Eight years ago, Rough Crafts blew us away with their first custom BMW R nineT. Up until now, the Taiwanese custom shop superstar has focused on custom Harleys, but “Bavarian Fist Fighter” was the ultimate proof that founder Winston Yeh could turn any motorcycle into gold. No wonder it topped our list of the best custom motorcycles of the year.
What is It's surprising that Rough Crafts hasn't built another custom BMW R 9T since then… until now.
Commissioned by a local film star, the Bayern Madness is deliberately designed to resemble Rough Crafts' debut R nineT. His request was for something along the same lines, with a few key changes; less bodywork, a hint of scrambler style and silver paint. Winston had already thought of the rest.
Winston is running Rough crafts as a sort of collective, bringing in local craftsmen as needed. With JZO Crafts (fabrication) and Faber Studio (assembly) on board, the first task was to simplify the layout of the nineT as much as possible.
“The biggest headache,” Winston tells us, “was sorting out the electronics, removing the airbox and moving everything under the only remaining bodywork – the tank. I also decided to make the fuel tank very narrow to highlight the boxer engine, which made it even more difficult to hide.”
The new handcrafted R nineT fuel tank is a work of art that effortlessly combines vintage BMW boxer-inspired details with the signature Rough Crafts aesthetic. From the side, it mimics the deeply sculpted fuel tank of the Bavarian Fistfighter. But at the top, it’s thinner, tapering to a pair of seams that frame the carbon-fiber-encrusted ignition.
Other details include a Rough Crafts gas cap, a sleek tank strap from Urban Soul Leathers, and a pair of signature tank badges from one of Winston's longest-running collaborators, 2Abnormal Sides.
Further back, the BMW subframe has been ditched in favor of a minimalist seat mount with an integrated tray. The single seat is an homage to the rubber BMW seats of the 1950s. With no fenders or fairing, this Rough Crafts nineT is as stripped down as it gets.
Winston then did his usual trick of throwing a smorgasbord of seriously swanky kit onto the nineT. The beefy Öhlins forks on the right side do the work up front, offering a classic look with modern performance. They’ve been shortened and fitted with an Andreani axle and bracket set from the Öhlins Blackline series.
Rough Crafts have retained BMW’s original Brembo brakes, but have swapped out the wheels for a pair of tubeless 17-inchers from BMW’s swanky Option 719 range. They’re wrapped in Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tyres, which, despite their rugged appearance, offer plenty of grip on the tarmac. “It really does drive like a roadster in scrambler guise,” confirms Winston.
The cockpit is fitted with Rough Crafts bar clamps, Beringer controls and Motogadget grips, with Rizoma foot controls positioned below. An LED headlight lights the way, styled in the shop’s traditional grille, with a tiny Motogadget speedo floating just above it. Motogadget LED turn signals are positioned on either side of the radiator, while Rough Crafts x Koso three-in-one LEDs serve as the taillight and rear turn signals.
Look up at the boxer heads and you’ll see a stunning set of Unit Garage valve covers, personalized with badges from 2 Abnormal Sides. The air filters are from DNA Filter and include laser-etched Rough Crafts branding. And the two-into-two exhaust system is a custom build from SC-Project in Italy.
Rover Works Custom Paint brought the build to the finish line with a classic striped livery that inverts the usual Rough Crafts palette. The Bayern Madness may not be finished in black, but there’s no denying that Winston’s signature is all over it.
Let's hope it doesn't take eight years before Rough Crafts releases its next custom BMW R nineT.
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