Eight years ago, Rough Crafts knocked us off our feet with their first-ever custom BMW R nineT. The Taiwanese superstar custom shop had mostly built custom Harleys until then—but the ‘Bavarian Fistfighter’ was definitive proof that founder Winston Yeh could turn any motorcycle into gold. No surprise then that it found itself at the top of our list of that year’s best custom bikes.
What is surprising, is that Rough Crafts hasn’t built another custom BMW R nineT since… until now.
Commissioned by a local movie star, ‘Bayern Madness’ deliberately bears a resemblance to Rough Crafts’ debut R nineT. His request was for something in the same vein, with a few key changes; less bodywork, a hint of scrambler styling, and a silver paint job. Winston figured the rest out from there.
Winston runs Rough Crafts as a collective of sorts, pulling local craftsmen into the fold as and when needed. With JZO Crafts (fabrication) and Faber Studio (assembly) on board, the first challenge was to simplify the nineT’s layout as much as possible.
“The biggest headache,” Winston tells us, “was to tackle the electronics, remove the airbox, and relocate everything to under the only remaining bodywork—the tank. Aside from that, I decided to go for an extremely narrow fuel tank to celebrate the boxer engine, which made hiding everything even harder.”
The R nineT’s new handmade fuel tank is a work of art, effortlessly blending details inspired by vintage BMW boxers with Rough Crafts’ signature aesthetic. From the side, it mimics the Bavarian Fistfighter’s deeply scalloped fuel tank. But it’s slimmer when viewed from above, flowing into a pair of seams that flank the carbon fiber-encrusted ignition.
Finer details include a Rough Crafts gas cap, an elegant tank strap from Urban Soul Leathers, and a pair of bespoke tank badges from one of Winston’s oldest collaborators, 2Abnormal Sides.
Further back, the BMW’s subframe has been ditched in favor of a minimalist seat mount with an integrated pan. The solo seat is a nod to the rubber BMW seats of the 1950s. Sans fenders or a fairing, this Rough Crafts nineT is about as stripped-down as it gets.
Next, Winston pulled his usual trick by throwing a smorgasbord of really swish kit at the nineT. Beefy right-side-up Öhlins forks do duty up front, offering classic looks with modern performance. They’ve been shortened and fitted with an Andreani axle and bracket kit. from Öhlins’ Blackline series.
Rough Crafts retained the BMW’s OEM Brembo brakes, but swapped the wheels for a pair of tubeless 17” wheels from BMW’s posh Option 719 range. They’re wrapped in Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tires—which, despite their rugged appearance, offer ample grip on asphalt. “It actually rides like a roadster in a scrambler’s skin,” Winston confirms.
The cockpit features Rough Crafts bar clamps, Beringer controls, and Motogadget grips, while Rizoma foot controls sit lower down. An LED headlight lights the way, finished in the shop’s traditional grill style, with a tiny Motogadget speedo floating just above it. Motogadget LED turn signals flank the radiator, with Rough Crafts x Koso three-in-one LEDs acting as taillights and rear turn signals.
Turn your attention to the boxer motor’s heads, and you’ll spot a stunning set of Unit Garage valve covers, customized with badges by 2 Abnormal Sides. The air filters are from DNA Filter and include laser-engraved Rough Crafts branding. And the two-into-two exhaust system is a bespoke arrangement from SC-Project in Italy.
Rover Works Custom Paint pushed the build over the finish line, with a classic pin-striped livery that inverts Rough Crafts’ usual palette. Bayern Madness might not be finished in black—but there’s no denying that Winston’s signature is all over it.
Hopefully, it won’t be another eight years before Rough Crafts’ next custom BMW R nineT.
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