The ‘airhead’ flat twin boxers and R-series motorcycles are great choices for BMW cafe racer projects. More recently, we’ve seen the rise of modern-day specials based on the BMW R nineT, which was designed to be easily customized, with a bolt-on subframe and modular electrical system.
Here you’ll find traditional 60s-style cafe racers based on the BMW R75 and R100, plus neo-retro builds based on newer models including the K100 ‘flying brick’.
It’s a good starting point to find the parts, seats and performance upgrades that’ll take your own BMW to the next level—and get inspiration from other BMW cafe racer builders on the custom scene.
With roughly 2.7 million people living in Brooklyn, New York, the serendipitous tale of this BMW R100R café racer stands out as something truly extraordinary. It all began when Tobias van Schneider—a German multi-disciplinary designer living in Brooklyn—spotted a custom BMW R80 on the street. Enamored, he nabbed a photo of it and sent it…
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As the founder of Spain’s 72 Cycles Performance, and one-half of the collaborative outfit 72 HKG Performance, Antonio Rodriguez has developed an affinity for custom BMWs. So when he recently moved his operation to the US, choosing a BMW R100R café racer as his first project on fresh soil was a no-brainer. “After building more…
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Diamond Atelier impresses with an uber-slick BMW boxer built for the race track, while Japan’s Infiniti Motorcycle builds a stunning Harley-Davidson bobber. We also profile a brawny Suzuki Bandit 1200 café racer and the brand-new Yamaha R9 sportbike.
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Building a café racer with an older motorcycle usually involves two phases; getting the bike running, and customizing it. And if the bike is really beaten up, the first phase can be the hardest—especially if the engine is too far gone. Marshall Hewitt had a novel approach to this particular challenge. This ex-police 1991 BMW…
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Batman swooped onto the pages of DC Comics 85 years ago, but it would take 19 years for the Caped Crusader to…
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Although the BMW R nineT was originally designed as a throwback to classic BMW boxers, it’s always had a modern edge. That…
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No motorcycle encapsulates the vibe of 90s BMW sport tourers quite like the BMW K1100RS. It had everything—three-spoke wheels, triangular bodywork, and…
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Jérémie Duchampt is a dab hand at building slick café racers—a fact that he’s proven time and time again. The proprietor of…
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This week’s bikes are all about looking fast and going fast. Pier City Cycles gives the BMW R nineT Racer a massive…
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Despite its increasing popularity, the 1980s K-series BMW remains a difficult bike to customize. There’s hardly an inch of it that isn’t…
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Many feel that BMW boxer customization has become a tedious paint-by-numbers affair. It’s a fair argument—after all, most BMW R-series customs follow…
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With futuristic looks, bold colors, and more plastic than a Tupperware party, the BMW K1 was nothing if not memorable. Released in…
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