What you get when you mix up passion, elbow grease and a BMW R nineT? An example of finest craftsmanship!
Is there a custom motorcycle that can be considered “the perfect cafe racer?”
The answer to the question above is “Probably not!” but some custom cycles are getting as close to perfection as it’s humanly possible.
A neo-cafe racer must be created based on a modern platform, but it also must be inspired by the rockabilly culture 1960’s Britain.
That’s the case for the “One.Sixteen” project bike. Created by Chandlers BMW Motorrad this bike brings to life a modern yet old school interpretation of the BMW R nineT platform in a unique way.
This motorcycle is already as custom as it gets straight from the gates of the Bavarian factory. Building a custom bike that overshadows the factory version is harder than you think.
Every time someone measures their strength with the factory, an impressive fight emerges. Usually, the industry wins because it is hard to improve something that required thousands of hours of engineering and design studies. However, in this case, the winner is the Chandlers Motorrad Dealership.
Besides styling, proportions represent one of the most omitted aspects of a cafe racer. To nail the genuine cafe racer design, you need to find the right balance between all the elements of the bike. Every component of the motorcycle has to blend in with the rest of the constituent elements in complete visual harmony.
According to Chandlers BMW Motorrad, the two key features that define this motorcycle are elegance and simplicity. This custom keeps the essence of the BMW R nineT platform but brings functional and visual improvements so that it can be considered one of the most beautiful cafe racers.
The motorcycle is full of eye-catching details. The brown leather saddle is matched with the knee pads on the tank and the clip-on bars grips. A key aspect of this bike is the single-sided swing arm. To highlight the exhaust system, the builder mounted it high on the left side of the racer. This detail makes the motorcycle slender and makes it look like it’s speeding even when standing still.
To get an idea of the amount of work, money and time invested in this build, check out the array of mods and parts that were added to this motorcycle according to the One.Sixteen website:
Special Features:
Relocated ignition barrel and horn
Relocated throttle distribution box
Tailor made battery box
Bespoke rear light bracket and side mounted number plate bracket
Bespoke Chandlers cylinder head covers
Relocated Motogadget speedo unit
Reworked, hand shaped and nickel plated ‘RnineT’ air scoop
Engine & Chassis
Refinished BMW Motorrad fork externals
Nickel plated top caps
Matt black finished swing arm and final drive
Bespoke velocity stacks
Nostalgic exhaust with hand shaped heat shields
Bodywork Features
Bespoke color mixed for the 'One.Sixteen' build ‘Chapman Blue’.
Monza style nostalgic fuel cap.
Nickel plated genuine BMW Motorrad headlight Nickel plated bolts and fittings.
Seat & Knee Pads Features
Bespoke leather covering by Rolls Royce
Laser etch of One.Sixteen on seat pad by Rolls Royce
Wheels & Brakes Features
Bespoke BMW Motorrad wheels and hubs
Metzeler Racetec K1 and K2 slick tires
Refinished genuine BMW Motorrad front brake calipers
Controls Features
Nickel Plated BMW Motorrad UK Brake and Clutch levers
Nickel plated Rizoma Clip Ons and Bar Ends
Photo Credits: http://www.onesixteen.cc/