We present you a BMW R65, transformed into a cafe racer style, at Lord Drake Kustoms’ motorcycle customization workshop in Malaga; for a client residing in Brazil.
This was the second converted BMW (out of a total of 3 units) that the customer ordered from Fran (Owner of LDK). The first was a BMW scrambler with the air of a classic motorcycle and we will talk about the third.
How this BMW R65 Cafe Racer was modified.
To make this cafe racer motorcycle, a 1984 BMW R65 was chosen, which came to Lord Drake Kustoms’ custom motorcycle workshop, from a private collection. This BMW R was like new and with only one owner and only 28,500 kilometers!
The first thing Fran Manen did was modify the original subframe and modify the shock absorbers that have been replaced by new shock absorbers with a motorcycle air bottle. This was followed by a fiberglass cafe racer rear seat and a single-seater seat for BMW R, handcrafted upholstered in brown leather.
The original front suspension of this custom bike has been modified and has been lowered in height. Chrome 22mm cafe racer handlebars have also been fitted.
Regarding the wheels, the rims have been treated with powder paint (in the company Metalcolors) and some Shinko tires for motorcycles have been installed.
The fuel tank on this BMW R65 has been replaced by a BMW R100 fuel tank that has been restored and has an interior treatment applied before being painted and finished with the Monza fuel cap.
Lord Drake Kustoms has chosen to paint this transformed motorcycle in a matt electric blue color accompanied by black stripes and graphite.
Finally, it should be noted that a Motogadget Mini digital odometer has been installed, a new headlight and led turn signals, among many other cafe racer accessories that can be seen in this beautiful BMW cafe racer.
This Harley Sportster arrived to the hands of Francisco Ali Manen (owner of Lord Drake Kustoms) from a customer in Marbella in a rather neglected aesthetic state; to such an extent that this custom bike would appear to be in even worse mechanical condition than it really was and all because of its bad appearance.
The first thing was to examine the bike in detail and check the actual appearance, then began dismantling the entire rear to proceed to cut the entire subframe to install a new cafe racer tail with a new seat made to measure for this Sportster 883, as well as a new license plate holder with their respective LED lights 3 in 1.
Cafe Racer tailpiece
The engine was painted black, the entire front end was disassembled and the original wheels were removed to give a radical change to this cafe racer bike in the process oftransformation; before becoming the SPORTSTER 883 CAFE RACER that it is now.
License plate holder with LED lights
Handcrafted seat
A set of black custom fat spoke rims, the whole front end was restored and painted, a small fender was made, half handlebars for Harley Davidson were installed, rubber bellows, a small spoiler and details such as turn signals or grips give shape to the whole front café racer of this bike customized by Lord Drake Kustoms.
Harley half handlebars
Heat tape exhaust manifolds, minimalist customexhausttails, a rough craft Sportsterair filter and intermediate foot controls are gradually shaping this Harley Davidson cafe racer.
Finally, a matte graphite gray paint on the entire bodywork, on the black background formed by the rest of the parts of this modified motorcycle; and red details on the tail and fuel tank; as in the seat seams that have also been made with red thread to give as a final result this SPORTSTER 883 CAFE RACER.
The owner commissioned Fran (Owner of LDK) two units: a BMW R cafe racer and another BMW R scrambler with the air of a retro motorcycle.
To make the scrambler motorcycle, a 1978 BMW R100 RS has been used, which arrived at the LDK motorcycle transformation workshop in Spain, coming from a motorcycle collector from whom Fran Manen bought almost twenty motorcycles ago.
Transforming this BMW R100 Scrambler
The entire original subframe has been removed and the shock absorber grip has been modified and a new Hagon shock absorber has been replaced. Later, a support was made for the floating seat, as well as the seat itself, which has been hand-upholstered in brown poly leather.
The front fork of this transformed BMW R has been kept original, although it has been lowered in height and an off-road handlebar has been installed. The original rims have been fitted with new Continental TCK80 tires.
The BMW R fuel tank has been preserved, but has been restored and an interior treatment applied before being painted and finished with the Monza fuel cap.
Previously, Lord Drake Kustoms, had customized two motorcycles of this style and very similar, but with black and gray colors. So on this occasion Fran opted to use the British Racing Green color to use as a finish on this motorcycle transformed from start to finish.
