Top 3 BMW K1100 Cafe Racer Builds

• Table of Contents
• 1. Does BMW make a cafe racer?
• 2. What is the difference between a cafe racer and a scrambler?
• 3. The Original BMW K1100 Motorcycle
• 4. The BMW K1100 RS Motorcycle at First Glance
• 5. The BMW K1100 LT Motorcycle at First Glance
• 6. Top 3 BMW K1100 Cafe Racer Builds
• 6.1. The BMW K1100 RS Cafe Racer Build by PowerBrick
• 6.2. The BMW K1100 RS Cafe Racer Build by Two Wheels Empire
• 6.3. The BMW K1100 Cafe Racer by Dragon’s Motorcycle
• 7. Takeaway

Over the past decade, many manufacturing industries have started redesigning and rebuilding their older products. Whether you talk about fashion, shoes, or watches, vintage style has become a popular trend again. This same trend is also being observed with motorcycle companies. Café racer builds constructed from older motorcycles have become very popular nowadays. This article discusses the top three BMW K1100 cafe racer builds.

1. Does BMW Make Cafe Racers?

Many BMW motorcycles are used by motorcyclists to build cafe racers. BMW's first factory-made café racer was the BMW R NineT Café Racer. However, this factory-made cafe racer has been discontinued due to low sales.

2. What is the Difference Between a Cafe Racer and a Scrambler?

A cafe racer is designed to be speedy and maneuverable over short distances, whereas a scrambler has a similar design to a café racer but is meant for off-roading. The scrambler also has an uneven tire surface, suspension that provides long wheel travel, and higher ground clearance than cafe racers.

3. The Original BMW K1100

The BMW K1100 RS is a sport-tour motorcycle introduced in November 1992 and was discontinued in June 1996. The BMW K1100 LT is another variant specifically designed for touring. The BMW K1100 RS was powered by a 1093 cc inline four-stroke engine capable of producing a torque of 107 Nm and a horsepower of 100 hp. This motorcycle has a five-speed gearbox and can attain a top speed of 137 mph. The BMW K1100 RS's wet weight is 268 kg and the K1100 LT's wet weight of 290 kg. Both the BMW K1100 RS and K100 LT are fully-faired and have a longer frame. This makes it difficult to build a café racer using either the BMW K1100 RS or the KW1100 LT.

4. The BMW K1100 RS Motorcycle at First Glance

Photo Credit: @wikimedia.org

5. The BMW K1100 LT Motorcycle at First Glance

Photo Credit: @wikimedia.org

6. Top 3 BMW K1100 Cafe Racer Builds

6.1. The BMW K1100 RS Cafe Racer Build by PowerBrick

The BMW K1100 RS was the best of the BMW series in the 1990s. Its powerful engine and solid frame were advantages that made it possible to transform this motorcycle into a café racer.

Photo Credit: @bikeexif

The BMW K1100 RS Cafe Racer built by Tim Somers, the founder of PowerBrick, is one of the neatest cafe racers ever made using the BMW K1100 RS as a base. Somers has experience in industrial design and knew how to use 3D printing and CNC machines to build stainless steel and aluminum parts.

This cafe racer is built with a longer wheelbase yet minimal bodywork to reduce weight as much as possible. The longer wheelbase is made possible because of the extended swingarm, which in turn reduces this café racer build's overall seat height and enhances its aggressive looks.

Swingarm, Frame, and Forks

An adjustable YSS G-Racing monoshock is attached to the swingarm, being able to compress while riding at different speeds. The front end of the frame has been completely redesigned with the BMW S1000 RR forks. You will have to use a kit provided by PowerBrick to attach the forks in the BMW K1100 RS Café Racer. It is also possible to attach the Motogadget mini instrument to the forks.

Styling

The fuel tank for this café racer build is left largely unchanged. The front round headlight is enclosed in a nacelle-like cover. This café racer build is painted silver with red, black, and white lines that run from the front mudguard to the seat cowl. Clip-on handlebars are installed with Biltwell grips and Motogadget indicators in the center.

Photo Credit: @bikeexif

The front brakes are replaced with Brembo HPK GP4-RS Monobloc radial calipers, coupled with the Brembo RCS19 brake master cylinder and Serie Oro brake discs.

Engine and Performance

Photo Credit: @bikeexif

The engine’s performance was improved by using DNA air filters and Bosch EV14 injectors. The air intake has also been improved to allow more air to enter the engine. A four-into-one exhaust layout with a small muffler is installed on PowerBrick’s cafe racer build.

Photo Credit: @bikeexif

The temperature can be checked with the help of an aluminum radiator attached to the Samco silicone hoses. The BMW K1100 RS Cafe Racer by PowerBrick can produce a horsepower of 130 hp. The lithium battery and the electrical system are placed under the tail hump.

