Moto Adonis

Artistic freedom

Lean and mean

Cardboard and tape

Head to tail

Box exhaust for the boxer

Any color, as long as it is black!

Photos: Mark Meisner
Video: Deep bold studio

Builder details:
Moto Adonis
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Back in 2020, BikeBrewers were invited to join the first edition of the Café Racer Fest in Kyustendil, Bulgaria. Unfortunately COVID had paralyzed the world and travel restrictions caused us to miss out on that event.

We followed the happening on social media while the enthusiasm of participants, visitors and bike builders vibrated through our screens. We knew we missed out on something special! We made a promise there and then, that we would do everything to make it to the 2021 edition. As we are always true to our word, there was no reason not to make the trip this time.

To team members Ron and Adnane it felt nearly as good as going on a road trip even though two flights, three cars but no bikes were involved in getting from Amsterdam to Kyustendil.

Arriving close to midnight, the organizer of the Café Racer Fest and spiritual father of the event, Ivan Mushev of Bull Moto Custom, had kindly arranged transportation from Sofia airport to the ski resort up in the mountains about half an hour up from town up a dark and twisty country road with al sort of wildlife crossing our headlights.

Early start
In order to make the most of the day breakfast was served early and we took off to the centre of town. The empty square would soon be the stage of an extraordinary event, attracting an sizable crowd of both participants and spectators. On the plaza of this nearly 40.000 inhabitant’s rich city, volunteers were busy setting the stage for things to come.

The Café Racer Fest harbours not only custom bikes but also offers a stage for vintage motorcycles and cars from all makes and years. There was quite a collection of incredibly beautiful Pre-Perestroika MZ’s, Jawa’s and Ural sidecars. Truly as if time stood still.

Talking about time, it is funny what the years do with your sense of beauty. Bikes that were considered hideous in the 60’s and 70’s Western Europeans are now considered attractive by the same crowd. Thanks to younger demographics, discovering the fun in riding, Eastern Bloc classic icons such as the 60’s MZ have now grown from being more hideous than the word itself to ultra-cool! We bet there will be quite some young urban riders who would not mind to be spotted on one of those former ‘monstrosities’, were it not that in most large European cities, those two-strokes will never be seen spewing their distinguishable blue exhaust plumes again.

Ride out
Prior to the start of the event, a number of bikers and bike builders met at the local gas station for a ride out to the venue. Little over 150 bikers, nearly of which were modified in one way or another, joined in this brotherly gathering. The atmosphere was incredible; there is something quite special about seeing cafe racers being used for they were built.

Choices, choices
There were three contemporary categories; Modern Classics, Scrambler & Brat, and Café Racers. BikeBrewers were given the task of selecting the Top 3 in the “Café Racer” category. We were given about twenty projects to choose from and had about an hour to finalize our task.

As we always do when judging bikes, we put together a matrix awarding points on a scale of 1-10 for elements such as the ‘Wow!’ factor, originality, quality of work & amp; paint, and craftsmanship and set out separately to do our first independent judging.

You’d expect this to be easy and give clear comparable results. No such thing! We had quite a hefty discussion and with the clock ticking away it required a final walk around to re-evaluate our choices. At the ‘strike of twelve’ we managed to come up with a Top 3 we could both fully subscribe to.

And the winner is…
A 1994 Yamaha XV1100 had scored high points on both our lists and was chosen ‘Best of show’ in this year’s Café Racer category. Its owner, Borislav Alexsov, has put quite a lot of hours in building this machine and is rightfully proud of the result. 2nd place went to Vencislav Angelov with his stunning 1984 Honda CBX 750, and 3rd place went to Kaloian Ivanchev Chekelev with his very cool BMW R75 which saw daylight in 1982.

All top 3 finalists were showered with gifts from local sponsors. To top it off BikeBrewers’ came bearing gifts from our partners Felix Auto Moto and SA1NT! adding a helmet and a sought after twill trucker cap to the basket of each of the category winners!

Come rain come shine
Bulgarians have been spoiled with loads of sunshine over the past couple of months. Unfortunately, rain was predicted during the hours of the event. The start of the award ceremony for the café racer category was launched with a clap of thunder followed by a slight drizzle. That made us feel like home instantly.

