65 Scrambler
BikesBMW Cafe RacerScrambler

Scrambler – Rogue Motorcycles R65

For more than a decade I’ve stayed true to this websites cafe racer theme. I can assure you this was...
Pin
BikesBMW Cafe Racer

Bavarian Café BMW R100 LSB

Some people profess to being obsessed by a brand because they own 2 or 3 things said brand has made....
PinWrench Kings BMW R100 Cafe Racer
BikesBMW Cafe Racer

For Her – Wrench Kings BMW R100

Looking back over the last 11 years of running this website the thing I’ve enjoyed the most is seeing workshops...
PinKraftrad Noeda K100 RS
BikesBMW Cafe Racer

Flight Ready – Kraftrad Noeda BMW K100 RS

When it comes to customising older BMW motorcycles the R series airheads are the most popular weapon of choice. Fuss-free...
Pincherrys company bmw r9t custom
BikesBMW Cafe Racer

Cherry’s BMW R Nine T Highway Fighter

Last year I had the pleasure of attending the Mooneyes show in Japan. The builder that took out best of show...
PinCustom BMW R18
BMW Cafe RacerBobber

Insomnia – Unikat Motorworks BMW R18

Not all custom builds have to completely transform a motorcycle to catch our attention. Fresh on the heels of BMW...
Pin
BikesBMW Cafe Racer

VTR Rad Roadster – Goodwood BMW R1200R

The compact, muscular R1200R with it’s classic, flat twin engine and naked design was the perfect starting point, but it...
Pin
BikesBMW Cafe Racer

Elegant Bastard R Nine T

After just having the pleasure of pretending to own an R Nine T for the past few days (keep an...
Pin
BikesBMW Cafe Racer

Inspired to build – Maverick BMW R100RS

I recently became acquainted with Maximiliaan van Kuyk of Maverick motorcycles. Max and his brothers stumbled into the Cafe Racer...
Pincustom bmw k100 deep creek cycleworks
BikesBMW Cafe Racer

Fifty Shades of Grey – Deep Creeks BMW K100

Building custom motorcycles is all about solving problems. This could be working around a modern electrical system, extracting additional horsepower...
PinBmw K1100 cafe racer
BikesBMW Cafe Racer

Kompact Racer – BMW K1100 RS Cafe Racer

When a builder chooses to convert a tourer into a cafe racer it’s always a bit of a surprise to...
Pin
Bike of the DayBMW Cafe Racer

Bike Of The Day: BMW R Nine T Racer

BMW made a cardinal sin when they created the cafe racer variation of the R Nine T. They down-graded its...
Pin
BikesBMW Cafe Racer

The Classic Racer – NCT BMW R100 RS

Austria’s NCT Motorcycles are this week’s ‘talk of the town’ with 3 of their awesome builds appearing on custom motorcycle...
PinBMW R100 Cafe Racer
BikesBMW Cafe Racer

Cut Snake – BMW R100RT café racer

“I thought to myself, if I can fix and maintain a 40 million dollar yacht, then I can build a...
PinSinroja BMW R80
BikesBMW Cafe Racer

Blue Fix – Sinroja R19 BMW R80/7

Customer requests and customer needs are two very different things. UK’s Sinroja Motorcycles are always happy to oblige with customer...
PinBMW R100 R cafe racer by Sinroja Motorcycles
BikesBMW Cafe Racer

R3 Racer – Sinroja BMW R110 R

Growing up in India the Sinroja brothers, Rahul and Birju, developed an out of the ordinary love for motorcycles. In...
PinBMW R1200RT cafe racer
BikesBMW Cafe Racer

Transforming a Tourer – Si Mantas R1200RT

In full dress, the BMW R1200RT tips the scales at hefty 259kg. This is by no means an ideal starting...
Pincafe racer in garage
BikesBMW Cafe RacerDucati Cafe RacerHonda Cafe RacerMotorcycle ReviewsMV AgustaStile ItalianoTriumph Cafe RacerYamaha Cafe Racer

Top 10 Cafe Racer Builds of 2020

Well, that wraps up yet another year of amazing cafe racer builds from custom workshops and backyard builders around the...
Pin
BikesBMW Cafe RacerHarley Davidson Cafe Racer

Monday motorbike blues…

It’s the start of yet another working week. What better way to get through the day than by drooling over...
Pin
BikesBMW Cafe Racer

Jerikan BMW R80 Cafe Racer

I can confidently say this is the first time I’ve featured a custom motorcycle that was influenced by Keira Knightley. Jeremy at...
Pin
BikesBMW Cafe Racer

Happy New Year 2012

On the dawn of a new year there’s plenty to get excited about. You’ve got another year of riding adventures...
PinUnikat BMW K1100 cafe racer
Bike of the DayBMW Cafe Racer

Bike Of The Day: Unikat BMW K1100LT

The BMW K1100LT motorcycle, despite being heavy and expensive, had a powerful engine and high-quality components, making it a popular...
Pin
BikesBMW Cafe Racer

