The compact, muscular R1200R with it’s classic, flat twin engine and naked design was the perfect starting point, but it...
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.
When someone describes a bike as a clean build you usually expect it to be something pretty special and I...
Twin Shock Division (TSD) Motorcycles is a tiny shop located in the Ukranian capital of Kiev. Headed by the talented...
In our opinion there’s nothing better than when a talented photographer turns his camera’s attention to classic motorbikes. These shots...
The BMW R nineT, part of BMW’s Heritage line, is a classically styled café racer that seamlessly combines vintage and...
Nostalgia can be a powerful motivator. For Joe Loss of Fremantle, Western Australia it started in his teenage years when...
Sometimes techniques for overcoming adversity are found in unexpected places. Scott Campbell found the solution to his battling his demons...
It all began when Hieronymus spotted an MC club member’s BMW boxer parked on a sidewalk in Paris. Sitting in...
As BMW Motorrad put it, the R9T Racer is “Style in the fast lane.” It’s a fitting statement for this...
Experiences from our youth can have a profound effect on what we do later in life. For Jean-Pierre, it was...
This 1975 BMW R75/6 underwent a three-year transformation into a cafe racer. The bike is finished in metallic silver with...
“I had been looking to build a clean, minimalistic BMW cafe racer for a couple of years. The less on...
The Johnnie Wash R Nine T series features 3 different models of which the Brown is the most extensively modified....
I’ve always loved the use of wood in cars. When I was young a neighbor converted an old ’30s Chevy into...
The Digimoto project was a collaboration between industrial designer Christian Zanzotti, product development agency Greydev and BMW aftermarket experts Wunderlich....
Tank Machine was established by Clement Molina back in 2015 following his 18 years of experience working in the motorcycle...
“We are first and foremost designers, we don’t consider ourselves as ‘builders’ or mechanics. We customize and have enough contacts...
This 1977 BMW R75/7 was transformed into a cafe racer, featuring modifications such as a carbon-fiber cafe-style bump seat and...
BMW Boxers have been all the rage in the custom motorcycle scene for years. Renowned for their bulletproof reliability and...
This drastically customised BMW R80 is the brainchild of Oaky and JJ from Griffin Spares in Sydney. “Sometimes the best...
It’s the start of yet another working week. What better way to get through the day than by drooling over...
The owner of the BMW came to the OSE workshop in search of a cafe racer conversion for his 2016...
Bill Costello crafted this custom café racer out of a 1981 BMW R100RT, intending to create a sleek urban ride...
Austria’s NCT Motorcycles are this week’s ‘talk of the town’ with 3 of their awesome builds appearing on custom motorcycle...
This isn’t the first time we’ve featured a BMW cafe racer that’s been put together by a BMW car enthusiast....
Years later I managed to scrape together enough to buy my first road bike, get my license sorted and I...
Everyone has their favorite things in life but only a few of us get to enjoy a career working with them....
Daniel Delfour, an experienced violin maker, decided to channel his artistic sensibility into crafting a truly extraordinary motorcycle. Combining a...
One of the biggest decisions you’ll make when building your own Cafe Racer, or any style of custom motorcycle for...
This 1978 BMW R100S underwent a scrambler-style customization, showcasing various enhancements. The replacement tank has been skillfully repainted in a...
I’ve never had the urge to eat a motorcycle before but this latest build from Jerikan looks delicious. For some...
Upcycle Garage created a unique BMW motorcycle, which is one of two cafe racers built by them. The bike, originally...
This 1983 BMW R80ST has undergone a series of modifications to enhance its performance and aesthetics. It now boasts an...
When it comes to customising older BMW motorcycles the R series airheads are the most popular weapon of choice. Fuss-free...
If you’re customising motorcycles in Bavaria it seems only right said motorcycles should be those built by BMW Motorrad. Ralf...
This BMW R Nine T is a customized retro-inspired sportbike turned café racer. It is equipped with a 1,170cc air-cooled...
There’s no denying that Guzzis and BWMs have the biggest, bulkiest looking engines of all the motorcycle manufacturers (not to...
Every so often a custom motorcycle appears in my inbox that is so unique it stops me in my tracks....
The 2012 Bonneville Speed Week is wrapping up for another year. Thankfully it looks like we’ll be seeing a lot...
Not all custom builds have to completely transform a motorcycle to catch our attention. Fresh on the heels of BMW...
Europe’s largest Cafe Racer event, the Glemseck 101, just took place in Stuttgart, Germany. Now in its 5th year, the...
Is there such a thing as a factory built cafe racer? If you ask a purist they’ll tell you no...
Located in New York City, The Suited Racer considers himself a ‘living piece of conceptual art’. The multidisciplinary artist creates...
“I wanted to create an aggressive cafe racer with a design that separates it from the usual and a line...
Introducing the BMW K1100, a remarkable cafe racer-style motorcycle that pays homage to the legendary Bavarian ‘Flying Brick’. This particular...
One of the many amazing bikes on display at this year’s Handbuilt show in Austin was Dustin Kott’s BMW R80....
Custom bikes often opt for a shock and awe approach to make an impact in this modern, social media-saturated world....
This lovely BMW R 100 named the “Earl Grey” is currently up for sale through Urban Moto in Germany for...
Even in the motorcycle world, trends, like all things in life, come and go. The cafe racer scene has seen...
