"L'Echappée Belle" BMW R-Nine T

The BMW R Nine T sidecar known as L'Echappee Belle (The Great Escape) is a bespoke build by OSE Kustom Motorworks, created for the official BMW Motorrad R Nine T Customization Contest in 2015 and one of the most refined sidecar motorcycles ever produced.

The Concept

OSE Kustom Motorworks, a French workshop known for merging craftsmanship with mechanical precision, entered the BMW Motorrad contest with a vision that went far beyond a standard custom build. Rather than simply modifying the donor bike, they conceived a complete ensemble: a motorcycle and a companion sidecar designed as a single coherent object. The name L'Echappee Belle, meaning The Great Escape, captures both the spirit of the machine and the freedom it invites.

The Build

The base 2015 BMW R Nine T was transformed from the ground up. The body wears a rich candy green paint with a deep, almost jewel-like sheen. Brown leather upholstery covers the seat, stitched to contrast the metallic finish and anchored by laser-etched detailing that carries the OSE logo. A flat-tracker style front number plate replaces the headlight, giving the bike a raw competition silhouette. The exhaust is a scrambler-type system fabricated entirely in-house, a detail that signals the workshop's commitment to bespoke metalwork over off-the-shelf components. Gas caps are laser-engraved with the OSE mark, and every visible surface carries intentional detail that rewards a closer look.

The sidecar matches the motorcycle finish for finish and stitch for stitch: same candy green, same brown leather, same scrambler-spec wheels. A polished stainless steel grab bar runs across the front for the passenger, and a bearing cap on the sidecar body displays the laser-etched OSE logo. The result is a cohesive object rather than a bike with an afterthought attached.

Performance

The BMW R Nine T platform delivers 107 HP from a 1200cc air-cooled boxer twin, a character-rich engine chosen as the base for generations of custom builders. Under 500 km have been covered since the build was completed, placing this machine in near-unridden condition. The combined weight of 298 kg reflects the addition of the sidecar while remaining composed for a three-wheeled configuration of this ambition.

Specifications

• Builder: OSE Kustom Motorworks
• Base Model: 2015 BMW R Nine T
• Model: L'Echappee Belle
• Engine: 1200cc air-cooled boxer twin
• Power: 107 HP
• Weight: 298 kg
• Mileage: Under 500 km
• Paint: Candy green with brown leather upholstery
• Exhaust: Scrambler-type, handmade in-house
• Contest: BMW Motorrad R Nine T Customization Contest 2015

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