The Dagger – Matteucci Garage BMW R80ST

“I wanted to create an aggressive cafe racer with a design that separates it from the usual and a line...
PinMans Custom Worx BMW K100
BMW Cafe Racer

Numero Uno – Mans Custom Worx BMW K100

High in the northeastern reaches of Italy, you’ll find the Friuli Venezia Giulia region. Bordered by Slovenia and Austria it’s...
PinUntitled motorcycles BMW R100
BikesBMW Cafe RacerScrambler

Kalifornia Dreaming – UMC BMW R100

Hugo Eccles and the Untitled Motorcycles team are capable of building pretty much whatever they can dream up. Their custom...
Pin
BikesBMW Cafe Racer

BMW R100 Hashtag 88 by Kevils

Remember in school when you had an exam and there was always that one kid who consistently finished before everyone...
PinBlackout Customs BMW K100RT
BMW Cafe Racer

Marc Ellus – Blackout Custom Design K100RT

Are you a dreamer or a doer? Prior to 2018 Marcel Galuszka would have labelled himself a dreamer. But when...
Pin
BikesBMW Cafe Racer

Eleven BMW R100 by Kevils

The Eleven by Kevil’s Speed Shop in the UK. One of the latest BMW Cafe Racers to roll out of...
Pin
BikesBMW Cafe Racer

Valkyrie BMW R65

As the lines blur between the different styles of custom bike building and builders become more adventurous, it’s getting much...
PinTop 5 modern motorcycles for cafe racer
BikesBMW Cafe RacerBuilding a Cafe RacerHarley Davidson Cafe RacerTriumph Cafe RacerYamaha Cafe Racer

Top 5 modern motorcycles to customise

One of the biggest decisions you’ll make when building your own Cafe Racer, or any style of custom motorcycle for...
PinBMW R60/7 Cafe Racer
BikesBMW Cafe Racer

Father’s Son – Le Bouterollier BMW R60/7

Experiences from our youth can have a profound effect on what we do later in life. For Jean-Pierre, it was...
PinLucky Cat Garage Sprintbeemer
BikesBMW Cafe Racer

Sprintbeemer by Lucky Cat Garage

Europe’s largest Cafe Racer event, the Glemseck 101, just took place in Stuttgart, Germany. Now in its 5th year, the...
PinBMW R100RT Cafe Racer
BMW Cafe Racer

This Beemer’s Got Back – Speakeasy Motors R100T

Sometimes it’s a single detail that defines a build. Just one modification or handmade part that takes a custom motorcycle...
PinK-Speed BMW KL1100 cafe racer
BMW Cafe Racer

Shop with Confidence – KSpeed BMW K1100LT Cafe Racer

Trust is one of the biggest hurdles for any business. But once it is achieved, success will follow. After amassing...
Pin
BikesBMW Cafe RacerMotorcycle Videos

Ritmo Sereno story

Shiroh Nakajima is the custom motorcycle engineer and CEO behind Japanese workshop Ritmo Sereno. In this short film Shiroh explains...
PinTwisted Fate BMW K1100
BMW Cafe Racer

The Enforcer – Twisted Fate BMW K1100LT

Melbourne is arguably the creative hub of Australia. If you’re looking for great food or a cultural experience the city...
PinTank Machine custom BMW R9T
BikesBMW Cafe Racer

Red Line – Tank Machine BMW R9T

Tank Machine was established by Clement Molina back in 2015 following his 18 years of experience working in the motorcycle...
PinWoidwerk BMW R Nine T
BikesBMW Cafe Racer

Smith 001 – Woidwerk BMW R Nine T

Tucked away in the southeastern forests of Bavaria is the small town of Viechtach. If you look it up on...
PinBMW R100RT Cafe Racer
BikesBMW Cafe Racer

Fond Memories – JOE’S BMW R100RT

Nostalgia can be a powerful motivator. For Joe Loss of Fremantle, Western Australia it started in his teenage years when...
Pin
BikesBMW Cafe Racer

GP Design Diva R1200S

“The Diva project was inspired by BMW motorcycles of twenties, taking their class and elegance and blending it with modern...
Pin
BikesBMW Cafe RacerHonda Cafe RacerIndian

Elkhart Lake Vintage Motorcycle Races

Big thanks to Collin Christenbury for sending in these shots he took at the Vintage Motorcycle Races & Show in Elkhart Lake...
PinDiamond Atelier BMW R100R cafe racer
BikesBMW Cafe Racer

Cafe Racer Evolution – Mark II EVO R100R

Building one-off projects for individual customers has its benefits, but it isn’t the most reliable income model for a custom...
PinWoidwerk Bmw R100/7
BMW Cafe Racer

Steel & Wood – Woidwerk BMW R100/7

If you’re customising motorcycles in Bavaria it seems only right said motorcycles should be those built by BMW Motorrad. Ralf...
PinRetrorides BMW K100
BikesBMW Cafe RacerBuilding a Cafe Racer

RetroRides K100 Cafe Racer

Brazillian workshop Retrorides is the result of forty years of hard work by two generations of the Lourenço family. Nestled...
PinCherry's Company Midnight Dancer BMW HP2 Sport
BMW Cafe Racer