Luckily the audience was not scared away that easily, and there was quite a cheer from the several hundred people on the square. According to the organizers, the total attendance during this year’s edition the audience grew with 20% to around 2.500 visitors who meandered amongst all the beauty displayed on the town square this morning.

The next edition
Writing this post just before the party organized by the Cafe Racer Club Bulgaria, we are already spoiled by the kindness of the Bulgarians we met on the way, especially by the members of the café racer community.

As much as we love attending established events in Western European countries, we are always on the lookout for new, exciting and more grass roots experiences. This scene is way bigger and vibrant than you would ever dare to imagine. Everyone we met was proud of the results of their labour and insights are shared freely among this close-knit society.

We will be back for sure and hope the organizers can look forward to an even bigger crowd in 2022. Being the only international visitors this year, we share our experience with the knowledge that this is likely to be the last time we enjoyed this exclusivity.

Given the fact that there is a very lively local scene and magnificent twisty country roads and awesome virgin off road tracks to be travelled freely, it is likely many adventurous bikers from the West will be heading East next year.

Photos by:
Georgi Georgiev Photography
Kalina Kalcheva
BikeBrewers

The post REPORT: Café Racer Fest 2021 by Café Racer Club Bulgaria appeared first on BikeBrewers.com.

Dominant Boxer
When BMW first launched their R nineT back in 2014, we knew that it would become an instant hit. The air-cooled boxer is gaining incredible momentum with bikers around the world. The awkwardness of the flat-twin has become the epitome of cool, and it isn’t hard to see why. We would go as far as saying that ditching the renowned tele-lever front suspension for a pair of USD/conventional forks is probably the best thing BMW could have done to their R-series motorcycles. We have ridden one of BMW’s latest R nineT models; a full review will follow soon on BikeBrewers, so stay tuned for that.

German Built German Bike
Classic-Bike Raisch decided to try some of their magic on the venerable R nineT. This Germany-based outfit has been making moves in the motorcycle custom scene for some time now. Almost all of their builds are based around Triumph modern-classics such as the Bonneville and Thruxton. They’ve been testing the waters with their Bavarian brothers, and it looks like the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Old School Cool
The R nineT has got to be one of the most desirable modern-classics on the market today. With the cylinder-heads poking out on each side of the motorcycle, the rumble of the 360-degree firing order, and the rocking motion when you blip the throttle; we too have developed a weak spot for the boxer engine BMW’s. The R nineT may have an air-cooled engine that has been around for some time, it still puts out a very healthy 110 hp and 119 Nm of torque. Nothing groundbreaking by modern standards, but the way the engine delivers this power is like riding a slingshot. Plenty of torque available from the get-go, and no matter what gear you are in, just point where you want to go and shoot.

Blank Canvas
The BMW isn’t your basic bike. As a matter of fact, considering the price point BMW is placing R nineT, you can expect a premium motorcycle. Which it is. Every bit and piece on the bike looks like it is made by hand, and the fit and finish has got to be some of the best we have seen on a factory machine. Still, there is some room for improvement, and the folks at Classic-Bike Raisch think so too. As a matter of fact, when the roadster was first release it was marketed as a motorcycle for the customizer. Lo and behold, that’s just what happened to the fine sample we have here today.

Fancy Jewellery
Raisch went full throttle on this build, aiming to build an elegant and noble looking café racer. At the front, a set of fully adjustable Öhlins fork have taken over the stock 46mm upside-down suspension. A set of wave brake discs ensure sufficient stopping power when the Brembo M32 radial calipers. At the rear we see a suspension upgrade as well. A custom made Bilstein shock evens out any bumps using the BMW paralever system. Talking about the rear section, this R nineT has received a rear subframe conversion by KRT Framework. It is hard to ignore the beautiful AC Schnitzer PVM wheels. Not only to they look great, but they also reduce the unsprung rotating mass, which improves handling. Combined with the Remus full exhaust system, this boxer looks like it is ready to fight.

