This particular machine began life as a low-mileage 2019 BMW R nineT Urban G/S. It was commissioned by a customer from the north of England, who arrived with a simple but evocative brief: build a motorcycle inspired by Batman.
 

The result is a muscular, blacked-out boxer that looks as though it would be perfectly at home beneath the streets of Gotham City.
 

Rather than relying on obvious graphics or novelty details, Kev interpreted the Batman theme through the bike’s shape, stance and finish. Almost every visible component has been treated in black, with a carefully judged mixture of matte, satin and gloss textures preventing the finished machine from looking flat.
 

The transformation begins at the front, where a set of custom fork guards gives the Urban G/S a heavier and more aggressive profile. A compact LED headlight sits behind a protective grille, accompanied by a smaller auxiliary lamp.
 

Motogadget LED indicators keep the front end visually clean, while substantial hand guards extend the bike’s silhouette and add to its purposeful appearance. Black crash bars wrap around the boxer cylinders, reinforcing the industrial character while also providing useful protection.
 

Kev removed the original airbox and fitted a pair of exposed DNA filters. The fuelling was then refined using a Rapid Bike Evo module to suit the revised intake and exhaust arrangement.
 

A pair of straight-through black exhausts—one running along each side—allows the boxer engine to breathe more freely and gives the Bat Bike a suitably menacing soundtrack.
 

A Completely New Profile
 

One of the most significant changes is Kevils’ own solo-seat conversion. Removing the R nineT’s original rear bodywork radically shortens the bike’s visual profile and exposes more of its frame and suspension.
 

The handmade solo seat features diamond-stitched grey leather upholstery. Its slim, floating appearance creates a sharp contrast with the substantial fuel tank and exposed mechanical components beneath it. A discreet LED rear light is tucked into the underside of the seat, keeping the tail uncluttered.
 

Öhlins rear suspension improves the bike’s control and stance, while grippy Bridgestone tyres give it the planted appearance the design demanded. The wheels, drivetrain, engine covers and numerous smaller components were blacked out to maintain the theme.
 

Look closely and the build reveals an extensive collection of smaller alterations: fabricated brackets, guards, repositioned components, carefully routed wiring and refinished hardware. Individually they are subtle, but together they make the motorcycle feel like a complete design rather than a collection of aftermarket parts.
 

Despite its aggressive appearance, Kev was determined to preserve the R nineT’s rideability. The riding position remains practical, the chassis is usable on real roads and none of the styling changes have compromised the qualities that make BMW’s modern boxer such a capable everyday motorcycle.
 

The donor had covered only around 3,000 miles, providing an exceptionally clean foundation for the conversion.
 

Built After Burgers
 

The Bat Bike was completed in approximately six weeks—but it was far from a conventional full-time workshop build.
 

Kev worked on it for a couple of hours each evening, usually after finishing a day of flipping burgers and serving customers from the street-food van. Progress came in short, focused sessions until the motorcycle gradually took on its final form.
 

Both Kev and the customer were delighted with the result. It fulfilled the original Batman brief without becoming theatrical, and it retained the reliability and usability expected of a modern BMW.
 

Built to Be Ridden
 

Over the years, Kevils Speed Shop has built motorcycles for several well-known customers. One of the most recent was Charley Boorman’s BMW R75/5, prepared for an adventure with Ewan McGregor that took them from Scotland to the Arctic and eventually back to London. Kev can be seen on the intro of every episode of the resulting television series.
 

The classic BMW completed the entire journey without missing a beat and appears at the beginning of each episode of the show.
 

That achievement reflects the philosophy behind every Kevils build. The motorcycles may be designed to attract attention, but they are never intended to exist solely as display pieces.
 

The Bat Bike might look like it belongs in a superhero’s underground lair, but underneath the brooding bodywork it remains a properly engineered BMW—reliable, rideable and ready for the road.