Bavara: A custom BMW R9T with an R90S tank
There’s no denying the BMW R nineT’s hit status. It’s fun to ride, comes in six great flavors, and lends itself well to custom work. But here’s the thing: even though it’s unquestionably retro, it cuts a more modern, roadster-like silhouette than the classic boxers it pays homage too.
While that doesn’t make it any less pretty, it has given rise to a new trend in R nineT customization. Builders like Hookie Co. and Unit Garage now have kits out to replace the nineT’s curvaceous fuel tank, giving it the more blocky and utilitarian vibe of its predecessors.
Here’s another solution, from a custom shop working out of a family garage just southeast of Madrid. TooHard Motor Co. are an eclectic bunch, tackling restoration and custom work across a multitude of marques. They mostly work with older motorcycles?but here, they’ve turned their hand to transforming a 2015 R nineT into a classic cafe racer.
The centerpiece of the design, and the change that’s had the biggest impact, is a vintage BMW R90S fuel tank. It’s also the part that took the most work to get right and caused the most headaches.
TooHard started with a stock R90S tank (they even considered a newer R100R unit at one stage), but had to navigate around the modern Beemer’s fuel pump and wiring. So they decided to split aesthetics and functionality. The R90S tank is just a shell now, hiding a custom-built stainless steel fuel cell.
That fuel cel...
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