MARLBORO MEN

A pair of custom BMW K100s pays homage to the legendary Formula 1 livery from the world's best-known cigarette brand

- NICOLAS STECHER

Äs a young kid I always had a strong need to take things apart to see how they were made and how they worked, ranging from simple toys to my little bike," recalls Timothy Somers, Founder and Design Director of Dutch motorcycle and design studio Powerbrick Performance. That innate curiosity led Somers to university in the Netherlands where he studied Industrial Design, Engineering and Product Design, eventually earning a master's in Product Design. But the young creative soon realized the corporate world shackled him to project management instead of actual design-a common trap for those with both an independent and creative streak.

Then inspiration hit in the form of two wheels. "I remember walking by a mildly customized BMW K100 on a daily basis during my studies in Delft, and somehow this bike left such an impression that I wanted to build one myself. I had practically never touched a motorcycle before, but given my technical background how hard could it be?” Somers asks rhetorically. “It ended up being a very fruitful love story where I found the perfect outlet for both my creative and engineering needs.” And so in 2018 Powerbrick Performance was born, not only customizing motorcycles but designing bolt-on parts that at-home builders can use to craft their own unicorns. One recent build Somers and his Powerbrick manifested caught our eye, and demanded a deeper look.