It’s not there anymore not often seen old BMW K Series go under the knife. But that doesn’t mean every custom K is a home run. It is still a difficult bike to customize — and it takes a keen eye to get it right.
There is no doubt that Chris Scholtka, better known as Motocrew, cracked the code. Based in Cottbus in northeastern Germany, Chris is a firefighter who creates custom motorcycles in his spare time. His vibe is minimalistic and modern, with emphasis on strong lines.
The visual trick Chris performed on this 1985 BMW K75 is inspiring – but the work is more than just a makeover. The sponsor’s bike was in less than ideal condition, so Chris had to take the crates apart first to make sure it wasn’t a fake.
He said: “The outside of the engine has rusted, covered with dirt and oil from the past 30 years. “Speedo is lost so it is not possible to check the distance for a quick assessment. I was blind while building this — I don’t even know if it even started. “
Chris got lucky; The engine looks better on the inside. All it needs are new gaskets, O-rings and fluid, and a large outer layer of detergent. He also removed the conditioning box, replacing it with the DNA Filters shell filter.
The exhaust is custom – a piece of cake-cut stainless steel that takes around 22 hours of welding and cutting to fabricate. It hangs around the K-brick bottom of the engine, ending with a Leo Vince silencer on the right side. This position is a deliberate move, to keep the rear wheel fully observable.
There are no K75-powered devices left. Chris swapped the front end for a setup from the 2013 Kawasaki ZX-10R, including forks, twin disc brakes, shock absorbers and three-spoke alloy wheels. The fork stanchions have been treated with a black low-friction coating.
There’s a matching three-spoke wheel in the back, but that’s a completely different bike. Chris borrowed it, and a longer final handlebar, from a newer BMW K1100. The fully adjustable rear shock is from the German suspension company Black-T.
Going higher, Chris unscrewed the end of the subframe, then bolted on a new full-length unit to anchor the bike, visually. It sounds like a cheap trick, but it works great. Since the new subframe’s silver coat stands out against the black mainframe, your eye will naturally be drawn to the sharp baseline it creates.
Chris has used this approach before, but he adapted the design for this particular project. “It was my way to hide the ugly original back frame of the K series,” he quips.
On top is the BMW OEM fuel tank, which is raised slightly at the rear to further improve the overall shape. A pair of custom-built side panels tie the frame to the crate, while a custom seat completes the rear half.
Chris covered the OEM subframe tubes with a pair of taillights and LED combined turn signals. The license plate sits deeper, on a custom bracket that attaches to the swingarm. Further down the line are new sets from the K-series specialty store, Powerbrick.
There’s an LED headlight up front, with a pair of daytime running lights embedded in the tubes of the new subframe. Motocrew’s branded handlebars Hookie Co.with Motogadget switch and turn signal at the end of the bar. If you’re looking for speed, it’s mounted in front of the fuel tank; a small digital unit, also from Motogadget.
Chris is a fan of the German company’s electronic components, so he also wrapped the bike around their mo.unit blue control box. A small battery is hidden under the tank, and the bike is turned on via a keyless RFID system.
Motocrew’s bikes alternate between wearing sleek graphics and a clean, single-color paint job. Chris chose the latter here, picking up a beautiful champagne silver from BMW’s M palette. It’s a striking choice that further emphasizes how well-proportioned this BMW is.
If you’re looking for the latest custom K-series blueprints, this could be it.
Motocrew Instagram | Photo of kylefx
