JVB BMW R nineT
By Ross Sharp - 17 Oct 18
We've been chatting a lot this week about JVB Moto and it's founder Jens Vom Brauck. Style is of course subjective but there's not a single person I've talked to who doesn't agree that Jens' customs are bang on the money. I've blabbed on about my fondness for JVB kits (as fitted to my XSR700 here) and as far as I am aware Jens is the only builder to successfully manufacture a range of customer-fit parts for the Yamaha Yard Built program that are available in any meaningful quantity. This is clearly a BMW but the philosophy is the same - use traditional model making techniques and modern 3D scanning technology to produce bolt-on facelifts for the most popular bikes in the current custom scene.
Every man and his dog has had a stab at the R nineT, some dramatic, some wildly ostentatious and some really slick. This is JVB's second Beemer project (first here) and it most definitely falls into the latter category. The signature fork gaitors give the game away but even without the stickers and matt blue paint it's obviously a JVB build.
The seat unit, air intake and front mudguard began life as lumps of automotive modelling clay before being scanned to provide machined reference moulds for the GRP laying. And no, there's no pillion provision here. Jens' bikes tend to be for enjoying solo which, with the more aggressive seat angle and forward seating position it's less of a stretch to the new LSL clipons.
Carbon fibre wheel covers combine with the near slick Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa tyres for a retro-futuristic look which I think looks ace. The keyboard jockeys will have a field day predicting certain death by crosswind but I don't care. I had a solid wheel on my neon pink Specialized Hard Rock in 1990 and Chas Davies ran one on his Ducati 1199 a couple of years back - we both looked cool, fact!
The fairing is the standard BMW part but with the baby blue paint in an eggshell finish it looks less pointy than on the original Racer model. Mounted within is an E-marked headlight with LED DRL (daytime running light) which is completely plug-and-play courtesy of a fitting kit and wiring loom to connect to the Beemer's complex CAN-bus harness. Dinky indicators held by CNC-folded brackets under the lever perches on the handlebars and matching pair at the rear are both barely visible when switched off, very neat.
Jens' pipe partner of choice has, for a while now, been Italian outfit Arrow and the simple single can used here looks sophisticated and, with a tweak, bolts to the OE headers and underslung collector. And we all know how good that engine sounds uncorked. The textured rocker covers must add a few more horsepower too.
Nothing radical, nothing fancy. Simply a considered nip and tuck that not only highlights what an absolutely cracking job BMW's designers did in the first place but also that Jens's subtle style shines through no matter which donor bike he works on.
The kit is available to order online via JVB's retail partner Kedo. Check here for prices and details.
More JVB Moto builds on Bike Shed Archive and follow Jens' next project on Facebook | Instagram