When the R nineT was on the drawing board, BMW engineers made sure it was easy to modify. And that custom-friendliness has become a core part of the bike?s ethos.
This Italian build takes that principle and rides away with it, and the unusually slim, tracker-inspired vibe makes it a real attention grabber.

Most Motorradfahrer these days are aware of the R nineT?s modular nature, but even BMW themselves probably wouldn?t have envisioned the transformation this team of passionate Italian builders has wrought.
Led by Giuseppe Roncen of LowRide magazine, a bunch of talented builders have torn into and restyled a 2016 R nineT sourced from BMW Motorrad Italy.

The bike retains its factory built frame, but the build team has replaced nearly everything else. Despite that, Giuseppe says the bike still retains the hidden modern tech the R nineT left the BMW Motorrad factory with. ?The bike was conceived as a show piece, but retains all the safety, reliability and street-ability of the original,? he says.

?We kept the stock exhaust with the lambda sensors and butterflies, adding a short, upswept and handmade megaphone.
?We lost a little power after eliminating the factory airbox, but the bike is still very easy, smooth, and fun to ride. It feels and looks lighter than stock; we shed at least 25 kilograms [55 pounds].?

The result is an R nineT that has been dramatically slimmed down, to the point that its silhouette more closely resembles a dirt tracker or trials bike. Yet ...