One-Off BMW R 100 R Sits on Gixxer Forks, Oozes Retro Vibes and Custom Cafe Racer Goodness

A few miles outside the Spanish capital city of Madrid lies an equally picturesque town called Alcalá de Henares. Not only is it a place of rich history and sublime architecture from a time long past, but it is also home to UFO Garage – one of the most distinguished motorcycle customization enterprises you’ll find on the Iberian Peninsula.

This workshop is the brainchild of Efraón Triana, who’d also been involved in several projects with the famed moto craftsmen over at Cafe Racer Dreams. Triana's passion for two-wheeled machines goes back as far as he can remember, and a great chunk of his professional life had been entirely devoted to mechanics, industrial design, and oodles of elbow grease in the garage.

Regardless of which brand or style he may pick, you can be certain that Efraón’s work will be worthy of a passionate round of applause when complete. The bike we’re about to admire is an excellent case in point, showcasing the author’s skills in a delightful symphony of custom elegance dialed to eleven! Before receiving the UFO treatment, this bad boy used to be a bone-stock 1990 R 100 R from BMW’s lineup.

As you might already know, the R 100 range is a genuine treasure chest for builders seeking to create a functional piece of rolling artwork with svelte proportions. Aside from being absolutely bulletproof when it comes to reliability, these Bavarian wonders also pack a decent amount of power and, above all, are relatively easy to work around.

The ‘90 MY R 100 R is powered by a carbureted 980cc boxer-twin mill with dual Bing inhalers and a total of four valves. When prompted, the air-cooled power source will generate up to 60 ponies and 56 pound-feet (76 Nm) of twist at the crankshaft. This force is sent to the rear hoop via a five-speed gearbox and an enclosed driveshaft, culminating in a top speed of 112 mph (181 kph).

Without further ado, let’s see how UFO Garage’s solo mastermind had gone about transforming a visually unexciting R 100 R into the sexy cafe racer-esque marvel pictured above. For starters, the donor’s twin-cylinder engine was wrapped in a sinister layer of dark grey paintwork, and the carburetors have been promptly fitted with aftermarket air filters following the removal of the OEM airbox.

On the other hand, the exhaust gases now exit through custom stainless-steel plumbing developed by Pontevedra-based GR Exhaust Systems. Proceeding to the chassis department, señor Triana enrolled the help of a local collaborator to fabricate a unique set of CNC-machined triple clamps, which would then allow the installation of a Suzuki GSX-R's repurposed upside-down forks.

In addition, the Gixxer also donated its front brake discs and top-shelf Tokico calipers, while the snazzy fender found in between the fork stanchions is a bespoke unit manufactured in-house. At the opposite pole, we spot a new loop-style subframe topped with Alcantara upholstery, and the whole shebang is supported by a single eccentric shock absorber from Hagon’s catalog.

The rear-end modifications are concluded by a swingarm-mounted license plate holder equipped with a full suite of LED lighting components. At twelve o’clock, you will find clip-on handlebars, Daytona instrumentation, and a BMW R 80’s headlight replacing the standard hardware. The aftermarket clip-ons are adorned with premium Biltwell grips, bar-end mirrors, and inconspicuous Motogadget switchgear.

To round it all out, Efraón added LED front turn signals and a revised wiring harness, along with a slender (yet sturdy) side stand, fresh foot pegs, and a flip-up filler cap for the creature’s gas tank. Lastly, the finishing touch comes in the form of an understated color scheme that blends gloss- and matte-grey finishes, complemented by black accents.