All this work has been accompanied by a Motogadget Pro digital odometer, a new front headlight, front turn signals for Motogadget grips and led turn signals at the rear, are other details to highlight from all the endless modifications that this custom motorcycle has.
It is not the typical BMW cafe racer, it is a unique customized BMW in which no detail has been left behind… A brutal and elegant BMW scrambler at the same time.
This motorcycle has been approved in Spain, thanks to our own Homologation and ITV service for converted motorcycles, which we have at our custom motorcycle company.
Data Sheet
MOTORCYCLE: BMW R100
YEAR: 1978
DISPLAY: 1000 cc
FORK: Original modified
REAR SUSPENSION: Hagon
DEPOSIT: Original restored and treated
SUBCHASSIS: Handcrafted
SEAT: Manufactured and upholstered by hand
EXHAUST: Modified manifold and tail
FRONT WHEEL: Original with knobby tires
REAR WHEEL: Original with knobby tires
LIGHTING: Headlight with bracket, indicators and taillight
SPEEDOMETER: Digital Motogadget
OTHER WORKS: painting, powder painting, grips, footrest modification, etc.
BMW R100 “Green” Gallery
You can buy this model now!
BASE: BMW R100 STYLE: Cafe Racer / Scrambler SHIPPING: Worldwide.
Previously, it was a 2007 Harley Davidson 1200 Custom with a 21-inch front wheel and a 16-inch rear wheel with a 150 tire. Francisco Alí Manén decided to give it an air of Sportster 48 Bobber but with an improvement … more width at the rear with a 200 wheel for Sportster.
This bobber motorcycle has been transformed with a base that was in very good condition, coming from an Official Harley Davidson Dealer and which went directly to Lord Drake Kustoms custom workshop in Spain.
At the front, we highlight the modification of the entire original Sportster suspension, including the installation of wider seatposts for Harley to accommodate a new 16-inch, 130-wide front wheel (just like the Sportster Forty Eight models).
It has been accompanied by a 1-inch Harley drag handlebar with Biltwell grips and mirrors at its ends, the odometer has been repositioned on the side and the Sportster Penaut fuel tank has been raised.
On this Bobber-style custom Sportster Bobber Fat, we’ve fitted a Rough Crafts air cleaner, Santee L.A.F exhausts, and a matching brown-upholstered Biltwell Harley single-seater seat with the same color of the grips.
At the rear, we cut the subframe, installed 10.5-inch shocks for Harley by Burly brand, made a metal rear fender and license plate bracket. But the biggest change has been the installation of a wide wheel kit for the Sportster, which houses a 200tire.
All the accessories and custom parts for this transformed Harley Davidson have been supplied by the Customiza tu Moto store.
Being the Sportster 1200 Custom model, this Harley engine had chrome finishes, so everything has been disassembled to paint it with black electrostatic powder paint (work done by metalcolors.com), like the rest of the parts of this custom bike, with the exception of the gas tank that has been painted in pearl graphite gray.
All the work and reforms carried out (with the exception of the exhaust pipes) have been legalized through our Homologation of Reforms in Motorcycles service before being delivered to our client in Spain.
It started as a project for a cafe racer motorcycle and ended up being a very sporty and racing BMW. This is the new BMW K1 just finished in Lord Drake Kustoms’ motorcycle customization workshop.
Fran Manen (owner of LDK), has decided on this occasion to use a very special motorcycle: a BMW K1 to do what he has called one of the most impressive motorcycle transformations on a BMW K model that have been made until the date.
It is not the typical converted BMW K100, it is a unique custom motorcycle transformed from start to finish; in which no detail has been left behind… A brutal and unique BMW.
The modification process of this BMW K1
The first idea was to make a BMW cafe racer, but quickly Fran decided to change the concept and make something less seen and very radical. To do this, as soon as they arrived at their custom motorcycle workshop, the first thing they did was strip and completely disassemble this K1 that they had bought from a collector.
Work began with the installation of an inverted fork, BMW spoke rims with road tires, discs and brake calipers. Afterwards, the semi-handlebars were installed and then the entire subframe was removed and part of the chassis was cut and modified to begin to shape what would be the new rear of this spectacular transformed BMW.
The fuel tank, which is the same as that of the BMW K100 models, had to be modified a bit to achieve the radical line of the motorcycle. A new air bottle rear shock was installed, the entire rear tail and seat were installed with custom upholstery.
