High-end custom motorcycles are a joy to ogle, but owning them is often beyond the reach of us mere mortals. Not everyone has the skill or time to build pinnacle-level custom, nor the money to commission one. The average rider is more likely to see a custom bike they like, and then look at how they can add a smidgen of that style to their own ride.
That’s why several custom workshops offer some of their best parts as bolt-on accessories—and why JSK Moto has now joined their ranks. This BMW R nineT café racer is the third custom R nineT that the California-based outfit has built, but it’s the first one that’s been designed with mass production in mind.
Founded by Taiwanese ex-pat Samuel Kao in 2010, JSK Moto’s mission here was to build a slick custom that could be broken down into kit form. Given the R nineT’s popularity, Samuel realized that each time they’d customized one before, they’d had countless requests for the custom parts used. So the idea of building a catalog of R nineT goodies was long overdue.
Samuel also cites Taiwan’s strict roadworthy laws as an inspiration for the project. “In Taiwan, vehicles must pass annual inspections which require restoring their appearance to factory condition,” he explains.
“We believe that customization is an inherent human nature, a personal expression, and the realization of creative ideas. With this belief, we decided to start a new journey—making our designs accessible through mass production.”
Despite how flawlessly proportioned this R nineT is, the whole thing can be duplicated with JSK’s new parts (and a handful of selected aftermarket upgrades). But going from a concept to a marketable kit takes a lot more work than it seems. “It presented a new challenge,” says Samuel, “as creating mass-producible products required more considerations and complexities than building a single custom motorcycle.”
It took six molds to create the nineT’s beautifully sculpted new carbon fiber fairing, which can be ordered with either a woven or forged carbon finish. Aesthetically, it harmonizes with the BMW’s OEM fuel tank while adding a dose of café racer style to the bike. Practically, it accommodates the nineT’s raised handlebars, negating the need for clip-ons and adding a measure of comfort to the design.
The nineT’s new tail cowl balances form and function equally well. Again made from carbon fiber, it doubles up as a storage box with a special ‘keyless’ lock. An RFID tag (or a special app, if you have an Android phone) releases the box’s lid, which opens on hydraulically actuated aluminum hinges.
The nineT’s removable subframe made it easier for JSK to swap the original tailpiece for this new solo arrangement. An integrated bracket at the back holds the stock taillight, plus the license plate and rear turn signals. Standard options for the upholstery are brown or black suede, but this prototype bike sports a striking red saddle instead.
Factory parts still in play include the headlight, fuel tank, and front fender. A sophisticated black, grey, and red paint scheme ties the custom and stock bits together, with a host of smaller hard parts finished in black.
JSK hasn’t just designed new bodywork though—they’ve also dressed the lower half of the bike in a smorgasbord of stylish CNC-machined aluminum bits. The finned cylinder head covers include replaceable ‘wear pads’ in areas where they’re likely to get scratched, while the aluminum airbox covers, exhaust bracket, fluid reservoir covers, and heel plates carry the design through to the rest of the bike. The foot controls are new too, developed in partnership with the Taiwanese parts specialist ENLINT.
All of these pieces are for sale, as is the burly CNC-machined breastplate at the front of the motor. It, the cylinder head covers, and the fuel tank, are all adorned with JSK Moto’s elegant triple koi fish logo.
Augmenting this BMW R nineT café racer further are a handful of top-shelf upgrades from other suppliers. The forks and rear shock are from Öhlins, featuring red stanchions on the former and a red remote reservoir on the latter. There’s an Öhlins steering damper in play too, plus a set of sporty seven-spoke alloy wheels from Roland Sands Design, and an Akrapovič exhaust.
While the aluminum parts are available for purchase right away, the carbon fiber bits can be pre-ordered now for delivery in the first quarter of 2025. But be warned; JSK will be producing them in limited numbers. So if you want your BMW R nineT to look as good as this one, don’t dilly-dally.
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