BMW “HPT” Custom by BMW San Francisco

The team at BMW San Francisco had the idea to build a special, one off vehicle that mixed the outgoing vibe of the city with the classic heritage of BMW Motorrad, and this is what they came up with: a sporty, yet retro approach to the R nineT roadster. It’s called the “HPT,” it took nine months to complete, and it’s a rather special vehicle.

Transforming the R nineT into a modern incarnation of the HP2 was no mean feat, but the team began by swapping the wheels with original high performance grade HP2 units, and painting the rims and the frames to match. Next, the team went to work on the tank, and successfully managed to give the HPT the retro-modern styled tank that it needed. BMW San Fran opted for a brushed aluminum finish to set the theme of the machine. With the build beginning to fall into shape, they turned their attention to the rear end, forming a small tail hump to give the R nineT more of a café racer vibe.

For some more cross-brand synergy, the seat was specially upholstered with BMW’s very own water resistant Atlantis leather jackets, supplied by BMW Motorrad USA for the occasion. Not only is the jacket idea a cool one, the embossed “BMW Motorrad” logo that usually adorns the sleeve of the Atlantic jacket’s now sits in pride of place on the rear of the seat. The “HPT” was also blessed with its own logo that has now been stitched on the saddle’s base.

With the aesthetics in hand, the BMW team now focused at upgrading the ride experience of the HPT by replacing some of the stock parts with aftermarket bits and pieces. The handlebars were binned and replaced with sportier clip on units, the levers have been upgraded, and the clutch has been replaced with one from the original HP2. The rear end has been streamlined with a svelte tail tidy to tie the whole thing together. To really bring the build into the 21st century, BMW San Francisco also used a liberal amount of carbon fiber, with a new fender, heel guards, alternator cover and a lot more. The final upgrades include a new instrument cluster from MotoGadget, new rear sets and an awesome, custom built exhaust system that really gives the HPT some attitude.

Source Gearheads & BMW San Francisco