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Diamond Atelier impresses with an uber-slick BMW boxer built for the race track, while Japan’s Infiniti Motorcycle builds a stunning Harley-Davidson bobber. We also profile a brawny Suzuki Bandit 1200 café racer and the brand-new Yamaha R9 sportbike.
BMW boxer ‘MK Race’ by Diamond Atelier Diamond Atelier is back and in a big way. From hip scramblers to sleek street bikes and everything in between, the Munich-based workshop has a long list of incredible builds. For their latest release, they took a classic BMW R-series boxer and turned every single component up to 11; meet the Diamond Atelier ‘MK Race.’
Starting up front are bespoke fork clamps that hold a set of fully adjustable Wilbers superbike forks in place. A pair of giant Brembo GP4-RX superbike calipers squeeze the life out of the drilled rotors and are equipped with a set of quick-release braided brake lines, courtesy of BAT Motorsport. Lightweight spoked wheels are wrapped in racing slicks, which reveal the intended purpose of this machine (and yes, it comes with the tire warmers).
The custom fairing hides a Starlane Corsaro II Pro lap timer, with a Motogadget Motoscope mini embedded in the upper fork clamp. We love how the fairing integrates perfectly with the tank and makes the bike look fast standing still.
The custom paint splashed over the bodywork is both striking and stunning—but that is to be expected from Diamond Atelier.
The seat is cantilevered over the back wheel with a custom subframe, with the seat unit carrying over the livery. Lightweight, fully adjustable rear-set footpegs help the rider into a race position. And while the details about the final drive are light, it looks to be lifted from a BMW R100R.
The engine has been punched out to 1,070 cc and houses a racing crankshaft with the pistons treated to Formula One-grade coatings. A set of Diamond Atelier carbon fiber valve covers adorn the heads, which have been converted to a twin-spark setup. The alternator cover, starter cover, and gearbox cover all received the DA carbon fiber treatment, further reducing weight and increasing the cool factor.
A pair of new Mikuni race carbs throw fuel down the Beemer’s gullet, with the hot air exiting through a custom titanium exhaust. A box-style muffler ends under the gearbox—and while it’s far from a classic-style exhaust, it suits the MK Race brief perfectly.
With countless details to go over, it’s hard to choose a favorite part. All we need now is a full tank of gas and an open track. [Source]
Harley-Davidson bobber by Infiniti Motorcycle Running out of their new Iruma City workshop in the Saitama Prefecture in Japan, Masumi Tsuchino’s Infinity Workshop usually specializes in modern American V-twins. However, when a client from Hiroshima was hunting for a 50s-inspired Harley, the Infiniti team was more than happy to oblige. They landed on the idea of a vintage panhead-inspired bobber—with a few modern touches.
Finding a stock panhead frame in good condition is a tall order. So, to kick things off, Tsuchino-san ordered a brand new V-Twin Manufacturing Wishbone panhead-style replica frame.
Deciding that a springer front end would’ve been a bit much on the new frame, a custom set of traditional telescopic forks was built. It looks mean as heck paired with a set of Harley FL-style fork covers, while the rebuilt wheels ride on black rims and vintage treads.
A small headlight is nestled perfectly between the forks, with custom handlebars fitted higher up. White grips match the rubber footpegs, which probably add some comfort to the vibey V-twin. A new solo saddle with vintage-style seat springs offers a smidgen of relief from bumpy roads.
Even though the bike is built in the style of a 50s panhead, Tsuchino-san shoehorned a shovelhead engine from an FXWG into the new frame. The four-speed transmission came along too (with its kick-starter), and the whole thing is linked with an open primary. A suicide shifter with handmade linkages moves through the gears, while a custom exhaust flows flawlessly around the engine to exit on the left side.
Sitting low on the frame’s backbone, the custom fuel tank is long and narrow so as not to disturb the flowing lines. Paired with an auxiliary tank next to the primary, fuel flows from the top down and is pumped back up to the carb with a small electronic fuel pump; ingenious! A bobbed rear fender sits at the back, fitted with a small chrome tail light that pops nicely against the midnight blue paintwork.
They are the perfect final touches to one of the nicest custom shovels we’ve seen in some time. [Source]
Suzuki Bandit 1200 by RV Workshop The Suzuki Bandit 1200 makes a compelling argument for a café racer conversion. It’s powerful, reliable, easy to work on, and in plentiful supply. These are all things Damien from RV Workshop in France came to realize when he set about building this fantastic 1996 Suzuki Bandit 1200 café racer for a client.
The bike sports a purposeful stance, with a 2001 Suzuki GSX-R1000 front end matched to the OEM tri-spoke wheels. A new headlight, front fender, and bikini faring were bolted on, with a full suite of Highsider LED turn signals. A KOSO digital dashboard hides beneath the smoked screen, flanked by a set of clip-ons in place of the Bandit’s original upright bars.
The tank is stock but was painted metallic grey to match the fairing and other details on the bike. Combined with the blue paint on the frame and wheels, it’s clear where Damien wants us to look. The rear subframe is custom, as is the custom leather and Alcantara seat.
A delicate chain guard on the left is paired with a custom wheel hugger on the right to support the number plate and keep the back end clean. A custom battery tray hides neatly behind the carbs.
The engine was treated to fresh paint and a full brace of pod filters too. The carbs were then jetted and tuned to suit the new intake and to play nicely with the exhaust system. A stubby Leo Vince muffler finishes things off, linked to the headers via a custom mid-pipe.
This Bandit is fast, muscular, and good-looking. We bet Damien’s client is stoked. [Source]
2025 Yamaha R9 With Yamaha announcing that the road-going R1 will not be available in Europe in 2025, the announcement of the all-new 2025 R9 was all but a given. But is it a worthy replacement?
With EU emission standards growing ever tighter, Yamaha has taken their mega-popular 890 cc inline triple, and shoved it into a lightweight aluminum Deltabox-style frame with sports ergonomics. In fact, Yamaha states that the 9.5-kilo [21-pound] R9 frame is the lightest frame ever used on a Yamaha sportbike.
Average riders won’t exactly be able to feel the frame doing anything different, but they will notice the aggressive aerodynamic bodywork. A pair of wings frame the LED projector headlight and join with the upper section of the fairing. This MotoGP-inspired design has been developed in the Yamaha wind tunnel and reportedly reduces front wheel lift by six to seven percent in a straight line.
Combined with the front spoiler positioned under the ‘M-Duct’ in the middle of the fairing, front-end downforce increases to ten percent through corners; again, something average riders like us won’t notice. But hey, who doesn’t like wings on a sportbike?
KYB provides the 43 mm inverted forks, which are both high and low-speed compression and rebound adjustable. At the back is a shock that’s adjustable for preload, rebound, compression, and ride height. The brakes are from Brembo, with twin Stylema calipers and 320 mm discs up front.
Several electronic ride modes are baked in, with everything displayed on a 5” TFT color dashboard. Lean-sensitive rider aids include traction control, slide control (how fun), and brake control, as well as everyone’s favorite type of control—launch control.
The seat height is taller than we expected at 32.68 inches and with a full tank the whole package weighs 195 kg [a smidge under 430 lbs]. It’s not exactly lightweight, but we bet there’s more than a few extra pounds in that factory exhaust—if you’re picking up what we’re putting down.
The R9 is available in two colors and while we are drawn to the classic Yamaha Icon Blue, we bet the Tech Black looks incredible in person. We highly recommend hitting ‘play’ on the below video—and don’t forget your headphones. [More]