All this work has been accompanied by a Motogadget digital odometer, Motogadget motorcycle keyless M-Lock starting system and buttons from the same brand. Retarded foot controls for BMW K and a paint job inspired by BMW “M” series graphics.
The modified and handmade exhaust with the Spark tail gives it a Moto GP sound, a V-Rod type headlight, front indicators for Motogadget grips and Kellerman indicators at the rear, are other details to highlight from all the endless modifications. that this custom bike has.
Data Sheet
MOTORCYCLE: BMW K1
YEAR: 1991
DISPLAY: 1000 cc
FORK: Inverted
REAR SUSPENSION: WP Shock
DEPOSIT: Original modified
SUBCHASSIS: Handcrafted
SEAT: Manufactured and upholstered by hand
EXHAUST: Modified manifold and tail
FRONT WHEEL: Spokes
REAR WHEEL: Spokes
LIGHTING: Headlight with bracket, indicators and taillight
SPEEDOMETER: Relocation of speedometer and witness box.
OTHER WORKS: painting, powder painting, graphics, grips, footrest modification, etc.
BMW K1 Gallery
You can buy this model now!
BASE: BMW K1 STYLE: Cafe Racer SHIPPING: Worldwide.
“Customize your motorcycle even if it is an old dismantled Yamaha Virago 535” … this was what they told the owner of this Yamaha Virago Bobber recently transformed by Lord Drake Kustoms in his cafe racer workshop in Spain (Malaga).
Indeed, this custom motorcycle from the early 90s arrived at our motorcycle modification workshop, completely disassembled in several boxes and incomplete because it was missing many parts; and others were in poor condition or useless.
When you come to customize your motorcycle, you must take into account something very important: Make sure that the base motorcycle to be transformed is in good mechanical condition and that it is a reliable base; and not an old motorcycle with mechanical problems and failures all over the place; Well, customizing a motorcycle in poor mechanical or electrical condition is like starting a house from the roof and throwing money away.
Having said all this, we can tell you that in addition to the motorcycle modification work, we have had to invest a number of hours in our motorcycle workshop in Malaga, to solve all the mechanical and electrical problems that this custom motorcycle presented due to having numerous components in bad condition. state or included does not exist.
What have we modified in this Yamaha Virago
Once the mechanics part of this Virago XV Bobber has been solved, we focus on the transformation and modification work of this custom motorcycle. The first thing was to lower the front fork to the maximum and put some rear cafe racer shocks, as well as change the diameter of the rear wheel, going from 15 to 16 inches.
Some parts used on this bobber bikehave been bought at the “Customiza tu moto” shop: the cafe racer handlebar, headlight with yellow optics, Biltwell grips, Motogadget mini odometers and custom exhausts.
We have manufactured the license plate bracket and the two fenders, we have modified the subframe and made and upholstered the handmade motorcycle seat.
Finally, the motorcycle has been completely disassembled to be stripped and blasted to later be painted with electrostatic powder paint or black powdercoating and the tank has been stripped and polished to later be lacquered in matte. This work has been carried out by the Metal Colors company (www.metalcolors.com).
Thanks to our motorcycle homologation service we have legalized all the reforms carried out on this beautifulYamaha Virago XV Bobberwith the air of a cafe racer.
We have called this custom bikeTriumph Scrambler “Thruxton”, because the transformation or modification of this Triumph bike has not been done with a Bonneville or Scrambler base … A Triumph Thruxton has been customized.
It is true that the result of this scrambler modification can be achieved with the Triumph Bonneville; but on that occasion Fran Manen (owner of Lord Drake Kustoms) has chosen a model that originally is the opposite: a cafe racer since it leaves the factory…. a 2006 Thruxton 900 carburetion.
LDK has carried out the transformation of motorcycles like this on numerous occasions in its Triumph modification and customization workshop in Spain and especially in Miami. This scrambler in particular, it has been modified in our cafe racer workshop in Malaga.
Customizing the Triumph Scrambler “Thruxton”
The first thing was to disassemble this cafe racer bike to start modifying the subframe, giving it more height and adding some scrambler-style tires. Note that the front wheel has been changed to a 19-inch model to give it a more Street Tracker look.
After finishing with the subframe and seat, a Biltwell handlebar has been installed and a Motogadget Tiny odometer has been installed, accompanied by adjustable levers, biltwell grips and other details up front.
