Having a custom motorcycle built, Peter's story.
Peter is 56. He sold his company, watched his kids leave home, and picked up an old love again after thirty years. Joost asked him the questions.
Peter does not exist. His story does: it is drawn from the stories of the people who walk through our door. The conversation is based on that, and the photos are atmospheric images.
Joost asks, Peter tells.
Eight chapters, from the morning after he sold his company to the first ride on his black K100 and the trip through the Ardennes with his friends.
Joost Harmsma works on the Dapper Dash and the Dapper Connect app.
This story keeps growing · updated 27 September 2026
The day after the sale.
Joost
You ran your own company for thirty years. What was the morning after the sale like?
Peter
I was standing in the kitchen at six, coffee in hand, exactly like always. Except nothing happened. No phone calls, no customers, no problem to solve.
I genuinely had no idea what to do with a Tuesday morning.
Joost
Was that a relief?
Peter
Not at first. For years you're needed, and then suddenly a bit less. You have to learn that. But it also gave me space, and I didn't want to fill that space straight away.
A quiet house.
Joost
Shortly after, your youngest daughter went off to university.
Peter
That autumn we drove her things to Utrecht. A box of books, a bike, and a lamp she's had since she was ten. On the way back, my wife and I barely said a word.
Joost
What did that do to you?
Peter
The house got quieter and the calendar emptier. For the first time in years I had time for myself. And then the question came naturally: what do I actually still want?
Someday, when I have time.
Joost
When did motorcycles come back into the picture?
Peter
Clearing out the attic, I found my old helmet. At nineteen I bought an old twin cylinder with my first pay cheque. Saturdays along the dyke, winters tinkering in my father's shed.
Joost
And after that?
Peter
After that came the company, the kids, life. The bike went, the feeling stayed. For years I kept saying: someday, when I have time. Well, that time was here now.
Something that was mine.
Joost
You could have just bought a new motorcycle.
Peter
I went round a few showrooms. Beautiful bikes, every one of them. But also all the same: same lines, same colours, same brochure.
Joost
So what were you looking for?
Peter
Not the fastest or the newest. Something that fit who I'd become, and that nobody else had. I didn't want to stand out. I wanted it to feel right.
A conversation, not a sales pitch.
Joost
How did you end up at Dapper Motor?
Peter
Through a story on their site, about an old BMW brought back to life step by step. I sent them a message that same evening. A few days later I was standing in the workshop in Haarlem.
Joost
What stayed with you from that first conversation?
Peter
That Rik asked questions first. About me, not about motorcycles. How I ride, with whom, where I want to go. Only after that came the sketches.
It felt more like a conversation with a tailor than with a salesman.
Line by line.
Joost
Which motorcycle did it become?
Peter
A BMW K100 from the eighties, all in black. Rik and I picked the donor bike together, and I got to weigh in on every choice: the seat, the exhaust, the colour of the stitching.
Joost
What was it like watching him take shape?
Peter
I could follow the whole build in the customer portal. Every step was in there, with photos. The bare frame, the engine coming back in black, the tank finally sitting in place.
It took a few months, and every week he became a bit more mine.
The key in my hand.
Joost
And then there he was.
Peter
I walked around him for a while first. You know every part, you've watched it all take shape, and yet it's suddenly something else once he's finished.
Joost
Where did that first ride take you?
Peter
Just up onto the dyke, like the old days. It wasn't a long ride. But I had a smile I hadn't had in thirty years.
Back on the road together.
Joost
Did that trip through the Ardennes ever happen?
Peter
We'd been talking about it for twenty years, with three old friends. This spring we finally went. Four days, narrow roads, and the same terrace every evening.
Joost
I showed you the app we're working on. What did you think?
Peter
It's a kind of social network for riders, but built for actually getting out on the road. Plotting a route, planning a ride together, keeping track of what's been done to your bike. And soon, meeting riders you don't know yet.
No likes, just miles. That's what I've been waiting for.
Joost
What would you tell someone who's still on the fence?
Peter
Don't wait for the perfect moment. I did that for thirty years. Start with a conversation, the rest follows on its own.
No likes, just miles.
Dapper Connect is the app we're building and testing right now. A social network for motorcycle riders, but built for actually getting out on the road: with people you know, and with people you don't know yet.
Routes and navigation
Have a scenic route mapped out for you, and navigate with a voice of your own.
Riding together
Invite friends on a ride and arrange everything inside the app.
Meeting riders
Ride along with someone you don't know yet. Only once you both say yes do you see who it is.
Maintenance log
A logbook per motorcycle: what was done, when, and at what mileage.
Your rides
Every ride saved, with your own logbook alongside it.
The app is still in development and testing, not yet available to download. A small group is trying it out right now.
Having a custom motorcycle built yourself?
What does a custom motorcycle cost?
The price varies greatly depending on your wishes. A subtle upgrade can start from a few thousand euros, while a full custom build can run into tens of thousands of euros. Request a non-binding quote for an accurate price indication.
From our FAQHow long does the build take?
It starts with a non-binding conversation where we discuss your wishes. Then we create a detailed plan and quote. After approval we start the build, during which you receive regular updates. The total lead time depends on the complexity, on average 3 to 6 months.
From our FAQCan I have my own motorcycle converted?
Yes, we build based on your own motorcycle as well as with a donor selected by us. If your own motorcycle is used, we first assess the condition and discuss whether it is suitable for your plans.
From our FAQDo I get a warranty?
Yes, on our work and on the parts we add ourselves. What exactly is covered is set out in the warranty terms you receive at delivery.
From our FAQMore than a beautiful motorcycle.
Cheaper on the road
A motorcycle uses less fuel than a car, skips the traffic jams, and you can park it almost anywhere. A cheap way to commute.
No road tax
In the Netherlands, a motorcycle aged 40 or older pays no road tax. Many countries have a similar rule for classics. Many of our donor bikes already qualify, or will soon.
Good for business
In the Netherlands a company motorcycle has no benefit-in-kind tax (bijtelling), and the purchase and running costs are deductible for business use.
A business card on wheels
With your logo on the tank or stitched into the seat. Wherever you park it, it starts a conversation about your business.
Unique, and it holds its value
There's only one like it. A well built motorcycle with a complete build file holds its value better than one straight from the showroom.
Engineering you understand
Beautiful, honest engineering from a time before software. You can see how everything works, and hear it too.
Work on it yourself, or let us
Do your own maintenance or bring it to us. Parts are easy to find, including in our own webshop.
A second life
We build on a motorcycle that already exists. Not a new factory bike, but a classic with years of life left in it.
The tax benefits depend on your own situation. This is not tax advice, check with your accountant.
What's your story?
Tell Rik. Within two working days he'll personally think through the donor bike, design and budget with you. Relaxed, no obligation, no rush.