Dieter Rams said that good design ?involves as little design as possible.? Colin Chapman said ?simplify, then add lightness.? Both principles are at work in this ultra-crisp BMW R nineT café racer, brought to you by Deus Ex Machina Australia.
It’s certainly not the first café racer that Deus’ head wrench, Jeremy Tagand, has built. But the brief?to turn a stock 2014-model R nineT into a trimmed-down custom with classic style and modern tech?felt like a fresh challenge. The job called for a radical reworking of the BMW’s silhouette, plus a smattering of upgraded parts.

A tank swap was on the cards?but that’s no mean feat with the BMW R nineT. It’s a modern motorcycle with a fuel pump and a number of electronic components in play, plus the OEM tank fits its trellis frame like a glove. Jeremy had to find a donor that would nail the look, while striking a visual balance with the nineT’s wide boxer motor. In the end, Jeremy chose a 1980s Suzuki GS1100 reservoir for its muscular, angled style. Deus handed it over to fabricator Jonathan Okada at Kansai Giant Design Factory, to modify it accordingly. Jonathan massaged it to sit lower on the BMW frame, and made space for the stock fuel pump, ABS module and ECU.

Next up, Deus fabricated a new subframe to create a clean line from the bottom of the tank through to the seat. Terminating in line with the rear axle, it’s neatly integrated with a custom seat pan that also hides the nineTR...