6.2. The BMW K1100 RS Cafe Racer Build by Two Wheels Empire

The Two Wheels Empire is a big name when it comes to customizing motorcycles. The company has switched its line of business to manufacturing e-motorbikes. The BMW K1100 Café Racer was the company’s last custom motorcycle project.

Photo Credit: @bikeexif

This cafe racer’s parts and looks make it quite an expensive vehicle to build. The café racer built by the Two Wheels Empire is named the Casino Royale. Matt, the owner of the Two Wheels Empire, says that this café racer build has all the latest upgrades.

The original K1100 RS had huge fairings and three-spoked wheels. The Two Wheels Empire decided to remove them and redesign the bike entirely. This vehicle was fitted with Brembo brakes and Ohlin forks from the 2017 Aprilia Tuono 1000 R. At the rear end, a single custom-made Ohlin shock is attached to a custom-made clamp.

The tail section is made of fiberglass and the leather seat is designed by Twisted Brothers. To accommodate the seat and tail sections, a new sub-frame was designed along with an inner fender to keep mud away from the engine. A LED tail light is placed below the tail cowl.

Towards the front, there is a round Harley Davidson LED headlight attached to the forks and a carbon fiber mudguard. The license plate is swingarm-mounted and on the rear end right above the rear tire. Most of the bodywork, including the fuel tank, tail, and front mudguard, is painted in a Selenite Magno Grey color with golden forks and shocks. Along with the BMW logo badge on the fuel tank, there is artwork from the Casino Royale book cover.

Photo Credit: @bikeexif

In the cockpit section, clip-on handlebars are attached with turn signals, side mirrors, a Motogadget speedometer, and push buttons. The lithium-ion battery and Motogadget controller are hidden under the hood.

Photo Credit: @bikeexif

A four-into-one exhaust system is installed with a box muffler attached and slung under the right side of the cafe racer. The foot controls are custom-designed by PowerBrick.

6.3 The BMW K1100 LT Cafe Racer by Dragon's Motorcycle

The BMW K1100 is a tough motorcycle to use as a base when building a cafe racer. The BMW K1100 LT has bulky body fairings and a large frame. It requires a lot of time and effort to reduce the weight and modify the frame of the BMW K1100. Still, some builders have managed to successfully build BMW K1100 Café Racers. One of the most well-known BMW K1100 LT café racer builds was designed by Pablo Pérez González. González succeeded in adjusting the BMW K1100 LT’s weight and frame to create a stylish café racer.

Photo Credit: @bikeexif

González owns a garage called the Dragon’s Motorcycles. The sub-frame was completely redesigned, and the rear shock was repositioned to elevate the rear end.

At the front end, the forks and Brembo brakes installed were taken from the KTM RC8. BMW R80 RT wheels were removed, stripped, powder-coated in black, and installed on González’s cafe racer. A new axle was fitted onto the front section and the rear brake caliper was taken from the BMW R1150 GS.

Photo Credit: @bikeexif

The fuel tank was redesigned to resemble the Norton Manx design. The tail hump is painted in the same silver color as the fuel tank and has the BMW logo. The brown leather seat matches the color scheme of the fuel tank and handlebar grips.

To improve the vehicle’s bodywork, the coolant system was moved under the fuel tank and the electronics systems, including the Motogadget keyless ignition, were installed under the tail cowl.

Photo Credit: @bikeexif

González also worked on the engine and redesigned the seals, rings, and pistons. The engine was powder-coated to make it a prominent visual feature in this café racer build.

The Mivv’s four-into-one exhaust system with a muffler was installed in this café racer build. The airbox was replaced with pod filters. In the cockpit section, a radial master cylinder, a speedometer, switches from the Yamaha R6, and clip-on handlebars from the KRM RC8 were installed. On top of the fuel cap, González also installed a fuel gauge.

Other features that were modified included an LED tail light with turn signals, custom-made front, and rear mudguards, and a license plate holder. This café racer build is a large motorcycle with a good height and wheelbase.

Photo Credit: @bikeexif

The Story of the BMW K1100 LT Cafe Racer by Dragon’s Motorcycle

7. Takeaway

Building a café racer is not an easy task. The builder is sometimes required to design everything from scratch. When the motorcycle base is difficult to modify, such as the BMW K1100, it may require removing many parts and redesigning the frame. Builders that have access to garages tend to even redesign the engines to improve the power output of the cafe racer. The BMW K1100 Café Racer builds discussed in this article are unique and properly designed. Other BMW models that are ideal for building cafe racers include the BMW K100 and BMW R65.

These café racers can be used for light touring with the inclusion of different LUGGAGE options available at Viking Bags. The options include SADDLEBAGS, TANK BAGS, and TAIL BAGS.