Custom 2016 BMW R nineT Experiences a Radical Transformation

Back in 2013, BMW Motorrad revealed their Concept Ninety, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the astonishing BMW R 90 S and pay homage to this iconic two-wheeler. Just over a year later, Concept Ninety’s successor, going by the name of R nineT, made its spectacular debut.

As of the 2016 model, this vicious beast is powered by a four-stroke DOHC two-cylinder boxer mill, with four valves per cylinder and a humungous displacement of 1170cc. R nineT’s air-cooled engine will gladly generate up to 110 hp at 7,550 rpm, along with a torque output of 88 pound-feet (120 Nm) at 6,000 rpm. This sheer power travels by means of a six-speed constant mesh gearbox, to deliver a top speed of just over 125 mph (201 kph).

Up front, the monstrosity is supported by inverted 46 mm (1.8 inches) telescopic forks, accompanied by adjustable dampers and a cast aluminum single-sided swingarm at the rear. R nineT crawls on a pair of 17-inch multi-spoked wheels, provided with 320 mm (12.6 inches) dual floating brake discs and fixed four-piston calipers at the front, along with a single 265 mm disc and a floating two-piston caliper at the back. We won’t be going into any other details, as the heavily modified BMW R nineT we’re going to be looking at has very little in common with the original motorcycle.

Marco Ferrara, going by the alias Singular Rides, builds custom bikes for pleasure, working on these projects in his spare time. Recently, this one-man army came across a splendid 2016 R nineT in a showroom and decided to not only purchase this damn thing, but also customize the absolute living hell out of it.

For its new design, he drew inspiration from the Concept Ninety and collaborated with Guerino Toscano, a reputed Italian industrial designer, to come up with ideas for several potential layouts. Ultimately, Ferrara aimed to “strike a balance between futuristic, sporty lines and the R nineT’s sensual, organic curves.”

When a decision was made, the folks over at Midwest Composite Technologies were tasked with 3D printing the new bodywork components, while Singular Rides’ mastermind hard-crafted the reinforcing trims using ABS sheets. Furthermore, a couple of custom aluminum subframes were built to accommodate the front fairing and the modified tail section.

Ferrara installed Rizoma valve covers and replaced the original airbox with a set of metallic pod filters. A Shorai lithium ion battery is now nested below the fuel tank and R nineT’s exhaust system received a carbon fiber muffler from SC Project.

Additionally, the bike was equipped with Woodcraft clip-on handlebars that wear Puig levers and a pair of Oberon mirrors. The custom front fairing houses an asymmetrically mounted LED headlight from a Harley Davidson Bobber, which contributes significantly to the overall mean aesthetic. Lastly, Andreani Misano cartridges were fitted to the motorcycle’s front forks, while its suspension was blessed with a fully adjustable Ohlins rear shock and steering stabilizer.

I’m going to conclude by saying that Singular Rides’ Marco Ferrara managed to do a better job on customizing a two-wheeler by himself, than some firms would with a large team working on a single project!