The original manifolds have been protected with anti-heat tape for exhausts, an aluminum skid plate for Triumph has been installed and a license plate holder with side arm has been manufactured.
The painting of this Triumph scrambler has been very simple, since the whole bike has been painted in matt black, except for the fuel tank that has been painted in dark pearl blue.
The seat, which has been manufactured at Lord Drake Kustoms, has been upholstered with brown leather and the wheels and other parts have been treated with electrostatic oven powder paintby the metalcolors company.
Finally, all the reforms carried out in this motorcycle customization work have been legalized with our own Homologation for motorcycles.
“Japanese also have the right to be transformed… I mean motorcycles!”. That was one of the phrases of Francisco Alí Manén (owner of LDK) when he saw the result of this customization work done on the base of a Yamaha Drag Star XVS 650.
Many people think that to have a nice bobber or custom bike you have to make them on a Harley base; but we forget about some models of Japanese custom bikes that have a softail type chassis very similar to the “big twin” family of the American brand and that if they work well can result in spectacular custom bikes at much more economical prices.
On this “Yamaha XVS Drag Star Bobber” the process has been the same as on other bobber bikes they have customized at Lord Drake Kustoms… Disassembly of the entire rear and front, fabrication of rear fender and bobber seat for Yamaha, along with matching license plate bracket and front fender.
Handcrafted seat
Handmade mudguards
Handlebar Tracker
Modification of suspensions, installation of tracker type handlebars, lighting and turn signals, modification of exhaust pipes with universal tails and anti-heat tape, mirrors, grips, seat upholstered in perforated leather with rhombuses, etc.
Finally an impressive paint that combines matte black with gloss black and separated by lines in gold color throughout the bodywork. And gloss black powder coating for other structural elements such as rims, footrests, front forks, etc.
HOMOLOGATION
And once finished this “Yamaha XVS Drag Star Bobber”, we have proceeded to carry out the legalization of the reforms of a bobber bike like this one for the territory of Spain, in our department of homologations of transformed motorcycles.
Now let’s talk about a Harley Davidson Sportster 883 R that we converted into a Scrambler Street Tracker style motorcycle, a Sportster Scrambler.
After doing more than 15 or 20 units of Harley Davidson converted to Scrambler, there came a time when we were a little swamped and I wanted to make a bike a little more peculiar, which differed a little from the first units, and above all, do something for two seats.
This time I wanted to give it a little more urban style, reminding a beach style, for riding along a Californian promenade, something cooler, and that’s where the idea of the Urbantracker came from.
The process of building this Sportster Scrambler
It’s a bike that has been completely modified, from front to back, it is a spectacular work, we’ve put inverted fork, radio wheels, a handcrafted tail made entirely of metal. We’ve modified the subframe, we’ve made a mask to integrate the headlights, along with the numbers it carries, 69, also a very “hot” number, and we’ve modified the tank. All this we’ve combined with not a “vintage” paint, for the cream color it has, and we’ve given some summer touches, surfers, perhaps a little ethnics with the graphics that is in shades of turquoise blue.
If you´ve liked this Harley Davidson turned into a scrambler don’t miss the next episodes were you can see new scramblers made from Harley Davidson. Don’t forget to subscribe and click the bell and like it.
It is a bike that we have transformed into an hybrid, it is neither a Cafe Racer, nor a Bobber, nor a “retro” bike.
Due to some characteristics such as the semi handlebars, the height of the bike and the general aesthetics, we could say that it is a Cafe Racer, however, that spring seat that we have put in, has more airs of a Bobber or a “retro” bike.
The main feature of this bike is that we have incorporated, apart from modifying the whole subframe, a 200 wide wheel. A fairly considerable wheel for the sportster, which gives the bike more body and more wingspan especially when you see it from behind.
The tank and all the bodywork, we have practically left it without paint, in polished metal, we have stripped it all, we have polished it, we have given it a matt lacquer.
We’ve lowered the front suspension. We have placed a very short rear fender, to show all the wide wheel we have put it on. Exhaust, filters, short front fender.
A lot of details that have given rise to a slightly different bike with a not very defined style.
If you liked this Sportster, don’t forget to give us a “Like” an subscribe to our channel and remember: “Great things have small beginnings”.