Nitro Cycles are a relatively new workshop to the Spanish custom scene and this BMW K100 RS Cafe Racer represents...
Back in 2017, French builder Ortolani Customs wowed us with his metalworking prowess. His polished Ducati 1199 S earned him...
Lord Drake Kustoms, a motorcycle customization workshop in Malaga, transformed a 1984 BMW R65 into a cafe racer style for...
Sinroja Motorcycles is run by brothers Rahul and Birju. This bike was only the third build to roll out of...
Stumbled across this 1961 BMW R69s Cafe Racer named “The Bull” today. It’s a strange combination of parts but it...
This K100RT is a delightful illustration of a sport touring motorcycle from the 1980s, with several modifications typical of a...
“A Scottish businessman reached out to us after seeing our bikes. He asked us to customise his own brand new...
This BMW R100 has been transformed by Kevil’s Speed Shop, a Torquay-based motorcycle tuning house and cafe racer specialist. The...
At first glance, you could be forgiven for assuming this custom motorcycle is based on a model from BMW Motorrad’s...
Trust is one of the biggest hurdles for any business. But once it is achieved, success will follow. After amassing...
This happens when one of the world’s most creative custom workshops decides that they need to customise their shop bike....
Remember in school when you had an exam and there was always that one kid who consistently finished before everyone...
“The Diva project was inspired by BMW motorcycles of twenties, taking their class and elegance and blending it with modern...
The latest instalment of the Batman movie series directed by Matt Reeves is due to hit US cinema screens in...
It makes perfect sense that one of the world’s top custom BMW motorcycle builders is based in Germany. Under the...
It’s been a couple of years since I first featured one of Kevin Hills custom builds. Since then under his...
Growing up in India the Sinroja brothers, Rahul and Birju, developed an out of the ordinary love for motorcycles. In...
After months of hard work and seemingly endless nights of writing, issue 2 of Tank Moto is ! Just like...
Back in 2013 BMW Motorrad celebrated the 40th anniversary of the legendary BMW R 90 S with the unveiling of...
The BMW K1100LT motorcycle, despite being heavy and expensive, had a powerful engine and high-quality components, making it a popular...
“I thought to myself, if I can fix and maintain a 40 million dollar yacht, then I can build a...
The bar has definitely been raised in the custom motorcycle scene. If you’re planning on impressing anyone a bolt-on seat,...
The Retro Rebuilds workshop in Rockford, Michigan transformed a 1987 BMW K100LT motorcycle into a stylish cafe racer. The bike...
It’s been less than 6 months since we featured the Le Bouterollier BMW R60/7 and Jean-Pierre is back with yet...
The fine vólk at BMW Motorrad have a motorcycle for every occasion – just meander into a dealership and look...
A few years ago, James would hear his neighbor start up his old BMW, and after numerous conversations, he was...
Imagine this scenario: A bike magazine hands you a box-fresh 1978 BMW R100RS and the concept rendering for a fantastic,...
We’re big fans of the work of Californian motorcycle builder Samuel Kao and his workshop JSK Moto Co. JSK motorcycles...
Building 50 custom motorcycles is no mean feat. Adrián Campos and the crew at the Valencia workshop of Bolt Motor...
It’s been almost 10 years since BMW Motorrad released the R nineT. Technologically the Boxer-powered Roadster wasn’t anything groundbreaking. Its...
In 2018, Federal Moto of Chicago crafted this 1980 BMW R100/7, undertaking various modifications. Their work included the creation of...
This 1983 BMW R100 was transformed into a cafe racer by Untitled Motorcycles in San Francisco, California. Throughout the process,...
We’ve all had a gut full of 2020 and I’m sure most people would agree they’ll be glad to see...
HellGate Moto in New York City has transformed this 1995 BMW K1100 into a stunning cafe racer. The bike features...
Here’s a little something to get you through another night glued to the couch. Our latest instalment of the Sunday...
Back in 2012 four like-minded friends decided enough was enough. Driven by their desire to build and ride custom bikes...
What better way to celebrate a motorcycle workshop’s 10 year anniversary than with a build that showcases everything they’re capable...
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...
Adrián Campos and the team at Valencia’s Bolt Motor Co. are set to finish their 50th build sometime during 2021....
After a 2 year hiatus, the Munich-based custom motorcycle powerhouse Diamond Atelier is back. Despite big changes in the company’s...
This 1981 BMW R100RT underwent modifications, including rebuilding the air-cooled 980cc opposed twin and installing a custom quarter fairing, electrical...
This 1978 BMW R80/7 was modified by Upcycle Motor Garage into a bobber and fitted it with military-spec Firestone tractor...
The Katze is finally out of the Tasche. BMW Motorrad has unveiled its highly anticipated R18 concept. As we all...
As Mark Twain so eloquently put it “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work...
Hot on the heels of my recent post about Les Ateliers Ruby’s leather jackets UK based, custom workshop Kevil’s Speed Shop,...
The Interceptor may be an unexpected development from Radical Ducati, but it certainly isn’t a disappointment. They’ve created a high...
The majority of the weight dropped from the Saline R9T can be attributed to the use of aluminium. Saline’s new tail,...
The transformation of this 1984 BMW K100RT into a cafe racer was a meticulous five-month project. The bike now exudes...
