Can you believe it that the BMW R nineT has been on the market for an incredible 9 years? At the time, it also became a favorite among builders—so there was no shortage of parts available for it. From the complete custom kit to the tiny doohickeys, there’s no small detail on the R nineT that can’t be upgraded in some way.
This begs the question: what will the final fabricated parts look like? BMW R nineT look like? M-Racing Vietnam has the answer.
Anyone with a big budget can throw a lot of parts into an R nineT. But it takes a sharp eye and wisdom to know when to zigzag and when to zigzag, to make it all come together as well as M-Racing did. Based in Ho Chi Minh City, their main business is high performance motorcycle parts—but besides that, they also build custom bikes.
Their custom BMW R nineT looks compact and intimidating, but it also mounts in a fun way. There’s nothing flashy about this muscle street tracking, and not a single part screams for attention. But the closer you look, the more good things you find.
Despite the eye-catching build panel, the goal of M-Racing here is to keep things elegant and minimalist. The store’s communications guy, Uy, said: “It’s not easy to achieve minimalism while maintaining all the necessary functions of a bike. “Fortunately, the R nineT is a great blank canvas to start with.”
“The import of parts and accessories takes months in this bureaucratic system. But in the end, we were able to buy all the items on this long shopping list.”
Work begins in the cockpit with a new set of Domino handlebars, clamped by new lift bars that push the bars higher and closer to the driver. They wear an Accossato throttle, with Brembo clutch and brake controls. Other equipment includes small switches and rearview mirrors from Motogadget, new grips and CNC Racing fluid reservoirs.
The first big change in terms of aesthetics is the new headlight layout of the R nineT. M-Racing fabricated a boxy license plate-like backplate, then fitted it with a pair of LED headlights from Diode Dynamics. The Motogadget LED turn signal is barely noticeable next to it.
There’s a digital Motogadget dashboard hidden behind it; a model dedicated to the plug-and-play R nineT. The original BMW fork and yoke have been reworked in black, and there’s a black painted Öhlins handlebar shock absorber hidden in plain view.
The engine features new CNC machined valve covers from the BMW aftermarket portfolio and a full airbox replacement kit from DNA Filters. The Wunderlich guard protects the oil cooler, while the Lithium-ion battery sits under the saddle. The all-black ceramic exhaust system comes from Italy’s Zard company.
At the top you’ll find an elegantly machined aluminum tailgate, sourced from Le Motographe in France. It’s a bolted detail complete with embedded taillights and turn signals. Le Motographe also offers stylish leather and Alcantara upholstery.
Carbon fiber visors cover the silver frame splints located directly below the R nineT’s saddle, while Le Motographe’s rear-seat racks are more neatly arranged. M-Racing also replaces the original foot controller with a rear gripper from Rizoma.
BMW’s new wheels are admittedly a bit daring. M-Racing has fitted a new set of Jonich rims, which have a special offset lacing system at the rear to accommodate the side grips of the bike. “It took a lot of work to get them delivered,” Uy told us, “and as far as we know they are the only couple in Vietnam.”
The wheels are wrapped in Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tires—despite their name, dual sport tires for the road. The rear end is also equipped with new K-Tech shock absorbers and adjustable struts from AC-Schnitzer. Fitted with BMW’s Paralever swingarm, it is designed for increased stability for better handling.
Braking system includes upgraded Brembo brake calipers at both ends, twin Brembo discs at the front and Galfer discs at the rear. The rear brake uses a Discacciati master cylinder with a Bonamici reservoir. M-Racing also replaces all oil and brake lines with HEL Performance accessories, with Earls attachments.
The final visual highlight is the fuel tank of the BMW R nineT. M-Racing treated it with a black and white kinetic paint, then topped it with a Le Motographe fuel tank cap and brown badges. Almost everything else on the car is painted black.
There are plenty of custom BMW R nineTs that prove that money can’t buy taste. But this is not one of them. We won’t change anything—except the name on the title.
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