el solitario impostor BMW R nineT custom motorcycle presented at homo faber

for el solitario motorcycles customizing a motorbike is not enough; they prefer each transformed two-wheeled piece to tell a story using machines, gear, photography and film. as stated on their website, the spain-based company doesn’t intend to seek beauty, content, or practicality — in reality this doesn’t interest them as they believe this is what dominates today’s spectrum. on the contrary, their machines are ‘mere autobiographical exercises that depict an instant capture of the vital journey they are immersed in.’

starting from a BMW R-nineT, the el solitario impostor could easily be part of a mad max movie — it looks outrageous and killer. a full fairing made of steel brackets results in the look of a wind tunnel wireframe model. it also features two petrol tanks inspired by the long-distance racing motorcycles of the eighties, four BMW high-beam LEDs, a yellow vintage-look marshal fog light, a bright LED tail light, and motogadget turn indicators. both the front and rear suspensions are of the S 1000 RR and the exhaust is a reworked ducati 999R one.

as for the name, ‘impostor’ means the same in english as in spanish: a person who pretends to be someone else in order to deceive others, specially for fraudulent gain. a sheep in wolf’s clothings some might say. but as david borrás from el solitario says, ‘I always need the name first, before I can define the character of a project. I called the bike the impostor because it is not real. it is a spirit, inspired by the wireframe models of a wind tunnel.’

about homo faber:

homo faber is a major cultural exhibition in venice, italy, dedicated to the very best in european craftsmanship running from september 14th to 30th 2018. organized by the michelangelo foundation, it aims to put fine craftsmanship on the global map and increase recognition and visibility for master artisans. the exhibition will bring together a range of materials and disciplines, from jewelry to bespoke bicycles, from the rare artisanal techniques to some of the most iconic examples of the finest european workmanship. created by a hand-picked team of world-class designers, curators and architects, the exhibition stretches over a number of spaces throughout the fondazione giorgio cini.