Is this the year of the BMW K100" We reckon so. The earlier R-series boxers have held the limelight for long enough?and let’s face it, any R donor you find now either comes at a premium, or has already been hacked.
So if you’re looking for a classic Beemer, choose a K. You’ll get a unique, reliable engine?and some of the most awkward looks to come out of the 80s. Perfect for customization!

LA-based Mike Flores is a fan. ?I picked the K100 because I loved the design of the engine, the squareness and the sharp angles,? he says. ?I wanted to make it into a bike that still honored the aspects of the original design that I liked the most.?
This very special K cafe racer is Mike’s first build (he’s actually a cinematographer by trade). The goal: trim the fat, and sprinkle on some modern upgrades.
It sounds simple enough, but?as anyone who’s built a custom will attest?Mike had his work cut out. Even finding a suitable donor proved to be a mission.
?The bike I initially picked up was someone else’s half-assed project bike. I thought I’d be able to resurrect it,? he tells us. ?It had a few nice components on it, but it was a deathtrap in the truest sense, and literally had a couple hundred thousand miles on it.?

?But it did have a clean title: 1990 model year. So I set out to find a new donor bike, and found a really low mile 1987 K100 that was missing all paperwork. All that remains of the 1990 is the front half of the or...