There are a handful of modern motorcycles that really lend themselves to customization. And if you pick the right one, you might not even have to get your hands that dirty.
And that’s fair enough. Although we all swoon at the fabrication skills of rock star bike builders, not everyone has the ability or desire to create a ‘stack of dimes’ weld.
Owners of bikes like the Harley-Davidson Sportster and Triumph Bonneville have always been spoilt for choice when it comes to bolt-on modifications. Whether it’s a few detail changes or a complete transformation, ‘custom’ can be nothing more than a credit card swipe and a couple of hours in the garage.
The BMW R nineT is now on that list. Although it’s only been on sale for four years, the list of suppliers making plug-n-play goodies is growing fast. And now the French custom shop BAAK has thrown its hat into the ring, building an R nineT kit with a subtle bobber vibe.
On the surface, it looks like an extremely neat and well-proportioned custom boxer. But it’s not a one-off; most of the parts you see here will be for sale soon, and nineT owners will be able to replicate all or part of this look without grabbing a Sawzall® or welder.
The Lyon-based workshop picked the most basic nineT model for their test bed—the R nineT Pure. It’s the cheapest in the range, and comes standard with 17” alloy wheels, right-side-up forks (sans adjustability), and a steel fuel tank. Without the fancy trim of its siblings, it was the perfect bike to develop new parts on.
BAAK’s goal was to take the already timeless Beemer and give it an even more classic spin, with a design that would date well without bowing to trends. “To give soul back to the motorcycle,” as the guys put it.
“We focused on the purity of the riding feel, so it provides a stronger sensation for the rider. This motorcycle isn’t rational; we did our best to make it feel like it’s doing 160 mph while remaining within the legal speed limit.”
“On the other hand, this build takes advantages of modern motorcycle features: it brakes hard, the engine has great flexibility and torque at throughout the rev range, it handles well, and it’s reliable.”
In their Lyon workshop, the BAAK crew kicked off the project by sketching how they’d like the nineT to look, and then developing each individual part. The process for most of the parts involved designing them with 3D software, creating 3D printed prototypes, and then test fitting those to the donor bike. Once each part was fine tuned to perfection, the final product could be manufactured using the desired materials and finish.
“It’s the usual process,” the guys tell us. “Assemble the raw parts on the bike, spend hours looking at it, take it apart to start the design again, and once you reach a satisfying result, give each part the finish level it deserves.”
We’ve included a full parts list below, but highlights include a pair of 16” wheels in BAAK’s typical style, redesigned cylinder head covers, and a sharp new tail section. We’re loving the tightly routed exhaust too, and the side-mounted rear shock that harks back to the original BMW R 80 mono-shock design.
The finishes are top shelf. The seat leather is double tanned, using a bespoke system that combines both natural and chrome tanning. This will help it to hold its color over time, while still developing character as it wears.
The mudguards are stainless steel, with a brushed finish. Parts like the cylinder heads and triple clamps are machined aluminum, finished with a satin black powder coat. And the intake manifold cover and seat cowl were shaped in-house, by hand.
Getting these details right was paramount—more so than a need to build something ‘over the top.’ “This build isn’t extravagant,” the BAAK guys explain. “You can enjoy trying to spot every detail that contrasts with the original configuration.”
“Sobriety was one of our guidelines for this project. This is the result of the work of a team of six craftsmen based in a small French workshop and we’re proud that it looks right when riding.”
BAAK’s R nineT hits the sweet spot for us as a package. But we can also picture the individual parts doing well alongside other mods on any given R nineT.
And anything that helps riders personalize their bikes is all right by us.
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Parts list
Leather seat with handcrafted aluminum seat cowl
Aluminum rear wheel arch with integrated taillight
Rear shock relocated to side position with new mountings, designed in collaboration with Shock Factory
Low position license plate holder made out of aluminum, with license plate light
16” aluminum rims laced to BMW hubs with stainless steel spokes
Continental K112 tires
BAAK Bobber exhaust system, with stainless steel manifolds and aluminum mufflers
Cylinder heads covers in machined aluminum
Intake manifold cover handcrafted out of aluminum
Frame side covers in machined aluminum
Öhlins Black Edition fork, with custom caliper brackets and front mudguard brackets
Removed airbox, replaced with air filters
Stainless steel front fender
Genuine leather fork gaiters (water repellent, and manufactured over a wooden mould using a century-old method)
Classic headlight with brushed trim ring and Lucas P700 optics
Aluminum headlight brackets
Wide fatbar handlebar with increased rise and sweep
Beringer handlebar controls
Mini LED turn signals with turn signal covers
Classic round mirror
Cream and Black custom gas tank paint
Cast aluminum gas tank badges
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