Midnight Dancer: Cherry’s Company BMW HP2 SPORT

If you’re into custom motorcycles (which I will assume you are since you’re here) the name Kaichiroh Kurosu and his...
PinWalzWerks Schizzo Monza BMW R100
BMW Cafe Racer

The Monza – WalzWerk Schizzo BMW R100 Monolever

It makes perfect sense that one of the world’s top custom BMW motorcycle builders is based in Germany. Under the...
Pin
BikesBMW Cafe Racer

Built on a Budget BMW R100RS custom

It all began when Hieronymus spotted an MC club member’s BMW boxer parked on a sidewalk in Paris. Sitting in...
Pin
BikesBMW Cafe RacerHarley Davidson Cafe RacerHonda Cafe RacerKawasaki Cafe RacerLifestyle StoriesSuzuki Cafe Racer

Tank Moto issue 2

After months of hard work and seemingly endless nights of writing, issue 2 of Tank Moto is now available! Just...
PinOrtolani BMW R NineT
BMW Cafe Racer

Same But Different – Ortolani R Nine T

Back in 2017, French builder Ortolani Customs wowed us with his metalworking prowess. His polished Ducati 1199 S earned him...
PinBMW-IMOLA-750
BikesBMW Cafe Racer

BMW Imola 750cc of Helmut Dähne

40 years later the bike is still running (see video below) and still features the original racing seal of the Italian...
PinKott BMW R80 cafe racer
BikesBMW Cafe Racer

Chop Talk – Kott Motorcycles BMW R80

One of the many amazing bikes on display at this year’s Handbuilt show in Austin was Dustin Kott’s BMW R80....
PinCustom Creations BMW R100R Cafe Racer
BMW Cafe Racer

The Rise – Custom Creations BMW R100R

What better way to celebrate a motorcycle workshop’s 10 year anniversary than with a build that showcases everything they’re capable...
Pin
BikesBMW Cafe Racer

BikeBiz R nineT Sun Kist

According to Mark Condon of BikeBiz “Our team really know their bikes, so depending on the customer we can give...
Pin
Bike of the DayBMW Cafe Racer

Bike Of The Day: Custom 1981 BMW R100RT Cafe Racer

Bill Costello crafted this custom café racer out of a 1981 BMW R100RT, intending to create a sleek urban ride...
Pin
BMW Cafe RacerCustom Motorcycle Builder

On Trend – Rogue Motorcycles BMW R65

Even in the motorcycle world, trends, like all things in life, come and go. The cafe racer scene has seen...
Pin
BikesBMW Cafe Racer

Nitrous injected Cafe Racer

Anyone got any details on this beast?...
PinBMW R80 cafe racer
BikesBMW Cafe Racer

Two Heads – Leli Motive BMW R80/7

“I had been looking to build a clean, minimalistic BMW cafe racer for a couple of years. The less on...
Pin
BikesBMW Cafe Racer

BMW K75 Tatanka

Everyone has their favorite things in life but only a few of us get to enjoy a career working with them....
Pin
BikesBMW Cafe Racer

BMW R26 the Loud Kraut

“All men’s misfortunes spring from their hatred of being alone“ The sad individual responsible for that quote obviously never had...
Pin
BikesBMW Cafe Racer

Moto Sumisura BMW K100

BMW’s K100 Sports Tourer is a motorcycle that few people would consider when planning a custom build. Despite it’s 1000cc,...
PinBMW R7 restoration concept motorcycle
BikesBMW Cafe Racer

Deco Dream Bike – 1934 BMW R7

Could a motorcycle be any more beautiful? This is a fully restored 1934 BMW R7 and it’s the only one...
PinUnikat BMW K1100 cafe racer
BikesBMW Cafe RacerKTM

Dynamite – Unikat BMW K1100LT

Mentioning Grand Tourer and cafe racer in the same sentence isn’t something you’ll see me do often. That’s because bikes...
PinBMW Street Scrambler
BMW Cafe RacerScrambler

Marc’s BMW R100S Street Scrambler

BMW’s stalwart R100 was offered in various guises from 1976 to 1996. The 980cc boxer twins made adequate power, had...
Pin
BikesBMW Cafe Racer

BMW R1200R Cafe Racer

There’s no denying that classic BMW motorcycles make great looking Cafe Racers, but if you’re looking to build a modern...
PinBMW R65 Cafe Racer
BikesBMW Cafe Racer

Road to Recovery – Scott Campbell’s BMW R65

Sometimes techniques for overcoming adversity are found in unexpected places. Scott Campbell found the solution to his battling his demons...
Pin
BikesBMW Cafe Racer

Valtoron La Bulla BMW K1600

“We had never transformed a bike with such complex technology before!” Along with having to deal with the bikes modern...
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Est. 2006 Return of the Cafe Racers is the world's premier cafe racer focused website. We publish regular features on custom motorcycle builds, riding gear reviews, how to guides and event coverage from around the globe. If you're a fan of cafe racer motorcycles and style then you've come to the right place!

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