Bavarian Bulldog from Lord Drake Kustoms…
When Ducati introduced the concept of a twin-powered “Hypermotard” in 2006, their website literally crashed from the flood of interest about the new machine. The idea was a bike that combined the agility and fun factor of a supermoto with the power, size, and functionality of a liter-sized V-twin.
“The Ducati Hypermotard 1100 is a new kind of motorcycle. It offers all the fun of a conventional supermoto motorcycle with its light and agile handling, and a pathological penchant for wheelies. But thanks to its big n’smooth 1078cc V-twin engine, comfy seat and roomy riding position the Ducati Hypermotard is practical too.” –MCN
Any doubts the concept made sense from a performance standpoint were ousted when a Hypermotard 1100S won the 1200 Pro Class Division of the 2008 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb — the first Ducati ever to win the legendary hillclimb.
Given the success of the Ducati, it seems strange that few other manufacturers have followed suit, using their existing platforms to develop hypermotard-class machines. Fortunately, there are custom builders to step in and fill the void. We’ve seen an increasing number of BMW supermotos based on the GS, R1200, and even R100 airhead platform.
However, this may be the first BMW R NineT hypermoto we’ve seen, and it comes from our friend Fran Manen and crew at Lord Drake Kustoms. Based in Malaga and Miami, LDK is a workshop you can always count on for bold, unexpected designs.
Since its inception, the BMW R NineT — in spite of its ungainly name — has become a highly popular model within the retro, café racer, and custom segments in general. The 1170cc “oilhead” flat-twin (boxer) engine makes a stout 110 horsepower and 86 foot-pounds of torque, and the bike was designed as a “blank canvas for customizing” with a detachable subframe, separate chassis and engine wiring harnesses, easily removable lighting, and other conveniences for those seeking to customize the bike.
It’s quite possibly the most popular modern donor in customization projects such as scramblers and cafe racers, but until now, hardly anyone had taken the step of transforming a NineT into a hypermotard. According to Fran Manen, founder of LDK, the challenge wasn’t without risk.
“We wanted to demonstrate that the BMW R NineT could also be transformed into a hypermotard without losing its original essence. The result has been spectacular, and we believe it will set a trend.”
LDK reworked the ergonomics to offer “extreme fun on both mountain roads and urban commutes.” The suspension was adjusted, including an upgrade of the rear shock to an Öhlins unit, and the front fairing and shorty front fender were custom-made for the bike.
The bike now sports an assortment of carbon details (spoiler, hand guards, air intake), a custom alcantara leather saddle with orange stitching, an optimized exhaust system with Supertrapp tailpipe, and a dynamic white, black, and orange livery.
The result is bold and striking, but LDK emphasizes that form meets function in this creation:
“The ‘9T Hypermotard’ is not simply a styling exercise: it’s a machine ready to ride.”
We’d certainly be game for a go on this Bavarian bulldog! See below for more builds from LDK, and or you can check out more custom supermotos we’ve featured on BikeBound.
Follow Lord Drake Kustoms
Website: www.lorddrakekustoms.com
Instagram: @lorddrakekustoms
Facebook: @lorddrakekustoms
Youtube: LDK TV
More LDK Builds
9T Hypermotard: BMW R nineT Supermoto - Bavarian Bulldog from Lord Drake Kustoms… When Ducati introduced the concept of a twin-powered “Hypermotard” in 2006, their website literally crashed from the flood of interest about the new machine. The idea was a bike […]
Indian Scout “Neoracer” - From Bobber to “Neoracer” — Indian Scout from Lord Drake Designs… Introduced in 2016, the Indian Scout was designed to be the “best in class midsize American motorcycle” — an answer to the long-running Harley-Davidson […]
Mad Max: Yamaha V-Max 1200 Custom - V4 Beast from Lord Drake Kustoms… Back in the early 1980s, Yamaha wanted to develop a two-wheeled hot rod for the American market. They sent the project’s team leader, Akira Araki, stateside for research. “According […]
Fast Brick: BMW “K1 Racer 1.2” - BMW K100 by Lord Drake Kustoms… In recent years, the BMW K100 has become an unlikely favorite among bike-builders all over the world. Dubbed the “Flying Brick” for the boxy engine design, the K100 was […]
Bultracker 57: 1200 Sportster Scrambler - Francisco Alí Manén of Lord Drake Kustoms is one of those builders who’s successfully made the transition from the heavy chrome choppers so popular in the early 2000s to a much more diverse and eclectic […]
883 Sportster “Bultracker” - Spain’s LDK builds a V-twin tribute to a Spanish marque… Two of history’s most famous Spanish motorcycle marques are Bultaco and Montesa. In 1944, Pere Permanyer and Francesc Xavier “Paco” Bultó formed Montesa, achieving success […]
Bultracker 33: Sportster 883R Scrambler - Lord Drake Kustoms builds an 883 Scrambler… Spain’s Francisco Alí Manén of Lord Drake Kustoms (LDK) continues to churn out some of the world’s most colorful custom creations, translating the flamboyant style of his H-D […]
Lord Drake Kustoms: Yamaha XT600 Scrambler - Introduced in 1984, the Yamaha XT600 would become one of the most venerated big-bore “trailies” of all time — a rugged, no-nonsense dual-purpose machine that performed equally well on grocery runs and trans-African expeditions. “The […]
“Sportracker 05” – Harley XL1200 Sportster - Lord Drake Kustoms builds a burly Sportster… The Sportster continues to be one of our favorite platforms for custom builds. Our own “Blitzen Tracker” is a favored steed in the stable, and in 2022 alone, […]
“Soulbreaker 47” Sportster 883R - A new Harley Sportster “Soulbreaker” from Lord Drake Kustoms… Back in 2021, we featured a pair of “Soulbreaker” Sportsters from mountaineer-turned-builder Fran Manen of Lord Drake Kustoms, who has workshops both in Miami and Málaga, […]
Bultaco Tribute: Sportster 1200 “Bultracker” - Lord Drake Kustoms builds a twin-cylinder tribute to the Spanish brand… Francesc “Paco” Bultó founded Spanish motorcycle company Bultaco on an old farm in 1957. Paco had been the director of Montesa, which had […]
King Wolf: Triumph “Mardanis” Scrambler - Lord Drake Kustoms builds a wild Triumph Scrambler… The Triumph T100 Bonneville is one of the most popular modern platforms for customization. It’s easy to see why. The retro lines hark back to the […]
“Survivor” Springer: BMW R100 Café Racer - Lord Drake Kustoms builds a BMW R springer… The BMW R100 has become one of the world’s most popular donors for custom transformations, appearing in a wide variety of modes and styles: café racer, scrambler, […]
Sportster “Martini” Scrambler by Lord Drake Kustoms - Italian distillery Martini & Rossi, makers of the well-known Martini vermouth, began sponsoring motor racing teams way back in 1958, when Count Metello Rossi di Montelera founded the Martini International Club. During the 1970s, Martini […]
Yamaha XT600 Army Scrambler - LDK’s Spanish workshop builds a military-inspired XT600 scrambler… Available from 1990-2004, the Yamaha XT600 was the latest evolution of the four-valve air-cooled singles that began with the legendary XT500, winner of the first two Paris-Dakar […]
