Text: Cafe Racer World, Photos: Álvaro Manén
No one can deny that we are facing a fashion in terms of custom bikes based on BMW models. A motorcycle that the German firm developed in the 80s designed to carry out long trips. On this occasion we started with a BMW R100 DM from 1981.
What Lord Drake Kustoms has achieved with this motorcycle is surprising, since he has managed to combine several styles into one. That is why we can quickly see strokes of Cafe Racer in its structure and Bobber or we could say a vintage touch. But even if we look at their used tires we could talk about a whole Scrambler.
Many are the details that make this custom motorcycle an object of desire. And it was precisely a desire like this that led a client and follower of Lord Drake Kustoms to visit his facilities to order the motorcycle of his dreams.
The meeting was very fast and Fran Manen and his team of Lord Drake Kustoms were soon ready to begin the work of customization.
Fran tells us “The client was very clear what motorcycle he wanted and we were also surprised that he was looking for this type of Cafe Racer or Scrambler motorcycle in Malaga, because it is not very normal to see them even here.”
The customization process.
The LDK team began by disassembling the original BMW R100 and pushing away everything unnecessary. Then they went on to modify the front suspension in order to achieve the necessary height. Once the rear shock absorbers and the handlebar were placed, they managed to see the final shape and height of the motorcycle. It was important that it be as low as possible.
From there, they began to manufacture by hand all the elements that they were going to include, such as the seat and its support, the front and rear fenders, the license plate holder, the headlamp support, the battery box and many other pieces.
All the original paint was removed from the tank until it reached the metal. After polishing it well, a matt lacquer was applied for the final finish. As for the rest of the pieces, it was the company Metal Colors who applied the powder coating (electrostatic paint) with a combination of matte black and textured black.
Technical Data Sheet
- Motorcycle: BMW R100
- Year: 1981
- Displacement: 1,000 cc.
- Exhaust: Original modified with custom tails.
- Shock absorbers: LDK air suspension.
- Fork: Original modified.
- Odometer: Digital Motogadget.
- Hand controls: Handlebars, grips, controls and pinions of lights, levers and front brake pump, etc.
- Foot controls: modified LDK.
- Rims: Originals with powdercoating.
- Tires Continental.
- Fuel Tank: Original.
- Seat: support and craft seat LDK.
- Front mudguard: artisan LDK.
- Mudguard: artisan LDK.
- Number plate: artisan LDK.
- Lighting: spotlight, intermittent Front LEDs on cuffs, pilot and rear turn signals LEDs under saddle.
- Paint and finishes: Deposit in matt lacquered steel and a combination of matte black and textured black with powdercoating on the rest of the motorcycle.