Build your own!
The fit and finish of this Raisch built Café Racer seems endless. Small details such as the Monza fuel filler cap, LSL footrests, the LED bates-style round headlight. The familiar Motogadget Speedo shows all the essential information. The air-box covers are a Classic-Bike Raisch own; very classy. Now, it can be that you are now interested in building your own café racer in the same style as this R nineT. Classic-Bike Raisch offers all the used parts on this build, in their web shop.

Builder details:
Classic-Bike Raisch
Website
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The post A Noble BMW R nineT Café Racer by Classic-Bike Raisch appeared first on BikeBrewers.com.

This BMW R nineT Dakar can be put in the corner “legend building for a legend”. Legendary builder XTR Pepo wanted to build a tribute to Paris-Dakar legend Hubert Auriol. This Frenchmen was the first racer to win the Dakar in both motorcycle and car-class. Auriol won the 1981 and 1983 edition on a BMW R80G/S. So Pepo turned on his time machine for the design and took a 2016 BMW R nineT as a base bike. The result is a modern bike with a typical classic Dakar-look.

And unlike a lot of other pro-builds, this BMW R nineT Dakar is pretty serious and build for long-distance adventures. It may be a bit too bulky for riding the actual Paris-Dakar, but it’s definitely built for a purpose. XTR upgraded the bike with a 26-liter fuel tank from the BMW R80G/S Dakar and mounted an Acossato handlebar for a little bit more control. The dashboard is upgraded (read: simplified) with a Motogadget Speedo which is located behind the Bultaco cross front fairing with an integrated headlight.

He removed the stock airbox and fitted a set of DNA filters. He also upgraded the stock battery with a LIPO battery. For some more ground clearance, XTR fabricated a custom 2 in 1 exhaust system with a Sil Motor silencer which is mounted on the left side. On the right side, he fitted a cotton tool bag which comes from Unit Garage. To protect the cylinders, a set of protectors (also from Unit Garage) was mounted, which also got 2 Hella high-beam projectors mounted when riding in the dark. Custom parts of XTR are the seat,  rear mudguard, and side panels. The front mudguard comes from Luis Moto (who also built a likely machine earlier).

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If you like custom BMW‘s, chances are that you already know the guys from Diamond Atelier. This relatively young custom bike shop impressed the whole scene by delivering top notch builds like this one and this one. This is their 9th build and just like DA#4, it’s based on a BMW R nineT. Earlier I made a top 9 of custom BMW R nineT’s, and DA#4 is ranked pretty high on this (subjective) list. But if I take a good look at this machine, I think that I have to add (or maybe replace) it with this machine. Simply stunning! Read the full story on Pipeburn.

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In October 2016 I was wondering if BMW was utilizing the strong growing cafe racer scene with the launch of their R nineT Racer. A somewhat stripped down model of the original R nineT without conventional fork suspension, cast wheels and standard four pot brake calipers. But with an awesome cool classic racer look, which actually is around 2k cheaper than its brother. The French BMW dealer Moto Loft decided to create a special version of the R nineT Racer as a tribute to Georg Meier.

Georg “Schorsch” Meier was the first foreign winner of the so called “Senior TT”, the blue riband racer of the Isle of Man TT, in 1939. He raced for the factory team of BMW and he was also the first racer to lap the GP course at over 100mph.

The changes are subtile but make the bike look even better than the original. Moto Loft opted for a custom black painted finish with a triple white stripe. The headers also got this same finish. The stock mirrors (which look terrible!) are replaced with low bar-end pieces. The gas tank got a nice Monza cap and some rubber kneepads at each side. To finish it of, the exhaust also is covered in black and an Akrapovic muffler was placed.

Photo’s are shot by Laurent Nivalle.

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Sometimes customizing a bike is more than just switching some parts and changing some colors. Sometimes it’s not. But it’s too simple to give this BMW R NineT, built by Mr. Martini from Italy, the tag “easy, thirteen in a dozen”. It’s te combination of parts and colors used, which makes this bike noticeable. It’s called (how obvious) “M. Blue” and this song keeps popping up when I look at the bike.

If you like custom BMW R Nine T’s, you should take a look at our top 9.

