DA7 BMW R100R diamond atelier motorcycle

diamond atelier was afraid of becoming overly repetitive: be it due to the current saturation of custom 2-valve motorcycles, or the urge to make every bike build ‘the best so far’, it prefers to stay inventive. with a breath of experience in customizing BMW bikes, the munich-based custom shop shows off its handiwork this stunning ‘DA#7’ BMW R100R.

all images © lukas magerl

diamond atelier’s experience with this specific model meant it did not lose any time with solving technical issues, and could focus on the creative side of the build. a complete engine rebuild was completed to make sure the the bike had a solid foundation. since it would be delivered to a country with close, to no, technical restrictions on motorcycles, the workshop was free to experiment with various ideas, which would be otherwise impossible in germany, due to strict tüv regulations.

 
the first task was to create a unique tank and seat combination. for this it has used a mid 70’s trials bike gas tank and then built a rear frame loop, which wraps tightly around it, from a single piece of tubing. the workshop wanted to create a seat that was not only super slim, but also comfortable for longer trips. the solution was to place the seat within the frame loop so the thickness of the seat would be hidden by the tubes of the frame, making the uppermost surface visible from the side.

up front it has rebuilt and lowered the forks so, together with the brand new and custom-built wheels, the chassis is optimized for performance. this is enhanced with pirelli diablo supercorsa ‘SP2’ tires that almost redefine the laws of physics, when pushed hard enough. as always, diamond atelier made a completely new custom wiring harness, which was particularly tricky due to the tiny gas tank fitted on top of it. together with its own signature battery packs that are neatly hidden, the bike can fully function without a kick starter.

however, this bike is more about what you can’t see, rather than what you can. a minimalist floating rear frame; neatly hidden throttle lines; and ignition cables disappearing into the engine block refine the bike’s clean look. to keep the cockpit as clean as possible, the tachometer sits on the gearbox and there are no unnecessary buttons or switches crowding the rider’s view. the only thing that is visible, is the diamond atelier serial number and the authentic 0.17 carat diamond that is set into the CNC-machined upper triple clamp.

 
everything that was originally black is now covered in multiple layers of high quality powdercoating to avoid paint chips when riding. the engine has received a uniquely formulated high temperature color coating, and all other pieces components are sand blasted and polished to perfection. the metallic silver and candy purple are hand-mixed colors, which means that they are unique and not reproducible–even for the garage.