They say once you experience German engineering, you never go back. And this is certainly true of BMW Motorrad’s legendary motorcycles. BMWs feature unique flat-twin boxer engines, unmistakable style, and renowned mechanics that must live up to Berlin-level performance standards.
Launched in 1923, BMW has long been lauded for its line of airhead engines (1969–1995). The well-known R nineT and R80 series of Beemers (among others) have become the basis for many masterful builds covered on these pages—and the newer R18 is heading down the same track.
The German custom powerhouse WalzWerk has just marked its 35th birthday in the best way it knows—with a handsome BMW boxer bobber. A Frenchman in Morocco takes on the world with a Honda XL 125S, an Indonesian custom shop builds a Honda Trail replica out of a Suzuki, and a Japanese privateer builds a sharp…
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Anyone who’s ever built something will tell you that inspiration can come from the strangest places. In the motorcycle world, it could be a headlight bucket, paint chip or a set of old bias ply tires. For builder Bret Crandell it was something as simple as a 1977 Florida State Inspection sticker that set the…
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Everybody loves an underdog story, and besides being one of the most influential motorcycles of its kind, this BMW-based sidecar racer is probably the most unlikely hero on three wheels. It was constructed and piloted by a German privateer named Helmut Fath, and spawned the next generation of sidecar racers known as ‘kneelers.’ A holy…
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The R27 showed up in the stable courtesy of our good friend and artist Christopher Myott. It’s a DeLorean, an underpowered time machine that couldn’t hit 88 mph if my life depended on it. And though the records may show a top speed of 81 mph, I managed to hit 70 and it was reaching.…
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You’re sure to face opposition calling something the first of its kind, but the consensus is that the BMW R80G/S invented the…
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High-end custom motorcycles are a joy to ogle, but owning them is often beyond the reach of us mere mortals. Not everyone…
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If you’ve ever wondered what the new BMW R 12 nineT would look like dressed as a vintage R90S, the new BMW…
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With roughly 2.7 million people living in Brooklyn, New York, the serendipitous tale of this BMW R100R café racer stands out as…
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As the founder of Spain’s 72 Cycles Performance, and one-half of the collaborative outfit 72 HKG Performance, Antonio Rodriguez has developed an…
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When Bryan Fuller learned that BMW had secretly sent prototype 1,800 cc engines to a handful of custom builders ahead of the…
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The last time BMW Motorrad released a 450 cc dirt bike, it was a wild off-roader that borrowed tech from the marque’s…
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The best custom motorcycles aren’t always the ones that scream the loudest. Some captivate with simplicity, inviting a closer look that reveals…
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