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Yes: BMW is one of the largest motorcycle brands. Yes: they build great machines. And yes: the BMW R nineT is one of their finest modern classic motorcycles. From day one, BMW aimed on a big slice of the retro/vintage/hipster market R nineT BMW . Just like Triumph did for years with their range (and still does). But where brands like Triumph, Ducati and Moto Guzzi offer a variety of motorcycles in an acceptable pricing range, BMW aims for the top of the market with their “R9T”.

To aim for a wider audience, BMW launched the R nineT Scrambler at the end of 2015. Another look, another finish, other details and about 2k cheaper. An instant success on an existing platform. So what do we have here? Well, it’s another bootstrap of the R nineT: it’s called the “R nineT Racer” which was revealed at the Intermot Germany last week.

First impression: looks good! But don’t let the images fool you: it may seem like “more machine”, it’s actually a stripped down R nineT: they’ve ditched the beautiful laced wheels, the USD fork, Brembo Monoblocs and aluminum gas tank. Instead of this the R nineT Racer gets cast wheels, convential forks, four pot brake calipers and a steel gas tank. ABS is standard, but stability/traction control will be optional.

Most changes are style related such as the the vintage BMW color scheme, half fairing, seat cover, clip ons and forged, anodized aluminum rearsets and fork bridges.

So is it all looks and less performance? Well, in fact: yes. BMW did made some minor changes. The wheelbase is 2mm shorter. Together with the racy riding position this will give the bike a bit more agility. The upswept exhaust is new and helps the R nineT racer to meet the strict Euro4 emission standards. The power output remains 110hp wit 116Nm of torque.

So it seems that BMW is utilizing the café racer/retro/hipster/vintage/modern classic scene with their R9T. But I have to admit: the bike is a thing of beauty, but in my opinion it should look way better with laced wheels…

No price details yet, but knowing BMW, expect a price between the Scrambler and regular R nineT… The good news: there’s also no release date, so you can start saving today!

The post Does BMW Utilize the Café Racer Scene? appeared first on BikeBrewers.com.

The BMW R nine T is one of the most beautiful (and powerful) modern classic bikes out there. A real retro bike with the classic BMW air cooled boxer engine but full of modern technology. The model was introduced in 2014 and was a direct success and a full worthy add to the BMW Motorrad model selection. What you may not know, is that the concept of the BMW R nine T goes back in 2008: on the 2008 EICMA, BMW showed the world the “Lo Rider“:

The BMW Lo Rider was a study project and the model showed above never made it to the production phase, but it’s obvious that BMW used it for the R Nine T: Gold USD fork, spoked wheels, 2 tone color scheme, short rear with a single shock, upright riding position and that lovely boxer engine. The 1170cc powerhouse puts out an pretty 110hp and an impressive 119Nm of torque. The 222kg seems a bit bulky, but riding the R nine T is never feels that way: it’s very nimble and easy to handle.

With the introduction of the R nineT, BMW also introduced a massive list of (bolt on) accessories to personalize the bike, following the trend of Triumph with their vintage bike selection. Cool for the “average” motorcycle enthusiast, but not for the real custom bike builders.

Traditionally, the vintage BMW R-series are one of the favorite base bikes to turn into a one off build. But since the introduction of the “R9T”, both professional and shed builders embraced the retro BMW so we decided to make a top 9 (what’s in a name) of the best custom BMW R nine T’s to date:

The 9 Best Custom BMW R nine T’s

#9: Rizoma’s interpretation

If we say Rizoma, you probable see a big catalog with tons of motorcycle parts to personalize almost any motorcycle. So maybe not a complete fit for this top 9, but Rizoma’s interpretation of the R nineT is worth the mention: clean, organized and classy. This bike is used to show what you can achieve with standard after market parts.

Rizoma | More pictures & info

#8: “Coffee Low Fat” by VTR Customs

VTR Customs is a little crew of 3 BMW fanatics who live under the flag of Stucki 2Rad, a BMW Motorrad dealership. They love working on custom BMW’s and this is one of their interpretations of the BMW R9T. Their main goal with this project, was to make the R NineT a lot more “thin” and agile than the original bike.

VTR Customs | more picutres & info

#7: “2Shot” by Gasoline Motor Co.

