Photo: Diamond Atelier
Diamond Atelier is the sort of workshop whose custom bikes would look right at home in an art gallery, and the one pictured above is no exception. It harks back to the firm’s early days, closely resembling one the very first motorcycles they’d ever built but done better in just about every way. As the project’s starting point, the crew chose an old-school airhead just as they had done in the past.
However, this time it was a BMW R 100 R as opposed to the R 80 RT used previously. The fruit of Diamond Atelier’s labor isn’t just impressive from a visual standpoint, but it also packs some serious performance upgrades to really spice things up. Starting with the boxer-twin engine, it can now deliver a very healthy 90 hp and 81 pound-feet (110 Nm) of torque.
On their quest to achieve these numbers, the project’s authors performed a comprehensive powertrain overhaul and increased the mill’s capacity to 1,070cc. Forged high-compression pistons replace the stock items, accompanied by a myriad of other upgrades like a lightened crankshaft, new cams, and replacement valves. Air is now drawn in through Mikuni carbs topped with K&N pod filters.
At the other end of the combustion cycle, we come across a bespoke ceramic-coated exhaust running a two-into-one layout. The plumbing eventually ends in a stainless-steel silencer low down on the left-hand side, right beneath the foot peg and next to the rear tire. With more power comes the need for improved running gear, so the bike’s suspension underwent some serious changes.
Up north, we now find bespoke billet aluminum triple clamps holding a pair of adjustable 43 mm (1.7-inch) upside-down forks. On the other hand, rear-end suspension duties are now taken care of by a high-grade Wilbers shock absorber. Unsprung territory is occupied by 17-inch laced aftermarket wheels shod in Metzeler Racetec K3 tires, and a bit of extra stopping power was also on the menu.
It comes from drilled front brake discs paired with six-piston calipers, but the stock drum module is still in use at the back. The Diamond Atelier treatment made a big impact in the bodywork department, as well, with both the new front fender and tail section being custom parts built in-house. By contrast, the fuel tank was sourced from an older R model, then topped with a flush-mounted filler cap and custom BMW roundels.
The specimen’s lighting package includes a yellow-tinted JW-Speaker headlamp at the front and multi-function Kellermann LEDs at the rear. Up in the cockpit area, you’ll see digital Motogadget instrumentation and clip-on handlebars outfitted with Brembo control levers. Finally, the chosen color scheme is an elegant mixture of silver and black, but the cherry on top of the cake is a small 0.17-carat diamond recessed into the top clamp.
On their quest to achieve these numbers, the project’s authors performed a comprehensive powertrain overhaul and increased the mill’s capacity to 1,070cc. Forged high-compression pistons replace the stock items, accompanied by a myriad of other upgrades like a lightened crankshaft, new cams, and replacement valves. Air is now drawn in through Mikuni carbs topped with K&N pod filters.
At the other end of the combustion cycle, we come across a bespoke ceramic-coated exhaust running a two-into-one layout. The plumbing eventually ends in a stainless-steel silencer low down on the left-hand side, right beneath the foot peg and next to the rear tire. With more power comes the need for improved running gear, so the bike’s suspension underwent some serious changes.
Up north, we now find bespoke billet aluminum triple clamps holding a pair of adjustable 43 mm (1.7-inch) upside-down forks. On the other hand, rear-end suspension duties are now taken care of by a high-grade Wilbers shock absorber. Unsprung territory is occupied by 17-inch laced aftermarket wheels shod in Metzeler Racetec K3 tires, and a bit of extra stopping power was also on the menu.
It comes from drilled front brake discs paired with six-piston calipers, but the stock drum module is still in use at the back. The Diamond Atelier treatment made a big impact in the bodywork department, as well, with both the new front fender and tail section being custom parts built in-house. By contrast, the fuel tank was sourced from an older R model, then topped with a flush-mounted filler cap and custom BMW roundels.
The specimen’s lighting package includes a yellow-tinted JW-Speaker headlamp at the front and multi-function Kellermann LEDs at the rear. Up in the cockpit area, you’ll see digital Motogadget instrumentation and clip-on handlebars outfitted with Brembo control levers. Finally, the chosen color scheme is an elegant mixture of silver and black, but the cherry on top of the cake is a small 0.17-carat diamond recessed into the top clamp.
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