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Jul 24, 2023

Two smoking hot BMW K1100RS café racers from Powerbrick

Powerbrick has the most apt name in the custom motorcycle business. The Dutch

Powerbrick has the most apt name in the custom motorcycle business. The Dutch workshop specializes in making parts for K-series BMWs, affectionately known as ‘flying bricks.’ And every part or custom bike they make has an edgy performance vibe to it.

For their latest project, Powerbrick has upped the ante in K-series customization, with a pair of striking BMW K1100RS café racers. Featuring a staggering number of one-off parts, the bikes are nearly identical—save for their inverted color schemes, obviously.

Powerbrick started with two 1994-model BMW K1100RS donors, then proceeded to rebuild them from the inside out. Dubbed ‘Vengeance’ [above] and ‘Lenience’ [below], both BMWs have had their engines overhauled. Notable mods include ported heads, enhanced timing with an NGK ignition system, and a hydraulic clutch conversion.

It's not just about outright power. According to shop boss Tim Somers, the idea is to create a punchier connection between your right hand and the rear wheel.

Also present are new RC Racing aluminum radiators, with SamcoSport silicon hoses for extra performance and style. Perched on each flying brick's inline-four motor is a row of DNA filters; less visible are the new Bosch EV14 injectors. On the exhaust side, each K wears a pie-cut stainless steel four-into-one system from MAD Exhausts, fitting with a Powerbrick muffler.

Going deeper, Powerbrick rewired each K with a Bluetooth-enable Motogadget brain. A NOCO Lithium battery powers each system, with a Ctek charging point wired in.

These K1100s also sport a slew of chassis mods. Powerbrick fitted them with new yokes from their own catalog, each with an integrated housing for a tiny Motogadget speedo. A set of BMW S1000RR forks does duty on both bikes; one with Bitubo cartridges inside, and the other with BMW M1000RR internals.

An adjustable shock from TFX Suspension sits at the back of each K. Their wheels are billet aluminum items from AC Schnitzer. They’re actually designed for the BMW R nineT, but Powerbrick made them work with custom-made adaptors. The braking systems use Brembo components throughout, with new brake lines from Venhill.

Rather than fight against the deeply scalloped, and slightly gawky, lines of the K1100RS’ fuel tank, Powerbrick opted to customize the rest of the bike's bodywork to complement it. Most notable are the new subframes, each machined from a mammoth aluminum billet. It's a seven-part design that accommodates not only the custom seat, but also the electronics, a small rear cowl and an integrated taillight.

The design is super sano, right down to the seat mounting mechanism. The tail end of the seat slides into place under the rear cowl, with two bolts hidden under the tank securing the front.

It's one of many well-judged details on these builds that help them look as slick as they do. "I aimed for better-than-factory quality," says Tim. "By machining the entire rear of the bikes from computer models, I managed to make it look like they are production bikes."

"I opted for a lot more laser and computer-guided production parts than I did before, eliminating any human errors or inconsistencies. The right side of the bikes has completely been opened up, with just the battery being suspended above the engine. I managed to do this because we threw away the entire loom and redid all the wiring in a more efficient way."

All of that consideration goes right down to the smaller details too. The cockpits are fitted with Powerbrick clip-ons, Brembo controls, and Motogadget push buttons and bar-end turn signals. Powebrick rear-set foot controls sit lower down.

Other bolt-on parts from Powerbrick's catalog include the headlight cowls, each wrapped around a Koso LED headlight, plus the gas caps and tank roundels.

Top marks to Powerbrick for the matching Marlboro liveries too. Executed in a traditional red and white, and in contrasting black tones, each is offset with a number of color-matched details. Royal Kustom Works was responsible for the paint work, while Europe's favorite motorcycle upholsterer, Silvermachine, did the seats.

Building two bikes at once is no small task, and Tim is quick to give credit to Powerbrick's newest team members. "These are the first bikes that I’ve built since the team was expanded with some amazing guys: Sasza Tuahatu and Sam Clercx. They are industrial designer students and have been of amazing help!"

Once again, Powerbrick has established that they know how to squeeze the most out of the often-underappreciated K. And if these tickle your fancy, get in touch with the crew and take your pick—they’re both for sale.

Powerbrick | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Paul van Mondfrans Lindén