BMW K1100 Cafe Racer by 8Tech Racing

Colin and Merlin of Germany’s 8Tech Racing both have mechanical engineering backgrounds. When they aren’t studying, they are racing their racebikes around various circuits in Europe. Given their backgrounds in racing and engineering, they have a focus on performance, not just aesthetics, which shows in their builds.

Enter this BMW K1100RS cafe racer. The K-Series bikes long ago earned the nickname “Flying Bricks,” given the honking big chunk of engine in their frames. 8Tech Racing wanted to see how sporty they could make a K-series build. The numbers alone speak for themselves — the duo managed to shed 67 kilograms from the bike’s wet weight…more than 147 pounds! Add Wilbers-tuned suspension, supersport rubber, bigger brakes, and an array of intake/exhaust modifications, and this has to be one of the sportiest K-series bikes ever created.

The duo named the bike “Poseidon,” given the lovely dark blue flake paint and the way the bike exudes both power and calm, “like the sea on a nice sunny day.” The bike can truly call itself a “racer,” as you’ll see in the fantastic photos of Sabine Singenberger racing the bike at the Glemseck 101 (photography by Christine Gabler, Jörn Zastera & Jeremie di Stefano).

Below, we get the full story on this “Flying Brick” that truly flies.

BMW K1100RS Cafe Racer:  In the Builder’s Words

We bought the bike on ebay a week before Christmas 2016. It’s an 1994 model, original in metallic blue, very ugly…

We wanted to create our own interpretation of a new school cafe racer. We chose the K1100 cause we already built a K100 Scrambler and with the 1100, we wanted to test how much you can make a ‘sporty’ and rideable bike out of a K-series BMW. There was no certain inspiration for the design, we just wanted to keep the bike as clean as possible and descent in the same way. That is one of the reasons why the bike only weighs 213kg with all fluids an full gas tank! (Original around 280kg).

The stripes on the gas tank and the rear make the bike look pretty small together with the black engine cases. The paintjob underlines the whole concept of the bike, inconspicuous on the first view but on the second very muscular and aggressive. The look brought us to its name “Poseidon.”

Its look is so powerful like a K-series on steroids but inconspicuous and calm at the same point, so it’s like the sea on a nice sunny day. When the sun shines bright on the paint, you can clearly see the lovely dark blue flakes all over the bike.

Our first impression while driving it was very satisfying. The engine is a dream, torque at every point and the feedback which engine and suspension give is totally amazing. The bike handles very precise, especially with the Wilbers modified GSXR forks we installed. In the rear works a fully adjustable Wilbers 633 Competition shock.

For the front we used a Triumph rim and so could replace the original BMW 305mm brake discs with 320mm EBC’s. The Brembo monoblock calipers are from Ducati, in combination with a Galespeed VRC19 brakepump. We installed a 5.5″ rim to be able to put usual supersport tires on it in 180mm width.

Instruments are by motogadget, as well as the m-unit, m-button and more.

Handlebars and rearsets are Gilles Tooling. The adapters for installing the rearsets are CNC-milled (we sell them in two different styles).
The rear is also made by 8Tech, out of glass fiber reinforced plastic, together with an alcantara seat.

Furthermore we mounted a flow-optimizing stainless steel airbox with K&N’s. Together with the modified throttle bodies and other injectors we could raise the power by quite a few horses :). The exhaust system is a SC Project Titanium silencer with selfmade mufflers.

Comparing the original bike, the result of power in combination with that fast road/light race set suspension is absolutely enormous. The bike handles perfectly, is stiff in high-speed corners and quick as f*ck. For sure the sportiest K-series we have ever ridden!

We raced the bike at the Glemseck 101 and brought it to some other conventions this year. We have been ridden through the Alps and had great fun with it!

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