It's an ambush.

Stockholm syndrome takes everyone prisoner.

The Unique Custom Cycles forge actually doesn't have much to do with Café racers. But when the Swedish customisers received an R nineT, they put together a bike in record time that is as captivating as a kidnapping. 

Profile description

Bike

Stockholm Syndrome

Forge

Unique Custom Cycles

Customizer

Ronna Norén and Gordon Roth

Basic

R nineT

Construction/conversion

2014/2014

Category

Cafe Racer

Build, Eat, Sleep

The term Stockholm syndrome describes an almost unimaginable situation: in a hostage situation, the victims establish a positive emotional relationship with the perpetrators; they sympathise and cooperate with them. The Stockholm Syndrome bike from Unique Custom Cycles (UCC) however creates a very imaginable situation: it immediately takes prisoners with its exterior appearance, and a positive emotional relationship with the machine is established. The rider sympathises and cooperates.

The first "victims" of the Stockholm syndrome were Ronna Norén and Gordon Roth. They were themselves responsible for their own fate. When they accepted an offer from BMW Motorrad to convert an R nineT, they put themselves into this position. In actual fact, the two Swedes are trail blazers on the customizing scene for long-fork choppers. They are also responsible for several of the fastest European drag bikes: streetbikes, pro-stocks, supercharged top fuelers and enormous super twin monsters. 

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It reminds us of the 1970s and 80s, when motorcycling was simply about having fun and modifying a motorcycle according to your own personal preferences. ”

Ronna Norén

Unique Custom Cycles

This is why faced with the challenge of designing the R nineT, the duo didn't shy away from the task. "The custom roadster scene is growing continuously and bringing new and young blood into the motorcycle community", Ronna explains. "This is good for all of us."

However, he and Gordon don't have much time to implement their ideas for the conversion of the R nineT. The last bolt must have been tightened, the blue metallic paint dried and the spoked wheels in classic dimensions polished by the time of the famous Custom Bike Show in the Swedish town of Norrtälje. The deadline: five weeks. For Gordon and Ronna, this means: 35 days of eat, sleep, build, repeat. Stockholm syndrome took them prisoner. "We usually find it hard to develop and build components. If we had any problems building the Stockholm Syndrome, then it was a lack of time", Ronna admits. 

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The bike in detail

Frame

Shorter rear frame

Bodywork

flatter petrol tank, one man seat, manifold pipes, oil cooler

Front suspension

Telescopic fork with fork bridges elongated by three degrees from Tolle Engineering, front brake system with six-piston pliers, floating 320 mm-discs with integrated ABS sensors and fully adjustable brake and clutch operating cylinder from ISR Brakes 

Rear suspension

Special spring strut and a steering damper in typical gold surface for the 1200 BMW, rear four-piston plier brake system 

Exhaust

UCC

Paint

Blue metallic

UCC withstands the pressure.

The petrol tank was a self-built part. Although it is based on the original, the silhouette has become flatter, meaning the bike received the desired dynamic appearance. The shorter rear frame, the one-man bench and the manifold pipes were made in their workshop. The oil cooler comes from their accessories range.

The team around Ronna and Gordon withheld the pressure. They survived being hostages to Stockholm syndrome exhausted but happy. The result: a classical-sporty line, a traditionally slim Café racer. Incidentally, Ronna and Gordon established a positive emotional attachment to their bike during this time. Must be Stockholm syndrome.   

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