Hello everybody and excuse my English. It all started in the year 2016 when I bought my first R nineT. A MY 2015 R nineT Classic. I loved the bike from the early presentation and when I got mine I planned to leave it like it is except for original hump cover.
You probably know how it goes. Right now the bike is customized some how extensively such as front and rear suspension, seat, exhaust manifold, footpegs, brake and clutch levers, lots of RSD parts and so on. I am doing most of the work on my own.
When BMW introduced the R nineT Racer in late 2017 I was excited about the bike - except the colour. I thought BMW was going to bring some others paints which underlines the oldschool look even more.
Although the nineT Racer wasn’t really comfortable and kind of exhausting to ride (probably the reason why they discontinued the Racer) I decided to get one and build my own classic style BMW Racer. In that thread I want to introduce my nineT Racer to you guys and report step by step how it became my Tribute to R90S.
I bought the bike with just 1.1k kilometers in November 2019 from a local BMW dealer. I was planning to do the work in the winter month and was hoping to do the rollout in March or April 2020. First of all I had to tidy up the garage and create some space for working on the bike:
Some progress after Christmas and new year. The Racer got rid of the silencer, the fork (for updating the cartridge), rear damper and the remaining rest of the body kit:
Since the new shock absorber will have an expansion tank there is not enough space for adjusting the spring load anymore I was looking for another place of the charcoal canister. I don’t like that canister anyhow:
Trial assembly:
Pretty tight but it fits and with new and longer hoses it will still work and the bike remains street legal (European think):
That original steering damper is really stiff I ordered an adjustable steering damper and opened the damping entirely:
The wheel hub cover with a diameter of 58 mm for instance of the BMW 3 series (E36) wheels fits perfectly on that front cover of the nineT engine. I think it looks nice:
I decided for a rear damper which is 8 mm longer than the original damper. Therefore I bought the side stand of a nineT Scrambler:
Just a minor thing. Black cable ties are not really nice to the silver-grey frame. Bevore:
I really like that emblem at the steering head of my nineT Classic. Unfortunately it does not fit the Racer frame due to the support of the fairing. Since my bike should become a homage to the legendary R90S I took the emblem of the famous forefather:
But it had to be customized as well:
Some adjustments to the emblem where necessary to assemble it with the original notch nails:
I like short (2 fingers) levers better than the long ones. Some additional black parts eliminated:
The aim was that the fairing and all other body parts look like they were made of aluminum. So the gas tank, the mud guard, the hump cover and the fairing got a aluminum coating. That coating reacts like real aluminum and it can be brushed, polished etc.
Now it was already end of February. I am still waiting for the work of the paint shop and the saddlery. But the suspension works were done. The rear damper is fully adjustable. As well as the Öhlins cartridge for the fork. The colour of the spring should match the coulour of the frame. Unfortunately it did not work out – so what!?
Bellows of the nineT Scrambler should underline the targeted oldschool look of my nineT Racer:
The white battery became a black foil:
And the emblem of the hump cover of the R90S fits perfectly on the battery case of my bike. Now the name of the project can also be seen – Tribute to R90S:
Dir und Mir mit Binding Bier! Old German Television advertisement. I went to American schools in Frankfurt and one year we toured the Binding Brewery. I lived in Oberursel/TS.
Great Build!
I did not like the original exhaust pipe of the Racer. Reminds me of the pipe of those big four stroke scooters. I bought a brushed stainless steel pipe which was polished to meet the chrome-plated manifold:
A polished disc instead of the original cast aluminum:
And in that same design two more covers for the frame:
Mid March first sign of life of the paint shop. The body parts were at least primed and the carves on the sides of the gas tank have been filled up:
I liked those coffee racers in the sixties and seventies in England and wanted my bike to look kind of similar. The aim was that the fairing and all other body parts look like they were made of aluminum. So the gas tank, the mud guard, the hump cover and the fairing got a aluminum coating. That coating reacts like real aluminum and it can be brushed, polished etc.
I was not sure yet whether I liked it more polished or brushed. But I knew for sure that I did not want any further clear lacquer. The bike should develop its own patina over time.
Another silver lid instead of the black plastic one:
So the gas tank, the mud guard, the hump cover and the fairing got a aluminum coating. That coating reacts like real aluminum and it can be brushed, polished etc.
I'm very curious to know more about this aluminium coating....brand name, how it's applied, cost etc?
Any info you can supply about it will be gratefully received. Thanks in advance.
And at the very last day of March I got the body parts and could start to complete the bike. The nineT Classic on the very left is my other nineT and the Pure which stays over winter in my garage next to it belongs to a friend of mine:
I hope you guys enjoyed the report and find some helpful hints or ideas for your own builds. There are a couple of things which are currently in progress. Stay tuned
Thanks for taking the time to assemble the pics and posts for this thread, that is classy build! I really enjoyed the read, and simply love your subject matter. Cheers!
Tank you very much for your nice reply Dave. I thought about Kineos already but did not like the look that much. Because of that fact and the price they are off of my list.
I am looking for a wheel set of the /5 nineT. If I would find some for a reasonable price I would give it a try.
thanks a lot for your great feedback. I am happy that you guys like the bike and appreciate the work I have done over month.
Right now I am thinking about a set of brownish rubber pads for the gas tank. I think that will contribute to the retro look of the bike. Here is a sample made with photoshop. What do you think?
The other day I bought another windshield which will become a transparent yellow foil.