This BMW R nine T is built by Gasoline Motor Co. commissioned by Aussie Stuart, who was recovering from a motorcycle accident when he needed a new ride. Six weeks in a wheelchair gave him plenty of time to create the concept behind this bike. Since he knew the crew of Gasoline, it was a logical choice to head over them to build his dream bike.

Gasoline Motor Co. | More pictures & info

#6: “Clubman Racer” by 46Works

This one by Shiro Nakajima from 46Works is a bit more edgy than the ones before. The builder had one word in mind: performance. To achieve this he focussed on weight reduction. Using some high end parts like an Ohlins USD fork, lighter yokes and Bito R&D Magtan wheels, the “Clubman Racer” is 30kg lighter than the stock model. This makes it a serious weapon on the track.

46Works | more pictures & info

#5: “Scrambler” by JSK Moto Co.

BMW has expanded the R nineT gamma with a stock scrambler, but before that, JSK Moto Co. made their own scrambler of the Bavarian knight. Built around a simple concept: “make a motorcycle that’s wildly fun through the streets and through dirt roads.” Well, they’ve nailed it with Scrambler that’s way and way better looking than the original.

JSK Moto | More pictures & info

#4: “Shadowboxer” by K-Speed

Powered by a dream to be the best custom bike builder in Thailand, owner “EAK” started with K-speed back in 2002. His “Shadowboxer”, based on the engine type and the dark color palette, make this R9T a perfect fit for the Dark Knight.

K-Speed | more pictures & info

#3: “DA#4” by Diamond Atelier

Diamond Atelier is one of those unicorns that suddenly are their and show amazing things. With only a handful of creations, the world seems to love their bikes. Images of their bikes pop up everywhere online and every single creation seems like a direct hit (we fell in love with their custom R100R ;)). Their love for BMW makes this custom BMW R nine T (called “DA#4”) a logic choice.

Diamond Atelier | more pictures & info

#2: “Bavarian Fistfighter” by Rough Crafts

Our cover model is called the “Bavarian Fistfighter. The Taiwanese Rough Crafts made a tribute to the past, combined with modern technology. The tribute to the past are the iconic aluminum fuel tank inspired by the 70s and 80s boxers and the half fairing is inspired by the R90S The solo seat goes a bit further back in history and is inspired by the 50s. They’ve ditched the original spoked wheels and created their own BMW “snowflake” rims…

…you have to check out the complete story to get to know this awesome built.

Rough Crafts | more pictures & info

#1: Clutch Custom Motorcycles

Our #1 of this list is a matter of “less = more”. Clutch Motorcycles nailed it with their minimalistic approach. The simplicity, line, colors and used materials give this bike a classy look. The idea behind the bike was to create something “aggressive & chic”. There’s something about this bike we can’t really point, but that something makes this our #1 custom BMW R nine T. It doesn’t need any more words, just enjoy the look.

Clutch Custom Motorcycles | read more pictures & info

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Liked our view on the best custom R nineT’s? Or did we missed one? Let us know, but remember: it’s all a matter of taste…

The post The 9 Best Custom BMW R nine T ‘s appeared first on BikeBrewers.com.

Smoking advertisments & motorsports go way back. Who does’t remember the red & white Marlboro F1 McLarens and Ducati’s or the blue Gauloises Yamaha’s? But since smoking isn’t healthy anymore, the advertising of tobacco was prohibited. But especially the Marlboro marked cars and bikes where the most recognizable.

Luis Bertelli from Luis Moto based in Italy has a love for those old days. Earlier he made this cool BMW R NineT Scrambler with a wink back to the famous R80GS that won the Dakar in ’81, ’82, ’84 and ’85. In ’82 the GS team was sponsored by Marlboro and Playboy. So Luis took another BMW R nineT from the shelves and started working on it with this legendary bike in mind. The result is a cool scrambler with a big fat wink to the old days.

PS. the color on the images is slightly different than the real color. Twan from Inazumacafe has modified it to the “real Marlboro” color. 

And since Playboy was also a sponsor, Luis decided to add some sexyness to the bike with Diana Gabriela Chiriac as a model.

Follow Luis Moto:

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